Heat and Humidity

[Aussie Charles]

Hi previously had a Yachtline PVC in Far North Queensland with extremes of heat and humidity. The PCV glue basically melted. I went to a plate aluminium boat but want to go back to a RIB because the ride was superior. Does hypalon cope with heat and humidity (33 degrees C and 80% humidity)?

[Gerard Kater]

Ribcraft is capabel of al

[spartacus]

Contact Ribcraft for a quote. On hypalon you get pressure release valves as standard. You can maybe even specify reinforced seams. I'd also think about colour choice and stay away from dark colours. I assume your Yachtline was white PVC before?

[jonp]

Ive not had any issues with melting glue here in Oz from pvc or hypalon (even on black tubes). The only issues Ive heard of here are from people using products containing silicon which are in some cleaners, which will break down the glue and wreck your rib.

[Salty Pete]

33 degrees??

We put on our winter clothes at that temperature, got to 41 over Christmas.

In Ozz you have to keep your RIB in the shade and as already suggested it has to be White. The surface temperature is hotter than the air temperature.

How far north are you? I am hoping to get to 1770 at the end of next year.

That is of course if anybody is still alive on the planet in a year's time.

[Eric]

Yes hypalon can cope with heat and humidity. I am close to the equator and hypalon is a must. Swift Australia makes some good RIBs.

[jonp]

Originally Posted by Salty Pete

33 degrees??

We put on our winter clothes at that temperature, got to 41 over Christmas.

In Ozz you have to keep your RIB in the shade and as already suggested it has to be White. The surface temperature is hotter than the air temperature.

How far north are you? I am hoping to get to 1770 at the end of next year.

That is of course if anybody is still alive on the planet in a year's time.

Black pvc tubes on its way to Lady Musgrave (1770) a place Ive taken the rib on many occasions. Also tow up north of the Daintree to head to the outer reefs, black tubes have no problem at all.

The navy and most of the police ribs are black here in Oz.

[Brian]

Shoot jonp, you really do believe in taking everything with you, don't you?
Did I spot a kitchen sink somewhere in there?

[jonp]

Originally Posted by Brian

Shoot jonp, you really do believe in taking everything with you, don't you?
Did I spot a kitchen sink somewhere in there?

Not so much me but the 4 people with me, the following trip was 20lt of water and 20lt of extra fuel with just my son. Trouble is you never know when you might get stuck out there for a week, which has happened twice now. The islands have nothing on them, not even water.

[Salty Pete]

Originally Posted by jonp

Black pvc tubes on its way to Lady Musgrave (1770) a place Ive taken the rib on many occasions. Also tow up north of the Daintree to head to the outer reefs, black tubes have no problem at all.

The navy and most of the police ribs are black here in Oz.

Yeah 'cos they look gung-ho. Tax payers buy 'em a new one when they wear out.

I had a black inflatable kayak and that didn't last long. Most boats here are painted white.

40 degrees here again today bloody hot!!

And if you need your life jacket in a hurry mate, it's on the bow.

[jonp]

Originally Posted by Salty Pete

Yeah 'cos they look gung-ho. Tax payers buy 'em a new one when they wear out.

I had a black inflatable kayak and that didn't last long. Most boats here are painted white.

40 degrees here again today bloody hot!!

And if you need your life jacket in a hurry mate, it's on the bow.

Can you send us some of that heat, this is the coldest Xmas I can remember in my location. I was a member of the marine rescue in your area untill I moved to this side of the pond.

As for the kayak you mention, was this a Chinese manufacturer using thin pvc material like Ive seen in stores like BCF. Stand up paddle boards seem to be manufactured better than inflatable kayaks and last well.

Let's be honest here, most things left out to bake under the Oz sun will suffer, not just inflatable tubes. My fibreglass boat is to big to fit in my garage and the gel coat looks bad even though I regularly clean and polish it. One of our Toyota vehicles has extreme paint damage from the sun but our zodiac pvc tubes now 7 yrs old look like new.

Keeping tubes clean with specific tube cleaners and uv protectors as well as a tarp to keep the sun off when not being used is pretty common sence for this part of the world with anything that's going to be used in the sun.

For the best advice why not simply contact a dealership from QLD that both sell and repair tubes ( which is what I did ). When people claim they've seen lots of tubes come unglued must mean they are looking at perhaps some of the Chinese low quality builds as I was under the belief that zodiac tubes are heat welded and not glued.https://swiftmarine.com.au/2019/11/0...-scott-wilson/