Storage - Zodiac fast roller

[IanH]

During summer, my Zodiac FastRoller is going to stored inside its bag in an holiday apartment. But during winter, and now prior to it going to the beach, the Zodiac may be stored at home in the garage.

I have two options, keep it in the bag or store it inflated. Thankfully I have no signs of rodents, but keeping it off the floor is a consideration. If inflated, I don't have room for it and the cars, but I could suspend it from the ceiling.

So the three questions that I have is...

If stored in the bag, can it be suspended via the two sets of handles or will this want to fold the boat in a non desirable way.

If stored inflated, presumably I can suspend it from the lifting points. I know there are two inside the bow, but not sure about stern. If there are none in stern, can I run a strap beneath? Is it best to run strap beneath for both ends.

Bearing in mind its an inflatable floor, how much to I inflate it? I would assume that not inflating enough will cause the floor to bend.


Which takes me on to a slightly unrelated point. I understand that you need to allow for temperature variations, but in UK, how much is over inflation a real problem. Ie, do tubes really explode if you launch say in morning at 10 degrees and I you don't do anything about it on a hot uk day? Or in case of storage in garage, inflate it today at 6 degrees and temperature rises to say 28 degrees. Zodiac manual says 4mb/0.06psi for every 1 centigrade, so that's 88mb, not hugely outside the 220-270 recommended range if it was initially inflated to approx 220mb at 6 degrees. Its hardly French Rivera temperature fluctuation I would guess.

[Locozodiac]

Some answers :

No real issue keeping your sib inflated all year round, tube seams, floor fabric, handles, transom will remain folding stress free. You can keep the sib at a garage inflated to 2.5 psi including air floor lying vertical against a wall, secure with a small rope to remain that way, could flip tubes sides once in a while.

If suspending, place 2 small slings, one at front, other at transom supporting lower tubes, could add ropes & pullys and pull, release from roof.

Temp inflation recommendations are not cast on stone, will wary from country to country. What you can do using a pressure gauge : if in winter you ever go boating, inflate to at least 3.0 PSI at home or before launching top once on water after resting for sime time for pressure to settle down, in summer 2.5-3.0 PSI same, top to 3.0 PSI.

Depending on sun's temp at noon, overall pressure will probably rise to 3.5 PSI which is still good as that's the factory working recommended pressure. Pressure topping to minimum 3.0 PSI all year round once on water will give excellent sib/engine performance.

Happy Boating

[IanH]

Thanks for some of the answers.

Alas, my boat is taller than my garage and having checked, I don't have any rear D rings to suspend the boat from the rear so it looks like I will have to use the sling method.

If I understand, I deflate the air floor to 2.5psi (down from 11.3psi) when storing?