North Atlantic Inflatables?

[SailK2]

Hello,

I just left the Boston (MA) boat show with the intent of buying either an AB or a Caribe RIB 10' inflatable. I was a little disapointed with the dealer representatives for both the AB and Caribe manufacturers.

I stumbled upon a local (Portland, ME) manufacturer-North Atlantic Inflatables who had a decent line of "Custom" aluminum floor (single & double) RIB's. The only down side was he makes the RIB's out of PVC. I want Hypalon. He stands behind his dinghy's with a 5 year warranty on both the hull and the fabric.

Anyone buy/use this line of dinghy's? The owner was a great guy and seemed to stand behind his product. He supposed to get back to me with a list of customer referrals for me.

[zeehag]

5 yrs is 5 yrs. new hypalon gets only 10 decent yrs --as in caribe..btdt x 3.....would be a lighter-to- lift dinghy, which could well be a consideration....

[SVNeko]

My PVC dink has 8 years on it and going strong. It has a sunbrella cover over the tubes.

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by zeehag

5 yrs is 5 yrs. new hypalon gets only 10 decent yrs --as in caribe..btdt x 3.....would be a lighter-to- lift dinghy, which could well be a consideration....

That is nonsense! My Avon 10RIB (hypalon) is over 25 years old, used every year and at present sits in chocks mounted on the bow of my winterized, shrinkwapped boat.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by foggysail

That is nonsense! My Avon 10RIB (hypalon) is over 25 years old, used every year and at present sits in chocks mounted on the bow of my winterized, shrinkwapped boat.

is a totally different hypalon--yours is dupont hypalon with a lifetime warrantee.
now , since dupont sold patent some few years ago, is a different composition, just slightly--not same stuff. dupont no longer has anything to do with the compound it invented.
nor does the compound dupont invented exist today as invented.
and is also why i would trade a spinnaker i wont use for an OLDER avon roll up.....say , 25 yrs old.


(my dupont former exec dad told me this when the patent for hypalon was first sold)

[foggysail]

That is certainly interesting!!!!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by zeehag

is a totally different hypalon--yours is dupont hypalon with a lifetime warrantee.
now , since dupont sold patent some few years ago, is a different composition, just slightly--not same stuff. dupont no longer has anything to do with the compound it invented.
nor does the compound dupont invented exist today as invented.
and is also why i would trade a spinnaker i wont use for an OLDER avon roll up.....say , 25 yrs old.


(my dupont former exec dad told me this when the patent for hypalon was first sold)

Of course you wouldn't mind providing facts to this information. I would like to see it.

[REDrum]

I saw those RIBs at the boat show too. Amazing price. An AB will cost ya double. Only issue I had was that they are made in China...

As for PVC, its not as good a material as Hypalon. Depending on where its welded or glued, and exposure to the sun, could start delaminating in 5 or 10 years. Glued hypalon is good for a decade plus, I've always been partial to it, my dad sold Avon when I was a kid. With inflatables, I really feel you get what you pay for.

[REDrum]

Originally Posted by zeehag

is a totally different hypalon--yours is dupont hypalon with a lifetime warrantee.
now , since dupont sold patent some few years ago, is a different composition, just slightly--not same stuff. dupont no longer has anything to do with the compound it invented.
nor does the compound dupont invented exist today as invented. (my dupont former exec dad told me this when the patent for hypalon was first sold)

Don't believe everything you hear. Think about what you posted....

if something was so great that it was patented and the patent ran out why wouldn't everyone then copy the exact formulation, that is now public domain? And, why would some firm buy a patent and then not market it--that makes no sense?

Also, there is a reason Hypalon is use as a roofing membrane, an expensive membrane--it holds up.

[Dulcesuenos]

I have had 13 dinghies one was a 1970 achilles it looked and felt like new and had lived a rough life. I had a hypalon caribe that was 9 years old and literally the fabric was fallling apart. I think there was a difference as both had spent at least the last 9 years in the fl sun. The achilles much longer
Pvc material is tough , the issue wasnt the material going bad but when it goes thru its chemical change over time the seams where it was glued would let go. I have heard but do not know first hand that the newer pvc dinks have seams that are welded together and bold up better. Who knows, had a west zodiac,pvc for 10 years and it was older than that, i had to re glue the floor once, it only held another 2 years after that, the material was tough as nails but wouldnt take to gluing on e it had aged.

[Dsanduril]

Hypalon® isn't a single product, it is a family of compounds (chlorosulfonated polyethylenes) developed by Dupont. There are at least 8 different formulations (http://www.jbn-duraline.com/pdf/hypa...Spec_Sheet.pdf), four of which are considered "excellent" for calendering.

Which brings up a separate subject, the cloth substrate. "Hypalon®" only refers to the membrane that is calendered onto the base cloth (when used in dinghy construction).

I don't have/can't find (but would like) any information on exactly what Hypalon® product was used in old dinghies, nor what substrate material was used, but it is entirely possible for older Avons and Zodiacs to be a different formulation from current models from various builders that are legitimately labeled as "Hypalon®".