Failure of Dinghy Chaps Reflective Piping

[JPA Cate]

First, I apologize, but I have been unable to find the post where I posted a pic of the chaps Jim and I made, to which I added reflective piping. It was back in Sept. 2014, and I couldn't find it to add it there.

The piping has all failed. Now, it was fabric grade, and it was really never intended for daily exposure to UV and salt water. I had appliqued it around the outer perimeter at the bottom of the cover. What's left is falling off and the reflective material has disappeared.

So, I have given this a little thought, and if you would like your dinghy to have some reflective tape on its cover to make it more spottable by flashlight (torch), use the SOLAS tape. It is expensive, but it is durable. Sew it onto strategic spots before you put the chaps on the dinghy. Have them out of the way for most chafing.

If you wanted to use piping, insert it into the seams while sewing the covers together.

Ann

P.S. I apologize again for starting a whole new thread about this. I have to go cut off the hanging loops, now.

Cheers.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Ann, with the SOLAS tape, I've had some luck using Contact Cement to glue it onto foulies that didn't come with the stuff already in place. And I'd reckon that there are other adhesives that would work also. Plus, said tape is integral to many construction safety vests, which are cheap. Cheap enough to cut up & sew onto your dinghy chaps, assuming that the fabric will handle the UV that is.

They also make similar (reflective) tape for use on motorcycles, & bicycles. I've put it on bike rims & my helmet, & it had little trouble with the elements even on bikes I used to commute to work year round. And the rims spend a good bit of time in the wet, as does the bike.
The perk is, since it's not "marine", it tends to be cheaper.

One other option is to weave some small diameter cord that comes with built in reflective material into the lines which run around the perimeter of the dink, & that are used as hand holds. Or even serve sections of the dinghy handles & grab ropes with the stuff.

Usually you can find it at outdoor gear & sporting retailers, along with large cordage outlets. I discovered it one day when looking at tents, where it's used as their guy lines. So that you can find the tent at night, & also don't trip over said lines.

[JPA Cate]

Thanks for that Unciv, it was just that I thought i should report back on the failed experiment. Don't want to be the sort of experimenter that can admit the hypothesis was WRONG.

I have some solas sticky reflective tape, and will decide whether or not to sew it on. I like your idea of weaving the piping through the polypro lifting handle, though, a quick, and easy solution, and I have a whole reel of the darn stuff.

Thanks,

Ann

[Matt Johnson]

I also used the adhesive version of the tape to add reflective spots 1" x 3" on the outside of each stanchion all around the main boat (pointing out so you don't see it from the cockpit). It really helped to spot our boat when in a busy anchorage.

We now have added the tape to three large strips around the mast. Again, makes the boat highly visible at night.

Great stuff.

Matt

[JPA Cate]

Yes, Matt,

It is very useful stuff. We first started using it on our outboard, after the dinghy went walkabout one night. Had we had it on, at that time, we would have easily found it.

Ann