How to inflate your 2018 Starboard Deluxe Double Chamber board

The Starboard Deluxe Double Chamber inflatable paddle board construction introduced in 2018 is in their own words, and from my experience, one step closer to a hard board feeling. Why are we always striving to make inflatable SUPs feel like hard boards? Inflatables can flex under heavy load from paddlers or rough water and while quality iSUPs alleviate a lot of this with quality construction, materials and high inflation pressures, a stiffer board is going to paddle predictably, paddle faster and overall perform better. So why not just get a hard board? Well, some do, but the case for getting an inflatable paddle board just got even stronger and we’re now at a tipping point of inflatables being the best option for all paddlers except those who ride large surf where the finer points of rail shape and rocker line can’t be ignored.

Anyway, we’re getting off topic a bit, back to the Double Chamber construction from Starboard. Let’s have a closer look at the Double Chamber set up in 2018 Starboard 12’6″ Touring Deluxe board, and a quick guide to inflating the 2 chambers.

First used on the Ocean Rescue boards back in 2013, the two chamber technology is about safety first, and improved stiffness. The added chamber sits in the middle of the board and provides enough floatation for one person in case of an unlikely event. An I-beam rail band connects the main hull and additional float chamber. The overall stiffness is improved 20-40% due to the double I-beam stringers in the most critical part of the board. Combined with the Deluxe Fusion technology where the deck and bottom PVC is fused into a single layer, removing the need to apply glue and solvent, thus reducing unnecessary weight.

2018 Starboard Deluxe Double Chamber

Safety First

The internal chamber offers up to 42 liters of safety floatation, with 14 liters even in the smallest boards. The chamber only requires 15 PSI. Future coastguard regulations may require this safety arrangement for inflatables used in open waters in the near future.

Ultra Stiff

The innovative chamber doubles the sidewall and acts like rollable I-beams. Starting just behind the standing area and continuing towards the front, the chamber is placed in the most critical area for flex and reduces deflection by 20-40%.

Take a look at some of the Starboard Deluxe Double Chamber boards we have in stock, or to see the full Starboard range, click here: 2018 Starboard Inflatable SUPs.