Tube Paint!

[Whippy]

As you can hopefully see past my mad family, my 5.5m Humber's tubes - although good enough and holding well - are pretty faded and very tired looking. I will change them next year or the year after possibly but, as they're not letting me down... they're ok for now. I would though, like to clean, rejuvenate and paint them with a specialist flexi paint. I've got two questions.....

1.) any orange tubes I've seen painted orange again just don't look right, plus mine are pretty oil and grease stained and I'm not sure the orange will cover some places. Would it be sacrilege to paint them black, hence painting over the oil and black scuff marks? How many coats to completely turn orange tubes to black with new paint? Has anyone done this?

2.) any advice on the best brands of degreaser, cleaning product & indeed paint to buy?

Thanks as always folks!

[A1an]

Clean with a green scourer and some neat Traffic Film Remover, then treat with Aerospace 303.

I wouldn't bother painting but that's just my opinion.

[glue jug]

Dont bother painting - When you let the tubes down the paint cracks and falls off plus no good painting over any oil stained surfaces...
If it was me I would use Bostik 501 Thinners to clean and remove any nasty bits then protect with 303 protector...

[Whippy]

Ok - thanks lads - painting any colour looks a bit crap then, not just orange. I'll get scrubbing so and leave it at that.... the tubes need changing anyway soon.

[simzpilot]

I agree. Painting always looks bad over time. Best is to follow a good cleaning guide and use cleaning products recommended for RIB tubes followed by a good UV protector.
Inflatable Boat Cleaning & Finishing Guide | Polymarine Paints, Adhesives, Parts & Accessories

Looks way better than a poor flexi-paint job that cracks off and peels anyway