Valiant DR-570 - bought a wreck!

[loosefix]

Hi,

Hope to get some good help here… i'm gonna need it!

I have bought a RIB from a guy in bar! doh! I've wanted one for a long time, but buying a 32" cabin cruiser kinda wiped my budget - had some good times but its gone now..!

So this thing cost me a 1000, on a trailer - no engine- he removed that before selling. The tubes seem good, hopefully will come up ok with the right product. I pumped it up 4-5 weeks ago and its only just showing signs of deflating… is that a good or a bad sign?

When i got it, one whole side was deflated and has come completely un glued.
Infact the whole thing was unglued around 75% of the way round… i was amazed how little glue they had actually used.

So i pulled the whole thing off!! Bitten off more than i can chew…? Never!

I guess my more technical questions should be posted in the correct sections?

I'll post some pictures, should make a lot of people feel better about there purchases!

[whisper]

Welcome to the rib world

Yep, by posting pics you'll be able to explain things better and get more help.

[boristhebold]

At least you have a wonderful part of the world to spend lots of time working on your Rib. 'The Caymen Islands' , one of my if not my favourite place in the sun. Spent many years visiting on various cruise liners. Favourite dive site were the caves just off Parrots Landing. I even did the research submersables dive to the wreck the 'Kirk Pride' 800 feet down, not for the faint hearted and an alarm sounded in the sub at 800 feet as it had just had knew ballast tanks fitted and a moisture sensor detected some moisture somewhere, that nearly made be poo my pants but all was Ok in the end.

A great place I am very jealous sitting here in the UK on a cold overcast day.

welcome to the forum and send us some pics of your rib and the beaches.

[loosefix]

Love your Rib whisper, just liked your Facebook page!

Boris, yeah lifes a peach here… the lack of season gets a bit monotonous, and the humidity towards the end of the summer August/September gets unbearable… 100 degrees at 100% humidity, is a wall of heat. The interior of cars just fall apart…

Been here 6 years now, still no regrets :o) … I'm ashamed to say i haven't got my PADI yet. been on 3 discovery dives - only! Hopefully this RIB will kick me up the arse!

I should've taken some pictures before i ripped it apart, ut ain't that always the way…

[loosefix]

So i posted a picture of a Valiant DR-570 - so you get an idea of size and shape… but here is a picture of where i am actually at with it...

See the original glue residue, this plus a lower PVC strip that ran along the lower part was all that held the tubes on. Is this typical?

The glue that held the lower part on obviously adhered to the PVC rather than the hull and therefore can't be seen seen in this pic, but this doesn't seem like much adhesive…

Why would you not glue the whole tube to the hull? (complete novice here)

[Ian M]

Originally Posted by loosefix

Been here 6 years now, still no regrets :o) … I'm ashamed to say i haven't got my PADI yet. been on 3 discovery dives - only! Hopefully this RIB will kick me up the

WHAT!
Some brilliant diving, get yourself out there
Over twenty years ago now, but still have vivid memories of stingray city, and the number of brilliant dives just a short swim from the shore