RIB inner tubes @Gemini Industries

ADS · 12 May 2006, 17:33

Gemini Industries Inner tubes

Just kicking a few ideas around at the moment..... Do these work?

-Im guessing they are alot cheaper than a retube?
-Can you fit them yourself or do they need professionally fitting?
-And im assuming you have to butcher the tube to get them in there?
Anyone had any experience with these, any advise gratefully received

ADS · 12 May 2006, 17:43

oh and before the likes of JF start typing furiously I have no intention of putting arm bands on the Ring

Tim M · 12 May 2006, 17:54

Hi Alex. I have a little 2.7m Narwahl RIB which was re-tubed (by the previous owner) by these people. Their system is a little weird; they make the tubes out of PVC and rather than glueing them they sew them in the same way bouncy castles are made. They then put inner tubes in which hold the air. The system seems to work well enough. As for putting inner tubes in, I think it would be fairly easy. Their website suggests you just have to make a small slit. My tubes apear to have a slit in (with a small patch over the top) and it's really not very big. Obviously this is only a small boat so you would probably need a bigger slit on bigger tubes.....

Ps. yes its cheaper than conventional re-tubing

Poly · 12 May 2006, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADS

Gemini Industries Inner tubes

Just kicking a few ideas around at the moment..... Do these work?

-Im guessing they are alot cheaper than a retube?
-Can you fit them yourself or do they need professionally fitting?
-And im assuming you have to butcher the tube to get them in there?
Anyone had any experience with these, any advise gratefully received

No experience of these - but most of these questions are answered in the page you linked to:

Cost could be around 400-600 for a typical small boat (4.5m). A retube would be AT LEAST 4x that.

Seems to be "dead easy" to fit - certainly within the capability of the average ribnet diyer.

Butcher - no; cut a slit for each tube yes.

And if you are after a real bargain basement option they suggest one of their manufacturing "seconds".

6 year waranty is pretty good.

Its obviously not going to be as good as a proper retube, dirty worn or patched tubes will still be dirty worn and patched, but it could turn an ebay bargain into a useable boat for not a lot of cash.

ADS · 12 May 2006, 22:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

No experience of these - but most of these questions are answered in the page you linked to

I appreciate that Neil, but I was hoping someone may have experienced them first hand, having bought a multitude of products in the past that claim to do all manner of things i am a little sceptical of their claims!
Cheers Tim, im just interested in rectifying a slow leak in some perfectly gd looking tubes, that go down after a day. Common problem on older Tornados apparently. Can't really justify a retube though, may as well just spend that £2k+ on a better used boat in the first place.

slimtim · 12 May 2006, 22:19

try that slime stuff you squirt inside the tubes...available from IBS I think.

ADS · 12 May 2006, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimtim

try that slime stuff you squirt inside the tubes...available from IBS I think.

Still contemplating buying it! If it needs a complete retube then its not worth it, as the engine isn't ideal either, however if it could be inner-tubed or fixed cheaply as you say it would be a good buy

Nos4r2 · 13 May 2006, 09:36

Anyone got a link to the slime stuff? I'm interested in it as a preventative measure.

Tim M · 13 May 2006, 10:15

I considered using it once. The big problem is that you need to be able to jiggle the tube around a lot so it covers the whole internal surface. This would be easy enough with a tender but I dont see how it could be done on a larger RIB.

Tim M · 13 May 2006, 10:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

I considered using it once. The big problem is that you need to be able to jiggle the tube around a lot so it covers the whole internal surface. This would be easy enough with a tender but I dont see how it could be done on a larger RIB.

PS. polymarine do it too

PeterR · 14 May 2006, 19:47

If the spray stuff did,nt work would you have a problem then using inner tubes ?

slimtim · 14 May 2006, 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

I considered using it once. The big problem is that you need to be able to jiggle the tube around a lot so it covers the whole internal surface. This would be easy enough with a tender but I dont see how it could be done on a larger RIB.

squirt it in then go for a good session in hurst race

paul tilley · 15 May 2006, 18:42

obviously i am biased against the liners you have been describing but i have seen one example supposedly only 12months old the tubes looked nice and shiny and new but the stitching was breaking and one of the liners leakedwhere it had creased and worn through

oxboy · 17 May 2006, 17:46

I have had the pleasure of fitting these to a 5 metre Tornado.
They are easy enough to fit, just cut a small slit, fold the inner tubes as descibed in the instructions, pass them through the slit. fit all the inner tubes and then inflate them in equal amounts, slowly, then just glue a small patch over the top of the slit.

BUT

what the website or Gemini didn't tell me is when you inflate them, they have to be rock hard, the best way to describe it is when you think they are hard enough, just keep adding air until it is pysically impossible to get any more in.
I fitted them and inflated them as I would the tubes but on the first outing they deflated quite rapidly.
when I removed them the 2 rear tubes had rubbed against the inside of the tube near the transom and split in several locations, the same both sides.
Gemini did take them back and repair them at their expense which was good and explained about inflating them rock hard and told me they would put this on the website, i haven't checked but they may have now.
After I refitted the inner tubes and inflated them they were no bother.

Mouldy · 17 May 2006, 17:55

Oxboy - how long have you had them in now?

oxboy · 17 May 2006, 18:14

i had them in for about 8 months before i got rid of the boat, i didn't get rid of it because of them, i had no time to use it