[wsmurdoch]

Tell me about the protective carpet cover for the air floor. I have a LSI 290 that we have taken to the Bahamas twice. This year it was punctured by sandspurs stuck in the bottom of a shoe and would leak down in a couple of days. I have it at home patching it now. Some people on the web advise covering the floor with outdoor carpet or a clear vinyl office chair floor pad. I've looked at both in stores and wondered how I'd deal with their heavy, bulky, sandy, wet mess on the boat. How big is your carpet? What do you do with it when the boat is deflated?

[I noticed that the 2014 LSIs have a heavier dark gray air floor.]

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irishe Eyes

 

[wsmurdoch]

We have a 8hp 2 stroke Nissan (Tohatsu) on our LSI 290. It will plane my wife, me, 3 gal of gas, and a few bags of groceries. Hauling fuel or water, it will not plane. We also have a 3.5 Tohatsu 2 stroke that I have used on the dinghy. It will only plane me alone.

We bought a Coleman 12v air mattress inflater at WalMart five or more years ago for about $15. We use it on deck with the cord going inside to put the first 90% of the air in the dinghy. The last bit is done with the supplied foot pump. A few wraps of vinyl electrical tape around its discharge fitting shimmed it out to fit the Achilles valves. I have twice dropped it in salt water running and immediately rinsed it with no ill effect, at least so far.

Bill Murdoch
1988 PSC 34
Irish Eyes

 

[wsmurdoch]

Marc,

Thanks. I think I'll give the outdoor carpet a try.

[My patched air floor (with two part glue and a seven day cure) seems to be holding air after a week. One part glue after 24 hr curing leaked when inflated.]