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steelflex vs. polymer

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bravo1218

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I am instersted in the feelings of people who could give me insite on how steelflex compares to polymer. The goods and bads of both.
Thanks
tim
 
Bravo1218,

Welcome to the worlds best source for airboat information!

I wouldn't trade anything for my polymer! Look carefully at all the gouges and deep scratches in most polymer. I don't think steelflex could hold up like polymer and be as durable.

Polymer: more bucks and lots of labor

Steelflex: cheaper and a heck of a lot easier to apply

Basketcase
 
I don't know much about either steelflex or polymer but as far as slick bottom goes, I've heard a few complaints about "frog spit". I use a mix made up by Taylor's Industrial Coatings out of Lake Wales. It's very durable as far as slick bottoms go. I ran the boat VERY hard last hunting season and I'm just needing to touch up some spots this weekend.

If you want to know more about polymer vs. slick bottom try using the search engine on this site and read some old threads.
 
Steelflex will eventually wear off, even faster if you like to run dry. It's easy to put on and is about $150.00 to do a 13' hull. Makes the boat faster, really slick stuff.

Now polymer is a total different bird, wears real good,protects your hull from gouges and scrapes, runs dry with less wear.
I don't care for poly because I don't like all the holes you have to drill in the hull. Hard to walk on with all the nuts sticking up. And I would not do on a fiberglass hull at all, too many holes that might weaken the glass.
Just my opinion, don't hold me to it, but this is what I think........
ricmey1
 
I my self like the polymer and I just rivited mine on my new hull so you can walk bare footed and not hurt your feet now on my glass hull I had nuts and bolts on the edges and the bow the rest were screwed in to the stringers and I ran that for 2 years with no problems with the polymer now 2 inches from the edges on the other hand I cracked them a couple of times and if I didn't have polymer I probably would have sank it on more than one occasion.
 
I have had both.......and by far I have to agree with Polymer. It slides better over everything, and protects the hull from excessive wear. Downside it is difficult to replace on a full deck......BTW, on my old boat it would stick on dry ground with steel flex, the frog spit wears out too quick as far as I was concerned. We took that same boat and put polymer on it and it was a new animal when you ran out of water.........it ran the hill 100% better.
 
NocEm....I don't know about forever, but if you seriously expect to never run dry then a slick bottom might be for you. The price and ease of installation would justify it in my opinion.

Even if you do run dry ( I do, a lot!) it's not that bad of an idea. Does it wear down? YES. But at $65 for a gallon, I can afford to patch up any spots that need it occasionally and still have some left over for next time.

I'm sure some guys will say that polymer is the way to go but this is like the old arguement over motor types...you'll never find 100% agreement.
 
being from CANADA I run on snow and ice all winter to ice fish and poly is the only way to go because of the ware but down your way the only ice would be in your drink :lol:
 
blackpowderscout":3mh0xs1d said:
NocEm....I don't know about forever, but if you seriously expect to never run dry then a slick bottom might be for you. The price and ease of installation would justify it in my opinion.
Click to expand...

If I run dry I am in trouble cause I am putting the Steelflex on a outboard jon boat :D . I decided to go with two coats and just finished the second one about a hour ago. I'll post pics when I get a chance. I posted pics of the first coat awhile back. I am anxious to see how this stuff will hold up to tree stobs and mud flats.
 
Polymer is the way to go if you are going to run in the saltwater. It will take the abuse of the rocks and oyster bars. The only down side is that if you run a long way on dry ground it will heat up and not be as slick as it is when cool and coming out of the water to the ground for a short dry run.
 
Now feel free to tell me I'm wrong since I'm an engine guy and damn sure ain't an airboat builder. But I think my decision would be based on application and abuse. A poly bottom actually adds a second layer/laminate, and will protect the hull bottom from a lot of abuse. It's heavy, expensive, and hard to apply...But it would be my choice for an old reliable. A coating is much more efficient from a cost standpoint, a drag standpoint possibly, and definitely from a weight standpoint.....I just don't see why there is really any comparison between the two. To me...Race boat = slick bottom, and riverboat/workhorse=poly.

And once again...I'm honestly just joining the conversation...I'm looking to learn opinions here.

Felber
 
Felber wrote .... "But I think my decision would be based on application and abuse."



You are right, and here around the Kissimmee/Hatchineha area the vast majority of the boats are fiberglass with slickbottom. I'm not sure why. I have a slick bottom that we apply ourselves and we sure run them hard during hunting season. I have seen a few guys running polymer but again most run slick bottom.

I've never run a boat with polymer so I can't say what I think the difference is, but I've been told that a large part of it is weight and having all those nuts and bolts everywhere. I read where some fellas are starting to rivet their's. Good idea, I guess.[/quote]
 
Very good point....I was thinking largely of an aluminum hull...where the bottom was relatively flat, easier to apply and less likely to have problems with rivet/boltholes. And one thing I think I would consider on an aluminum hull would be resisiting denting the bottom of the hull.

I'm just here obsorbing ideas.....I'm considering a boat and tend to lean toward an aluminum deckover...And honestly...I would want a warhorse....Meaning poly, and as weird as it sounds being a car race engine builder...Possibly aircraft power....Well that has been the idea before the all aluminum LS1s have come around ;)

Felber
 
My opinion polymer is the only way to go. Horsepower overcomes weight, shoes overcome bolts in the bottom, several friends overcome hard installation, and the holes in the bottom are filled with the bolts so the holes are not an issue and if you have open holes you need to replace the bolts. but NOTHING OVERCOMES THE PEACE OF MIND OF THE EXTRA LAYER OF PROTECTION that is worth it all. just my opinion
 
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