My Excel and Volaire Experience so far

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Brinormeg

Tubes have both 0.25 bar (3.6psi) stamped on them at all the valves which is good. The floor doesn't say but on reading the instructions that came with it you might think it is 0.7 bar(10.15 psi) which is the volante I think.

Don't think I would like to try that pressure to experiment

The floor should be 0 4 bar (5.8psi) going by the website and pd. Although we stopped at 5psi and the pressure relief valve was escaping air.....so not 100% sure to be honest, although it was quite hot at the time.

Will have to check with pd and anyone else if theirs hold the full amount?

But yeah little things like the oil, the correct instructions, the bits of metal, the different info on the actual boat plates concerning max specifications (plates say 30hp compared to websites 25hp max)
all combine to niggle me that what seems a good product isn't well represented in other ways.

My keel is 6psi. So I would think an air floor a tad more OMO

[Brinormeg]

Managed to get the Volaire out of the lounge and blown up tonight to check a couple of things after a oldman2 suggestion.

I didn’t want to drill the transom so I got Excel to do it for the wheels brackets but now wondering if I will.

I did plan to add 2 eyes inside using the bracket bolts but there is not enough thread unless I remove the bracket lock nut. This would give extra tie points inside but also for a safety cable for the Outboard.

Alternatively, I thought of following pd and using 2 of their inside bracket bolts to attach a removable board with a couple of gismos to it.

But either way I think I will need longer bolts and if removing the old ones. would I be best to just drill out the transom, bracket holes etc or is the size m6 ok?


I also wondered about using one of the bolts each side on the outside to attach tow eyes and attaching a movable bracket to another for the transducer.


The sib came with 2 x M10 bolts and eyes which I am guessing might have been originally attached where the wheel brackets are now.

So, is M6 bolts man enough for tow eyes and safety cable or would I be better just drilling everything out and go bigger to M8 or M10 along with longer bolts or threaded bar, and just seal the holes again.

Can you buy bolts with an eye either end? I think i saw something in a post recently.

I have already replaced the wheel bracket center bolt/nut with a butterfly/wingnut type which were M8 . But only general purpose Zinc plated.

[Fenlander]

Those M6 bolts are fine for transom wheels with the load supported by 8 bolts in total.

My gut feeling for tow eye bolts is M8 or M10.

These are M8. Eye bolt one side and eye nut the other is my preference.

Have no fear of drilling the transom, just get the eyes where you want them.

[Steve509926]

Hi Brian, I'm sure somewhere you mentioned you wanted to make a wooden stand for your OB, so I thought I'd take a few pics of mine whilst I was packing every thing away this afternoon.
It is very sturdy and on braked 3" rubber castors so it is easily moved around.

[Brinormeg]

Cheers Steve.....looking good

I did start making one on sunday night with all the odds and ends I had. Maybe should have bought some 3x2 instead.... I think I've maybe over engineered mine now that I see how neat yours is.
Will post a photo tomorrow if I get a chance to finish it after work for a laugh!

I was thinking along the same lines as you for the ob and maybe for the beast for going into the boot as well....perhaps couple of small wheels. A bit like PD made for his trailer....just not so fancy

[Brinormeg]

Been busy with family stuff so only got back to the Volaire last night.
Inflated it again and left it up to try out a few ideas today.

So couple of things I hadn't noticed the first time.

First is the odd shade of red used to patch over the seat retainer strap bit! The rest match the tube perfectly but 2 are different?

Considering its a new sib is this normal?
Are other Excel owners boats the same?
To me it also appears the glueing seems done slightly differently around the edges, but you guys would know better?

Also we inflated all the tubes and floor up to full pressure and left them overnight for the first time, due to colder overcast weather.

But this morning the air floor was completely flat.

Inflated it again and soap tested the valves and discovered a leak around the outside of the pressure relief valve!

I've emailed excel to ask if its ok to try and tighten the valve (in case we void any warranty)

What do you guys think?

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Brinormeg

Been busy with family stuff so only got back to the Volaire last night.
Inflated it again and left it up to try out a few ideas today.

So couple of things I hadn't noticed the first time.

First is the odd shade of red used to patch over the seat retainer strap bit! The rest match the tube perfectly but 2 are different?

Considering its a new sib is this normal?
Are other Excel owners boats the same?

Hi Brian, it obviously isn't normal! It does tend to stand out on the picture. Have you had a word with Terry?

Originally Posted by Brinormeg

To me it also appears the glueing seems done slightly differently around the edges

Not sure what you meant and I can't tell from the pictures.

Originally Posted by Brinormeg

Inflated it again and soap tested the valves and discovered a leak around the outside of the pressure relief valve!

I've emailed excel to ask if its ok to try and tighten the valve (in case we void any warranty)

What do you guys think?

Take it out, make sure nothing is trapped in the thread, replace and carefully tighten. The pressure relief and an inflation valve leaked on my SD360 when it was new. Don't think you have much to worry about.

[Fenlander]

Oh gosh that darker red patch may be insignificant in many respects but it does grate a bit on a brand new boat. I can see what you mean... that patch in one image has more glue round it than any other seam... as if added later by a less neat person.

Re the valve... again not great at all but several of us have had that with the Elling floor inflation valve and it has tightened fine.

[Brinormeg]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi Brian, it obviously isn't normal! It does tend to stand out on the picture. Have you had a word with Terry?



Not sure what you meant and I can't tell from the pictures.



Take it out, make sure nothing is trapped in the thread, replace and carefully tighten. The pressure relief and an inflation valve leaked on my SD360 when it was new. Don't think you have much to worry about.

Hi steve. Yeah I emailed Terry with a few of the earlier minor concerns with the bits of metal, the leaking oil washer, the wrong warranty paper and instructions etc last week, but he is yet to get back to me!

But I emailed him again today and included the leaking air valve and odd coloured patches.

Outwith the obvious colour difference with the patch, if zoomed in you can see the glue finish is nothing like the edge of the original ones next to it. It probably is glued ok but it will be interesting to hear what he has to say about it anyway and in fairness to Excel....I will post the results here.

I am starting to think this might have been a return/display or something which would have been fine, if that was what we paid for!

I did read a few threads about leaking valves including maybe yours and some of the Ellings, and I'm sure that the valve is fixable but will just get his say so first before I touch it

Maybe we are being a bit picky and most so far has been relatively minor issues, and it is only a boat (but after spending what is a considerable amount of money to us), I didnt expect these little niggles to be honest.
After all, that was why we decided to spend a susbstantial bit more going new in the first place.

I suppose its like buying a brand new car....It might drive ok....
but I wouldnt expect a dent in it....red cloth interior instead of black leather....to have to valet the inside to clean the mechanics oily muddy boot marks off the carpet....to fix a leaking radiator ....to have to screw on the wheel nuts.....and for it to turn up with an odd coloured wing mirror.

Where as if I bought a used car from local second hand Arthur Daley dealer around the corner....then that might be what you would get....
now thats showing my age.

Yet again Fenlander...these little things add up

[Brinormeg]

Got to go sleep but my ocd is kicking in

[TmMorris]

Chinese quality control is still a wide issue. My first thought was that those strengthening patches were forgotten on the assembly line and that this was spotted later, possibly even in the UK, and patches applied with the best colour match possible. Hence the different style of glueing also. I think red is also one of those nightmare colours to match between batches and you may even find that the discos were cut from a roll that didn't quite match and the assembler thought they were doing the right thing in at least having a pair that didn't match?

I absolutely agree with you regards niggles and you shouldn't feel guilty nor feel that the amount spent is not significant. Companies exist to sell the product or service that they state and when they sell you something different the matter should be raised and dealt with appropriately, whether it be an apology, an offer to remedy or an offer to settle equitably and in a grown up manner on both sides.

One of the additional factors behind me chosing Excel was that they were a one hour drive away and run by a single person which meant had there been any issues it was easy for me to jump in the car and discuss face to face with the individual who was responsible and able to make decisions. It's not a set up where the computer can say no, the individual has to which often makes for a better experience.

Hopefully they can send you some swans of red material for you to find a better colour match and then use that to cut and fit some replacement patches during the off season, given they forgot to clean out the metal swarf, check the valves etc?

[Steve509926]

Didn't spot the difference in gluing as that is how all of the gluing on the seat runner discs is finished off on my SD360.

Not sure about Tim's idea with regards to you replacing the discs with new ones supplied by Excel is the best/easiest solution for you. I would be comfortable doing it, but would you? Maybe there is a company close to you that could do it professionally at Excels cost?

I think Terry is a technophobe and hasn't fathomed out how to reply to emails. I now phone him if he hasn't replied within a day or two.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Part of ongoing maintenance to tighten the valves terry told me all my valves were loose

[TmMorris]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Didn't spot the difference in gluing as that is how all of the gluing on the seat runner discs is finished off on my SD360.

Not sure about Tim's idea with regards to you replacing the discs with new ones supplied by Excel is the best/easiest solution for you. I would be comfortable doing it, but would you? Maybe there is a company close to you that could do it professionally at Excels cost?

I think Terry is a technophobe and hasn't fathomed out how to reply to emails. I now phone him if he hasn't replied within a day or two.

Hi Steve, I meant that Excel would collect the goods, fix and return rather than the owner doing the work. . They're the pros.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by TmMorris

Hi Steve, I meant that Excel would collect the goods, fix and return rather than the owner doing the work. . They're the pros.

[Pikey Dave]

I had the same issue with the leaky OPV. I just tightened it up with the supplied tool.

[chipko]

Agree all these little niggles are very annoying and really shouldn’t happen, all minor though. At least builders had the good sense to position off colour reinf. discs symmetrically! Try to look on them as a bit of a custom feature…clutching at straws here!

Crimping up a leaching valve/prv wouldn’t bother me tbh but still poor form in the QC deptartment, particularly for those new to sibbing.

Once you get out on the water and enjoy your new rig, all these little issues will pale into insignificance. Great read all these threads on new sibs/owners but can’t help feeling some just need to get their boats wet and try to stop fretting over the minutiae. Sorry. [emoji106]

PS: From what I’ve seen the detailing and build quality of Excel Boats in general looks way above many of the Far Eastern opposition…big brands included.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by chipko

Once you get out on the water and enjoy your new rig, all these little issues will pale into insignificance. Great read all these threads on new sibs/owners but can’t help feeling some just need to get their boats wet and stop fretting over the minutiae. [emoji106]

PS: From what I’ve seen the detailing and build quality of Excel Boats in general looks way above many of the Far Eastern opposition…big brands included.

I agree with the above Chipko, but I would be a little pissed off with the different red disks.

From what I have learned over the past 12 months with a SIB and OB, is that everything needs a little "fettling".

Brian, a possible solution which would negate the need for a red colour match, is to get Terry to send 8 Black discs for either you to fit if you feel comfortable doing it, or for him to pay someone else to fit them.

But don't let these little niggles spoil the enjoyment of using your new SIB.

[Fenlander]

>>> can’t help feeling some just need to get their boats wet and try to stop fretting over the minutiae

I know... I've found getting hooked on the glue jobs has almost totally replaced getting to sea! Perhaps it is just hooked on the glue?

[Brinormeg]

In normal times we would have never parted with the guts of £5000 on anything (which we've spent less on a car in the past) without seeing the product but unfortuantley that wasn't possible this time.

If I hadnt found the forum and gained so much from all your knowledge and mistakes, we wouldnt have got to the place we are, so thanks all once again.....BUT

Eventually got some time off for holidays so the plan was to finally get the beast wet and run in the OB this week and next. Although the great weather there has been up here has broke a bit, we would get a bit of exploring and maybe even a bit of wild camping done!.....But disaster has struck and my car is off the bloody road until the 8th after I get back to bloody work. Still trying to get a motor big enough, but not looking good at the moment!!!

But on a positive........Excel/Terry is on the ball this week with his emails and has asked for a few pics. So will see what he says on resolving any issues

Said ok to tighten valve as discussed here and it is fine now!

Thought we would check for grit or metal bits first, and of course we did have a bit of a moment when we didnt think about the rear of the valve not being attached to the floor, and watching it dissapear down the boat like a rat down a drain pipe.....another lesson learned

To be honest if the patches were an issue at the factory, and they had done as steve suggested and did them all in black, I would have never known!
Once you are finished with your seats, Excel could commision you for a while fenlander