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Why are rafts and inflatable kayaks so expensive? And why the huge price range?

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Why are rafts and inflatable kayaks so expensive? And why the huge price range?

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There are really several answers to this. First, if we are talking about a rubber boat (rubber being any type of hypalon, neoprene, butyl, epdm, nitrylon, or other obscure European synthetics), every piece that makes up the raft or inflatable kayak must be sanded along each edge where it joins to the next section, and these pieces must then be hand glued to one another. All valve boots, internal bulkheads, D-rings, floor attachments, motor mounts, logos, and chafers must be sanded & hand glued as well. Then there is the seam tape, which is generally adhered to both sides of all joints & overlaps. And the process isn’t finished until thwarts and/or backrests, floors, and any bow & stern dodgers are also assembled and mounted. If we are talking about a self bailing raft or i.k. (inflatable kayak), there is also the horrendously labor intensive operation of making all the internal floor I-beams, which have to be adherred along with the edge tape to the top & bottom floor layers. And let’s

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