What are my tubes made of?

nickjaxe · 29 February 2004, 09:19

Hi all we need to glue some new grab ropes on our club rib, but we are having a job finding out which tube material is made from, polyurethane or hapolon, is there an easy way to find out, tried contacting the makers of the boat but we were told they used both and we need to know how old our boat is to be able to say, but thats the prob we dont know how old the boat is, anybody know of a simple way to find out what we have.

Nick.

Alex Brown · 29 February 2004, 10:17

Hello Nick,

I think the easy option here might be to tell us what make of rib you have - from that, you may then get a few answers

-Alex

nickjaxe · 29 February 2004, 22:26

Just spotted that alex, bit daft of me its a tornado.

Nick.

jwalker · 01 March 2004, 11:59

If it's PU it should still have a reasonable surface. If it's Hypalon and you haven't cleaned it, it will be very dull. Wipe a wee patch will cellulose thinners or acetone. If it instantly comes up clean and bright it's likely to be Hypalon.

I've never glued PU but I believe the adhesive 2402 is suitable. This is the same as the adhesive for Hypalon.

nickjaxe · 01 March 2004, 12:12

Thanks JW the tubes are very clean, our other boat is very dirty so maybe its PU and the other boat hapolon, but to patch it I suppose I will need the right patch material, did not want to put the wrong glue on it and cause poss damage.

Nick.

jwalker · 01 March 2004, 12:34

No, the other way around. Unless new(ish) the Hypalon will be the dull one.