Life Raft Servicing is Important

In this post I discussed why you should service your life raft, Today I would like to touch on the subject of servicing again. Servicing the life raft is the life of the raft, we see several life rafts come in that have not been serviced in several years and many times this results in putting a really good life raft out of commission or a really high servicing bill.

Some things to keep in mind about serving is that when you bring a life raft to a service station a technician will open the life raft and inspect it for malfunctions, air tests will be performed and all parts of the life raft and equipment are inspected and replaced if they are deemed out of date or non-functioning. If your life raft cannot be certified as safe and usable it will be decommissioned.

Keep in mind there are items in a life raft they can cause problems, recently we opened a life raft that had corroded batteries in the flash light. The battery acid had eaten through the flash light and gotten all over much of the equipment. Imagine finding this out on the ocean instead of at the shop. This particular life raft was 7 years overdue for servicing.

Life rafts are as important to a boat as the brakes on a car and like the brakes they need to be serviced. For more information on life raft servicing or to visit our store and see an open life raft contact us. We are proud to support Maritime Safety and Education through community outreach; we take pride in not just selling and servicing a product but educating customers on how to use a product.

Inflatable Boats- Not Just Dinghies

Many boat buyers see inflatable boats as just dinghies and move on, but there are inflatable boats for all applications.
There are inflatable boats you can use in the rivers
Such as high quality Achilles River Boats

There are inflatable boats you can use with you RV
Such as the Zodiac Cadet Compact and Achilles HB300FX
Both have a folding transom and stow fairly flat making them ideal for motor homes and RVs, but if you need something that folds up even smaller you can get boats such as
Zodiac Fastroller ACTI-V and the Achilles LSI Models

A great weekend boat or tender is an Inflatable with wooden or aluminum floor boards, the floor boards provide better rigidity than an air floor boat (when properly inflated) but the boat will still break down to stow in a relatively small space some of the models you may consider are
Zodiac Cadet , Achilles SPD, and Achilles LEX

Looking for a Rigid Hull Tender (RIB) for your boat or to use in the lake, you can choose from models
Like these
Achilles HB Series Boats, Zodiac Cadet RIB Series Boats and Caribe C Series Boats

But most people know about those models and what you can do with them, people want to know about bigger boats ones you can fish from, pull someone on a tube in, relax and sunbathe in and use as a main family boat
You could look to these models to fill those needs
Zodiac Pro Series Boats
Zodiac Pro Open Series Boats
Zodiac Bay Runner Series Boats

Inflatable boats also serve as commercial use boats world wide in everything from Swift Water Rescue to transport boats. Companies and individuals turn to the stability of inflatable boats when they want the safest boats. Inflatable boats are more buoyant than aluminum boats that are often used in the same applications.
If you are considering an inflatable boat and need more information call us, we are the inflatable boat experts. Triad Marine opened in 1992 and our owners come from the back grounds of inflatable boats and life rafts. With so much experience under one roof you are sure to learn something about inflatable boats, amd hopefully decide to become the owner of one!
Enjoy some pictures of boats Triad Marine has put on the water

Zodiac Pro Open 650

Achilles HB350LX w/ Eurohelm

Achilles HB240LX

Zodiac Zoom 310SR

Zodiac Zoom 310SR in Bag

Zodiac Pro 550 (12 Man)

Used by Jamaica Beach Fire Department

Zodiac FC420

Zodiac FC530

Zodiac CZ7

Zodiac FC470

Caribe C13

4 Zodiac FC420 Boats to be used in Dallas by the Fire Rescue

Zodiac Pro 550 (12 man) Leisure Application

Achilles FRB 124

Zodiac Pro Series Boats

Today I want to talk to you about a versatile RIB (rigid inflatable boat), the Zodiac Pro Series Boats offer a range of sizes, 2 color choices in one fabric choice and one color choice in the other fabric choice. In addition they also offer the boats in a host of ways ranging from open with no seating for use with a tiller steer motor to fully rigged with many seating configurations and power options.

The boats also feature a removable tube set making them ideal for people in commercial settings, it allows them to purchase and extra tube set that can be put on the boat if the original is punctured and in need of repair. This keeps them working while the tube set is being repaired.

This boat is now offered in a series called the Bayrunner which provides a different seating style to make it a family friendly Bay style boat. Zodiac Pro Series boats start at 13'9" and go up to 20'8".

Triad Marine will be happy to talk to you about your options when choosing a Zodiac Pro Series boat and how to make it the perfect boat for your application.

Other advantages of the inflatable boats are the stability , buoyancy, and weight. The lighter weigh will allow you to use a smaller tow vehicle as well as make it more manageable in the long run. Inflatable boats can be used anywhere you would use a fiberglass or aluminum boat. Just remember to care for them properly and run them inflated to the proper pressure.

Come and see the Zodiac Pro 500 boat at Triad Marine we have the open models here leaving all of the options up to you! The Pro 500 is 15'5" in length and can take a maximum of a 70 horse power motor. Let us help you decide which way the Pro 500 will work best for whatever you do on the water.

Pro 500 (9 Man) $10835.00 open boat in Red PVC or Grey Hypalon in stock and ready to become your dream boat!

**pictures are examples and actual product may vary**

Coming Soon Achilles Folding Transom RIB

Triad Marine is proud to offer you the first look at the Achilles HB300FX folding transom RIB (rigid inflatable boat).
We will have this boat on display at 55th Annual Houston Boat Show happening January 7-17, 2011.

This folding transom RIB is made of hypalon material, has a fiberglass transom, wooden seat, 2 seat attachment points, oars, foot pump, repair kit and a storage bag with 3 handles for easy lifting. The boat also features towing d-rings, a bow lift eye and a stainless steel motor mount. Achilles is offering you the same great quality as the other HB series RIBs but in a portable package. This boat will be perfect for sail boats, RVs, cars, trucks and SUVs.

At 9'10" in length the boat will offer plenty of room for four people. At this time we do not have the final specifications with a horse power rating, weight and beam but we will keep you updated.

Stop by The Houston Boat Show and see us in Booth 7030 to see this brand new Achilles Model as well as many other great inflatable boats, life rafts and lots of marine safety gear!

Show & Go Video Series Part 1

Thank you for taking the time to watch our Show & Go Video Series. Keep an eye out for part 2 coming soon ...Inflatable Boat Care and Cleaning

Zodiac Pro 12 Man In Action Used By a Fire Department

  A chance to see a one of the boats we sold doing it's job!

  The Jamaica Beach Fire Department bought a Zodiac Pro 12 Man Inflatable Boat powered with a Yamaha F75 HP Outboard motor. We showed you some pictures in this post.

  Saturday October 23, 2010 they put the boat to use, working to rescue stranded boaters. You can read the full story here. 

(Photo from Police News)

  Thanks to the hard work of the Jamaica Beach Fire department and their Zodiac these boaters were rescued. Good Work Guys!

Inflatable Boat Care Part 1-Pump It Up

Achilles Inflatable boats reccomends 2.8 PSI for the working Pressure of their hypalon boats

There are a few things that go into caring for and inflatable and during the month of October we will showcase them.

This week we will discuss running the boat at the proper pressure.

It is important to know the working pressure of your inflatable boat and to make sure the boat is all ways at that pressure before putting it in the water for use.
Typically most hypalon boats will have a working pressure of about 2.8 PSI to 3.0 PSI and most PVC boats will have a working Pressure of about 3.0 PSI to 3.3 PSI (check the owner's manual for the exact working pressure of your boat make and model as it varies by manufacture).
Inflatable boats are mostly volume air so inflating them with the provided and recommended foot pump will not take as long as one may think. You could purchase a small 12 volt inflator but note you will still need to finish with the foot pump to achieve the proper working pressure...
NEVER USE A COMPRESSOR!
Inflatable boats have baffles inside them which divide the chambers and compressors can damage these baffles causing all kinds of problems for your boat and even make it unsafe to use.

There are pressure gauges available for use but if you don't have one you can simply pump with the foot pump until no more air will go into the boat ....You can't over inflate with the foot pump.
Most customers will tell me they did not know the boat should be up to pressure before every use, these are the same customers who are generally having performance issues or possible leak issues. Pumping the boat up hard is key to performance, leak prevention and even puncture resistance.
Even if you wake on a cool morning top the boat off, even f it is going to get hot in the afternoon even though the boat will expand some it will not cause the boat to pop. They are designed to expand and contract when needed.

Zodiac Pro 12 Man to be used by Jamaica Beach VFD

This is a Zodiac Pro 12 Man with a four stroke Yamaha 75 we added the light bar, lights, the reflective lettering and several other accessories to make this boat perfect for rescue use.

Good Information How the EPIRBs and PLBs work

In relation to the missing boaters

There is a fishing forum a lot of guys from the area use and I will say this is a hot topic because it hits all of these guys close to home.
http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/index.php

Click on the home page and under hot topics you can read the thread. Lots of guys discussing and lots of prayers being sent out. We even got a shout out from one guy (thanks). We are true believers that EPIRBs , PLBs, life vests and life rafts along with proper abandon ship equipment are your best assets on the water. I have copied a couple of the comments I found very interesting.


How many of you guys go offshore without a raft?After life jackets my raft is the single most important piece of equipment on my boat period. I was really proud of my fishing partner this past weekend. We fished the tuna mania out of his 33 Contender. His raft failed inspection at Triad and he would not leave without a new raft. I have a well equipped ditch bag with a Pelican case with sat phone, epirb, handheld gps, handheld vhf, WATER, food, flares, parachute flares, mirror, whistles, strobes, batteries, space blankets, rain jacket, hand line fishing kit, and did I say WATER.You can't be too careful out there, be prepared for the worst.Just imagine, your running 100 plus miles offshore. Something happens, a storm, a thru hull breaks, whatever. You have to ditch. Would you rather be on top of that boat if it even floats or would you rather be in an enclosed offshore raft with your ditch bag and epirb? Suppose the current is running offshore, you could be in the water for days. I would rather be somewhat dry than floating with a jacket. You spend thousands of dollars on reals and tackle and 200 dollar rods. If your going to put friends and family members lives in your hands spend some of that money on a raft. Hopefully you'll never ever need it but I can guarantee the one time you need it you'll be glad you have it. Do you guys realize that you will die of hypothermia in 87 degree water, eventually.I hope these guys are OK, it teaches us that you can't take anything for granted when dealing with mother nature. Fishing is the most dangerous job on earth for a reason.
__________________Capt. Jeff Gerrans
http://www.chachingoffshorefishing.com/




Sent to me from CG Sir, I am a search and rescue controller that has been working on this case and I see that a lot of fisherman go offshore to this area. I can not figure out how to post on here, so can you post this for me?The USCG has been searching continuously since notification on Saturday. The 23' Sea Chaser Catamaran white with blue bimini top, 3 pob 2 white males and 1 black male. The vessel was last seen at East Bay Rig 110 at 1730 on Friday night. They were supposed to anchor or drift overnight at Hilltop or Hilldrop (a couple of underwater rock areas) then return on Saturday at 2pm. After the last sighting by the rig we do not know in which direction they were headed. So far we have done 5 Helo searches, 6 falcon jet searches, 4 C-130 searches, a shoreline search from Matagorda up to Freeport and we have a CGC that has been searching as well. We have covered 18,573 SQNM. We have covered the waters from Galveston South Jetty down to Port O'Connor and out 123NM with no sightings of the vessel, debris, or persons. We are asking that everyone who is going out to keep a sharp look out and notify the CG on VHF CH 16. We appreciate everyones help.
__________________http://www.sageleafcustomhomes.com/

I applaud the USCG in their efforts and I still hope this turns out to be a rescue and not a recovery. Thanks again to Captain Jeff for the shout out as well as the use of safety gear!

It can happen to anyone at any time (Missing Boaters off Matagorda)

Coast Guard searches for three overdue boaters off Matagorda
Aug 23rd, 2009
by cgnews.
google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);
HOUSTON — The Coast Guard is currently searching for three overdue boaters approximately 70 nautical miles off the Matagorda coast, Sunday.
Watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a call at approximately 9 p.m. from the Matagorda Police Department Saturday, reporting three men overdue from a fishing trip. The men were scheduled to return home at 2 p.m. but failed to do so. The wife of the owner of the boat reported that the men launched the 23-foot center console catamaran from Riverbend in the vicinity of Matagorda. They were headed for a fishing destination approximately 70 to 80 nautical miles off the Matagorda coast.
At approximately 1:30 p.m. Saturday, crewmembers from an offshore oil rig reported seeing the 23-foot catamaran with the three men on board.
The owner of the boat, James Phillips, age 30, from Blessing, was reported to be wearing green shorts and a t-shirt. Fellow fisherman Curtis Hall, age 28, from Palacios, was reported to be wearing cut-off fishing shorts.
The Coast Guard is asking anyone with information regarding the location of three men to contact watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston at (713) 678-9053.
The following Coast Guard assests have joined in the search and rescue effort:
Coast Guard Cutter Manowar, homeported in Galveston
Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65C rescue helicopter and crew
Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi HU-25 Falcon jet and crew

It is with a heavy I heart we make posts like these. We hope for the safe return of these men to their families.
As we like to say prepare for the worst so you can enjoy the best!

August Boat and Customer of the Month

For August the boat and customer of the month have to be Ken and Sherry. They have been very awesome throughout the purchase process. They wanted a small rigid hull inflatable and I suggested the Achilles HB240LX. This is not a big RIB but it is deep and open so it feels bigger than the 7'10" that it is. We ordered it and had to wait for it to arrive and when it finally came in we had some hold ups in the Weaver Snap Davits fitting the boat to their large boat. After some trials and errors we finally made the delivery. I have a couple of shots of the boat on the swim platform davits, a shot of the boat with the Yamaha F2.5MSH and a great shot of Ken and Sherry with the new dinghy. We wish them many happy years of boating fun and we hope their Achilles with the Yamaha is a reliable and fun package. We know that they will have the prettiest new dinghy at the up coming TMCA dinghy regatta! Happy boating and Thanks for being awesome customers.

Congrats to these great Products

I would like to say a very special congrats to the makers of the Fast Find 210 PLB and remind you that if you wish to purchase one of these award winning PLBs we have them at a great price.

Expo Business

Innovation awards presented at MAATS

Boating IndustryFriday July 17, 2009

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ORLANDO, Fla. – Ten marine aftermarket products were awarded recognition for innovative achievement by the National Marine Manufacturers Association and Boating Writers International at the ninth annual Marine Aftermarket Accessories Trade Show in Orlando this week.

The winning companies received their awards during the MAATS Awards Reception, held July 15 at the Orange County Convention Center.

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The 2009 Innovation Award winners were:

Category: Aftermarket Electronics
Winner: Navionics Mobile 2.0 by Navionics – Chart plotter software for iPhone that brings information to consumers at a price starting as low as $5.

Category: Electrical Systems & Equipment
Winner: Rule Charge N’ Flow Portable Pump Kit by ITT – A small pump for washdowns, emergency uses and diesel fuel transfers.

Category: Boat Care, Coatings, Chemicals & Maintenance Tools
Winner: Dual Action Polisher by Shurhold – A random orbital polisher that gets a professional finish without damage or swirling.
Honorable Mention: Spider Away by Starbrite – A product that keeps spiders at bay.

Category: Deck Equipment
Winner: Smarte Jack by Smarte Jack Inc. – A product that makes deploying and retrieving a boat lift a one-person operation.

Category: Interior Parts & Equipment
Winner: PulseCode Lock by MasterLock Company – An access management technology designed to retrofit all Euro Profile cylinder-lock applications that uses an encrypted code and requires no wiring.
Honorable Mention: Supersub Smart 650 by Whale Water Systems – A low-profile automatic bilge pump.

Category: Personal Gear & Soft Goods
Winner: Nanuk by Plasticase, Inc. – A hard shell, waterproof case with a number of design features to protect delicate equipment in the harshest of environments.

Category: Safety Products
Winner: FastFind 210 Personal Locator Beacon by McMurdo – A PLB the size of a cell phone that has a 50 channel GPS and an integrated strobe.
Honorable Mention: AquaFlare by AquaFlare, an automatically deployed signaling device for skiers, wakeboarders and kids in the water.

Category: Trailers, Trailer Parts and Accessories
Winner: Safety 800 Trailer Tongue Weight Jack by Unified Marine, Inc. – A jack that takes the guesswork out of determining tongue weight to maximize stable trailering.

Category: Propulsion Parts & Propellers
Winner: P3 Palm Pump Fuel Primer by BluSkies International – An ergonomic and imaginative solution to replace the traditional rubber squeeze bulb.
Honorable Mention: Cruise 4.0 R by Torqeedo Inc. – The electric equivalent of a 9.9 HP outboard.

Category: Environmental Award
Winner: Kill the Spill Boat Wash by Enviromonde Network – A product that dissolves oil and stains quickly by breaking down hydrocarbons.

The Innovation Awards, organized by NMMA and judged by BWI, recognize products that best meet the following criteria:

·  Innovative distinction from other products currently being manufactured

·  Benefit to the marine industry and/or consumer

·  Practicality and cost-effectiveness

·  Availability to the consumer within 60 days of the show’s conclusion.
This year’s Innovation Awards were judged by a seven-judge panel that includes:

·  Panel Chairwoman Zuzana Prochazka, technical editor for Latitudes & Attitudes magazine, contributing editor to Mad Mariner and Circumnavigator magazines;

·  Alan Jones, executive editor of Boating World magazine;

·  Alan Wendt, editor, Marine CEO magazine;

·  David Seidman, editor at large, Boating magazine;

·  Robert Buller, equipment editor Pacific Yachting magazine;

·  Frank Lanier, surveyor and contributing editor to Southern Boating, Practical Sailor and Australian Yachting magazines;

·  Ben Ellison, senior electronics editor for Bonnier Marine Group and editor of Panbo Marine Electronics blog.

Thank You for Your Business

Adrienne Rust

Triad Marine & Industrial Supply

1155 FM 518

Kemah,TX 77565

281-334-0815

Fax- 281-334-0041

arust@triadmarine.com

Don't you Dare "Ditch" without the right Bag!

“THE DITCH BAG” AKA ABANDON SHIP BAG

Things to consider first
Make sure the bag itself is buoyant when fully packed and has a lanyard with a snap hook secured to the outside of the bag. Water tightness is very important as well.
Once you find a bag (something we will help you with if you like) then consider the contents. What do you and your crew need in a survival situation. Consider what is in your life raft and then make a list.

Here is a very basic life raft with a basic ditch bag. This one was set up for a customer who has a fishing boat and goes 75-100 miles off shore.

The contents include
24 Water packets

3 2400 Kcal USCG approved food ration packages
30 Sea sick pills
1 day pack first aid kit
1 USCG approved fishing kit
1 USCG approved Signal Mirror
1 Floating water tight flash light
1 set of spare batteries for the flash light
2 USCG approved parachute flares
1 USCG approved smoke flare
3 USCG approved hand flares
2 isothermal blankets
1 whistle
3 light sticks
Some seasick/storage bags (never vomit in the raft or the water if you can help it as it may cause disease as well as attract unwanted ocean predators)
This bag also contains a Fastfind 210 PLB
The raft that is pictured is a Revere Coastal Compact
The bag featured is the Revere Survivor Ditch Bag

Even if you are boating on a budget be safe it makes for a more enjoyable time on the water. The contents of the above Ditch bag, Life Raft and PLB are $1922.87, a small price to pay for peace of mind.

Other thing that are not included in this bag that you may need include

Hand held VHF radio (and spare batteries)

Transponders

A reverse Osmosis Water Maker

Air horn

Orange Flag (tie to a paddle and wave to attract attention)

Salt Water Soap

Dry Clothes in a vacuum bag

Floppy hats to cover ears and prevent sunburns

Sun Block and Lip Balm

Feminine Hygiene Products (this is the most overlooked item on any list. Sanitary napkins can double as bandages)

Any prescriptions taken by you or the crew on a daily or weekly basis

Prescription eye glasses and sunglasses

Supplemental First Aid (add anything your medical training will allow you to use properly)

Prepare for the worst, then enjoy your boating experience.

Boating, Camping Fishing, Hiking, or Hunting...Where is your PLB

PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) ....

Do you have one? You should if you plan to go boating, fishing, camping, hiking, hunting or anywhere you may become isolated. Now with GPS available and a longer stronger battery life you can't afford not to spend the money for a PLB. These devices could be the difference between life and death. They can also eliminate wasted time and money in searches. We represent ACR and Revere Supply which sell McMurdo PLBs. Both companies offer products to meet the needs of all the above mentioned applications.

They vary in price from $300 to $600 depending on the battery life and various other features. We would be happy to discuss your options with you. I feel my life is worth way more than $600 so I am certainly willing to spend at least $300 to be found alive...

Focus on Service - No job to big or to small

Well today's product focus is more of our services rather than product. I would like to fill you in on some of the other things we do besides sell inflatable boats, sell life rafts, service life rafts and sell safety equipment. We also repair inflatable boats of all brands. We pride ourselves in being factory certified to perform any repair task. The pictures above are some re-gluing of attachments and a bolt rope on a 21 foot boat. This is a labor intensive process that has to start with the correct preparation work first. After that is completed it requires careful measuring and a climate controlled area as well. By gluing in and area with little humidity and a cool surface we ensure a proper patch job that is going to last much longer than one that is done in the wrong conditions. If you have any questions about repairs or need a repair we have the knowledge and experience to make sure the job gets done right.