Inflatable Raft and Inflatable Boat FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
 

You say that Incepts perform better than other rafts. What makes you think this, and if it's true,

why do they?

We have worked with owners of all major brands of rafts and more. Our own experiences of the last 20 years, along with comments from current and past owners of Incepts consistently affirm the performance superiority of Incept inflatable boats. They perform better because of the hydrodynamic designs, particularly of the floors. If you place an Incept raft on its side you will notice that the floor is relatively flat, and shaped to match the tube but not protrude below the tubes. This allows the raft to track well and yet turn easily without the floor catching on eddy lines, etc. If you look in the same way at other brands, almost all have floors shaped in such a way that they present a "hard edge" which catches in eddy lines and cross flows and contributes to difficult handling and tippiness.

You show a couple of "Square Back" models, are there advantages or is it mainly aesthetics?

They do look good, but there are some practical advantages too. Used as a paddle boat a (rear) guide sits closer to the water giving better control. The longer bow allows the raft to punch through holes and yet maintain ease of control. Relative to the waterline, the crew weight is set a little further back which makes the boat handling superior over drops.

I notice in your brochure and this website that your rafts are shown roped, is this standard?

Yes, this is standard. All our rafts, kayaks and canoes are roped in the factory. On an Incept raft the grab-line is tied off at each D ring and cannot slip through. This is an important safety point. The grab-line cannot run therefore it will not slacken and retighten when the raft bends - giving loss of support to the crew or catapulting a person out of the raft. Further there is never enough grab-line slack to enable a limb to be entrapped.

The "D" rings on your rafts appear different from other brands, why?

Incept's outside 50mm "D" rings are modified with a stainless bar so that the rope and the webbings are protected from abrasion. For anyone running rocky rivers, as we surely do in New Zealand, this is a huge advantage. You can be confident that the D's, webbings and ropes will last for years in the most severe environments.

Your thwarts (cross tubes) are angled, why?

Thwarts are designed to hold the main tubes apart, but are frequently walked and sat on. The angled shape closes the gap between thwart end and sponson and reduces the stress on the attachment points.

Some other manufacturers highlight their use of imported Leafield valves, you use Halkey Roberts. Why?

Earlier Halkey Roberts valves had their problems. Poppet valve ends and valve caps came off. There were high rates of leakers. Some manufacturers committed to Leafield at this time. In the late 90's Halkey Roberts re-tooled and their later valves are superior and have given no troubles. In the event of age or grit damaging the sealing surfaces or for any other reason these valves are easily and inexpensively replaced. They are almost a flush fit with the tube surface reducing the likelihood of knocking a knee or leg against them. They clamp the material better and because of their internal O-ring seals (which Leafield valves do not have) they do not allow air seepage past the threads of the backing nut.

If there is a warranty problem do I have to return the raft to the New Zealand factory?

No, there is usually an inflatable repair shop in your area that can make the repair on behalf of the factory. If there is not one locally we will work with you to find the most convenient repairer for you.

Would I have to pay the freight on warranty claims?

The cost of getting the raft to the repairer or warranty base is up to the owner. The return freight is covered by warranty.

Why is my raft (or canoe / kayak) floor valve hard to close?

The Halkey valve when open has the valve flapper slightly protruded below the internal backing nut. When the boat is on hard ground under the valve the weight of the floor presses the flapper hard down and you cannot twist the yellow valve stem to close it. Solution: lift the floor off the ground, or use the valve cap / string to gently lift the valve clear off the ground, and then you can close the valve normally.

Have more questions that are not answered here?  Please ask us.

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