Why do Rib's not age well?

[blinddog]

I 've been thinking of buying a new boat for a while now, not sure about a RIB or Hard boat.
The trouble i see is you pay big bucks for a new RIB, and in a couple of years they look like they are 10 years old, as all our local ones get faded tubes and just look generally scruffy.
Is there any RIB'S out their which actually age well?
The UV light doesnt seem to affect hard boats the same.
Any ideas anyone?

[JIY]

Look at the tubes on a 5+ year old Tornado. They look like new, are not affected by UV so will not have faded, will show no scuffs, nor any worn patches. This is because Tornado tubes were fabricated from polyeurothane (not to be mistaken with PVC), which wear extremely well. The downside to polyeurothane tubes is that they are more difficult to manufacture, so are more expensive to buy and are also harder to repair.

Alas buying a new Tornado is not a viable option in the UK (Tornados are now produced in China), but the tubes on XS ribs (son of Tornado!) are made from PU.

Having said all this, hypalon can be almost restored to its former glory with a bit of TLC and also some elbow grease!

[Trolli]

Originally Posted by blinddog

and in a couple of years they look like they are 10 years old, as all our local ones get faded tubes and just look generally scruffy.

This is what makes them look "harder". I like this style.

[Nasher]

Originally Posted by Trolli

This is what makes them look "harder". I like this style.

Agreed

Nasher.

[Tony]

Originally Posted by blinddog

I 've been thinking of buying a new boat for a while now, not sure about a RIB or Hard boat.
The trouble i see is you pay big bucks for a new RIB, and in a couple of years they look like they are 10 years old, as all our local ones get faded tubes and just look generally scruffy.
Is there any RIB'S out their which actually age well?
The UV light doesnt seem to affect hard boats the same.
Any ideas anyone?

Have to disagree
with proper care,cleaning and covering up after use, they should keep like new for many years.
My Scorpion is over 3 years old, and looks like new...

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by Tony

Have to disagree
with proper care,cleaning and covering up after use, they should keep like new for many years.
My Scorpion is over 3 years old, and looks like new...

And it only takes a couple of hours work on mine and its back looking like brand new.

In a lot of cases its got to be down to the use the boat gets and the care it gets from the owner. And being a RIB if it really does look tatty a new set of tubes can be put on a 20 year old boat and its back looking like new. Can't do that with a hard boat.

[Carl]

thats true,but then they hevent got tubes in the first place to go tatty. so when you replace the only thing that ages a dingy ie toobes,i take it the grp is looking lovely,now what is a hard boat made of

[blinddog]

I intend to use a RIB all year round, so how much does a say 6m RIB cost to retube?

[Stoo]

When I bought my Zodiac Hurricane 10+ years ago, I was going to buy one with orange tubes for visability. The dealer talked me out of it, pointing out that over time, the orange would fade and start to look pink! He suggested "grey on grey". I took his advice and my boat looks pretty much like it did the day I got it.

I believe it is UV light that does most of the damage and I keep my boat tarped whenever possible and I think that really helps...

[Biggles]

Originally Posted by Carl

thats true,but then they hevent got tubes in the first place to go tatty. so when you replace the only thing that ages a dingy ie toobes,i take it the grp is looking lovely,now what is a hard boat made of

But surely a hard boat that has had twenty years hard use like a RIB can't have new sides put on it to give it a new lease of life.

I personally wouldn't let any boat age prematurely. I couldn't afford to do so. So its purely an academic question to me.

If it looks like a bag a of crap its probably because it hasn't been looked after. Whether its a RIB, a hard boat, or a car.

As they say, first impressions count.

Look elsewhere if your not happy with what your looking at. Your standards are obviously higher than the sellers.