Alloy flooring

thornbackflound · 29 March 2010, 18:28

Just out of intrest ,can anyone give me a rough idea how long it takes to put in 5 sections of floor with the two 7 ft stringers and more INPORTANTLY,,,,,,,,,WERE DO YOU START .FLOOF FIRST THEN INFLATE?

m chappelow · 29 March 2010, 18:43

Deflate all boat ,put the boards in and make sure they are not trapping any thing tubes ,keel ,,fingers ,i usually then push down with a foot on the boards and i then try lift up the deflated tube using the lifelines that way you know it has located then try to roll the stringers into place ,and then inflate ,i then stomp the boards down into the corners as i am inflating making sure nothing is getting strained too much , ,,,,if you try assemble the whole floor and stringers then try fitting it can be frustrating and i wouldent advise wearing false finger nails when doing it ,lol

astra · 29 March 2010, 18:55

On mine front 2 in first then 1 at the transom end then join the two in the middle so they make like a raised lump them press them down with your foot so they is all level then roll in the stringers.its quite easy once you have done it once.floor in first then inflate

thornbackflound · 29 March 2010, 20:31

Many thanks chaps,for info and advice ,worst thing senario if i can t get a place to store this one at portsmouth and if it work,s out to expensive,then im gonna have to store this one at home ,thinking of keeping the alloy ,but making a light timber one,like i have for my small sib,i won t be bombing about ,its for fishing so thinking about it,plus a timber one will be quick to put down , light to transport ,don t take long to pump the sib up and i can fish my local beach,after sitting in my small sib ,this makes more sense ,it was like fishing in a bath tub last wk with the two of us ,lol

m chappelow · 29 March 2010, 20:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by thornbackflound

Many thanks chaps,for info and advice ,worst thing senario if i can t get a place to store this one at portsmouth and if it work,s out to expensive,then im gonna have to store this one at home ,thinking of keeping the alloy ,but making a light timber one,like i have for my small sib,i won t be bombing about ,its for fishing so thinking about it,plus a timber one will be quick to put down , light to transport ,don t take long to pump the sib up and i can fish my local beach,after sitting in my small sib ,this makes more sense ,it was like fishing in a bath tub last wk with the two of us ,lol

i knew one guy that made a floor board for his s.i.b out of plastic pallets, bolted to each other ,,would have flexed a bit with a large engine but for what he wanted it for as a tender it did the trick ,and as luck would have it it was just the correct width he only had to sort the length out ,well one thing it was rot proof ,down side it had diamond shaped /holes/slots everywhere .

thornbackflound · 29 March 2010, 20:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by m chappelow

i knew one guy that made a floor board for his s.i.b out of plastic pallets, bolted to each other ,,would have flexed a bit with a large engine but for what he wanted it for as a tender it did the trick ,and as luck would have it it was just the correct width he only had to sort the length out ,well one thing it was rot proof ,down side it had diamond shaped /holes/slots everywhere .

Arhh can be done,and will only have a small engine to push me out to my inshore marks,so won t be bombing about in it ,no danger of the floor flexing ..mmmmmmmmm more to do now mate,lol

spartacus · 29 March 2010, 21:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by thornbackflound

Just out of intrest ,can anyone give me a rough idea how long it takes to put in 5 sections of floor with the two 7 ft stringers and more INPORTANTLY,,,,,,,,,WERE DO YOU START .FLOOF FIRST THEN INFLATE?

Zodiac HD boats (aluminium floor boards) recommend to inflate the boat partially to give it shape (still very soft), then insert the two bow thrust boards, then the stern aluminium floor board.

Now place both oars under the hull (directly under the floorboards) and get inside the boat. Add the remaining two sections of aluminium floor-boards which will be in a 'v' position. Hold onto the rope cuff and stand on them forcing them to dovetail properly.

Open the valves slightly and let some air out. To locate the stringers, position them, and using a rubber mallet, give it a couple of forceful blows. They should simply lock into position. Now inflate the boat chambers to operating pressure.

Job done!

Fishery Pokery · 29 March 2010, 21:32

It used to take me about 20 minutes, and was quite hot work by myself. It used to feel good when you were done and flying out to your fishing though!
It will be easier with two.
Cheers,
Geoff

thornbackflound · 29 March 2010, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by spartacus

Zodiac HD boats (aluminium floor boards) recommend to inflate the boat partially to give it shape (still very soft), then insert the two bow thrust boards, then the stern aluminium floor board.

Now place both oars under the hull (directly under the floorboards) and get inside the boat. Add the remaining two sections of aluminium floor-boards which will be in a 'v' position. Hold onto the rope cuff and stand on them forcing them to dovetail properly.

Open the valves slightly and let some air out. To locate the stringers, position them, and using a rubber mallet, give it a couple of forceful blows. They should simply lock into position. Now inflate the boat chambers to operating pressure.

Job done!

Many thanks for the excellent info

thornbackflound · 29 March 2010, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff_Jubb

It used to take me about 20 minutes, and was quite hot work by myself. It used to feel good when you were done and flying out to your fishing though!
It will be easier with two.
Cheers,
Geoff

will have two us so,hopfully should be fine

willk · 29 March 2010, 22:12

Haven't read this thread completely, but two thoughts

Our old club Lifeguard was destroyed because:

1. A silly tit* stood on the Ali floor and inflated the keel with a SCUBA cylinder until it blew up and caused him to soil himself.

2. Said tit then took us to sea (off Achill Island in the far west) without a keel and the poor sib "caterpillered" until the ali floor joints broke and the entire thing was fcuked.

Eventually she cleared a hedge when she came off tow and worried some sheep. The End.

My story, true.

____________________________
* You know who you are

thornbackflound · 30 March 2010, 16:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Haven't read this thread completely, but two thoughts

Our old club Lifeguard was destroyed because:

1. A silly tit* stood on the Ali floor and inflated the keel with a SCUBA cylinder until it blew up and caused him to soil himself.

2. Said tit then took us to sea (off Achill Island in the far west) without a keel and the poor sib "caterpillered" until the ali floor joints broke and the entire thing was fcuked.

Eventually she cleared a hedge when she came off tow and worried some sheep. The End.

My story, true.

____________________________
* You know who you are

Well i certainly won t be doing any of the formentioned ,lol

kelson · 31 March 2010, 05:16

I haven't used the paddles. Always done by myself. Not a big deal.

thornbackflound · 31 March 2010, 16:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelson

i haven't used the paddles. Always done by myself. Not a big deal.

excellent ,thankyou very much,good guide there

Trickdog · 31 March 2010, 16:43

Placing a paddle/oar lengthways under the boat (so that it is positioned parallel to the side at which you are attaching the stinger, about 6 inches in from the floor/tube seam) makes fitting the stringer a LOT easier. It takes the load off the edge where the stringer fits so that it can be pushed into place with very little effort.

thornbackflound · 31 March 2010, 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trickdog

Placing a paddle/oar lengthways under the boat (so that it is positioned parallel to the side at which you are attaching the stinger, about 6 inches in from the floor/tube seam) makes fitting the stringer a LOT easier. It takes the load off the edge where the stringer fits so that it can be pushed into place with very little effort.

many thanks for another top tip,happy sibbing all ,off to bed to dream of good weather and my new project all looking shiny and new,with a cracking blonde babe crewing with me and passing me chilled white wine,whilst reeling in a double figure fish,lol ,night ,night

avius · 31 May 2010, 20:14

Has anyone ever had the stringers work themselves loose and pop out? It has happened to me on several occasions, each time it seemed my boat would fold in half. Each time, had to head to shore and resecure the deck. It bacame redundant enought that I decided to fasten the deck pieces together with stainless door hinges, locking them together. Is this common? Or am I doing something wrong?