Recent Watercraft Articles
Should You Buy a Used Inflatable Boat? There are two types of used inflatable boats for sale - those that have never been patched before, and those that have been repaired. Repaired boats are worked upon by factory technicians using the same glue and same techniques used for a new boat, and hence are as good as new ones.
A Review of Inflatable Boat Manufacturers There are many manufacturers of inflatable boats on the market today. Included below is an overview of each of the key manufacturers.
Inflatable Boats: An Overview Inflatable boats are made from flexible material, usually rubber, canvas, or neoprene, and hold air at high volume but low pressure. They need to be fitted with a frame to which an oarlock mount is firmly attached. Such frames are either made of metal or wood, or a combination of the two.
Inflatable Pontoon Boats Bryce Whitmore designed the modern whitewater inflatable pontoon boat, and in fact designed several models. The one that has been produced the most is a three-tube model of unparalleled maneuverability and load bearing capacity. This boat which is fourteen feet overall, can carry 6 passengers, their baggage, and a guide.
Rigid Inflatable Boats A rigid inflatable boat is defined as a hard-hulled boat with air inflatable collars. RIB hulls are made of fiberglass, aluminum or composite materials. The soft bumpers or fenders, called "sponsons," can be air tubes, or all foam systems.
The Benefits of Inflatable Fishing Boats Inflatable fishing boats are great yacht tenders/camping boats that are light enough to be carried in a backpack. Some 8-foot inflatable fishing boats are good for two and gear, and are large enough to float in moderate whitewater rivers.
Inflatable Boat Trailers An inflatable boat trailer is needed if the user has a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB), since those boats have only a deflatable collar surrounding a solid hull. RIB's are regular boats in many ways. A true inflatable boat does not need a trailer but in some cases the user may want one.
How to Repair an Inflatable Boat The owner can attempt small inflatable boat repair if factory-gluing instructions are followed closely. Rips and holes larger than one inch in the air chambers, or those within two inches of a seam, should be repaired with internal and external patches by a professional repair technician at a certified repair facility.
