Inner tubes?

[BogMonster]

Gemini Industries inner tubes

Found this on here but that is the only comment on these I can find.

Anybody else use them, that might have missed that last thread?

Might be an economical solution to my disintegrating boat .... though I don't like the sound of having chafing problems? It would have to be deflated when tied to the marina (to guard against getting too hot and going bang!) and then the tube might chafe on the inner tube? It's quite choppy compared to what most people would expect to see in a marina, the boat bounces around a bit sometimes.

[jyasaki]

Given your current situation, I can't see how chafing problems would even concern you.

Personally, I'd go for a complete re-tube, assuming sufficient funds are available (or attainable.)

Best of luck, Stephen;


jky

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

Given your current situation, I can't see how chafing problems would even concern you.

Personally, I'd go for a complete re-tube, assuming sufficient funds are available (or attainable.)

Best of luck, Stephen;


jky

I think the problem is finding someone to do it on a small island in the North Atlantic

Best of luck too Stephen.

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I think the problem is finding someone to do it on a small island in the North Atlantic

Best of luck too Stephen.

Aye.

It's even worse on a small island in the South Atlantic

Thanks for the good wishes!

For peace of mind I probably would do a complete re-tube and I might even tackle it myself over next winter, but I can't get anywhere to do it in a remotely dry or temperature controlled environment, trying to do it outside is a bit of a non starter - today there is about 35kt of wind so the new set of tubes would be last seen at about 200 feet heading towards the minefields on the south coast!!

[Biggles]

Matt,

Was upside down trying to get his Gimp suit off when he wrote that one. LOL.

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I think the problem is finding someone to do it on a small island in the North Atlantic

Best of luck too Stephen.

Matt,

Was upside down trying to get his Gimp suit off when he wrote that one. LOL.

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by Biggles

Matt,

Was upside down trying to get his Gimp suit off when he wrote that one. LOL.

You can say that again!

[Polwart]

stephen,

When I heard of your latest woes - this was certainly the solution that jumped to mind.

I would speak to Gemini - I don't think you would need to deflate the tubes all the time. Even if you inflate them to 5 psi at 0 deg C and it heats up to 60 deg C without finding anywhere to expand to (probably less of an issue for an inner tube than an actual tube - which is fixed rigidly to the hull) the pressure will only be 6.2 psi.

If nobody here can act as a reference - then Gemini should be able to point you to someone that can. Tell them you will post the results here - and they might even give you a discount for the advertising

If the plan is to replace the tubes eventually anyway this could be the way to go -- and doesn't look too expensive - compared to a retube. If it works well you might even keep them (they have a 6 year garuntee - longer than your original humber tubes!).

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Biggles

Matt,

Was upside down trying to get his Gimp suit off when he wrote that one. LOL.

Well I'M not the one who was taking pictures...

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Even if you inflate them to 5 psi at 0 deg C and it heats up to 60 deg C without finding anywhere to expand to (probably less of an issue for an inner tube than an actual tube - which is fixed rigidly to the hull) the pressure will only be 6.2 psi.

Really? I'd have thought it was a lot more than that, purely going on "feel" (I have no pressure gauge). The tops of the tubes have black wear patches on them and a couple of weeks ago I saw them go from slightly sagging one day (to the extent of there being wrinkles in the tubes) and then zinging tight the next day in about 18 deg C and direct sunshine. I let some air out of them because I was worried they were too hard! But maybe it was only a few psi then, how do you work out the pressure change with temperature?

I'm waiting for advice from Paul T at the moment on supply/pricing for new tube ends, after that I'll decide what to do. It'll probably be whatever is the lightest and quickest option to get here by air, and see where it goes from there.

It would just be nice if I only had to throw money at it for fuel (which is bad enough), rather than every bloody thing else as well