How do I find and repair air leaks?

If you are losing air pressure, (aside from pressure loss commonly caused by colder temperatures), check the boat over for leaks. Start by checking the valves first. The best tool to find leaks is soapy water in a spray bottle. A leaky valve is rare, but if you do find a leak we can send you a replacement valve. We recommend mixing soap and water in a spray bottle. Spray around the valve. If you see bubbles forming, check your valve fitting and base and be sure the valve insert is screwed on tight. You can apply glue from the repair kit to seal small leaks around the valve or holes where the nylon string enters the valve assembly. If you continue to have problems with the valve, it's probably time to order new one. 

To find tiny leaks, take floor boards out, fully inflate boat until it's hard to the touch. Put some liquid detergent in a bucket of water and scrub it all over the boat with rag or big wash brush. Watch for elusive or tiny bubbles. When you find the first leak, keep looking. You might as well fix them all at the same time! Remember, the number one cause of slow leaks is due to poorly fitted valves. Unscrew the valve and clean the area. Make sure the little rubber O-rings are still good. They are the cheapest repair possible. 

If you have no luck finding a slow leak with air bubbles, inflate the boat to it's maximum air pressure and try to listen for the leak. If you can narrow the area down, return with a spray bottle to identify the source of the leak. 

Punctures less than 1/8" in size can be repaired simply without a patch. Deflate your boat, then clean and dry the area to be repaired. Apply a small drop of glue to cover the puncture and let dry for 12 hours. If you need to get on the water sooner, let dry for 30 minutes and then inflate the boat, inflating the compartment with the repair only 3/4 full. This repair might not be permanent so add a drop again at a later date to make it permanent.

Your Inflatable Boats come with a repair kit as standard equipment. It is recommended to do repairs in  dry weather. Humidity will decrease glue bond. Cut a piece of repair material large enough to overlap the damaged area by approximately 1" and round off the edges. Apply glue to the under side of the patch and around the area to be repaired. Too much glue will often interfere with a proper repair. Allow adhesive to become tacky for 5 minutes, and then place patch on the damaged area. Use a weight to apply 3-5 lbs. of pressure for 24 hours. After patch has dried, apply glue around the edges for a complete seal (dry 6 hours). IMPORTANT: Click here to read full instructions before starting ANY repairs.

What are the differences between air and plywood floors? Is an air floor rigid enough to stand on?

Once inflated, a high pressure air floor becomes as rigid as a plywood floor. You can stand, walk or even jump on it, the same way you could on plywood floor. Click here for a video clip of SD330 boat with an air floor. 

If you are planning to inflate and deflate your boat often, then the air floor is your best solution, because the boat folds compactly. It's a breeze to assemble and inflatable boats with an air floor. Just roll out-and inflate. 

Assembling a plywood floor is a little bit of hassle, and therefore we recommend plywood floors only if you keep the boat inflated most of the time. Another advantage of an air floor is; it's much lighter then a plywood floor. Due to it's lighter weight, the boat can achieve a higher speed much easier then with a plywood floor. Plus, an air floor is easy on your knees and absorbs vibrations better then a plywood floor. Because of these outstanding features, most of our customers prefer boats with air floors. 

All of our air floors come with a plywood support above the keel in the bow section of the boat. Because of these patented features, air floors become very rigid and flat. Flat floors perform much better then bended air floors of some competing brands.

Air Floors

as rigid as

Plywood floors

I am new to Inflatables, help me to choose boat that is right for me.

Please see all technical specifications for Saturn inflatable boats at http://www.boatstogo.com/inflatable_boats.asp. Max persons capacity displays how many persons can boat transport safely. In general, to be comfortable on inflatable boat, you will need to deduct 1-2 persons from max boat capacity. For example, SD260 will be comfortable with 1-2 people, SD290/330 with 2-3 people, SD365/385 with 3-4 people, SD430 will accommodate 4-5 people comfortable.

It is much easier to inflate and deflate boat with high-pressure air deck floor than with plywood floor or hard floor. It takes more time and skill to assemble plywood floor. In general, if you are planning to inflate/deflate boat often, then select boat with air floor. If you will keep boat fully inflated for at least 1-3 weeks then choose boat with plywood or hard floor. If you keep boat on the trailer or in a dock, then hard floor will not be a problem for you.  if you'll  keep the boat in the car trunk and  inflate it for only a day of fishing, then you will find it more easier to deal with air deck floor.

How to assemble Plywood or Aluminum Floor?

Please visit Hard Floor Assembly page if you have difficulties installing your plywood floor into your inflatable boat. You may also download a Plywood Floor Assembly manual.

What to do if boat get accidentally punctured while on a water?

First of all - do not panic. Inflatable boats has several air chambers, and if one of chambers get punctured, boat will stay afloat due to the buoyancy of remaining air chambers. 

We suggest that you always carry on board following items - Personal Flotation Device for each passenger along with a whistle, marine emergency radio to call Coast Guard for help if necessary, hand pump, piece of duct tape and small bottle of acetone.

If boat get punctured under the water line, there is nothing much you can do except for pumping air with a hand pump in order to slow down air leak. For quick emergency repairs in ripped inflatable you can purchase a ClamSeal. 

Punctures in accessible place, inside the boat, can be temporary fixed with a piece of duct tape. To insure good seal, area around puncture might be cleaned with an acetone before applying duct tape. After that you can pump air to slow down escaping air, and get ashore as soon as possible.

How long should I expect my SATURN boat to last?

That is totally up to you. If you take good care of your boat, it may last 5-10 years. If you will not take proper care of the boat, it will only last up to its warranty period. However, abused and mishandled boats are not covered by the warranty.

To extend the lifetime of your boat by taking proper care of it, we are recommending following boook: "INFLATABLE BOATS - Selection, Care, Repair, and Seamanship" by Jim Trefethen. ISBN number 0-07-065252-X. Available at www.amazon.com, or you may order it from publisher: The McGraw-Hill Companies, 1-800-262-4729. 

It is well known that most common reason for premature boat aging is exposure to the sun and its damaging UV rays. Fabric discoloration, fading, breakdowns and damages to varnished plywood can be all attributed to direct sun exposure.

Solution is simple - when boat is not in use cover it or deflate. There are plenty of Inflatables rotting under the damaging sun in any local marine or harbor. If possible, deflate the boat, clean it and store it in a carry bag.

If the boat is constantly dragged behind your sailboat, left year round on a dock, or left dirty and directly under harmful UV-rays, you can't expect it to last forever. If you will use a boat cover, or at least will cover boat with a piece of tarp, your SATURN will last much longer. 

Try to keep the boat clean and free of chemical detergents and sun screen lotions that may discolor the fabric. We highly recommend boat cleaners available at Inland Marine USA web site. 

Please use ONLY cleaning solutions that are approved for PVC fabrics. For example Inflatable Boat Cleaner from NauticalEase or Cape Ann Inflatable Boat Protector from Inland Marine. Do not use CLOROX, Windex or any other household cleaners. These chemicals will make the fabric sticky over time. Sun screen lotions may contain silicon that will also make PVC fabric sticky. Clean boat tubes from sun screen lotion marks to extend boat fabric life cycle.

We also recommend very convenient Swipes Wipes, as they contain an excellent cleaning solution for inflatable boats. These wipes remove any type of dirt, protect against UV-rays and can make the boat look new again. 

What documents are needed to register my boat?

You will need a Manufacturer's Statement of Origin (MSO) and Bill Of Sale. The MCO and Bill of Sale are enclosed in a pouch attached to the shipping box along with a Warranty Registration card. If any of these documents are missing from the pouch, please visit the Downloads page for replacements. Please fill out all necessary information: purchase price, your name, address and date of purchase. Don't forget to enter correct HIN number. Don't bring blank forms to Tag agency. Fill them out first.

In very rare cases, some states may ask you to provide the MSO with a signed and notarized First Assignment. In general it is absolutely unnecessary. First Assignment is for you to fill out when you are going to re-sell boat. BoatsToGo represent manufacturers in the US and a signed first page should be more then enough to register boat. There are no manufacturers in US who will provide a notarized copy of the MSO. However some offices are just giving a hard time to customers. If it is absolutely necessary, we can provide a notarized copy of the MSO for a fee of $5. This is what the notary public charges us for the seal. Please visit http://www.boatstogo.com/payment.asp to send $5 payment if you need notarization. 

What to do if a hand pump arrives damaged?

Saturn inflatable boats and rafts are of excellent quality and workmanship. However, in efforts to pass the savings on to you, we are keeping costs as low as possible. Instead of enclosing a high quality and expensive hand pump, and then passing the cost to you, we are enclosing good quality generic hand pumps. The hand pump enclosed with a boat is free and is a complimentary gift to you. 

In rare occasions, if FedEx drops the shipping box during handling, the hose of the pump may get squeezed by the weight of the boat and develop small cracks. The simplest and fastest solution for cracks in a hose would be to apply duct tape around the hose. This will make the hand pump fully operational again. However, if you wish to receive a new pump, please send damaged pump back for replacement. Click here for return address.

If the hose is fine and the pump doesn't provide enough pressure to inflate the boat, then unscrew the green cup with a T-handle and inspect rubber seal on the plunger. If it's torn, let us know and we will send you a replacement seal.

Please note that high-performance foot and hand pumps are available from the  following retailers that are not associated with BoatsToGo, Inc:

www.waterstrider.com/raft-air-pumps.htm
www.clavey.com/pumps.html
www.theboatpeople.com/atr_pumps.html

Which accessories come standard with the boats and which are optional?

All boats except the SD430 come with 1 plywood seat. All boats come with a hand pump, repair kit, carry bag, aluminum oars, 4' rope and either an air or plywood floor.

Optional accessories: boat cover, underseat storage bag with cushion, extra plywood seat, valve adaptor for electric pump, do-it-yourself plans for building sun-shade canopy. More accessories coming soon.

How to fold my boat for compact storage?

Click here for step-by-step instruction for deflating and folding your boat.

Do I need to install a hydrofoil on the outboard motor?

We recommend that you install a hydrofoil on the outboard motor in order to improve speed and boat handling. A Hydrofoil will help put the boat on plane much faster and will help maintain the planning effect at lower speed. See picture below, on a left without a hydrofoil, on a right with a hydrofoil installed.

How to protect air floor from accidental punctures or sharp dog claws?

Air floor PVC material has been designed to be strong and puncture-resistant. But if enough pressure is applied with a sharp object, like a knife or fishing hook for example, then a puncture may sometime occur. Dog claws, in general, are not sharp enough to puncture an air floor. But small pieces of sharp broken glass or similar objects may stick to the insole of shoes while boarding the dinghy and may also cut the surface of air floors in some cases. 

To avoid damage to the high-pressure air floor, and keep it as good as new, you may purchase a piece of vinyl floor covering in a hardware store, or just use regular carpeting. Cut vinyl or carpet to fit the inside of the boat and over the floor. Use paper patterns first, to get a perfect fit. Then use this paper pattern to cut the new flooring.

Applying vinyl or carpet covering will make inflatable air floors virtually indestructible. Floor vinyl covering or carpet is flexible and may be rolled up for storage when boat is deflated. 

How to properly tow dinghy behind sailboat or yacht?

Towing bridle is necessary in order to properly tow inflatable boat. Towing bridles are available at many marine retail stores and on-line. Do not tow inflatable boat by connecting rope to the central D-ring with integrated handle. Use towing D-rings on both sides of dinghy bow.

The most common mistake made when towing is improper use of the towing bridle. Many boaters knot the tow bridle into a loop at the center, and attach a towing line there. This is wrong. The towing line should not be fixed to the bridle, but instead should end in a small bowline loop, through which the bridle passes. This allows the towline to slew back and forth in the bridle, and provides for tension in both sides of the bridle. Not rigging the towline this way is the most common cause of failure of the pad eyes on the dingy to which the tow bridle is attached. It is inevitable that during towing, the dingy will rock a little from side to side, shifting the strain on the bridle from one side to the other. If the towline is rigidly fixed to the center of the bridle, one pad eye will be momentarily required to sustain the entire tow load. If the towline can shift its position in the bridle, both sides of the bridle will remain in tension, and the load will be distributed to both pad eyes on the dingy. 

Many cruising sailors have small outboard motors for use with their inflatables, which creates a dilemma when it's time to tow: should the motor be left on the dingy while towing? The tendency to do this is proportional to the weight of the outboard and the difficulty in removing it and storing it on the boat. There are a number of reasons for recommending against towing with the outboard on the dingy.

First, there is the hazard to the outboard. In large seas the dingy might flip over, submerging the motor. It's also possible that violent motion in a seaway could cause the motor to fall off the dingy transom. These things always seem to happen when you'd least like them, usually when a ten-foot sea is running!

Another consideration is the additional tow load the extra weight of the motor will create. A completely empty inflatable is usually a very light craft and hence a very light tow load. When you add 70 pounds or more of motor and gas tank, you could very well be doubling the tow load from a small inflatable.

The problem most likely to occur in towing the dingy is shipping water aboard. It can quickly lead to failure of the bridle pad eyes, especially in those instances where the load is not being equalized. Even just six inches of water in an inflatable can weight over a hundreds pounds.

How can I prevent the outboard motor from damaging the transom while transporting my boat on a trailer?

While transporting inflatable boats on a trailer with the outboard motor in a raised position, heavy outboard engines may provide extra strain on a boat transom. When a moving trailer hits a bump or uneven pavement, heavy motors are capable of damaging the transom. You can install a pole support from the end of the trailer to the end of the outboard motor in order to provide extra support for the motor weight. These supports are available at places that sell trailers for boats and/or on-line.

Can I inflate my boat using an electric pump only?

No. You will need to use a hand pump to provide proper air pressure to the tubes. Electric pumps will not provide enough air pressure and your boat will not operate to it's full performance. You may quickly inflate all air compartments with an electric pump, up to the point where no more air can be electrically pumped  inside, or about 90%. Then, you will need to use a hand pump until tubes, keel and bow are hard to the touch.

How SATURN are our boats different from other brands?

Saturn Inflatable boats are made of the same quality materials as famous expensive brand name inflatable boats. The workmanship is exactly the same or even better quality then most overpriced brand names that you can buy in retail marine stores. SATURN Our boats are made by major manufacturer of inflatable boats in Korea. 

Some of Saturn boats strong points:

• Very clean, hand-made seams. Glue does not stick out from seams.
• Double layer fabric at the bottom of all tubes .
• The Extra thick 1100 Dtex fabric with polyester support is a much thicker fabric than some other famous brands use.
• Flat and rigid air floor. Not bended in front like on most other brands.
• Safety valve that prevents over-inflation.

There are several reasons why our prices are the lowest in the US:

• We import directly from the manufacturer bypassing middleman.
• By conducting our business on-line we avoid expenses that retail stores are passing on to their customers.
• We do not invest as heavily in marketing as other famous brands do.
• We don't have to maintain a large network of dealers and retail stores.
• Our 2 year warranty doesn't force you to pay for extra years that otherwise are just built-in into retail price.

What type of outboard motor can be installed on Saturn inflatable boats?

Short shaft 15" outboard motors are recommended to be installed on the 15" transom of Saturn inflatable boats. The lighter the outboard motor - the better. Either 2-stroke or 4-stroke engines may be installed on a boat transom, however 2-stroke engines are generally much lighter then 4-stroke outboard motors.  

Long shaft 20" motors are not recommended, but may also be installed  if a short shaft o/b is unavailable. However a long shaft o/b may create extra underwater drag. Long shaft o/b may be raised a few inches with help of a  2-3" wooden bar placed on a top of boat transom.

Max O/B motor, as per technical specifications for Saturn inflatable boats, means that this particular HP power output motor will bring the boat on plane when the  maximum persons capacity is reached. For example, the SD365 can take up to a 30 HP outboard motor, but a 9HP or 15 HP motor will move this boat very nicely with 2-3 people on board. However, to put the boat on plane with a full load of 5 people and gear, a 30 HP motor may be required.

Are Saturn inflatable boats certified or approved?

Manufacturer Identification Codes (MIC) were assigned by the US Coast Guard on May 6, 2003. Our boats have been CE, ISO and Germanischer Lloyd Certified in Europe, Asia and Australia. The NMMA certification is expensive and optional, therefore we did not applied for such a certification in order to keep our expenses/prices as low as possible.

Air starts escaping from the valve immediately after I remove air pump.  My boat starts loosing air after few hours. What is wrong?

The valve has a special pushpin inside. This pushpin has two positions. Up and down positions. When it is pressed in the down position, air will escape. If you turn the pushpin in any direction it will pop up. This will lock air inside and prevent it from escaping through the valve. Before inserting the air pump tube into the valve, please make sure that the pushpin is in the upper, popped up position. Once the pin is in the "popped up" position,  insert the air pump tube into the valve and inflate the boat until it becomes hard. Once you remove the air pump, air will seal the valve and will no longer escape. If you would like to deflate the boat later on,  press down on the pushpin and turn it in any direction until it  stays in the pressed down position. Air will immediately escape from the tubes thru the valve.

How do I replace the air valve?

Please go to the valve assembly page to see how a damaged valve can be replaced.

What does maximum motor capacity mean? What motor rating do I need to put the boat on plane?

Max O/B Motor means: maximum power outboard motor that can be safely used to plane a boat loaded to the maximum capacity on normal water surface conditions. Please exercise common sense and caution when using maximum motor capacities. Do not jump from wave to wave as new 4-stroke motors are much heavier then 2-strokes and provide extra strain on a transom. 

Under normal circumstances, with half of a maximum persons/load capacity, or about 50% of the  maximum O/B power rating may be necessary to put boat on plane. For example: SD365 rated for up to 30 HP outboard motor. But 15 HP with hydrofoil installed would be enough to put 12' boat on plane with 1-4 people and light load.  

The lighter the motor, the faster boat will run. 2-stroke engines, while still possible to find, are much lighter then 4-stroke, and will provide same power at less strain to the transom.

What are the steps to correctly assemble my inflatable boat? 

These are the steps you should follow to correctly inflate the boat:

1. Inflate all tubes to approximately 75% full.
2. Insert boat seat in designated spots.
3. Place deflated air floor inside the boat. Grey plywood board should be facing the keel. Make sure that valve of the keel is accessible through the hole in air floor. You will need it later to inflate keel through this hole.
4. Place both ends of plywood boards under left and right sides of tubes.
5. Stretch air floor along the boat bottom, so it covers it from nose to transom. The rear end of the air floor should be touching transom.
6. Inflate the air floor until it's hard. You will know that the floor is fully inflated when air pressure starts pushing the air pump handle up.
7. Inflate all tubes 100% until hard to touch.
8. Inflate keel through the hole in air floor.

What is the working pressure of the boatSATURN in terms of PSI? Do I need special pressure Gauge?

Max. Air pressure tubes: 0,25 bar
Max. Air pressure keel:  0,40 bar
Max. Air pressure floor:  0,70 bar

• Conversion factors:
• 1 psi = 0.06895 bar
• 1 bar = 14.50326 psi

It is not necessary to have an air pressure gauge to inflate Saturn boats. The boat tubes are equipped with Safety valves that will prevent over-inflation. In general, when you feel that boat tubes/floor are hard to the touch, and it becomes difficult to pump any more air in, that is means that boat is ready.

How do I tie up dinghy to the dock?

If you are planning to keep your inflated dinghy in water, by the dock for extended periods of time, here is simple scheme that you may follow. Gray PVC 1/2" electric pipes can be used as a pole supports. PVC pipes are available in local hardware stores and Home Depot. They provide enough tension to keep the dingy from rubbing against the dock. However keep in mind that prolonged exposure to open water will cause extensive algae and barnacle growth on a bottom part of the boat.

Where can I get extra seats for my boat?

Please go to accessories page to order extra seats for SD290/SD330 or SD365/SD385 boats.

Where do I get a Bill of Sale and Manufacturer Certificate Of Origin in order to register my boat?

If the Bill Of Sale is missing from shipping pouch or you need replacement documents, you can  download the necessary paperwork by clicking on Downloads link.

The keel tube under the floor is skewed to one side. How do I correct that?

Please follow these steps to correct position of the keel.
1. Deflate boat tubes.
2. Deflate and remove air floor. 
3. Inflate keel and then deflate it while spreading it out evenly on both sides.
4. Insert air floor back and inflate boat tubes 100%.
5. Inflate air floor, then inflate keel. 

What kind of valves do Saturn boats and rafts have?

Saturn boats and rafts use a  Halkey-Roberts flat valve design by Naru. 

I can't put boat on a plane due to cavitations  problems. The outboard creates a lot of noise and bubbles but the prop gets out of the water and the boat stops. Why?

There are two reasons for cavitations problems. First, is an incorrect or damaged prop.

More Info about Cavitation due to the outboard propeller:

Ventilation occurs when surface air or exhaust gases are drawn into the propeller blades. The load on the propeller is reduced by the mixing of air or exhaust into the water steam causing over revving.

Anti-ventilation Plate: Large plate cast into gear case housing directly above propeller. Helps reduce surface air from being pulled into blades.

Cavitation: The aeration (bubbling) and boiling effect of water caused by creation of a low pressure area. Generally caused by a solid shape (propeller blade) passing through the water, in such a position and speed, that a low pressure area is formed due to the inability to move through the water in nonresistant manner. An example is, a propeller blade that has a rough edge would not cut efficiently through the water, thus creating a low pressure area. If the pressure drops below the vapor pressure, a cavitation bubble will form in that region. These bubbles will collapse when they reach the higher pressure region of the blade. This causes a rapid change in pressure and can result in physical erosion. You may notice burns (erosion) at some area on the face of the blade.

  How can you avoid slipping in the boat seat while the boat is in motion?

You can apply a non-slip stair tread tape which is manufactured by 3M. It is very durable and is water resistant as well.  It is available from most hardware stores.  It is made to be used on stairs but  also works well on the boat seats to keep you from slipping into turns from a boat in motion.  It makes the seats non-slip!

  How do I put my Inflatable Boat Registration Numbers on my boat?

 

  I am a heavy person, over 250 lbs. How can I minimize pressure on the plywood seat and seating straps in order to avoid excessive wear?

 

Coolers can also serve as a dry storage containers. When a boat is jumping on waves, coolers will prevent excessive pressure on strips that hold the plywood seat attached to the tubes. For example, Coleman 9 Qt. Excursion, Red cooler, dimensions 11.25" x 12.66" x 9.75", Vendor Part Number: 6209A703G, around $15.

Please send us your questions and we will add them to this FAQ list.