Ply on top of air floor

Deggsy · 05 January 2022, 11:38

Hello all.
I recently purchased a zodiac futura 4.5 with the air deck. I will be trailering it anyway and I was wondering about cutting a piece of ply to go on top of the air deck just to make it a bit more solid for fishing.
Would this be worthwhile and what would be the best way to go about this?
Thanks

jeffstevens763@g · 05 January 2022, 15:50

You’ll have to be careful of chafe, are you intending to standup?

Deggsy · 05 January 2022, 15:58

Ideally I’d like to be able to stand up in it. I was thinking maybe 12mm marine ply with a coat of resin and some vinyl floor over the top to protect the tubes where the ply tucks under. I did think I’d get an aluminium floor for it but they are mega expensive.

jeffstevens763@g · 05 January 2022, 16:06

https://www.anyfoam.co.uk/sheet-foam...saAvIIEALw_wcB

jeffstevens763@g · 05 January 2022, 16:09

https://www.anyfoam.co.uk/sheet-foam...saAvIIEALw_wcB

Have you thought of closed cell foam it’s stiff to stand on kind to the boat I have some 4 inch thick I can stand on with no probs

Max... · 06 January 2022, 08:13

Ply may cause issues - I've used rubber matting for years.

https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/bombar...ass-62326.html

Deggsy · 06 January 2022, 08:44

Ok, thanks for everyone’s input. To be honest I haven’t even set it up yet, let alone use it. I just heard the air deck floor is a bit soft to stand on fishing all day, and I’d like a bit of protection on it in case of dropping or spilling things.

Fenlander · 06 January 2022, 10:22

Like Jeff I'd forget the ply idea because of chafing at edges and with the inevitable sand/dirt/objects that will be trapped under the ply risking rubbing the air floor. Air floors are slightly flexy feeling underfoot but at the correct pressure not soft.

To be brutal the fact is air floors are ideal for light weight handling and quick setup on shore. If trailing there is no point to them so if after a few uses the feel doesn't suit then sell and buy an alloy floor SIB.

Deggsy · 06 January 2022, 12:41

Do the floors come up second hand very often? Has anyone had an ali floor fabricated?

Max... · 06 January 2022, 15:32

Go air or go solid - don't try and bodge it. You'll just end up with the worst of both worlds.

Deggsy · 06 January 2022, 16:18

I’ll keep an eye out for an alu floor for it, it will probably be fine with the air deck, I mainly want to protect it from being damaged.

Steve509926 · 06 January 2022, 18:13

An air floor at the correct pressure is fine to stand on. If you want to protect your air floor from damage I'd use rubber mating, something similar to this:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RUBBER-FL...-127635-2958-0

No chafing, no damage, easily removed and rolled up for cleaning.

jeffstevens763@g · 06 January 2022, 18:23

Halfords do interlocking tiles for a tenner 6 in a pack

Steve509926 · 06 January 2022, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Halfords do interlocking tiles for a tenner 6 in a pack

I use the interlocking tiles in Redneck to protect the airdeck from the dogs claws, and they are good. Not sure about using them to stand up on and fish. The problem with them is they do become detached and I think they would be a trip hazard.

jeffstevens763@g · 06 January 2022, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

I use the interlocking tiles in Redneck to protect the airdeck from the dogs claws, and they are good. Not sure about using them to stand up on and fish. The problem with them is they do become detached and I think they would be a trip hazard.

Glue together

Steve509926 · 06 January 2022, 19:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Glue together

Now why didn't I think of that

jeffstevens763@g · 06 January 2022, 21:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Now why didn't I think of that

I didn’t until they floated

Mattster · 07 January 2022, 15:26

I'm on my second air floor boat now and I agree, they could be better for standing on. Even though my current boat has an air floor that is generally regarded as harder than most, it is still definitely an airfloor in use.

A question I have been wondering about for a while is why they don't make higher pressure air floors? I have a blow up paddleboard and it is like standing on wood - it is stiff as a board and there is simply no deflection at all at 15 psi - and it can take up to 18psi (although my pump can't, so I haven't tried it). It is a little thicker than your standard air deck, but made of the same sort of stock woven PVC. I can only think that there must be some reason why it isn't done (too stiff? but then ali and wood floors seem ok..). Also inflateable paddleboards tend to have a 5mm or so closed cell foam adhered to the entire top surface which is very nice for standing on and probably offers some (but not much) protection to the deck itself.
If you could easily buy retail quantities of the paddle-board woven stock pvc I'd be of half a mind to try and make one to fit my own boat. Plenty on aliexpress and the like, but only for very large quantities.

909 · 08 January 2022, 03:44

I fish from my Zodiacs all the time with absolutely ZERO issues. Great quality.

Most likely you're not inflating your Acti-V H2P enough if you can't stand up. It's under inflated.

Just use common sense. Take care of your boat. And you won't have any issues.

Max... · 08 January 2022, 20:04

An inflatable SUP is a minimum 4.5 inches to (the vast majority) 6 inches. There is a big difference in stiffness at the same 15 psi between both. A SIB air floor is much thinner than 4.5 inches and consequently much more flexible.