When is a dinghy to old?

[model 10]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

If you can see sand through the floor you need to buy a new one/

There is more than one rib getting around the Rio Dulce with no air pressure. You bump into them at the dock and they feel completely flat. It sometimes makes me think we gave up on our old rib too quickly. I was still at the stage of putting air in it every few days. These people have given up and are still getting around doing nothing but going out in the afternoon when it's hot and the boat can carry some weight. Some boats have great thick coatings of gunk over the whole boat but the boat is still flat underneath it all.
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[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by UNCIVILIZED

For the OP. Ask yourself if it would survive a few dozen trips through the surf zone, fully loaded. If there's any question as to this, then it's a play toy, at best.

That's a bit severe, Unciv! Frankly, I seriously doubt if most dinghies would survive that regime, and I am quite sure that I would not attempt such a landing. When heavily loaded, the dinghies with which I am familiar loose so much maneuverability that surf landings are bloody dangerous. Further, any surf landing presents a real chance of an upset, and then you loose all of whatever you had fully loaded it with. To do so a "few dozen times" is off the reality scale IMO!

Besides, if you are knowledgeable enough to ask yourself the question that you suggest, you wouldn't be asking silly questions on CF...

Jim

[UNCIVILIZED]

Reply deleted.

[RDW]

Hudson Force,
Nice job.
Any hints for me before I give it a try.
RDW

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by RDW

Hudson Force,
Nice job.
Any hints for me before I give it a try.
RDW

I attempted more thin coats than working with the product as thick as it comes directly from the can. I brushed it all on with quick multiple strokes over about one or two square feet at a time with light strokes at each finish as one would do with "tipping".

I took advantage of the simplicity that the Heng's rubberized paint is thinned with water and applied the paint when the lifted stirring stick changed from dropping a stream of the paint to a drip in about 5 to 6 seconds.

In addition, I was very careful to prep my hypalon with a degreasing cleanser, water rinse and light sanding with a fine grain paper. I was careful to remove all the "chalky" residue that can be seen when wiping the hypalon with a dark colored damp cloth.

[motion30]

I painted my old Apex with an elastomeric roof coating. so far I am very happy with the results. it seems to be and abrasion resistant surface that is very flexible. The only problem is it is so damn white

[sailor1924]

Originally Posted by sailor1924

I'm using a 1998 Caribe RIB, it came with the boat when I bought it 3 years ago. I've had to put patches in several locations mostly from chafing of lines across the fabric. It gets a bit softer over a week or so and I add some air.

I've used 4200 Fast set successfully but now use a two part flexible epoxy that has worked every time even on a chaffing blowout. Marine Tex Flex Set 30G Epoxy Adhesive.

I'm planning to add an interior sealant over the winter and some added chafe protection out of strips of hypalon to prevent another blowout. Then maybe I'll paint it.

This dinghy was a daily user for most of it's life. I expect it'll last at least a few more years.

As an update: Last year I coated the the dinghy with Hengs Rubber Roof Coating and added "Green Slime" to the tubes. The dinghy now holds air through the winter and I'm expecting to get a few more years out of it.

[zeehag]

a dinghy is too old when it becomes a submarine.
old avons last forever. yes dupont made guarantee of forever on old hypalon. when the recipe was made public domain, after 20 yrs, it was changed and now the stuff bubbles and does wickedness , is not the old original hypalon. i would buy an old original hypalon dink in a heartbeat...oh wait i did a few years ago. now i only need the 2 part glue to repair the lacework hypalon flooring. i even found an old original hypalon parts boat on my dock. free.
anyone need a transom for a roll up?? i have access to one of those.i just need material from the donor dink. come n get it in mazatlan. no, my avon and parts are not for grabs. the transom is.
my primary dinghy is a walker bay 10. perfect dink for cruising. i can carry hard heavy sharp cornered items in my lil tender without it being murdered by them. it has a double floor so i can keep things dry in a wet commute. rows easily even with 2 inches growth on bottom. 2.5 gets a lil tough. and age is nothing but a number with each of these.