Storing with tubes deflated

[Dobieman]

Hi all,
I’m thinking of getting a bigger rib - approx 5.5m to 6m

Storage is a bit tight but at the side of my house I have a space that is 1800mm wide and I wondered if it would be feasible to deflate the tubes before slotting it in there.

Are there any downsides to storing it with the tubes deflated?

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Dobieman

Hi all,
I’m thinking of getting a bigger rib - approx 5.5m to 6m

Storage is a bit tight but at the side of my house I have a space that is 1800mm wide and I wondered if it would be feasible to deflate the tubes before slotting it in there.

Are there any downsides to storing it with the tubes deflated?

Personally I would avoid long periods deflated if at all possible as it tends to put stress on the Tubes and joins....where they are not designed to take it...especially outside in all tempretures.
The bigger diameter and heavier the Tubes the worse the potential for damage,having said that Ive known a few who do.

Matt h did it for years...but then again he did turn over more RIBs than a Texas Barbecue!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Maximus

Matt h did it for years...but then again he did turn over more RIBs than a Texas Barbecue!

Literally and figuratively!

Rodents (and outside that might include squirrels) are a greater concern for deflated tubes than inflated ones too. Personally my experience is you want to remove as much faff from usage as possible or it will end up sitting being ignored - so inflating before use and deflating after use isn’t appealing. If it was just to get it through an opening you use once a year it would be different but every time...

[Dobieman]

Thanks, i’ll Have to find another solution 😊

[BigE]

What helps alleviate stress on the tubes and fixings is to you tie the tubes together, if you have ropes which go down the length of each tube, tie a rope across the hull at bow, mid and stern positions, it should help take the strain off the point where the tube is attached to the hull.