Inflatable Boats Buyer Guide
Inflatable Boat Buyers Guide
Welcome to the Inflatable Vessels Buyer's Guide! We've put together the following resources to help make your online shopping experience as easy, convenient and as rewarding as possible.
How to choose right size inflatable boat?
Inflatable boats selection should be based on several important considerations:• How much money you can spend on new inflatable boat?
• Where to keep inflatable boat when not in use?
• How to launch the boat in water?
• How many people will be in your inflatable boat?
• What outboard motor to use?
How much money you can spend on new inflatable boat?
Saturn and BoatsToGo.com are offering the most affordable boats on the US market. Our prices are less than competitors simply because our business model is based on selling directly to the customers, while most other mainstream brands sell through the dealer's network. Those dealers artificially raise prices to create hefty profit margins for a chain of middle men. Saturn inflatable boats vary in price from as low as $499 up to $2000.
In general, the larger inflatable boat size you can handle, the better it is! It means more cargo, more comfortable ride, more space in case you have more guests aboard. There is a direct correlation between size and the price. However, there are also other considerations to take into account.
Where to keep inflatable boat when not in use?
There are only 2 options for inflatable boats: It will either be sitting in water most of the time, which is not really good for the boat's overall lifespan. Or, it will be taken out of water when not in use.
If the boat will be sitting in water all the time, its hull will be exposed to barnacles and algae will grow on the bottom, and rain accumulation along with mildew will occur inside the boat. Tubes will be exposed to direct sunlight and heat for prolonged periods of time. PVC boats are not as suitable for prolonged exposure to the heat, humidity and sunlight as more expensive boats made of Hypalon fabric. So, there is a tradeoff between price and durability of the PVC inflatable boat in the long run. If you plan to use inflatable boat dinghy for live aboard or towing it all over the World behind your main ship, leaving it on a dock uncovered, then your best choice would be the other brand of boats made of more expensive Hypalon fabric. This is not a secret, but all PVC boats of any brand or make have limitation due to heat and humidity exposure. If someone telling you otherwise, they are lying.
If the inflatable boat is taken out of the water then there also only 2 other options: It either will be deflated and folded for storage, or placed on a boat trailer for transportation and storage.
If the boat will be temporary folded for storage, it means that boat will be used occasionally, from time to time. It is highly recommended to keep the PVC inflatable boat that is not in use in a well-ventilated, shaded are, such as garage, or under tarp shade. If the wet boat will be deflated, folded and closed in a metal locker box somewhere in Florida, that is exposed to heat for prolonged period of time, humidity inside the box will eventually get into the wood and glued components, such as transom, oarlocks, etc.
If the boat will be kept on a trailer, such as Jet Ski trailer, or small boat trailer, it is highly recommended to either keep it set up in a garage or car port or under some kind of shade. Even a tarp spread overhead using ropes will provide better protection against direct exposure to harmful elements than nothing. If garage or shade is not available, then boat cover must be used to extend PVC boat lifespan. So, therefore ask yourself, how and where you going to keep boat when it is out of the water?
If you live in a condo, have small storage space, or will be using boat with your RV vehicle, then you should definitely consider inflatable boat with air floor. If your storage space is limited, then you should consider smll inflatable boat variation – KaBoat. This is most portable type of boat with a motor transom on a market today!
If you are looking for easiest way to assemble the boat, then go with a high pressure air floor. If you're going to keep and transport the inflatable boat in a trunk of your sedan car, then choose a KaBoat as the most portable option. If you have extra space in your SUV or Minivan, then choose a KaBoat or a larger SD series motor boat up to 9.6' long inflatable dinghy SD290. If you have a truck and can keep a deflated boat in a garage, then you can afford a 11' or larger inflatable boat.
How to launch inflatable boat in water?
If you are planning to inflate and use the boat for only 1 or 2 days, then we highly recommend inflatable boats with high pressure air floors. Assembly and disassembly of a boat with an inflatable floor is much easier and quicker than boat with a hard floor, such as with aluminum or plywood.
If you need a larger boat and will be keeping it inflated for 2 days or longer, then you can consider inflatable boats with hard floors. The assembly of a hard floor boat is better done with help, and requires some practice to do it quickly.
The following Saturn inflatable boats come standard with high pressure air floor:
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These Saturn inflatable boats come with hard floor:
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Hard floors come in 4 or 5 separate pieces stored separately from boat tubes. The hard floor is heavy and requires some assembly steps. It is best to be used in a boat that is assembled most of the time and/or kept on trailers. All you need is to find the nearest boat launching ramp and push the boat from a trailer into the water.
Hard floors are more rigid and durable than air floors. You can puncture the air floor with sharp object such as broken glass, fishing hook, knife, etc. However, you can protect the air floor from accidental punctures by cutting out and placing piece of vinyl flooring from your local hardware store over the air floor, inside the boat. When fully inflated air floor is very rigid, about 80-90% as rigid as plywood or aluminum floor. In most cases rigidity of the air floor is more than enough for flawless boat operation and use. Air floors can be inflated up to 10psi. And in most boats, properly inflatable keel provides additional rigidity to the air floor.
How many people will be in an inflatable motor boat?
All Saturn inflatable boats have a maximum person capacity posted in technical specification tables of corresponding boat model web pages. Maximum capacity will mean the maximum number of persons that can be safely squeezed into the boat and transported from point A to point B in a safe manner of operation. For example, you can bring the maximum number of persons from the main ship to the shore or transport during emergency rescue. However, for comfortable use of boat, without bumping into each other, it is advised to divide maximum person capacity in half. For example, 11' SD330 boat can squeeze maximum of 5 persons. 2 people can sit side by side on front bench, 2 on rear, and 1 in front. Even more people can fit into the boat if sitting on the tubes instead of benches. But, this set up will not be exactly comfortable for hours of fishing on a river or lake. Two or tree medium frame people can fit into this size boat really comfortably for long rides or fishing. Therefore you should consider how many people will be using boat most of the time and divide maximum boat capacity in half for long and comfortable ride or use.
What outboard motor to use?
Most inflatable boats come with rowing oars. If you are going to use the boat on a lake, pond or slow river, rowing oars might be more than enough. If you want to go slightly faster than rowing, you can purchase an electric motor, which can also act on slow speeds as a “row-assist", making rowing somewhat easier. However, if you want to go fast, long distances or use the boat in large rivers or ocean or windy bays, you might want to get gas outboard motor. In general, the lighter the motor, the easier it is to handle. All new 4 stroke motors are heavier than older type 2 stroke motors that still can be found on local classifieds and Craigslist.com
All Saturn inflatable boats have a maximum motor power ratings posted in the technical specification tables of corresponding boat model web pages. Max outboard motor means maximum power of outboard motor that can be safely used to plane the boat loaded to the maximum capacity at normal water surface conditions. However, you don't need to have the maximum motor capacity to go fast. About 75% of max motor capacity will easily put boat on a plane and fly at very nice speeds. For example, 9.9HP motor will really fly 11' Saturn SD330 boat with maximum rating of 15HP. 25HP motor will fly 15' SD470 at about 20 miles per hour, even though this size boat is rated to up to 40HP max. Do not over do it. Less power rating motors will cost less, will weigh less, will be easier to install/remove and will use less gas. Therefore, when selecting larger boats, 13' and up, with hard floor and big outboard motor, please take in account if you will have someone to help you to assemble boat, install motor and lunch it into the water. And then take it out of the water.
This infographic will help you to choose right model of Saturn inflatable boat based on budge, transportation and storage considerations, maximum persons capacity and outboard ratings.
Why choose a Saturn inflatable boat?
There are a lot of options these days for inflatable boats? Boats sold for cheap on Ebay, Amazon, Wal-Mart, and many other retail sites. There are a lot of new brands out there, as well as old, well established brands.
It is not a secret that we all want to save money but, we all want to get the best deal at the lowest price. It is also not a secret that most of inflatable boats sold now in The United States are manufactured in China. There is absolutely nothing wrong with an inflatable boat made in China, as quality of their manufacturing has improved over the years. However, few points are important to consider. While Chinese workmanship is getting better, there are a lot of new factories popping out in China every day. Since most inflatable boats transoms are hand glued, using so called “chemical cold welding process”, it is not as simple as just slapping glue and joining two seams together. In fact, it is an art. There are a lot of details that come in consideration when assembling an inflatable boat piece by piece, which many Chinese factories are either simply ignoring, don’t have enough experience, or simply want to make as many boats as quickly as possible at the lowest price in order to compete.
Shortcuts always lead to boat failure in very short terms. For example, in order for chemical glue to hold longer, it is important that glue application is made in a low humidity environment. That means air conditioners must be installed inside assembly rooms. And since these rooms are usually pretty large, not many factories bother to do so. Plus, humidity detail doesn’t manifest itself until 2-3 years after boat was purchased. So, they simply don’t care what happens in few years. Now, Saturn boats are only assembled in a low humidity controlled environment, in order to extend boat lifespan. In fact, production stops during July/August of rainy season back in Asia, while many other factories keep stamping boats out nonstop.
Another detail to consider is an experience of stuff that assembles inflatable boats piece by piece. It takes years of experience to understand exactly how glue need to be applied to seams and how it need to be heated to activate glue. Too much glue, and transom will fall apart in few years. Too long heat application with a heat welding machine, and seam will fry, too short, and seam will fall apart. In fact, best inflatable boats can only be made by women hands. All stuff on our assembly factories are only women. That is because, women pays more attention to details than men. That is how it is.
Now, another important detail that many Chinese factories simply don’t have, is experience with attaching secondary accessories. If you look close at Saturn inflatable boats, you will see that we no longer use plastic handles, plastic rope holders, or any other plastic accessories, because as it appears, bond glue between PVC to PVC is much more reliable than glue bond between PVC to plastic. But, all of these Chinese boats sold for cheap online, use plastic handles that will fall off in 1-2 years, and many have plastic rope holders, that are also not destined to stay there for a long time.
After many years of operation in South Korea, we had to move factory to China in order to offer affordable pricing. Our new factory in China does have South Korean management that stays on top of all details, which is important for quality control. Saturn boats are currently made from German Heytex PVC fabric and South Korean drop stitch fabric.
Because Saturn boats are made from premium German PVC materials, instead of somewhat less reliable Chinese PVC fabric, that is why Saturn can offer up to 5 years warranty, as oppose to a 1 or 2 years warranty offered by most other brands of less expensive boats sold on Ebay, Amazon, Wal-Mart, etc.
Inflatable boats are not cheap, usually around $500 and up. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the company that sold you that expensive piece of equipment will still be around for several years later when you will need support or parts to replace. All too often we have customers of other brand boats contacting us asking if we have parts for their boats sold by manufacturers that are now defunct and nowhere to be found. There is no guarantee that when you buy bottom rock priced boat on Ebay or Amazon, the same company will be around 2-4 years later. Maybe, or maybe not.
Saturn started selling inflatable boats in 2004, and we have been around for some time. We are not going anywhere. Saturn is not here for a quick buck, but to make boating more affordable. That is why Saturn can offer quality boats at affordable prices, while still offering up to 5 years warranty.
What makes SATURN brand of inflatable boats different from other brands?
Hull
All Saturn inflatable boats are made of 1100 Deniers heavy-duty PVC fabric. Hull features: inflatable keel with a rub strake, marine-grade plywood transom, double layer of fabric at the bottom of the tubes and a one-way drain valve with plug. Most Saturn now comes with heat welded seams.
Stable
Being an inflatable, SATURN boats have a low center of gravity, making it practically impossible to capsize them! Whether stationary or cruising, a SATURN inflatable boat is always stable. You can stand when fishing, children are safe, and mooring is exceptionally simple. Great as a fishing boat too!
Unsinkable
The buoyancy tubes of SATURN inflatable boats, river rafts and inflatable kayaks are made up of several independent airtight compartments. If one compartment unexpectedly deflates, the others remain inflated. This feature makes Saturn inflatable boats, rafts and kayaks almost impossible to sink, thereby allowing you to return slowly to safety.
Easy to Store
Once deflated and folded, SATURN inflatable boats or raft or inflatable kayaks takes up about as much space as a medium sized bag. You can store inflatable boats or inflatable kayaks in the trunk of your car, locker, under the stairs or in a corner of the garage and have it ready for the next weekend or holiday.
Easy to Launch
...and easy to pull up onto the beach. Like all inflatable boats, the weight of a SATURN can be up to three times lighter than a comparable rigid boat. You wouldn't hesitate to beach this boat and spend the day on a beautiful, remote creek.
Sturdy
Welded rubbing strake and transom, cold welded seams, reinforced cone ends; the high standard of quality of its materials and the perfect finish of its assembly are the major guarantee of the sturdiness of your BoatsToGo. It is coated with PVC-top of the industry for durability and strength, and found only on Saturn boats second-generation PVC materials.
Economical
Saturn inflatable boats are intended as the best introductions possible to boating on a moderate budget. Its maintenance is simple and inexpensive. It requires a small outboard, that is economical to buy and to use, and if maintained properly, a Saturn will last many years.
Saturn is the perfect inflatable boat for discovering the joys of boating. Easy to set up, it is fitted with a roll up air floor making assembly quick and easy; simply unroll and inflate with the foot-pump or the electric pump! Safe and easy to navigate, a BoatsToGo has an inflatable keel whose form creates a high performance hull shape. Easy to transport and easy to store away, a BoatsToGo travels in the trunk of you car.
How SATURN inflatable boats are different from other brands?
Saturn Inflatable boats are made of the same quality materials as famous expensive brand name inflatable boats. The workmanship is exactly the same or even better quality then most overpriced brand names that you can buy in retail marine stores. Our SATURN inflatable boats are made by a major manufacturer of inflatable boats in Korea.
Saturn inflatable boats strong points:
- Very clean, heat welded seams. Glue does not stick out from seams.
- Double layer fabric at the bottom of all tubes .
- The Extra thick 1100 Dtex fabric with polyester support is a much thicker fabric than some other famous brands use.
- Flat and rigid air floor. Not bended in front like on most other brands.
- Safety valve that prevents over-inflation.
There are several reasons why Saturn prices are lower:
- We import directly from the manufacturer bypassing middle men.
- By conducting our business on-line we avoid expenses that retail stores are passing on to their customers.
- We do not invest as heavily in marketing as other famous brands do.
- We don't have to maintain a large network of dealers and retail stores.
- Our 2 year warranty doesn't force you to pay for extra years that otherwise are just built-in into the retail price.
Many of our customers are boaters that have experience with other brand names such as Zodiac, Avon, Sea Eagle, Mercury, West Marine, etc. However, after purchasing Saturn boats, we hear many comments stating that our boats are the same or even better quality as these other well respected major brands. The most common remark is; " Saturn boats are much better quality then expected", and as a result, 50% of our sales come from the referrals of happy owners of Saturn inflatable boats.
Saturn Inflatable Boats will beat competitors prices:
BoatsToGo offers lowest prices on inflatable boats, kayaks and paddle boards in USA. If you find lower price somewhere else on a similar type/model/size product, please email us more information, and we will match or beat that price. We will match or beat prices for products selling in active on-line and retail stores. However, we do not match Ebay or Craigslist prices.
What are benefits inflatable boats vs. regular hard hull boats?
- Conventional hard-hull fiberglass boats are fast and powerful, but with them come high maintenance, responsibilities and unavoidable expenses.
- If you are new to boating, you will feel overall responsibility while operating a lightweight inflatable boat versus heavy conventional boat.
- Inflatable boats are much more responsive and are easier to handle than heavy conventional fiberglass hull boats.
- Inflatable boats come with less worries about hitting other boats, dock objects, scratching or damaging someone else's expensive property.
- Compared to conventional boats, it is much easier to make sharp turns in narrow places, and dock inflatable boats almost anywhere.
- Inflatable boats are much more buoyant, extremely stable, and almost impossible to overturn, that's why Navy Seals and Coast Guard use them.
- Lightweight inflatable boats have lower operational expenses because they use much less expensive gas then conventional fiberglass-hull boats.
- Minimal draft allows an inflatable boat to reach many shallow places where fiberglass-hull boats would hit bottom.
- Conventional boats come with various components that are always breaking; steering system, power trim, oil injection, various gauges, etc.
- Inflatable boats come with only three components, hull, gas tank and outboard engine, this lowers the probability of something breaking.
- Unless you are planning to go far off shore, you can use an inflatable boat to cruise around or fish just as you would with any other full-size boat.
- Inflatable boats can go as fast as conventional boats but with lower power rated engines. This will save money on engine and on gas.
- Inflatable boats are foldable, portable and do not require much less storage space than full-size fiberglass boats. No docking or marina expenses.
- Much smaller inflatable boats are often rated for the same weight capacity (number of persons) as much larger conventional fiberglass-hull boats.
Why buy a Saturn inflatable boat? Are they better than the rest?
While you can find many new brands of inflatable boats sold at very attractive prices, please keep in mind that not all of them are coming from a reliable supplier as Saturn boats do.
There are hundreds of new inflatable boat companies popping up in China and other countries, assembling boats in garages without proper equipment or intimate knowledge of how to make not only a good looking boat, but to also make boats that last.
For example, minimal humidity is important for the glue to cure properly during the boat's assembly, but many suppliers don't even bother installing dehumidification systems. As a result, these cheap boats may be Ok at first glance, explaining initial positive feedback, but will fall apart in less than a year. Also, did you know that only boats assembled by women's hands are exceptional quality boats?
And guess what, we've already tried many of these new manufacturers in an attempt to offer an absolute bargain! However, every time we deal with such bargain suppliers, we regret it soon after we hear that seams have fallen apart or the transom has fallen off after only 8 months. Unfortunately, some bargain Chinese manufacturers deliver unacceptable quality, cheap PVC fabrics, seams that do not last, extremely bad packing and total lack of warranty support.
SATURN inflatable boats represent quality and durability at budget-pleasing prices. Sizes from 7' to 18-feet long are available for all your boating needs!
If you want to experience the joy of boating without hassles of trailer, maintenance or marina expenses, then inflatable boat is for you. Inflatable boat will fly with a gas outboard motor or run quietly and nice with inexpensive electric trolling motor. Great as a fishing boat.
80% of the conventional hard hull boats are used just several times a month and mostly in the summer time. Cost of conventional hard hull boats divided by the hours spent using it, converts to hundreds of dollars per hour of boat use. Our inflatable boats costs fraction of the price of conventional hard hull boat, and will be ready when you are. Inflatable boats are the only portable solution that allows you to be in the water without the hassles of large hard hull boat.
Easy to set up, SATURN inflatable boat will take you for the fun day of exploration at bay, river or lake. Once deflated, inflatable boat can be easily stored in the trunk of your car. Deflated inflatable boat takes the size of medium luggage bag and can be stored almost anywhere.
If you like fishing, then go where the fish are. Inflatable boat will take you there, away from the water edge and closer to the fish. If you like to spend weekends being closer to the nature, then inflatable boat is what you need. If you have RV or go camping, most likely you will be by the water. Take inflatable boat with you.
With optional Hydrofoil installed on outboard motor, Saturn inflatable boat will plane over the water like a jet sky. You can even make left and right turns on a smaller models without use of hands and tiller. Once boat flying over the water at maximum speed put tiller up and bends to the left or right to make boat slowly turn in desirable directions.
An inflatable boat or dinghy is a folding boat made with its side tubes and bow of flexible material as PVC or Hypalon containing pressurized air. For smaller dinghies and rafts, the floor and hull beneath can be flexible or hard. On inflatable boats dinghies and rafts longer than 11 feet, the floor may consists of several rigid plywood or aluminum plates fixed between the tubes but not joined rigidly together. Inflatable boat transom is rigid, made of heavy duty marine plywood. Transom providing a location point for mounting an outboard engine. Most inflatable rafts, dinghies and boats are designed to be deflated and packed into in a small package, so they can be easily stored for transportation or use when needed.
Those who love being out on the outdoor and waters whether it is a lake, a river or the ocean have always this yearning to own their own boat rather than constantly renting one. A big damper is the cost of a sailing vessel, which could run into thousands of dollars. For this growing niche market of small budget customers there is the wonderfully economical option of owning an inflatable boat.
An inflatable boat is basically a V-shaped boat that comprises of large tubes filled with air pressure that ensures it keeps afloat. A rigid inflatable boat, referred to as RIB, does not have soft flooring there will be aluminum, fiberglass, molded plastic or maybe even a plywood floor. Soft flooring enables you to roll up the boat and pack it away in its case easily.
What are the Factors to consider before buying an inflatable boat?
Specific use of the boat: An inflatable boat can be used as fishing or diving platform, for white river rafting, for competitive racing, for skiing along the water, for sailing, or maybe just a spot of paddling. In each of these categories, you will once again need to consider the specific location. For example, in the case of fishing, you need to decide whether you will be throwing a line offshore in shallow salt waters, an inflatable sport boat a little over 12 feet in length would be preferable to an RIB. On the other hand, if you are going angling in a small lake you could do just fine with an inflatable kayak. Similarly, white water rafting will require a different type of inflatable boat from simple rafting down a placid river.
Number of people who will be using it: Quite obviously, you will need a larger inflatable boat to take on the weight of more people. There should also be enough space for everybody. It should not be uncomfortably crowded, for example, if you are going on a fishing expedition and everyone elbows are practically banging against each other while casting the fishing lines!
To select between high pressure air deck floor and plywood deck floor you should take in consideration how often you will be inflating/deflating your boat. If you planning to inflate and deflate boat often, then go with air floor which allows assembly and disassembly of inflatable boat in a breeze. However, if you will keep boat inflated for longer then a week, then select inflatable boat with a plywood floor.
What makes inflatable boats are higher buoyancy than regular boats?
While shopping for your own personal watercraft you are likely to discover that not only do inflatable boats offer you much more in the ways of options for your money, but coupled with the feeling of immediate savings are a number of advantages as to why many others have chosen inflatable boats and kayaks in lieu of their fiberglass counterparts.
Savings aside, your new inflatable, be it a inflatable kayak, inflatable KaBoat, or SUP inflatable paddleboard will offer a number of additional advantages. Being that they are composed of PVC pockets of air they are far lighter, thus making them much more easy to transport. An inflatable boat could easily hold a few hundred pounds but only weigh maybe just a few pounds itself. An inflatable kayak for two people could carry not only them, but their gear, equipment, and paddles as well. Meanwhile, Only one would be required to carry it in and out of the water! An 18 foot long inflatable boat with an air floor may weigh but 100 pounds, yet carry nearly 15 times its weight in passengers and cargo. It is their convenience and portability that has shadowed their reputation for a safe and effective alternative to standard, deep hulled boats. Not only are inflatables equally, if not more secure other traditional options, they are quickly becoming the standard for use in rescue and military organizations worldwide.
For a boat of any sort, inflatable or not, buoyancy is of the utmost concern. When considering overall safety, attention must be paid to how high the boat will sit in the water and how well it stays afloat. Once established, the boats buoyancy will help determine the cargo carrying capacity that the boat offers. With that said, inflatable boats and kayaks are often found to be more buoyant than other traditional water crafts due to the tubes, or collars of which they are constructed of. The girth or bulk of these sections add to the overall width, often making the boat about twice as wide as a comparable fiberglass option. This helps in dispersing the weight, and buoyancy out across the entire area of the vessel, also making the watercraft much more stable. When an inflatable boat impacts a wave, the air within the tube will compress before the water does, cushioning the vessel from the impact and providing a more comfortable and stable ride. The boat will practically form to the shape of the oncoming surf and ride along top of it into calmer water.
Inflatable boats, unlike v-hulled, sit flat in the water and have a low center of gravity making them very difficult to tip. Not only does this result in boat more resistant to sinking, additionally the collars and tubes used on many inflatable boats today are designed with multiple chambers so that should one somehow become punctured or deflated, that the overall integrity and buoyancy would not be overly impacted. A different buoyancy requirement applies to inflatable vessels and the regulations require these vessels to have at least 3 compartments, the smallest of which must be able to keep the vessel afloat. Because of these attributes inflatable boats and inflatable kayaks are better able to handle rough water conditions and are often used in rescue situations. Divers or swimmers are able to utilize the sides to lift themselves up out of the water without causing it to rock or flip as in normal conditions it is nearly impossible to cause an inflatable boat to tip over. It is because of their firm and stable structure that fisherman are able to maneuver around and cast aboard even an inflatable kayak while standing comfortably.
Many of commercially available inflatable boats and inflatable kayaks are manufactured using the same construction entrusted by those who depend on their services to be at the aid of casualties. This margin of safety allows for both pleasure seekers and professional users alike to take advantage of the versatility and dependability that their inflatable boat offers. From patrolling the borders carrying officers enforcing the law, or traversing ice floes in the Arctic, it is this extreme use of Inflatable boats that can provide the average user great confidence; and although he may be unlikely to ever push his inflatable boat or kayak near the limits some professionals may, he can rest assure knowing his boat will hold up just the same.
PVC vs. Hypalon Inflatable Boats.
We often find while researching inflatable boats, kayaks, and the likes that many forums and web sites will be ridden with users claiming that Hypalon is in face the only choice for inflatable boats. It is typical to find someone making a rant of their poor experience with a PVC inflatable boat, but thankfully dozens of years of experience putting around almost every body of water I have come across has shown me that these “issues” don't simply arise. I would have to say that a majority of the complaints I have encountered regarding PVC result in the finger being pointed at the boater himself, more specifically a lack of maintenance and care. This is more often than not, the sole cause for a diminished life for an inflatable boat.
In practically every case I have witnessed of a PVC inflatable boat disappointing its owner, under-inflation is always prevalent, with neglect following a close second. It is all too easy to overlook the proper steps that need to be taken when caring for a PVC inflatable boat, and these little oversights add up and unfortunately will shorten it's life span.
It is recommended that when not using your inflatable boat that it be stored in a well ventilated, shaded area. It is extremely important to remember, and yet so easy to forget, that both heat and humidity take their toll on the glue used in the construction of the inflatables and to make sure that you never store your PVC inflatable boat inside a closed box or container, or in any place it may receive constant and direct sunlight. The combined factors often will result in humidity accumulating within the storage area, and overtime it will weaken the bond of the adhesive used.
If the boat is constantly dragged behind your sailboat, left year round on a dock, or left dirty and directly under harmful UV-rays, you can't expect it to last forever. Ideally, when you are finished for the day using your inflatable boat we recommend that you take the few extra minutes needed to properly cover or deflate your PVC inflatable boat. A standard boat cover or even a simple tarp will greatly enhance the longevity of your inflatable boat. Although Hypalon is known to tolerate UV rays a little better than that of its PVC competitors, it will eventually break down to UV and Oxygen exposure. It does however resist hydrocarbons very well depending again on the quality or grade of materials used – This is a huge bonus for those of you who enjoy boating in large bodies of primarily methane, octane, hexane, acetone, crude oil, and the likes.
While one of the key benefits of Hypalon being that it is a glued construction that requires scuffing in order to make the seams form an airtight bond, t is important to remember that for even a new Hypalon inflatable boat, the passing grade for air loss is 15% over the duration of a 24 hour period. In contrast, a PVC inflatable boat is allowed no more than 7% air loss during that same time frame.
It is important to always remain aware of your current air-pressure while using your inflatable to ensure that you are operating at peak efficiency. Many inflatable boat owners find that they need only properly inflatable their boat one time at the beginning of the season and that's the last they even think of it. With under inflation being the leader in causes of failure in any inflatable, we suggest before heading out you always confirm you are operating at your desired PSI or KPA, especially during times where the temperature may vary.
Another point about Hypalon to keep with you is that DuPont has not produced it since back in 2010, so now anything else you purchase is most likely composed of neoprene/CSM these days. A lot of the adoring rants and positive feedback from Hypalon inflatable boat owners are making use of products produced to Military specifications, and as they are often Hypalon coated Neoprene that is of a much heavier weight and durability than that used in standard recreational brands its difficult to make a comparison. Most military boats are also decommissioned within their 2-5 year warranty time frame, so long term reviews and experiences are often few and far between.
All in all, with Hypalon there is no doubt the extra costs endured are due to its far more labor intensive construction, requiring that all points and seams must be scuffed, and then glued by hand. PVC on the other hand has made leaps and bounds in technical advancement, but at its core is still the same Vinyl composition that will outlast mostly any expectations. Modern PVC is UV stabilized and treated with a number of protectants that inhibit the UVA and UVB rays that will ultimately age your inflatable boat. The main concern of PVC lies within the glue or weld used to join the materials together. The latter is a chemical process that when done correctly simply will not fall apart in the sun. With that being said, more than 9 out of 10 inflatables on the market today are made of PVC, or in some cases “Strongan” which is a trademarked material used by “Zodiac”.
In the end, most reputable inflatable boat manufacturers regardless of material offer similar warranties on their products, and with PVC being far easier for even a novice boat owner to patch many recreational users choose to stick with PVC construction on their inflatable boats to maximize the value gained from their purchase at a fraction of the price. 
When it comes to my circle of inflatable boat owners, there are a variety of materials and models we have remained loyal to, and despite our differences the majority of us lack favorites because we simply care for, and properly maintain our inflatables. Again to conclude this point I cannot stress enough the importance of proper inflation, as it is really the only way to aid in preventing snags or punctures from fishing hooks, debris, rocks, etc. A properly inflated boat is also less likely to start delaminating, or start losing air from its seems – in the case of PVC that is, Hypalon will always leak to some extent however gradual it is something to keep in mind.
I hope these few key points assist you in purchasing your next inflatable and aided in clarifying a lot of the mixed reviews given on both constructions. Best of luck in your search and Happy Boating!
Inflatable air deck floor Vs. hard floor.
When searching for an inflatable boat you are likely to notice the variety of flooring options most manufacturers offer, in an effort to accommodate boat users of any need, and ensure they can achieve the must functionality and enjoyment of their purchase. While some owners do a great deal of fishing and remain unnerved about the integrity of their inflatable boats' air floor, others opt for a plywood or aluminum option, and make the sacrifice carrying the few extra pounds.
The flooring you choose for your inflatable boat will go to affect more than just its weight. With all options being comparable enough to one another, you can come to expect nearly the same rigid feel as your plywood or aluminum flooring as you will with you inflatable air floor. Convenience and impact absorption are two very important factors to take into consideration, along with your intentions for use and personal needs. Someone who only deflates their inflatable boat several times will not come to appreciate how valuable it is to be able to easy store and travel a vessel equipped with an air floor.
Inflatable air floors consist of typically two layers of a synthetic fabric that are held together by a series of small stitches. As you inflate the floor, air fills the space between the fabric layers and once desired pressure is reached the floor will be as rigid as a comparable plywood floor without the concerns of rot and additional weight. In addition, the flexible fabric used in the construction of inflatable air floors absorb overall impact from the water by stretching or compressing to accommodate pressure. Because of this feature it has been claimed by a number of brands that inflatable air floors resist impact better than their wood or aluminum flooring competitors. Manufacturers also make mention that inflatable air flooring will absorb vibrations and offer more cushioning for the riders aboard then that of an aluminum or plywood while still retaining the same rigid stability as both of your other options.
Despite the fear associated with standing upon a floor of air, I suggest anyone in the market for an inflatable boat consider the numerous advantages of an air floor, and for those of you who simply cant shake the worries of an unintended fishing accident, many of our riders opt for a piece of laminate flooring or carpet - both can be picked up at their local hardware store to offer a secondary layer of protection for nearly no additional cost. The simplicity this offers when comes to cleaning, and peace of mind when out upon the water with your dog, or box of hooks is priceless.
If you are one who is fortunate to have ample space to safely store your inflatable boat without the need to deflate it very often than it is likely you will notice no benefit in an air-
floor – In the end, the choice is ultimately up to you, and what makes you the most comfortable, especially when here at Saturn all of our inflatables and flooring are covered by BoatsToGo.com Warranty for up to 5 years!
What is how pressure air deck floor for inflatable boat, raft, and inflatable kayak?
Inflatable High Pressure Air Floors are constructed from a specially designed drop-stitched PVC fabric often referred to as DWF, “Double Wall Fabric”. DWF is comprised of thousands of interwoven stitches holding both sections of fabric in parallel. Double-wall Fabric can be found stitched in a number of patterns offering a variety of support. What makes Double Wall Fabric, and our High Pressure Air Deck unique is its ability to be inflated with very high air pressure, often to 10PSI or more. The more air pressure that is pumped inside the inflatable air floor, the more stiff and rigid it will become.
Today, Double Wall fabric constructed High Pressure Air Floors offer the best flooring solution in inflatable boats. Not only does will this durable fabric offer additional buoyancy to your inflatable boat, but most importantly will help make it much easier to assemble or disassemble compared to standard hard floor. 
Our High Pressure Air floors simply unroll much like the rest of the boat – insert the deck into your boat and inflate. To deflate your deck, make sure the air floor valve is opened up along with other valves in boat chambers, and as your boat is the remaining air will be allowed to escape.
Another excellent feature of our high pressure air floor is that it allows the boater to keep the overall weight of the boat at a minimum compared to hard floor boats as air floors typically weigh much less than their plywood or aluminum counterparts. It can be really cumbersome for the novice owner of an inflatable boat to assemble many hard plywood or aluminum floor options.. With time it may become easier and can be still be accomplished fairly easily, but still not with the ease and simplicity of an inflatable air floor.
Most inflatable air deck floors can be inserted and easily removed from a deflated boat if needed. Sometimes it makes it easier to carry the boat hull with air floor removed. You can always reinsert it later when boat is inflated.
The highest quality inflatable air floors, such as those found on Saturn Inflatable Boat models also come with a plywood board that goes into special pouches on the bottom of the floor. The purpose of that board is to help assist the air floor in pushing the inflatable keel down to help form a V-keel in the bottom of inflatable boat. The added plywood board also helps to keep top surface of air floor relatively flat, compare to air floors without such board. This combination also always for far reduced impact on the riders knees and ankles, as the inflatable air floor will offer an additional layer of cushioning for your riders.
Most inflatable air floors produced today have round openings across the bow area to allow for easy access to the valve located on the keel . This allows for convenient access without disassembling the entire boat.
Although our inflatable high pressure air floors are comprised of a tough and durable PVC Double Wall fabric it is still possible to puncture it if a sharp or jagged object is pressed hard enough against its surface. For Example, the sharp fins of certain fish, along with hooks, knives or anything similar is dropped on the floor it could potentially puncture. For this reason we advise all owners who have inflatable boats equipped with a high pressure air floor to source in most cases either carpet or vinyl flooring from your local Home Depot, Lowes, etc that can be kept permanently inside their vessel, rolling it up when deflating the floor. This extra layer of protection offers much peace of mind and will allow you to maximize the full enjoyment of your inflatable and air floor.
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