PVC or Hypalon? RIB or High Pressure?

[svDragonfly]

PVC or Hypalon?

The more we get into this the more complicated it becomes.

At the moment it looks like we will be getting a High Pressure boat with around a 10hp probably one of the Tohatsu clones. This seems to be the best compromise between cost weight and functionality. Not sure if wee will go pvc or hypalon. The boat will be used about 3 months a year on the west cost, Mexico and Puget Sound. The rest of the year it will be in San Francisco bay being used about twice a month. We expect to get about 5 years out of the boat does that sound resanble for a PVC boat?

[sluissa]

I've heard bad things about PVC. Unless you're going to have it covered 99% of the time, I would probably pay the extra for the hypalon.

Again. Just from what I"ve heard. Wait for other more experienced people to give you a real answer.

[Rhosyn Mor]

dragonfly,
there is a mantra that you can use to aid you in your decision
I will not buy a PVC dinghy I will not buy a PVC dinghy, I will not buy a PVC dinghy

[jzk]

Hypalon. We bought a really nice west marine model from the Miami Boat show at a deep discount on the last day, but had to strap it to the top of our rental car!

[Reality Check]

Hypalon for sure... as far as RIB or HP ... well that depends on how and where your going to use it.

The RIB had better tracking and can take a grounding such as running up on a beach. In the Carib and here in Florida... 90% or more of the inflatables are now RIB.

I could not use a non- RIB for 60% of my usage which is running up to a beach or cove and they are far more stable in most conditions.

Only down side to RIB I have ever run across is storage when not in use. Can't really deflate them and they are heavy and don't fold but most non-RIB's don't fold very well and are still relatively heavy.

Look at what your use is... if it does not ever involve going into an unknown shore line or working around coral such as in the Carib... then the pure inflatable may work for you... just be more careful getting in and out of it. For my money is would always be the choice of the RIB.

[CSY Man]

Got a 310 Hypalon High Pressure floor dink last year. 10 year warranty.

Total cost came to about $1,3K.. We love the dink, but it is on the heavy side so we ended up towing it all the time...Guess we could have bought a RIB if we are going to tow it anyway..The idea was to lift it up on the fordeck.

It is fast and stable and a Cadillac compared to the Avon Redcrest we had before. Getting 6.5 knots out of the thing with a 3 HP Evinrude..
Been eyeballing a 8HP Yamaha and it should fly with that engine..

Would probably do something different next time, but not sure what that would be...

[ssullivan]

I'd stick with Hypalon, too. It's not only sun-resistant, but seems to be "thicker" and more "sturdy" of a material. I've seen way too many PVC dinghies die before their time.

Speaking slightly off topic: The RIB keeps you drier and is more stable as the chop kicks up, in my experience.

CSY Man: If you have your eye on an 8HP Yamaha, I have a 2005 model of those, 2 stroke, I'm about to put up on eBay soon. Let me know if you're interested before I open it up to the public. I get a good 11-12 knots with it on my 9ft Caribe!

[Lancerbye]

To bad your not closer. I have an Avon Rover 3.11 with an air floor. Like new condition. It is hypalon and I do like it, but I want a shorter 2.70 with a square nose and aluminum RIB floor, because of the way I am going to transport it.

[Hud3]

You can probably get five years out of a PVC dinghy, but go with Hypalon if you want more.

[defjef]

Our dink and OB was nicked up in RI and we are replacing it with a alum RIB of the same make - AquaPro. I think they do the best dink and it's very reasonabkle compared to the Avions. They are available on the West Coast or else where with steep freight charges. But getting a boat from a dealer is not easy without a truck anyway. This is a NZ mnade boat and here's what I like:

It's lighter AND stronger the fibreglas and hypalon
It has solid glued on hand grips not line which rots off from UV damage
it has solid wood one piece oars stored inside and with oar locks so they oars don't float away as the do with Avon's system.
It has a false floor or shelf in the bow for the fuel with hold down points
It has a zip off bow cover to protect "things"
It has a fibreglass seat with a built in compartment to stow things like flash lights or towels or line.
It has a thick rubber rube strrak on the keel
it has a painter connection point which is welded to the alum on the hull.
It has good nonskid on the sole
and a self draining plug.

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by defjef

Our dink and OB was nicked up in RI and we are replacing it with a alum RIB of the same make - AquaPro. I think they do the best dink and it's very reasonabkle compared to the Avions. They are available on the West Coast or else where with steep freight charges. But getting a boat from a dealer is not easy without a truck anyway. This is a NZ mnade boat and here's what I like:

It's lighter AND stronger the fibreglas and hypalon
It has solid glued on hand grips not line which rots off from UV damage
it has solid wood one piece oars stored inside and with oar locks so they oars don't float away as the do with Avon's system.
It has a false floor or shelf in the bow for the fuel with hold down points
It has a zip off bow cover to protect "things"
It has a fibreglass seat with a built in compartment to stow things like flash lights or towels or line.
It has a thick rubber rube strrak on the keel
it has a painter connection point which is welded to the alum on the hull.
It has good nonskid on the sole
and a self draining plug.

WOW!!! Very nice.

[Boracay]

We put out beat up old aluminium dinghy in the water a month ago and water started pouring in. Time to replace.

I hunted round and found a package deal on an Achilles LSI 260 - 29kg that included a 5hp Tohatsu - 19kg.

The LSI260 is the air floor model. We took it for a run to the fish markets for lunch and it went well, even on half throttle. No complaints from the Admiral anyway.

It all rolls up very easily.

About $500 more than PVC. I figure the PVC would not last long in my tender hands and didn't bother to read their warranty.

I didn't really need the outboard just yet. We're struggling to put on 10hrs to run it in.

[Alan Wheeler]

I think the theme is coming through. There are good and bad in both materials. The telling factor is the warranty period on the fabric. And the little things are important as DefJef pointed out. How parts are connected and where they are placed. Aquapro is a very nicely made boat. ]
I have had a 3.2m inflatable keel Zeebec for 5yrs now. It is outside in the weather all year and has held up very well. But I just had to replace the transom because the ply used was not treated and thus rain water got down the ply and it rotted out the bottom. The seat, floor and transom was clear epoxy coated and has broken down in the sun. So it all has been repainted. So little details like that can make a big difference. I have had to repair three holes in it over it's life, but all operator error, not a fabric problem.
I will one day replace it and am considering an ally rigid hull. The are light and solid. The Aquapro looks really sweet.

[Lancerbye]

Another consideration I forgot to mention before is the fact that PVC will soften in desiel exhaust fumes. This may not be a consideration depending on your exhaust configuration, but it was a real problem on commercial fishing boats that carried thier dinghies on the cabin roof and had dry stack exhaust in close proximiety. After a few ruined PVC dinghies they became very rare in the commercial fleet on the west coast of BC. Hypalon types and aluminum hard shells became the norm. UV degredation was not as big an issue up here.

[Troutbridge]

I'd also think about the choice of O/B. How much weight can you lift without straining your back? I have an Avon Airdeck 3.1 and use a Mercury 3.5 fourstroke. I have no idea how fast it goes, it gets me there and I can just about lift the engine. Any bigger & I wouldn't be able to.