Pressure Relief on your HOT TUBES ;)

[Burtox]

What is everyone's view on the importants of having Pressure relief valve fitted in their sponson?

I have a Ribcraft 585 and it doesn't have them fitted and on a sunny day it can really get very hot and hard!!!!

Ribcraft sell the pressure relief valves for about £12 each I need 5 of them. The question is whether its worth the time and money to fit them.

Is it going to be sunny this summer?????

Cheers,

Paul

[Vandad]

Originally Posted by Burtox

What is everyone's view on the importants of having Pressure relief valve fitted in their sponson?

I have a Ribcraft 585 and it doesn't have them fitted and on a sunny day it can really get very hot and hard!!!!

Ribcraft sell the pressure relief valves for about £12 each I need 5 of them. The question is whether its worth the time and money to fit them.

Is it going to be sunny this summer?????

Cheers,

Paul

If you are going to leave your boat in a dry and uncovered location (outside the garden!) then yeah, perhaps it is something worth paying for. But if the rib is used on the water whilst it is outside your garagem the water will cool it down.

[willk]

If the Ribcraft was second hand when you bought it, then it must be a survivable risk! If you don't pump it up hard on cold days and leave it like that, it should be OK.

[Avocet]

Are you sure that you haven't already got them? Mine came as a standard fitting and I thought Ribcraft fitted them as standard across their whole range. The pressure at which they operate is, however, quite high - around 3 psi, I think, with a recommended operating pressure of 2.5 psi which gives a pretty firm tube.

David

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by Avocet

Are you sure that you haven't already got them? Mine came as a standard fitting and I thought Ribcraft fitted them as standard across their whole range...

That was my first thought, but a quick look at the Ribcraft 5.85 on-line brochure lists them as tube accessories. When we bought our 5.3 boat, my understanding was it came with them whether you wanted them or not.

[lakelandterrier]

They're were fitted as standard on my new 5.3. The recommended pressure is 2.0- 2.5psi, which does give a pretty firm tube.

On my Avon, I just deflated the tubes a bit when leaving her - especialing in the summer. It's not a long job to pump a bit of air in before using her.

[Dry Run]

I've often been asked and wondered whether relief valves are necessary? Can't recall ever seeing any damage caused to a RIB by tubes over heating? Has anyone ever had such a problem? Clearly the manufacturers don't think it's a necessity!

[Starovich]

Originally Posted by Dry Run

Can't recall ever seeing any damage caused to a RIB by tubes over heating? Has anyone ever had such a problem?

I've seen split seams from over pressure.

Issue comes when setting pressure v early morning, then getting a big change in temp at midday.
Black tubes don't help either, but they look good when not burst :P

[BogMonster]

I'd not buy a boat without them. Even down here the tubes can get singing tight if you blow them up and then there is a couple of hours of direct sunlight and no wind. Mind you both my boats had/have black tube top patches which probably doesn't help.

[Burtox]

Thanks to you all for your advise.

It seem to be a good idea to fit them as my boat lives on the trailer in the sun.

Does the £12 per price tag seem ok as I have have searched the net and not much came up?

Thanks again,

Paul

[dougcrock]

Originally Posted by Dry Run

Can't recall ever seeing any damage caused to a RIB by tubes over heating? Has anyone ever had such a problem?

had flatacraft cold day on the water (Always is in Scotland) pumped up tubes didnt seem over hard Towing back late afternoon stopped for beer ect the sun and sheltered carpark inland split tube expensive beer and piss

[willk]

Originally Posted by dougcrock

had flatacraft

Originally Posted by dougcrock

split tube

...there you go, I always wondered why they called them Flatacraft

[dougcrock]

i think it was Tony Lee Elliots (pattented) pressure relief system

[bosun]

We bought a new humber just over a year ago and pressure relief valves were standard on dark colour tubes but an option on light colours . A year later and we're getting another new one and now over pressure valves are standard on all colours.
So I guess they're a good idea especially on dark colour tubes and save you having to drop a bit of pressure out on hot days which you invariably have to pump back in when the boat hits the water.

[Burtox]

Excellent, thank you for all of you kind advise. I will be taking a trip to Ribcraft to buy the safety valves.

Thanks again,

Paul