Help choosing retube colours

[CUSAC]

Hi all

After some advice from people's collective experience please. The RIB is a 1997 Tornado 6.4 MP with twin Mercury 90 two strokes. Current tubes hold air for a couple of days but the baffles are gone so after two years of "at-risk" use, finances now allow a retube. I am aware it's a lot of money to throw at such an old boat but the way the hull is set up works very well currently and although the engines are thirsty the numbers don't make a 4 stroke swap viable.

The boat is used for diving and the odd cruising/fishing trip on the south coast. I've schemed up 5 potential options and could do with some advice on which is the smart choice. Particularly interested in ease of keeping clean/fading over time.

The heavy on the orange options look a bit lifeboat/dive club but are easy to spot. The darker colours potentially more modern but less visible. Wondering whether any of them will have a higher resale value a few years down the line or maybe I shouldn't worry as nobody wants an old boat with twin 2 smokes anyway!

All thoughts welcome! Thanks

[CUSAC]

Here are the 5 current options

[boristhebold]

Orange, the more orange the better, you know what soem boaters are like out there, you want it as visible as possible.

[telecast]

I just had an older boat retubed and went with a scheme that was pretty much your A

In the end visibility decided it - and I think it looks quite smart.

On the other hand I am not intending to sell any time soon !

[treerat]

personally I like B or D - purely as I'm not a great orange lover, my current toy is grey - but if visibility is your key requirement, A gets it.

E looks a tad odd to me, and if you want to stand out could be the way forward

[jeffstevens763@g]

something about grey and black for me, it might be my eyes but all colours look dark at a distance that's why i went all black on the SIB

[beamishken]

To be honest I'm not keen on the stripe down the middle of the tubes, its just a bit boring. I retubed an old tornado last year & it was black with orange accents, wear patches & go faster stripes diagonally acros the tubes which I think looked good
I think playing with wear patches & stripes & or handles between you could come up with a more pleasing design

[CUSAC]

Originally Posted by beamishken

To be honest I'm not keen on the stripe down the middle of the tubes, its just a bit boring. I retubed an old tornado last year & it was black with orange accents, wear patches & go faster stripes diagonally acros the tubes which I think looked good
I think playing with wear patches & stripes & or handles between you could come up with a more pleasing design

Thanks for comments so far, appreciated. Only reason for the continuous top patch was to protect against wear from dive kit and walking up to the bow (console is whole internal beam).

[telecast]

Originally Posted by CUSAC

Thanks for comments so far, appreciated. Only reason for the continuous top patch was to protect against wear from dive kit and walking up to the bow (console is whole internal beam).

Yes agreed - I had all sorts of ideas for wear patches - then decided that the more wear patch the less wear !

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by telecast

Yes agreed - I had all sorts of ideas for wear patches - then decided that the more wear patch the less wear !

Having owned RIBs with orange/grey/black tubes, the black is the easiest to keep looking nice. Paradoxically grey is a real PITA to keep clean. Orange is ok, but soon seems to fade.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by CUSAC

Thanks for comments so far, appreciated. Only reason for the continuous top patch was to protect against wear from dive kit and walking up to the bow (console is whole internal beam).

Imho if your going for full length wear patches I'd be inclined to go wider than your picture but its your boat & you design it to please your own eye not others

[spartacus]

Grey and black gets my vote. Takes years off the boat and if you sell down the line appeals to those who aren't looking for sonething that's utilitarian.

Wear patches, definately. Anywhere where you're likely to get high foot traffic, plus internal grab handles. I know it's over and above a retube cost, but honestly what's a few hundred pounds when you're spending thousands.

[willk]

Grey and Black for resale - but you'll need to 2 pack grey the console as well, as the combo is just plain wrong, IMO. You won't be selling it any time soon, but with a retube, it's got a new lease of life - even as a bare boat.

It's a dive boat (sometimes) so no harm in looking like one. I really like the last version - it looks very "Tornado" with a strong hint of workboat. The console will not clash either.

[gtflash]

Are you a rescue boat? If not Grey and black. My mrs thinks every orange boat is lifeboat. Imagine when she turns up to buy your boat

[ShinyShoe]

What's the hull colour?

[CUSAC]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

What's the hull colour?

Hull is 50 shades of orange due to being left uncovered by last owner. Console and seat unit should buff up ok though. Maybe best to either not have any orange where it joins the hull to avoid it showing up the difference!

[ShinyShoe]

Orange hull with grey & black toobs will look odd in my opinion

U need a picture from the side /front

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by CUSAC

Here are the 5 current options

Looking at these options i think i would suggest getting some ideas from retube manufacturers website ,or the company you have chosen to do the job !!
I have black 1500gsm black fabric impression tubes with no wear patches ,with orange centre 2 man dive style console (athough blue hull ) ,very easy to keep smart and looks great (2006 tubes )
what i would question (and i dont know the answer as i am no diver ) is .....Do you really need wear patches if you went for 1500 gsm fabric ?? imho they spoil the look of many ribs if not the same as the tube colour

[HDAV]

A or C for me I’m not a fan of big orange boats but seen a few lovely orange and black combos that really work and look great. And don’t look like a wannabe lifeboat how they wear I have no idea.... saw one recently might have been a tornado or possibly a Humber looked great

[Maximus]

I'm with Amey!....Back to Black!,...looks smart...modern...easy to maintain...and treadmaster black patches (non slip and hard wearing for Divers and crew) Braid on Braid ropes lifelines (Black)
Avoid stripes and two tone....at all costs ...
Black goes with any Colour consul/seats as long as it's solid!
If you pm me I'll tell you about a few Black tubed boats with different colur consuls.
Black engines help too