What an amazing resource!!
Lately we've been renting a fishing shack that comes with the use of a small (15ft/5m) motorboat with a 25hp motor. We are hooked - we want a boat. Unfortunately, our cars are not suited to towing (Prius) and even if they were, we live in a condo and storage is an issue. Further, in the not so distant future, we hope to get a small camper / caravan, and would like to add boating to those adventures.
Enter the first few of many hours of research - and, to my delight, this forum. Looking forward to learning from you all!
Thanks for having me!
Excited to find this forum!
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Synergy
- I'm New
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 21 Oct 2020, 20:07
- MMSI Number: 10
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Has thanked: 0
- Been thanked: 0
Re: Excited to find this forum!
Oh, I'm in south Florida, near Miami, in the US. I'm sold on a SIB, but haven't yet decided if I'm OK with heat welded PVC, or if I should stick to hypalon. It will be stored (rolled up) except when actively in use. It will be sometimes stored in a hot vehicle, though, and I'm not sure how heat resistant the glue is on the (Saturn) hypalon I'm looking at. Still so much to learn!
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Alan
- Advanced Member
- Posts: 174
- Joined: 29 Jun 2018, 13:18
- Boat Make: F-Rib 375
- Outboard: 2018 Mercury 20 HP Short Shaft
- MMSI Number: 1
- Location: Farmington Hill Michigan USA
- Has thanked: 7 times
- Been thanked: 40 times
Re: Excited to find this forum!
I would not go Hypalon in Florida. The PVC used on boats is the same hard material used to make the clear Bic ballpoint pens we used as kids. The difference is that small molecular weight components are added to make it flexible. With heat and time they migrate out of the PVC and it becomes brittle. This is why you can find split Instrument panels in older car from hot climates such as Arizona and Florida. This is in addition to the UV light degradation that occurs with PVC. I live in Michigan and have a F-Rib 375 which is PVC. I thought about the PVC issue prior to buying mine and decided that heat would not be significant as I boat in northern Michigan and the UV issue is handled by our short boating season and a full cover when not actually out on the water. While there is a cost differential between the materials but if I lived in Florida I would lean toward Hypalon. To glue a seam is done all the time but once the PVC is brittle there is nothing you can do. Some of the other boaters can give you advice based on actual long term experience which I have not been involved in this long enough to have. I just understand the material science. Use both to make your decision.
