Tube deterioration opinions?

[beamishken]

I've agreed to help out with some of the tube repairs on our sailing club ribs most are just bits of abrasions and trying to prevent ropes chafing etc.
One boat in particular seems to be suffering with the glue giving way, there are numerous places where seams are lifting and tapes coming off
The boat is 2010 manufactured and is a different make to the other 3 which are ribcraft, it is from a well respected UK manufacturer.
My question is, 1)is this type of deterioration to be expected and just part and parcel of the hard life and little love club boats receive or has the boat had a problem from day 1
2) how long is the usual warranty on tubes & is it worth contacting the builder or just get on with the repairs and accept it
I think the boat is hypalon although it does have a different surface texture to the material of the ribcrafts could it be a variation of hypalon or is it likely to be pvc? It doesn't feel plastic but definitely different to the ribcrafts

All the boats sit outside year round

[Dave Cowell]

Some hypalon does appear shiny and pvc like after sevral years'
Hypalon will usually be grey or black on the back, pvc is normally the same colour on both sides.
That is quite serious glue failure and will probably need the strake removing at the bow to fix it.
I doubt after this length of time you will get much joy from the manufacturer.
Hypalon tubes should last a lot longer than 6 years.

Happy to discuss and offer advice if you want to contact me

[jeffstevens763@g]

There's a scratch test you can do hypalon leaves rubber bits, poly marine have a bit on thier site telling the difference

[Poly]

Originally Posted by beamishken

2) how long is the usual warranty on tubes & is it worth contacting the builder

Sometimes as little as 1 yr! But I don't think I've ever seen more than 5yrs.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Poly

Sometimes as little as 1 yr! But I don't think I've ever seen more than 5yrs.

Hmm I guess if it was 5 years it may have been worth contacting them and asking for some form of goodwill gesture this isn't a recent problem the front tapes were definitely off last winter and I guess they were lifting well inside 5 years
I've looked on the builders Web site but can't find any reference to warranty periods

[jeffstevens763@g]

My boat Mercury HD xs warranty 5 years PVC, 10 years hypalon 1 year fittings.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

My boat Mercury HD xs warranty 5 years PVC, 10 years hypalon 1 year fittings.

Sorry Jeff I don't quite understand a 10 years warranty on hypalon but what brand is that or is that mercury warranty terms?

[jeffstevens763@g]

Haku

Ken it states warranty on PVC & hypalon products so I guess they use different fabric manufacturers as it implies more than one.
My PVC is Haku on the heavy duty boats not sure of the other makes but they are a lot lighter than my boat.
But 5 years on PVC for me was good enough difference in price between the two fabrics was £1100.

[Xk59D]

It isn't a fabric warranty you need, it is glue.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

It isn't a fabric warranty you need, it is glue.

That is a good point!
Surely if manufacturers are offering 10 years warranty then presumably that warranty would cover boats falling apart at the seams?

I think it's a manufacturing/ glue problem but wanted to get others opinions I can reglue the dodgy bits but personally I think it's only a matter of time before the rest starts to let go and the boat becomes unusable

I suspect the manufacturer of this boat doesn't offer a long warranty as there is no mention on the website and you would think it would be a selling point

[jeffstevens763@g]

Mine is welded

I learnt the hard way to always cover my toobs I stuck two new name patches on my rib did it text book left it a couple of days with cover off came back to it and the patch in the sun had slid down the glue had got that hot it couldn't hold the patch on the vertical I recon that's what happens to uncovered toobs constant heating and cooling breaks the glue down yes it can get attacked from the edge but it's got a long way to go to do the above damage.some boats are better than others but loads of problems can occur at the manufactures during the gluing process I don't think it's down to glue as its one thing that can be ridgidly monitored during its production.OMO

[Xk59D]

I have no idea of the constraints of the glue warranty on any rib but given how bad that is you have nothing to lose sending them an email asking if they ever had a bad batch of glue, if that is the case then they may have agreed something with their glue supplier to offer some help. I doubt that is the case but worth an ask.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Are all the affected areas on the top side like in the photos if so I think they would ask has it been under cover/protected and if it were a glue issue why hasn't it gone below the strake line ( if it hasn't ) but worth a phone call.


I've just done that with a seaswan cover which has been leaking, I was asked is it taught and not pooling water ( no) that's the problem water gets through the stitching I'll send you a pole FOC carnt beat that always worth talking give it a try you never know.

[Orwell boy]

My Chinese friends offer 5 years on valmex pvc ,and 10 years on orca hypalon ,suspect that is transferred direct from the manufacturer (ie 10 years orca hypalon) , so maybe you have a way forward with the hypalon manufacturer

[beamishken]

The boat has been outside uncovered all its life but so have the ribcrafts and there fine. My thoughts were the manufacturer should have been contacted sooner as this has been occurring for a while.
I haven't had a good crawl underneath so can't say if it's just topside that's damaged.
I'll maybe drop the manufacturer an email with the pictures but realy wanted to get other people's thoughts as to what was reasonable to expect before I contacted them

[Daniel]

The 5/10 years people are quoting will be fabric warrenty from fabric manufacturer, this won't stretch to the construction (tube manufacturer) and installation (boat builder maybe) which would be different warranties added by those people. I'd expect those to be 1yr. Of course if bought new the point of contact for all of the watrenty would be the manufacturer but I can't see 5+ yrs on, with what certainly doesn't look like a fabric issue - they'll be any comeback.

You'd better budget for a new tube my fiend !

[Daniel]

Oh, for what it's worth I had a 10yr old ballistic tube basically falling apart at the seams. The glue was failing not the hypalon. Baffles went first, but there was no strength in the glue. It could be picked apart by hand with little physical effort.

She's still running about now after a reTube by ED "ribraff" or RibTube Dartmouth, as he's known professionally.

[glue jug]

Normally 5 year warranty...... Now I have looked at your pictures and I can tell you any glue exposed to the sun will turn brown within hours.. BUT lifelines and nose strips should not have peeling edges... Ribcraft and Henshaw Inflatables use hypalon with Bostik glue...
Maybe what we have here is a tube build issue - not being rolled enough or the hypalon not being sanded good,but also if the whole tube and strips are peeling off that would most likely be the glue - Bostik ...

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Daniel

The 5/10 years people are quoting will be fabric warrenty from fabric manufacturer, this won't stretch to the construction (tube manufacturer) and installation (boat builder maybe) which would be different warranties added by those people. I'd expect those to be 1yr. Of course if bought new the point of contact for all of the watrenty would be the manufacturer but I can't see 5+ yrs on, with what certainly doesn't look like a fabric issue - they'll be any comeback.

You'd better budget for a new tube my fiend !

Agree reading my warranty I only expect 1 year, Humber offer a two year making toobs in house (hypalon)

[ribraff]

That is a glue failure and is more than likely due to hardener not being added during the build. The glue is photosensitive which turns it brown when exposed to the weather and it usually looks darker than that.