Hi all. Been up to the boat for a quick shuftie as I was passing and noticed that the tubes are pretty soft. This will partly be due to the temp being a lot colder than last time I blew them up (sept), but prolly also because they're 20 years old.
I was mulling over a couple of questions on the way home though:
1. Will leaving them a little floppy do them any harm or should I tighten them up a bit?
2. How important is it that the bow section is more inflated than the two aft sections to keep the baffles flexed the right way?
Hi all. Been up to the boat for a quick shuftie as I was passing and noticed that the tubes are pretty soft. This will partly be due to the temp being a lot colder than last time I blew them up (sept), but prolly also because they're 20 years old.
I was mulling over a couple of questions on the way home though:
1. Will leaving them a little floppy do them any harm or should I tighten them up a bit?
2. How important is it that the bow section is more inflated than the two aft sections to keep the baffles flexed the right way?
Thoughts?
I spoke to the Rayglass guys who made my boat and posed this exact question. They told me if I was using the boat the tube pressure is vital to ensure that the tubes are not damaged in the aft section. This is where there are some critical joins that still have contact when planing. I now have a pressure gauge on my pump and pump each section according to manufacturer specs - much like a car tyre. There are also different pressure recommendations for different loadings eg engine weights.
PS I also have a pressure recommendation on the list for when the boat is in storage etc. I am sure some of the manufacturer guys on the forum will have some guidelines for your Humber even if the factory does not.
Pressure for storage - aim for firm in sunlight. They will go soft at night and in frosty weather. Try to avoid them hanging in creases all winter.
Indaba is right about cruising with soft tubes in the water - it is VERY sore on seams and trim due to the flexing that occurs. I used to know if the RIB tubes were too soft just by the sound of the water passing them - there was a fluttering sound if they were too soft. I had rubbing strake removed twice when I ignored the sound and drove on.
Thanks chaps.I'll pump em up to taut next weekend. When in use i usually keep em pretty tight because I have pressure release valves so I assume it's pretty much imposs to overinflate.
2018 
2018 
