Re-tubing NO LIMIT TOO

[Manos]

I was inquiring today how much it would cost me to re-tube NO LIMI TOO with Hypalon.

The PVC as it has been glued from SA has been proven that it does not stand the wear of time.

Just a 2 year old boat mind you and 130 hrs the PVC on the tubes has come apart on the starboard side aft on the seams with the cone, also a wear is starting to show forward on the inside too.

So I have to bite the built since I like the boat a lot and re-tube it.

The price for re-tubing the boat with 2x7 mtr tubes and just for the material ORCA PENEL Hypalon 1600 DTEX is estimated by WATERCRAFT Greece to be around Euro 2,100. Now if you add glues and labour also take off old tubes off, clean it (I will take engine and consoles out my self) the re-tubing it will be near to Euro 5,000.00 in total (in Greece!!) about Pounds 3,000-3,500!!!

That is a hell of a lot of money (about the value of the boat when I bought it ) but as I said I like this boat and will have to do it at the end of Sept.

Conclusion, tubes made out of PVC glued or otherwise do not last. If you can afford it (according to the experts) get Hypalon tubes. More expensive but will last you for donkeys years

[Nick Hearne]

The saying goes "by cheep buy twice!"
Have you no come back with the makers?
Nick

[Manos]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

Have you no come back with the makers? Nick

NOPE !!!!

These boats are sold ex works and no warranty is given in any way, shape or form. I suppose you buy as is, where is.

The buyer has to insure transit damage and if anything is wrong after delivery which has nothing to do with the transit no one will pay.

How can you claim from someone who is 4-5000 miles away and in a place where the leagal system for suits from abroad is made in such a way to protetct the locals?

When you buy the boat from SA and if something goes wrong you are on your own.

I suppose if you buy it from any of their dealers in Europe the dealers will give a warranty (theyt have to, consumer protection and all that) and you MUST have this warranty in writting otherwise you are on your own again.

[Alan]

Manos,

Quite a damoscene conversion on SA RIBS then as you used to be their greatest advocate! Sorry that the lesson has been hard and expensive. Mebbe one of the UK tube builders could fabricate some tubes for you and you could come to an arrangement to send someone out to Greece (say in return for a holiday) to fit. Also a little confused as to why you would need to take console and engine off to retube?

Alan

[Manos]

Alan I still think that most of the SA RIBs are built well, FALCONs included.

In particular the FALCONs are strong, lite and I don't think that the hull will ever break. They have to be since they have to negotiate seas and waves that we just prefer to look from our window.

Is just a few things that when you look closely are not 100% and I think is a mentality and cultural thing of their labour rather than the people in charge don't want to produce a product that is 100%. I will not go any fuerther on that.

I had looked at PVC vs Hypalon statistical data and I was convinsed that there was very little difference. I still think that there isn't much difference between them. I can speculate and say that may be is the glue they use to glue the material or didn't use or didn't use it properly or something that is the problem. Also may be the quality of the PVC may not be good. But I cannot check it and cannot say anything further on that. I think when we take the PVC off and see where it was made and how it was glued together I will be able to make a few comments. I will take photos to substantiate what we will find and also will send a sample to the German manufacturer that the FALCON say that this has be made by to have it verified by them that it was actually made there.

Regarding having the console, engine, A-frame and seats taken off, I was told by the chaps who will be doing the tubing that they need to turn the boat upside down (why I don't know and didn't ask), therefore they need all of that to come off.

The idea of someone from the UK to do the job in Greece is quite expenssive and also the job will not be done correctly since the original tubes need to come off first to make an exact copy of the new ones.

Any way thanks for offering