Baffles

jonp · 25 October 2019, 00:09

Rarely do I let my 550 pro (2014) drop bellow its working pressure but having noticed I'm needing to top it up more often made me decide to slide the tubeset off and have a good clean of the running rail and any sand etc rubbing between the hull and the tube. Deflated and re-inflated as manufacturers requirements but noticed that on deflation all sections lose air at the same time but inflating just does one chamber at a time. This seems weird that if I get a puncher in one they will all deflate together and why do they inflate one chamber at a time.

Do baffles work in just one direction ? If so could they be in the wrong way as it seems crazy for all sections to deflate at once but filling is done in sections. I can fill any one section from deflation to around 40% and it holds. I'm baffled.

GuyC · 25 October 2019, 09:26

Baffles work in both directions so deflating a section shouldn't lead to a complete deflation in another section.

If you deflate one section, the baffle between that and the next section may 'relax' slightly and that would lead to a pressure drop in the adjacent inflated sections but once it has reached an equilibrium pressure it should stay there rather than deflating fully.

When you are filling from fully delated, the change in volume due to the baffle 'tensioning' won't be sufficient to make a difference to the uninflated sections or your valves are still open in the uninflated sections.

The fact you can inflate one section without having an impact on other sections makes me think your baffles are OK.

mickter · 25 October 2019, 10:23

I was told you should only inflate front to rear, apparently baffles should face the rear.

Rorf · 25 October 2019, 12:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickter

I was told you should only inflate front to rear, apparently baffles should face the rear.

My Falcon 510's manual states exactly this - inflate from the front to the rear.

jonp · 25 October 2019, 13:23

Thanks for that. I will try inflating from front to back tomorrow.

GuyC · 25 October 2019, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonp

Thanks for that. I will try inflating from front to back tomorrow.

Be slightly careful about this. Highfield, for example, suggest you inflate from the back to the front. Whilst I think front to back is normal, it is specific to your boat. It should say in the owners manual.

beamishken · 25 October 2019, 20:09

Whichever way you fill it there will be 1 or more chambers that when deflated will result in the whole boat going soggy
Personally I like to inflate gradually so the baffles aren't taking any pressure either way.

jonp · 25 October 2019, 22:55

My owners manual simply stated don't fill each chamber to 100% in one go, which I've always filled in three stages. First stage is semi inflated but saggy then the next close section, when those are filled I fill them so they are firm but hardly showing on the pressure gauge then finally up to 3.4psi as the manual states.

It just seem odd that blowing any chamber alone, it stays up but once they have all been blown up the whole boat deflates from one.

GuyC · 26 October 2019, 07:58

Are you saying the whole boat deflates entirely through undoing one valve?

ribber · 26 October 2019, 08:57

It makes sense to me that the baffles should inflate so as NOT to peel back the adhesive from the tube. (Like pulling sellotape from the roll...:lol )
Knowing which way they have been glued is another matter, I guess you could only tell when deflated and try and feel how they were done. The baffle lying the right way is better than being pulled back on itself.

I find that when inflating, you will see the baffles forming a ring around the tube and the more you inflate one chamber the ring gets more pronounced. Indicating the baffle is now under strain and pulling down on the tube. Filling the next chamber slightly corrects that 'ring' but there is only so much you can achieve to lose the 'ring', so you have to let air out of the first chamber to even the pressure between chambers.

....in other words, try and loose the 'ring', making both chambers equal, should end up with a smooth tube and not like a string of sausages.....

God that was a long explanation before breakfast....

jeffstevens763@g · 26 October 2019, 19:50

I'm looking for a new SIB and noticed the excel range vanguard 435 it has a drawing showing the bulb of the baffles pointing to the stern on each compartment with a pressure relief valve only in the bow tube which adds up to all going down when the valve blows off

jonp · 26 October 2019, 23:25

[QUOTE=GuyC;804439]Are you saying the whole boat deflates entirely through undoing one valve?[/QUOTY

Yes correct, but that's from filling from back to front. It's the rear tubes that are most prone to accidents for me. At the moment I rolled the tubes and put it aside as I needed the room in the garage over the weekend but will get it back on the floor for testing from front to back tomorrow. I'm not as young and fit as I was so handling the tube on my own is a bit of a struggle, it's such an awkward lump to move about.

GuyC · 27 October 2019, 09:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonp

I'm not as young and fit as I was so handling the tube on my own is a bit of a struggle, it's such an awkward lump to move about.

I know how you feel. I tend to inflate them slightly to move them around. You can then lift one end, move it and then swap ends and 'walk' it into position.

Where's that daughter of yours when you need some assistance?

jonp · 27 October 2019, 11:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyC

I know how you feel. I tend to inflate them slightly to move them around. You can then lift one end, move it and then swap ends and 'walk' it into position.

Where's that daughter of yours when you need some assistance?

Thanks will try that, certainly not easy when fully deflated. As for my daughter, she often works away from home but will be back very soon to skipper a game fishing boat from my local area, so not using our boat quite as much now.

paintman · 27 October 2019, 13:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonp

Thanks will try that, certainly not easy when fully deflated. As for my daughter, she often works away from home but will be back very soon to skipper a game fishing boat from my local area, so not using our boat quite as much now.

Full time job?

Locozodiac · 28 October 2019, 19:43

If you inflate tubes gradually to 0.5 PSI in consecutive inflation steps till all tubes reaches at least 3.0 PSI will achieve a neutral baffle (cone) displacement distribution inside tubes.

Happy Boating

jonp · 03 November 2019, 04:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by paintman

Full time job?

Yes, full time as she would like it to be, the owner of the buisness ownes two vessels with the biggest being about 40ft cat. She can still maintain her freedom to head off and do research work with fisheries etc which tends to be extremely well paid.

Back to the baffles, having now filled them from front to back gradually they are holding up perfectly.

Thanks guys.