We've had a 2000 9.5' Hypalon high-pressure air floor since new. Great boat. Stephan can speak with more authority but I'd put the build quality as considerably above average though maybe not top of the line. Stowability in a small valise was a prime consideration so that drove our choice. Would buy it again without another thought.

The dog won't bother an air floor. The floor is thicker than the tubes and I bet he won't bother those either.

It would plane with a Nissan 3.5 with just me (if I sat way up front.) We now have a Nissan 9.8. I hear ya on the going-fast thing but sometimes you want to go far and sometimes you're carrying a ton of crap.

I got those Davis wheels Larry's talking about. They're great too. Not just for saving the bottom (although that's plenty important) but I can now cart it around by myself to, say, a boat-ramp.