Recycling Expired Hard Bottom RIB

[forsailbyowner]

After seeing multiple hardbottom dinghies abandoned with the pontoons falling off I got to wondering. Why not glass some gunwhales together and make a hard dinghy out of it? Magic came with a zodiac yachtline rib that was falling apart. Had a nice fiberglass V and transom that would have been prime prospect. Anybody out there done this? Feasability thoughts?

[FSMike]

It's been done in various incarnations. I remember seeing someone using large cardboard tubes, glassing over them and attaching them to the original hull, then fabricating connecting pieces and end caps. Relatively inexpensive, but you can always get the original tubes replaced for much less than the price of a new dink.

[Surf City]

Our zodiac tubes are on there way out, who sells replacement tubes? If I make it look new, then someone may want to steal.

[FSMike]

I think most manufacturers sell replacement tubes. We own a "Jolly Boat" rib that utilizes "Caribe" tubes on a different fiberglass hull design.
The difficulty is finding someone to install them. I don't know what is involved for do-it-yourselfers. I doubt it's brain surgery but I don't know if I would want to tackle it without some instruction.
Check with your dealer or a shop that specializes in inflatable repair.

[forsailbyowner]

What I read about glueing parts on inflatables made me think it wasn't for diyers. Required certain humidity and temperature. Kinda hard to do as a liveaboard on the fly.