Airmat, Slatted or Aluminum Floor: Choosing an Inflatable Boat Floor Before the Size
Most buyers start an inflatable boat search with length. They want a 270, a 320 or a 360, and then they look at what is available in that size. The catalog published by Raft Inflatable suggests a different order. On its RSD inflatable boat program page the advice is direct: choose the floor before the size. The floor changes packed size, setup and the working surface, even where two hulls have a similar length. This guide walks through the three floor options in that catalog and the questions worth asking before a quote.
Comparison of an inflatable air floor and an aluminum floor panel in an inflatable boat. Image: raftinflatable.com.
The three RSD floor families
Raft Inflatable is the public site and brand of Weihai Reachsea Outdoors Co., Ltd, a manufacturer based in Weihai, Shandong. Its RSD rows cover boats from 210 cm to 420 cm, motors from 2.5 hp to 30 hp and two to seven persons. Within that range the model prefix tells you the floor:
- RSD-AM uses an airmat floor, an inflatable floor that is pumped up with the hull.
- RSD-SL uses a slatted floor made of separate slats.
- RSD-AL uses aluminum floor panels.
The catalog lists 0.9 mm PVC across these rows. Some examples show how the families overlap in size. RSD-AM270 and RSD-AL270 are both 270 cm and list 10 hp and three persons. RSD-AM320 and RSD-AL320 are both 320 cm and list 15 hp and four persons. At 360 cm the airmat and aluminum versions both list 20 hp and five persons. The largest row, RSD-AL420, is 420 cm long with a 174 cm beam, 30 hp and seven persons, and it uses an aluminum floor.
So for several lengths, the person and horsepower figures are the same whichever floor you pick. What changes is how the boat is carried, assembled and used. The site stresses that these figures come from catalog data and are not a final production specification, so treat them as a shortlist, not a contract.
What the floor changes in practice
The site's article on air floor or aluminum floor starts with a simple question: what has to be moved? An aluminum-panel package includes rigid pieces and often connecting parts. An inflatable floor still needs a suitable pump and the pressure instructions specified for that floor. Neither is automatically lighter. The site's answer is to compare the documented complete package weights, because construction and included accessories vary.
Assembly is the second difference. Ask for the full assembly sequence for the chosen size and, if possible, a demonstration. Find out where floor panels, stringers or air-floor edges fit. Then look at your launch area. A rigid floor that needs a clean, level space is a poor match for a stony beach where fabric would be dragged across grit.
The third difference is the working surface. Describe the seating, fishing gear and equipment that will rest on the floor, and ask what protection and tie-down arrangements are approved. The site is careful here: neither a rigid-looking surface nor a firm air floor allows loads or fittings beyond the model documentation.
Finally, consider the return trip. Allow time to remove debris, inspect the interfaces and dry the floor before packing. Measure the longest rigid part as well as the bags, because a panel that does not fit your car or storage locker decides the question for you.
RSD inflatable boat with a floor installed on the water. Image: raftinflatable.com.
How to compare floor options in an RFQ
When you ask a factory for prices on two floor types, make the comparison fair. A useful request includes:
- Separate weights. Ask for hull, floor and accessory weights listed separately for each option.
- Packed and rigid dimensions. Bags and the longest rigid piece, since a folded hull and an aluminum panel pack very differently.
- The exact model code. The RSD page asks buyers to quote the exact code, floor and load, not only the series name.
- Replacement parts. Visually similar panels or air floors may not fit another production revision, so request part identification.
- Package scope. Pump, oars, seats and bag should be named lines, not assumptions.
The site's inflatable boat raft guide adds the commercial side. Before buying from China, confirm the selected option, material, floor type, chamber count, included accessories, MOQ, lead time, carton size, gross weight, destination and delivery term before payment. Floor choice touches almost every item on that list, especially carton size and gross weight.
Matching the floor to the buyer
The RSD page lists wholesale inflatable boats, OEM rubber boat programs, distributor catalogs and rental fleet sourcing as typical uses. Each group weighs the floor differently. A rental operator who assembles the same boat many times may care most about assembly time and replacement panels. A retail distributor may care about the packed carton, because it drives freight cost and shelf space. A buyer who fishes may want to know how gear sits on the floor and what fittings are approved.
If you are unsure, the site's request quote form lets you describe the use case, length, load target, floor construction, quantity and destination in one brief. Comparing two floor options for the same hull, using the same passenger and equipment plan, is usually more useful than comparing two lengths with different floors.
FAQ
Is an air floor automatically lighter overall?
Not necessarily. The site recommends comparing the documented complete package weights, because construction and included accessories vary between models.
Can I swap floor types later?
Only after the manufacturer confirms that the exact hull, supports and replacement floor are compatible. Do not assume a floor from one revision fits another.
Which RSD model is the largest?
In the published catalog, RSD-AL420 is the largest RSD row at 420 cm with a 174 cm beam, 30 hp and seven persons, using an aluminum floor. These are catalog figures that still need order-specific confirmation.
Does Raft Inflatable publish prices for these boats?
No. Public pages omit prices. MOQ, material, packing, inspection files, lead time and shipping terms are confirmed through a written RFQ.
Contact Raft Inflatable: email sale@raftinflatable.com ยท raftinflatable.com