Faster Sib Assembly.-

[Locozodiac]

Been assembling Sibs for many years, now with a Rib nothing to assemble, but occasionally still use a 320 alum deck Sib along a 2 strokes 5 HP Tohatsu motor in far away places where a trailered Rib has no access to be launched from a beach shore.

-Take Sib and Floorboards out of their carrying bags.

-Unroll Sib on a clean flat surface.

-Fully extend bow, transom and side tubes, open all air valves.

-Dampen lower deck fabric, upper keel, lower floorboards & contours with a generous soapy water application. Pic 1

If your Sib has alum floorboards that clatters when on plane, one easy way to reduce or even cancel annoying noises is taping with electric tape the whole length of each floorboard front edge before assembling them. Pic 2

-Slide front wooden bow floorboard fully in. Align rear end to remain parallel to transom.

-Slide fully in rear C cut alum floorboard at middle of water drain valve.

-Join second middle floorboard to wooden one and third floorboard to transom one, form a tent between both. Align floorboards sides facing each other in a perfect straight line for an easy side joiner slide and assembly.

-Step on tent's edge to flatten out middle floorboards against lower deck fabric.

-Dampen well each side joiner sides specially both middle grooves.

-Once aligned in middle floor deck, at an angle insert each side joiner groove against previously aligned floorboards sides and rotate them fully down, will snap in very easily. Assembling with a previously dampened soapy lower deck assures easy floorboard slide & side alignment with lower tubes while inflating them. Pic 3

-With hand slide keel air valve sideways to rest in bow’s middle floorboard upper hole.

-Close all air valves, Inflate air chambers gradually with foot, hand or electric pump to their factory working pressure, usually 3-3.5 PSI. Check with a pressure gauge, once finished Inflate lower keel to same pressure.

-Screw all air valves caps in place.

-Sit motor right on middle transom.

-Fabricate 2 square pads using sib’s fabric, rubber, tire bladder, whatever and place them between OB’s round clamps and Sib’s transom plate. Tight well with hands for both clamps eyes to face each other, secure with a padlock, piece of rope and forget all about retightening clamps from time to time which is the most stupid way for any light OB to be raised during propulsion and fall off from transom into the deep blue. Pads will also lessen motor vibration transmitted to transom when in operation. Pic 4

-Rest Sib on water for a short time period for air pressure on chambers & keel to stabilize, reinflate again to factory working specs.

Top inflation assures perfect Sib rigidity & glide along awesome navigation and extreme fun. Pic 5

Happy Boating

[willk]

Hi Loco,

Good to have you back. Been a while, missed you. I remember the hassle with those loudmouth gringos. Stick around.

w.

[Locozodiac]

Thanks mate, seems that posted in the wrong section, can you move it to the inflatable section, thanks The hassle with those gringos still goes on, impossible to change their short minds LOL!!

Best Regards
Locozodiac

[Mikefule]

I taught myself to assemble my first inflatable, but I gradually picked up tips as I went on.

My two best tips, which have saved a lot of hassle over the years:

Before making the tent and pushing down the joint of the last two floor boards, put the fuel tank under the bow of the boat to support the front triangle. Before I did that, I often had a problem that as I pushed one joint down, another popped up.

Before putting the side stringers in place, put one of the oar shafts under the boat on that side, parallel to the tube. You can then lean down to hold the boards flat against this as you slide the stringer in place.

I've never used soapy water (for assembling an inflatable).

[Max...]

Blimey Loco ...back from the dead, welcome back mate!

Fastest way to assemble a SIB?

Buy an airfloor model - pump it up.

[Fenlander]

>>>Before putting the side stringers in place, put one of the oar shafts under the boat on that side, parallel to the tube.

Yep that is the crucial tip Mike. Shown to me by the guy who sold us our first Zodiac when he demo'd the assembly process on our yard.

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by Max...

Blimey Loco ...back from the dead, welcome back mate!

Fastest way to assemble a SIB?

Buy an airfloor model - pump it up.

Thanks Max, highly appreciated. My Sib days have finally ended, now with a Rib.

BTW, if Sib lays flat against any horizontal floor when assembling, won't need placing an oar right under floor next to tube, just lay side joiner groove next to side alum panels, rotate downwards and will clik in nicely. Soappy water is doing its job nicely, try it!!

Happy Boating

[billows]

My tips are
1 Silicone spray on the stringers
2 Make the tent on the aft floors, one less joint to jump out of its groove

[Ronaldj]

I have a friend with a 12 foot sib that uses a scuba tank to inflate his Sib with.
I just went to an airfloor and an electric pump which I power with a car jumper box which also powers my electronics

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by Ronaldj

I have a friend with a 12 foot sib that uses a scuba tank to inflate his Sib with.

If he blinks while inflating his Sib, a candidate for going straight to Kaboooom land. Would use that method for Sib to take overall shape and then fully pumped it up with an electric, foot or hand pump.

Happy Boating

[Mikefule]

Originally Posted by Locozodiac

If he blinks while inflating his Sib, a candidate for going straight to Kaboooom land. Would use that method for Sib to take overall shape and then fully pumped it up with an electric, foot or hand pump.

Happy Boating

I used to do the same. You have complete control over how much air comes out of the tank. The valve is not a crude on/off switch. There is no danger of bursting the boat unless you do something really reckless.

[Locozodiac]

That's due to being experinced yourelf, have seen inflatables blown out while being inflated at fuel service stations by inexperienced pseudo boaters on their first inflation attempt.

Scauba inflation procedures works spot on on tubes having pressure relief valves..

Happy Boating