How much water can an inflatable take on?

[Pack Rat]

What's been your experience...any pictures? I had about 6 inches after an all night rain and it made me wonder if enough water filled the boat, and with the engine weight, could it sink?

 

[Pack Rat]

Re: How much water can an inflatable take on?

I've done some salvage scuba work with 55 gallon drums which had a lift capacity of about 455 pounds. I suppose if I calulate the weight of the water and the volume of air in the tubes I'd get my answer...but does anyone have a tale?

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: How much water can an inflatable take on?

You could fill that inflatable and convert it into a bath tub inflatable, won't sink, will still float at near sea level, some time ago had a bad experience, under plane got inside a yacht regatta for a photographic sesion with my ex 380 alum floor sib, powerful yachts produces high wakes, one of them crashed into my bow and flooded 3/4 height sib deck, sib turned inmediately unstable under power and nearly capsized, slowed down inmediately. The scarry issue of it, had another yacht 50 meters behind us, luckily aware of our situation to remedy and correct the inevitable crashing course into us. Lesson learned : Don't ver come close to any high rake produced by powerful engines...

Happy Boating

 

[Peter_C]

Re: How much water can an inflatable take on?

I have had easily 6 inches of water from leaving the scuppers out with the boat parked and loaded with people and dive gear. Cleared out after a few minutes on plane. I do not plan to let that happen again. Now I have an elephant trunk and am working on a bilge pump to quickly drain the boat of water should we take on a lot of water.

Remember water in water weighs nothing. If you want to sink your boat you are going to have to fill it with lead...a lot of lead.

 

[jondavies]

Re: How much water can an inflatable take on?

After a temporary repair to a 4" gash in the bottom fabric failed a couple of years ago, my boat started filling up with water fast.

I was coming back from a camping trip to Catalina and had a heavy load of gear on board. My first reaction was to run as fast as possible for the shore (I was about 7 miles off the breakwall). The faster I went, the more water was forced in through the rip. It was coming in much faster than it could escape through the drain holes. The water came up almost to the top of the transom and the bow was way up in the air. I was sure the boat was about to go down and I was right on the verge of calling a mayday.

I had a manual bilge pump but I couldn't run the boat and the pump at the same time so it wasn't any use (I now have a small emergency electric bilge pump in my tool kit). I grabbed a water jug and cut the top off to use as a hand baler but I couldn't keep up with the amount of water flooding in.

Eventually I realized that if I slowed down but maintained some headway, less water would enter through the tear and the boat would self-drain through the scuppers. About 8 mph was the ideal speed to maintain an equilibrium between water coming in and going out so I chugged back to the dock at that rate.

It was a "memorable" crossing for sure and after I made it back safely I had an even greater respect for the boat.

 

[CapeAnn]

Re: How much water can an inflatable take on?

Whoa! Was this from Two Harbors to Avalon? I used to drive a inflatable around Catalina. I have plenty of Catalina stories and some very scary inflatable accidents.

As per sinking an inflatable - can't see how that would occur unless (as Peter C) mentioned you sank the thing with lead, or ballast.

 

[azzurro]

Re: How much water can an inflatable take on?

Whoa! Was this from Two Harbors to Avalon? I used to drive a inflatable around Catalina. I have plenty of Catalina stories and some very scary inflatable accidents.

As per sinking an inflatable - can't see how that would occur unless (as Peter C) mentioned you sank the thing with lead, or ballast.

I agree, as the sponsons volume is far higher than the inside volume.
I think the problem may become to get the bottom or transom unglued because of the weight of water.

A water filled boat is also too heavy to be moved by an engine, and anchors may not work because of the weight. So it may become a dangerous situation.

A wave may luckily capsize it, thus emptying the boat. So next you have to know is how to turn the boat again, anchor it and restart the drowned engine.

 

[jondavies]

Re: How much water can an inflatable take on?

Whoa! Was this from Two Harbors to Avalon? I used to drive a inflatable around Catalina. I have plenty of Catalina stories and some very scary inflatable accidents.

As per sinking an inflatable - can't see how that would occur unless (as Peter C) mentioned you sank the thing with lead, or ballast.

I was returning from Two Harbors. I prefer that end of the island to Avalon.

In hindsight, I realize that the boat wasn't going to sink but at the time I wasn't thinking quite so rationally. The boats are much tougher than most people give them credit for.

Care to share some other cautionary tales?

 

[Pack Rat]

Re: How much water can an inflatable take on?

In hindsight, I realize that the boat wasn't going to sink but at the time I wasn't thinking quite so rationally.

Pretty certain I would have declared a, "mayday sinking"