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Assembly & Care of Inflatable Boats & RIBs
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Deluxe Boat Cover Instructions

We have deluxe boat covers made exclusively for us by a local company.  Tap here for tips for using and securing your cover on your RIB.
(To learn more about the covers, tap here.)

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Boat Manuals

Below are tips for caring for your North Atlantic Inflatable.  If you would like a hard copy of our manual, use the links below.   

It includes instructions for assembling your air deck or aluminum panel floor and storage, care and maintenance tips.

 

Inflatable Keel Boat Manual - Click here to view on the web

Inflatable Keel Boat Manual - Click here to download and print

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RIB Manual (Aluminum or Fiberglass Keel Boats)- Tap to view on the web

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Like any other boat, inflatable boats need proper care and maintenance in order to function at their best and last a long time. Without maintenance, inflatable boats may only a few years - particularly in the south where the sun is intense 12 months/year. With regular cleaning, you can expect to enjoy your Hypalon boat for 20 or even 30 years and your PVC boat for 12-15 years.

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Choosing the Right Cleaning Products


The first and probably most important step to properly cleaning an inflatable boat is to choose the right cleaning products. Using the wrong cleaners can end up damaging your boat/tubes instead.

While inflatable boats may be made of durable PVC or Hypalon, they are still susceptible to damage when exposed to harsh chemicals. They are not like fiberglass or aluminum boats and should therefore not be exposed to the same types of boat cleaners.

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Products you should never use to clean inflatable boats include:

- toluene

- acetone

- bleach

- ammonia

- highly alkaline cleaners (pH greater than 11.5)

- abrasive scrub pads

- steel wool

 

These products can damage and/or discolor the fabric and attack the adhesives of your inflatable boat.

Household soaps or detergents can leave a sticky residue on the boat surface that attracts and holds dirt. Soap scum can also serve as food for mold and mildew, and you’ll have to figure out how to clean mold off your inflatable.

To properly clean your inflatables it’s best to use inflatable boat cleaners. These are made specifically for cleaning inflatable boats and can effectively remove dirt, grime, and stains without damaging the tube material. Some of these cleaners can also protect boat surfaces from the elements, keeping them in the best condition. 

We carry Mary Kate Inflatable Boat Cleaner.  If you prefer PolyMarine Inflatable Boat Cleaner, use this web address to order.  

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Cleaning Your Inflatable Boat


Once you’ve got the right cleaning products and tools, cleaning your PVC boat becomes quite simple. You'll need a couple of clean cloths and some water. You might also need a soft brush for scrubbing. Most cleaners only require you to apply the cleaner on the surface of the inflatable boat for a few minutes, and then wipe it off with a clean cloth.

Start cleaning the boat floor and work in sections, moving outward while applying the boat cleaner. This will make it easy for you to check for any damaged areas, and see where you’ll need to make some repairs. Flip the boat and apply the cleaner on the underside as well, as this area is most exposed to the water.
You will end up with a nice, glossy-looking inflatable boat.

 

Once the boat is clean, you should apply a UV protector such as 303 AeroSpace Protectant to protect the fabric from the sun's UV rays.  Typically 303 needs to get (re)applied every few weeks during the season - No worries, it only take about 5-10 minutes to treat a 10' boat.   Click here to order  
Click here to learn more about 303 AeroSpace Protectant


Cleaning your inflatable boat is something you should do regularly especially if you use your boat often. And even for brand new boats, there may be some lubricants left from the manufacturing process that you need to clean off before use.​

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Bottom Paint Suggestions

We suggest you put an anti-fouling paint on your boat bottom if you are concerned about organisms growing on the bottom of your boat.   

  • For Aluminum RIBs, you must select paint that is Copper Free to avoid corrosion.   We suggest Pettit's Hydrocoat Eco water-based paint. 

  • For Fiber Glass RIBs, we suggest Aquagard Waterbased Bottom Paint for Inflatables.  

  • For Inflatable bottom boats, we suggest Aquagard Waterbased Bottom Paint for Inflatables.

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Here are suggested steps for prepping and painting your boat bottom:

  1. Using painters tape (that will peel off easily later), tape off the area of your expected water line.

  2. For RIB boats, sand the hard surface you plan to paint  (do not sand the tubes.)  Sand just enough to take the shine off and rough up the surface so paint adheres better

  3. For RIB and Inflatable bottom boats, wipe the area you plan to paint, very lightly, with acetone. Include the area on the tubes you plan to paint.  This removes any chemical residue from the PVC and RIB bottoms.   DO NOT use acetone on any other part of your PVC or Hypalon tubes as acetone can damage the material.

  4. Paint first coat and let it dry overnight

  5. Paint 2nd coat, remove painters tape, and you are ready to go!

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Boat Registration Numbers

We suggest stenciling on your boat registration numbers as they last longer than the stick on variety.  We offer this paint kit made for inflatable boats 

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Boat placards or number plates can be ordered from Boat Number Plate.   

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Storage Suggestions

To extend the life of your boat, keep it covered from the beating sun when not in use.  We sell two models of boat covers (as well as console and seat covers for the larger boats.)   Tap here to see the deluxe and standard boat covers made for our boats. 

 

 Even in a New England winter, boats should be covered if stored outside. ​If you are storing your boat in a beautiful New England barn, or any spot where you may be prone to a few mice visitors, we suggest you wash off all saltwater (mice love the salt) and leave your boat partially inflated (for some reason, mice love rolled up boats - more crevices maybe?)  

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Cleaning Glue off a PVC or hypalon boat
PVC

The first step to removing PVC from a boat is to identify which type of solvent to use to clean your boat.

Personally, we recommend a mixture of a 50/50 ratio of Acetone and MEK. We like this mixture because MEK is a great solution for softening the glue, while Acetone helps dissolve it.

Before cleaning, make sure to wear gloves since all cleaning solutions are toxic.

Apply some solutions to the cleaning brush and then begin rubbing it onto the area with glue.

Make sure to use a horsehair brush to prevent scratching your boat when scrubbing.

The solution helps to soften up the glue enough to where you can scrub the glue off. You may use a simply blunt putty knife to scrape the glue off.

Lastly, just rinse your boat off with soap and water to get any debris off.

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Hypalon

Like PVC boats, you can use thinners and Acetone to remove adhesives off your Hypalon boat.

We recommend using a drill brush to help you clean the glue faster.

Especially with thicker glue pieces, it can take a lot of scrubbing to get rid of it.

We recommend doing good ol’ mechanical cleaning before resorting to chemical cleaning methods.

Simply abrade the surface area with glue until the adhesive bites.

Since Hypalon is much more durable, you won’t scratch or damage it from brushing too hard.

Solvents tend to be less effective on Hypalon material compared to PVC. If you were to use one, I’d recommend Acetone or toluene.

These are less aggressive solvents compared to MEK.

They are excellent agents to use for deactivation and reactivation of glue for Hypalon.

However, Hypalon boats can last you two or three decades if properly maintained.

For additional info & helpful videos, go to: https://anchor.travel/how-to-clean-the-adhesive-off-of-an-inflatable-boat/

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