Has anyone hear of GoreTex dinghy?

[matteo20021]

Hi there,

I am very new to the forum (first post) so please forgive if another thread exists on this topic.

I am after an inflatable dinghy that I could roll and store down below while at sea (East Coast of Australia) but that could be strong enough to stand my dog jumping on and off every day.


Hypalon would probably be the safest way to go, but pretty pricey so
while doing some research I came across a brand called BIG DUCK with a foldable aluminum floor and reasonably priced.

Reviews on their website seem great but couldn't find any other feedback anywhere else. In particular, the material used is GORETEX and I've never heard of this being use for dinghy construction.

Wondering if anyone of you has a real experience with this brand or have ever heard of Goretex use for this?

Many thanks
Cheers
Matteo

[kchace]

I've never heard of this but I do know that some forms of Gore Tex are very fragile so need to be sandwiched inside something else.


One other thing, I wouldn't personally feel comfortable buying something so new that most people had never even heard of it. I mean, how good is it? How would I know?



Ken

[Dymaxion]

Goretex is a membrane over a fabric backer. Permeable to water vapour, but not to liquid water. All the goretex jackets I have had started leaking after 2-3 years, so call me skeptical...

[Sailmonkey]

If they’re using gortex in the construction it’s hopefully only to reinforce some rubber.

[barnakiel]

Gore is just that rubbery thing inside your parka. Alone, it is very delicate. It is also vulnerable to excess stretching (this is why the best Gore stuff is Polyester, not Nylon, backed.)


As in a dinghy you are mostly after watertightness, I would imagine a typical PVC cloth is the more immediate (available and cheaper) option?


b.

[redneckrob]

I'd echo that I don't understand the use case here. Gortex is a pretty expensive fabric designed to let water vapor through but keep liquid water out. Damp air inside dinghy air tubes is a pressing issue for exactly no-one. This all makes it sound like a marketing gimmick that presumes we as customers are morons, so based on that alone I'd leave the company alone.

[Dsanduril]

It's not the GoreTex(RM) I'm curious about, it's the epoxy-sandwich inflatable tubes I want to know about.

Hull Material / Construction - GoreTex /High-Grade Epoxy Sandwich

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Matteo.

[thinwater]

Goretex is...

• weak,
• hard to bond, and
• gas permeable

Perfect. Honestly, it sounds like they came up with a buzz word they through would sell to a gullible public. It's probably PVC.

[matteo20021]

Hey guys, thank you all for your replies and advice.

I reckon it's most likely pvc "reinforced" with Gotetex (if this could be of any real reinforment). Most probably they wanted to use a buźz word associated with quality.

Would still be interesting to see if some other companies follow this direction.

Thanks again

[Pete7]

Some times you really don't want to be the first mouse to the trap and I guess this is one of those times .

Gortex stops working if it get dirt in the fabric.

Someone else can do the testing, for a decade on this idea.

Pete

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Some times you really don't want to be the first mouse to the trap and I guess this is one of those .



Gortex stops working if it get dirt in the fabric.



Someone else can do the testing, for a decade on this idea.



Pete

Never mind that gortex is breathable. Not the best material for an inflatable boat.

[Mirage35]

Based on my experience with outdoor gear, Gore-tex may be the most over-rated product on the planet.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Never mind that gortex is breathable. Not the best material for an inflatable boat.

Yet they make dry suits out of the stuff. Wasn't convinced about them either and prefer my tri laminate drysuit.

Originally Posted by AnglaisInHull

Based on my experience with outdoor gear, Gore-tex may be the most over-rated product on the planet.

"But Sir, feel the quality" as my Hong Kong tailor used to say

[roland stockham]

Seems redicullouse to me, gortex membrane works by using body heat to move water vapour occross the membrane so it only works on cloathing. It has no reinforcing qualaties at all. Possibly this is a miss-description of another gore fabric, they are expets at fabric lamination but I would want to know more before considering it.