About Inflatable Catamarans

Inflatable catamarans have always been recognized as extremely reliable boats for travel and recreation on the water.

As the camping and travel industry soars in Australia and around the world, inflatable boats are becoming increasingly popular for ease of transportation. Popular for fishing, diving or using as a tender, the open bow allows for easy and convenient exit and entry on and off the catamaran from the water or yacht.

With a variety of brands on the market at various price points and sizes, you may be wondering which model is best for you. The PVC Inflatable Catamarans mentioned on our comparison chart range from a modest $1,299 all the way up to $6,700! Sizes range from 2.6m to 4.6m.

Factors affecting the price include material used and thickness, features such as grab handles & ropes, valve type, transom, construction, quality of accessories. The construction and shape have an effect on the performance. A narrower width allows the cat to cut through the water more easily making it a sportier option with increased performance.

Advantages of Inflatable Catamarans:

The versatility of the boat: Catamarans are ideal for family vacations and fishing. They are easy to set up and are maneuverable, giving you the ability to enjoy the water in any format.
Handling and safety: Thanks to two parallel tubes, a stationary transom and the drop stitch Air-deck system, catamarans are extremely stable and reliable. The cockpit ensures comfortable seating for the crew and ventilation, and the design features reduce vibration, ensuring safe and easy passage through water and even through shallow water.
Economical: Catamarans can be equipped with motors up to 20 HP, which makes it easy to navigate the vessel. Due to the characteristic design of the hull, catamarans are planned above the surface of the water, which changes the support and saves fuel.
Portable: Inflatable Catamarans are light weight and easy to pack up for storage and transport.

Drop Stitch Floor

The High Pressure drop stitch floor used for inflatable catamarans, rafts, and kayaks is a remarkable innovation in watercraft design. Constructed from a specially engineered drop-stitched PVC fabric known as Double Wall Fabric (DWF), these floors offer exceptional rigidity and buoyancy.

This material allows inflatables to be built with flat surfaces that can be inflated to rock-hard rigidity. You get hard-shell performance along with the easy transportation and storage of an inflatable. What makes this possible? Tens of thousands of fine threads.

The process starts by joining two pieces of polyester woven support fabric with thousands of fine polyester thread lengths. This base material is made in strips from five to ten feet in width, and up to 400 needle heads may be used in the setup. Each needle sews a continuous, evenly spaced thread, back and forth between the two pieces of woven fabric, locking them together into an incredibly strong unit.

This advanced flooring solution is not only durable but also simplifies assembly and disassembly, making it significantly easier compared to traditional hard floors. Installing the High Pressure Air Deck is a breeze – simply unroll it into the boat, insert the deck, and inflate. Deflation is equally effortless, as you open the air floor valve along with other boat chamber valves, allowing the air to escape as the boat flattens.

One of the key advantages of the High Pressure Air Deck is its lightweight nature, reducing the overall weight of the boat compared to boats with plywood or aluminum floors. This is particularly beneficial for novice boat owners, as it eliminates the cumbersome assembly process associated with hard floor options. Additionally, most inflatable air decks can be easily removed from the deflated boat, facilitating transportation and storage.

While High Pressure Air Deck boasts offer exceptional durability, caution must still be exercised to prevent punctures from sharp or jagged objects. To mitigate this risk, you could add an additional layer of protection such as carpet or vinyl flooring, which can be sourced from local home improvement stores. This simple precaution ensures long-lasting enjoyment of your inflatable boat and air floor, providing peace of mind whilst on the water.