Happy with your Achilles Hypalon dink?

[CSY Man]

Not used the new Achilles yet, been waiting for numbers and stickers.
Glued them on the fabric today, then covered with adhesive clear plastic.
Not sure how long it will last, never done this before, alsways painted the number on, or carried a small plate.
I know that this dink will never be deflated however and if I don’t leave it baking in the sun for more than a few days a month, it could last a while...

(No more full time cruising or liveaboard, this dink should last a long time, hopefully)

[BobMc]

I finally gave up on stick on numbers and those hard-rubber thingies, they'd come off frequently as the hypalon fabric would expand and contract slightly with heat/sun rain/cooling. Finally got a set of stencils and some wide (really wide) permanent markers from Office Depot. The numbers were easy enough to "paint" on using the stencils taped together and taped to the dinghy. I renew the ink every couple of years by simply re-tracing them with the markers (not using the stencils). Something to consider when you're numbers start to come off.

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by BobMc

I finally gave up on stick on numbers and those hard-rubber thingies, they'd come off frequently as the hypalon fabric would expand and contract slightly with heat/sun rain/cooling. Finally got a set of stencils and some wide (really wide) permanent markers from Office Depot. The numbers were easy enough to "paint" on using the stencils taped together and taped to the dinghy. I renew the ink every couple of years by simply re-tracing them with the markers (not using the stencils). Something to consider when you're numbers start to come off.

Yeah, done the same on previous dinks, been there, done that.
Figured I try something else now..

[jen1722terry]

Nice looking Achilles dink. I believe it's the same model we got in 2013. It been out in the sun all summer here in Maine for 6 years and still looks nearly new. Very light (92 lbs. with motor, harness and security cable/lock). Easy for use to beach and will hold 4 adults in a pinch.

My wife ordered stick on letters from somewhere back in '13, and they have been like-new durable. When she returns from visiting her parents, I'll let you know the source.

Good luck with the dink, and a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

Jenn and Terry
Kearsarge, NH
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by jen1722terry

Nice looking Achilles dink. I believe it's the same model we got in 2013. It been out in the sun all summer here in Maine for 6 years and still looks nearly new. Very light (92 lbs. with motor, harness and security cable/lock). Easy for use to beach and will hold 4 adults in a pinch.

My wife ordered stick on letters from somewhere back in '13, and they have been like-new durable. When she returns from visiting her parents, I'll let you know the source.

Good luck with the dink, and a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.

Jenn and Terry
Kearsarge, NH
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

Thx and Happy Thanksgiving to everybody.
Yeah, let me know the source of your stick on letters.
The ones on the picture are not recommended on inflatables by the manufacturer, only regular boats and PWCs, took a chance, living dangerously close to the edge..

[eweb101]

Originally Posted by V1x3n8

I bought a new Achilles HB310AX in May 2017 and, while it is an alright dinghy, the glue job is underwhelming and the after-sales service was wanting.



In comparison to other dinks we've come across ours has fluffy hypalon threads and glue smears everywhere, and the glue is already failing in places. It is also surprisingly easy to damage the hypalon - there are chafe marks and punctures on the pontoons already and we baby that thing.



We talked to Achilles at FLIBS last year (dink was only 5 months old) and the guy just didn't want to know. He said the best he could do was have someone look at it under warranty if we could pay for it to be delivered to a shop, or take it ourselves (impossible as cruisers without a car or trailer). We called Achilles about it a few times but they refused to send anyone out.



A warranty is no good if you can't use it. In the end, we glued it all back down ourselves and will not be buying an Achilles again.

This has been my experience too. I bought a new Achilles dinghy last April that has had a leaking front tube since I bought it. I tried to get it fixed under warranty in Annapolis but they said the minimum charge would be $400.

Now I'm back in Charleston trying to get it fixed from the dealer I bought it from but after a month trying to get them to work on it I'm about to give up.

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by eweb101

This has been my experience too. I bought a new Achilles dinghy last April that has had a leaking front tube since I bought it. I tried to get it fixed under warranty in Annapolis but they said the minimum charge would be $400.

Now I'm back in Charleston trying to get it fixed from the dealer I bought it from but after a month trying to get them to work on it I'm about to give up.

Wow, you guys are patient, or just too nice.
I would have raised holly hell and tore a new one to whoever refused to repair my dink under warranty.

Went through it with previous dink, a Mercury 310 Hypalon.
Had it in for warranty service numerous times, once when the transom came loose: The service rep on the phone tried to tell me the transom was not part of the boat and therefore not covered under warranty...
Say What?
(True story, ended up yelling at the poor idiot, finally they gave in and after that episode they approved every repair without any further problem.
New floor, need keel, new transom, re-glue several attached rings and straps, etc.)
Lifeline Inflatables in North Miami was the nearest dealer/service center and did a good job with the repairs. Their problem was the same as mine: Have Mercury USA approve the warranty repairs.

Hopefully Achilles USA won’t play those games.

[CSY Man]

Looks like my new dink is quite wrinkled underneath.
It will cause drag while underway, unless the water pressure somehow smooth out the bottom while running.
Air pressure is normal in all chambers and keel/floor.
Are they all like this?..

[KD8NPB]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Looks like my new dink is quite wrinkled underneath.
It will cause drag while underway, unless the water pressure somehow smooth out the bottom while running.
Air pressure is normal in all chambers and keel/floor.
Are they all like this?..

Your main buoyancy tubes are a little underinflated, you can tell by the wrinkling near the seam tape, but you are close to spec.

For best performance, the hull should be stretched tight.

To quote Zodiac's professional repair manual ;
"What enables an inflatable boat to plane and reach speed on water is the rigidity of the unit longitudinally and laterally.
Rigidity is obtained:
-By inflation of the buoyancy tube and the design of the hull
-By the tension given to the hull fabric by the insertion of the floorboards between the transom and the bow.

This is of fundamental importance in the performance of the boat. When a boat has navigational problems, it is vital to know the "grip" of the floorboards."

Either
1.) Achilles engineering doesn't think it makes a difference for this model. (Maybe)
or
2.) The floor is installed in the wrong position, or it was cut to the wrong size before installation. (more likely)

Did I mention all Achilles boats are made in China now at a 3rd party factory? Not to say it's impossible to have a quality product from China, but it does require a watchful eye from the primary manufacturer, as well as requiring a factory that is very responsive to quality complaints, as well as regular random quality audits of received merchandise.

[CSY Man]

. Your main buoyancy tubes are a little underinflated, you can tell by the wrinkling near the seam tape, but you are close to spec.

Aha, will check the pressure.
Thx

Did I mention all Achilles boats are made in China now at a 3rd party factory?

Well, it says Made in Japan, but the Hypalon is made in China.

[KD8NPB]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Aha, will check the pressure.
Thx

Well, it says Made in Japan, but the Hypalon is made in China.

The CSM/CR material is made in Japan.
Boat construction origin is China. Google says "Weihai Noahyacht Co. Ltd" ; https://www.my-inflatable-boat.com/a...able-boat.html

I really wish Achilles had a US facility manufacturing CSM/CR...it'd make my life a lot easier.

Run it, see if you're satisfied with the performance. It may be ok.

[wsmurdoch]

Originally Posted by KD8NPB

The CSM/CR material is made in Japan.
Boat construction origin is China. Google says "Weihai Noahyacht Co. Ltd" ; https://www.my-inflatable-boat.com/a...able-boat.html

From Achilles Inflatable Crafts | About Us

"The boats that we manufacture in Japan, and to a lesser degree in the very recent past, in China, are the only finished products that actually are sold as an Achilles brand."

"Achilles Inflatables are manufactured using chlorosulphonated polyethylene, or CSM fabric that is made by the Achilles Corporation in Japan."

Their US east coast contact is

Jeffrey Frank
(252) 288-4387
jfrank@achillesusa.com

Bill

[KD8NPB]

Originally Posted by wsmurdoch

From Achilles Inflatable Crafts | About Us

"The boats that we manufacture in Japan, and to a lesser degree in the very recent past, in China, are the only finished products that actually are sold as an Achilles brand."

"Achilles Inflatables are manufactured using chlorosulphonated polyethylene, or CSM fabric that is made by the Achilles Corporation in Japan."

Their US east coast contact is

Jeffrey Frank
(252) 288-4387
jfrank@achillesusa.com

Bill

Email him and ask. I work for a competitor, so I doubt he'd answer me. I can only postulate based on build design.

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by KD8NPB

Email him and ask. I work for a competitor, so I doubt he'd answer me. I can only postulate based on build design.

Will do.
Stay tuned

[CSY Man]

Originally Posted by CSY Man

Will do.
Stay tuned

Sent him an email with my HIN and asked where the boat is made, he said:

LSI series is Made in Japan.

LSI is what I have, the air floor models, looks like the rest is made in China then.