How to choose an inflatable boat? Recommendations of experienced fishermen

Manufacturers of equipment and equipment for recreation on the water produce a variety of products that can provide its owners with unforgettable impressions. To the memories of the weekend remained positive, you should carefully think over what equipment is best for those conditions where it is planned to rest. How to choose an inflatable boat should be understood before making a visit to a specialized store. The rules of their selection, maintenance and operation will help to organize a trip to the reservoir in the best way.

Types of boats

Depending on what type of recreation is planned, you should choose the appropriate type of boat. They are intended for fishing, spearfishing, hunting, and family recreation.

The right choice of an inflatable boat for fishing will help a number of recommendations. For fishermen, camouflage or inconspicuous color equipment of 2 m in length is suitable. If a double inflatable boat is required, the length may not exceed 2.8 m. For longer people, longer specimens should be selected. How to choose a boat inflatable for fishing, will answer the principle of organizing fishing. To overcome large distances, attention should be paid to motor varieties. Row boats are suitable for small distances.

For submarine hunters, a boat with a balloon that will not allow it to turn over when landing in it from the water with full equipment is suitable.

For hunters, an average length of camouflage coloring boat is suitable. It should have a balloon for stability, and also 5-6 hermetic sections.

For family rest, boats are selected at least three-seater, wide and long enough. Its color should be light, so that the material does not heat up in the sun. These are keeled specimens with a motor capacity of up to 15 l / s.

Boat production

The production of inflatable boats involves the use of various materials and technologies in the process of creating equipment.

The most common material is PVC. It can be reinforced and unreinforced. The more layers PVC has, the stronger the material becomes. But the weight of the boat will also increase. From the unreinforced variety produce mattresses, toys. Boats of similar material are fragile and can easily break through even with reeds. Repair of such an inflatable boat will be practically useless.

PVC with reinforcement is suitable for the production of inflatable boats, not afraid of storage in a wet state, more rigid and hardy. Inflatable motor boats are made exclusively of this material.

Products from reinforced PVC are created by welding or gluing their elements. According to reviews, inflatable boats made by welding method are more durable. However, the seat of the seam is the most vulnerable place. The material melts during melting. Bonding avoids this phenomenon.

Boat parameters

Before purchasing a boat it is necessary to determine how many people are planned to transport it. Applying an inflatable is not for a walk, you should choose the product 2.8-3.3 m long, provided it is used only for yourself. This will leave one place for yourself, and the rest of the space for equipment.

Inflatable boat 2-seater should be a minimum of 3.6 m in length, or even all 4.5 m. In this case it will comfortably accommodate passengers with luggage. For three people use a boat from 4.2 m and above.

In some models, a trench is used. It can be stationary or hinged. A hinged trench is used for inflatable motor boats with engine power up to 3.5 l / s. This rule can not be neglected.

To use high-powered motors, you need to choose a product with a stationary transom. It is better if it is glued to the boat with a rubber rim or a special gasket. In the case of using pieces of material for these purposes, inflatable motor boats are less durable. From the vibrations produced by the motor, PVC will quickly wear out. Rubber extinguishes these fluctuations, but pieces of material do not provide such a function.

Bottom type

The bottom of inflatable boats of one-two- or three-seat variations is foldable or inflatable. The first option is a framework consisting of assembled parts. For such a bottom apply either impregnated with a special water-repellent substance plywood sheets, or aluminum. This bottom has good rigidity, but it is quite heavy.

Inflatable bottom significantly reduces the weight of the boat. To apply boats with a similar base follows for their single species. Its easier to lay it alone. The rigidity of the inflatable bottom is enough to fish in the boat even while standing. But to avoid puncturing or burning, it is better to cover the bottom of the boat with a piece of linoleum or other dense material. This will avoid unpleasant surprises, and also facilitate the process of washing the product.

Inflatable boat 2-seater often involves the use of a folding bottom. It's easier to decompose it with a friend.

Additional boat elements

During the operation of the boat, you will have to use various additional devices. These include a pressure relief valve, a water drain, an insurance ring for the motor, an anchor eyebolt and the anchor of an inflatable boat, and so on.

The automatic pressure drop valve will come in handy on a hot, sunny day when a boat heated in the sun will experience a critical condition in the area of the cylinders. Automation itself will calculate how much air is required to vent from the tank.

Anchor for inflatable boat should weigh from 4 kg. The rope should be selected in 2 times longer than the estimated depth of the place of fishing. Very useful for these purposes is a climbing rope, which has a thickness of 6 mm. It will be convenient to intercept it from hand to hand, and strength will not allow the product to break at the wrong time.

The drain valve is located in the transom area. It allows you to free the boat from the waves of water or rain. Use this valve only in shallow water.

Safety rings will help not to lose the motor in case of emergency separation of equipment from the transom. Such an additional element will not allow the motor to drown.

The anchor for the inflatable boat should be lowered using a plastic eyebolt attached to the bow of the product. This device will help to calculate the depth of the rope dropping and fix it in a certain position.

Operation and storage

To ensure that the boat is not scratched and not out of order, it should be carried in the raised position, without dragging the product on the ground. It is better to use a wheeled trolley for these purposes.

In the cold, the material can harden, so in cold weather, special attention should be paid to eliminating factors that could damage the boat.

Keep the product in a suspended state so that it is not spoiled by rats or mice.

If suddenly there was an emergency situation, it is permissible to repair inflatable boats on the spot, following the manufacturer's clear recommendations. If the situation is more serious, then you will have to turn to the workshop, so that the repair was performed as high as possible.

Dirt and sand, which are clogged between the bottom and the balloon, lead to premature failure of the boat. Therefore, after each use of the boat, its elements should be thoroughly washed with water. It is better to collect and disassemble the elements of the product on a dense piece of polyethylene.

Price for a boat

The price of inflatable boats affects a number of factors. For foreign products, this indicator depends on customs duties, transportation costs and other. For domestic producers, everything is much more complicated.

Rubber inflatable boats, whose prices are the lowest, have the smallest size. However, in addition to the value, the cost of two identical sized boats will be affected by the type of their modification.

The most inexpensive inflatable boat will not have an inflatable bottom. It can be purchased for approximately 5 thousand rubles. Seats will be made of inflatable pillows. The price increases with the replacement of one or both of them with rigid seats.

More expensive is a boat with an inflatable bottom. The cost is from 8 thousand rubles. Their configuration also affects the price.

For boats made of PVC, the cost is directly dependent on the density of the material, as well as its manufacturer. Inexpensive inflatable boats are made from Korean PVC. Their price does not exceed 5 thousand rubles. European materials increase the cost of the final product.

Rowing boats have the lowest cost due to the use of the most inexpensive and weak PVC for their production. The following are followed by the motor-and-motor varieties. Here the price starts from 10 thousand rubles. They are expensive due to the high density of the material, as well as the use of a hinged transom for the motor. The most expensive boats have a hard bottom and a stationary motor. Their cost is in the area of 20-25 thousand rubles. and higher.

Additional value is attached to the product by additional elements in the form of oars, safety rings, anchor rim, etc.

Pumps during the purchase are necessarily accompanied by inflatable boats. Prices for similar products depend on the manufacturer, as well as the volume of air discharged in one click.

What to look for in the store

Today, more and more manufacturers of different sizes are appearing in the market of inflatable boats. The cost of their products is different. In pursuit of their buyer, many manufacturers forget about quality, and pay attention to the production of additional, sometimes not quite necessary equipment.

In the current conditions, high cost is not yet a guarantee of the quality of an inflatable boat. Therefore, pay attention to the visual characteristics of the product.

To understand how to choose an inflatable boat, you should familiarize yourself with the recommendations of experienced professionals and users. They argue that the appearance of the product can say a lot about its quality.

The first thing to look for when selecting a boat is the appearance of the material. If it looks like paper, it looks sloppy and unreliable, such a boat definitely should not be taken to avoid unpleasant situations on the water. Repair of inflatable boats of this type will have to be done in the first approach.

Also, the appearance of the seams is very important. Curves, with a multitude of wrinkles and uneven joints, are a badge of a substandard product that will subsequently let in air.

Foreign or domestic

Among domestic manufacturers, there are many quality products. Inflatable boats of firms "Fregat", "Flagman", "Our boats", "Mnev and K", Flagship and many others represent the most diverse in value products. For example, among the user reviews, the inflatable boat "Frigate" is characterized by ambiguous. Some people call it an incomprehensible, not calculated design. And there are absolutely opposite opinions.

The cost categories of the domestic manufacturer's products range from economical to very expensive. There are mega-modern, made in accordance with the latest technology copies.

Among foreign manufacturers there are inflatable boats Seahawk, SunMarine, Honwave, Bombard and many others. They use for the production of their products special PVC, which is of high quality. The cost of such products is slightly higher than that of domestic products. Therefore, many users prefer the inflatable boat "Frigate", "Mnev and K", "Flagman" and other similar goods.

User Reviews

Among users of inflatable boats, leaving feedback on various resources, there is an opinion that the domestic manufacturer is a cheaper option, which has a fairly good quality.

Concerning small producers, fishing and hunting enthusiasts have the opinion that they are not paying attention to quality in the pursuit of profit. Inflatable boats, reviews of which are of a negative nature, are also found among large manufacturers that produce demanded models for quite a long time. Some people say that over time, the quality of such products is reduced because of a cheaper production process. However, there are also positive responses about domestic producers.

Foreign manufacturers have grievances at an unreasonably high cost. However, the inflatable Seahawk boat from Intex company suited many of our compatriots to taste.

Having become acquainted with the technology of production and the types of inflatable boats, it is quite easy to understand the basic principles when choosing them. Each type of product is selected for certain conditions of their use. Observing the rules of operation and storage of similar products, it is possible to significantly extend their service life.

Knowing what points to look for in the store, to answer the question of how to choose an inflatable boat, it will be easy.