A yacht would not be a yacht without an inflatable dinghy, most yacht owners take great pride in owning one and relish in the security and ease of use one can bring to a vessel. Most vessels of any size, carry a big draft without a marina in sight, this can mean relying on a dinghy to take your occupants to shore, not to mention a life boat in a real emergency, not the best of lifeboats I might add, but nonetheless, a boat.
So are they reliable? The short answer, NO! Dinghies, Hard bottom's, Skiff or RIBS as they may be known are all forms of small craft utility boats used in conjunction with or without a larger craft, usually inflatable. Most yacht owners refer to their dinghy as an inflatable, an inflatable is a general purpose dinghy, used for all sorts of enjoyment and use. A "dinghy" typically refers to a small sailing vessel, "a rowboat with a sail." Power boaters refer to an inflatable, sailing captains to a dinghy.
In a yachtsman's case, we will talk inflatables. Most larger yachts have an inflatable attached somewhere on the vessel, be it from divats or deck mounted, an inflatable is part of yachting. The biggest complaint with ownership of one of these marvelous toys, is keeping the thing aired up! Newer and more futuristic materials have claimed to withstand the test of time, regardless they all leak eventually. Most older and some newer versions of inflatables are all made of a common material called PVC "rubber" used for its ability to stay inflated and resist puncture, while some newer versions are made of hypalon, a more UV repellent product.
The problem with inflatables of all types is without proper care and in most cases with it, the product can become porous or cracked even when properly covered. The rubber becomes more brittle over time, the sun, rain and salt water exposure can take its toll, leaving the owner with little option but to invest in another inflatable. I was told one time buy a dealer of a very well known inflatable manufacturer, and I quote; "Most PVC inflatables are only meant to last at the most about three to five years!" A sobering comment, I took to heart, realizing I cannot buy an new inflatable every 4 years. Everyone knows how to protect something as expensive as an inflatable from the effects of the sea. So how do we repair inflatables?
Repairing inflatables can be tricky, depending on what you need to fix? Is the inflatable repairable? Some newer products are made of materials you cannot patch yourself without proper equipment, while the most common material PVC, can be patched. Ask yourself some simple questions? Where is the leak coming from? Is the leak a pinhole or along the seams making the repair more difficult? Is the inflatable worth fixing or paying to have fixed? All these questions and more need to be answered in order to decide how or if to fix your inflatable. Visit this well known website below for additional info on inflatables and how to fix them, good luck.
www.allinflatables.com
So are they reliable? The short answer, NO! Dinghies, Hard bottom's, Skiff or RIBS as they may be known are all forms of small craft utility boats used in conjunction with or without a larger craft, usually inflatable. Most yacht owners refer to their dinghy as an inflatable, an inflatable is a general purpose dinghy, used for all sorts of enjoyment and use. A "dinghy" typically refers to a small sailing vessel, "a rowboat with a sail." Power boaters refer to an inflatable, sailing captains to a dinghy.In a yachtsman's case, we will talk inflatables. Most larger yachts have an inflatable attached somewhere on the vessel, be it from divats or deck mounted, an inflatable is part of yachting. The biggest complaint with ownership of one of these marvelous toys, is keeping the thing aired up! Newer and more futuristic materials have claimed to withstand the test of time, regardless they all leak eventually. Most older and some newer versions of inflatables are all made of a common material called PVC "rubber" used for its ability to stay inflated and resist puncture, while some newer versions are made of hypalon, a more UV repellent product.
The problem with inflatables of all types is without proper care and in most cases with it, the product can become porous or cracked even when properly covered. The rubber becomes more brittle over time, the sun, rain and salt water exposure can take its toll, leaving the owner with little option but to invest in another inflatable. I was told one time buy a dealer of a very well known inflatable manufacturer, and I quote; "Most PVC inflatables are only meant to last at the most about three to five years!" A sobering comment, I took to heart, realizing I cannot buy an new inflatable every 4 years. Everyone knows how to protect something as expensive as an inflatable from the effects of the sea. So how do we repair inflatables?
Repairing inflatables can be tricky, depending on what you need to fix? Is the inflatable repairable? Some newer products are made of materials you cannot patch yourself without proper equipment, while the most common material PVC, can be patched. Ask yourself some simple questions? Where is the leak coming from? Is the leak a pinhole or along the seams making the repair more difficult? Is the inflatable worth fixing or paying to have fixed? All these questions and more need to be answered in order to decide how or if to fix your inflatable. Visit this well known website below for additional info on inflatables and how to fix them, good luck.
www.allinflatables.com
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