Dinghy Chaps

[jrm]

Hi,

Has anyone ever experienced premature seam failure cuased by Dinghy Chaps overheating the tube?

[Fenlander]

Are they black?

[willk]

It's a good indication of Polite but Firm moderation that these questions can be asked without risk of juvenile remarks.

[jrm]

The tube is white. The chaps are Royal Blue Sunbrella. The Tube is glued PVC.
The dinghy is now 8 years old. I installed the chaps 2 years ago, after the tube started showing some degradation (yellowing and stickiness.) The first summer all was fine. The seams let go 1 month into the second summer of thier use.

[Fenlander]

If you have very hot summers then PVC degradation is a real problem and I would have gone for light grey or white chaps.

Mine are black leather with fringes but that's another story altogether from a past life.

Btw I can moderate myself later Willk if required.

[beamishken]

Sounds like the damage was already done before you fitted them

[Peter_C]

Does the boat have OPV (Over pressure valves) in the tubes? If not over pressurization would be the likely suspect.

Yellowing and stickiness meant the boat was already on it's way out. 10 years is kinda the standard life for PVC boats in the sun. 8 years would not be a surprise.

Glued seams could also mean a lesser quality of boat vs something with thermo-bonded seams like a Zodiac.

[User name]

I'd agree with the others on the damage predating the chaps. I'd guess it saw a lot of sun exposure in those 8 years?

[Pikey Dave]

A friend of mine has an AB ally RIB with Hypalon tubes out in Mexico. He has chaps on & it’s like new after 10 yrs. so I’d say that chaps do more good than harm. I think the issue is more the PVC rather than the chaps.