Material Choices
Material Choices
We supply tubes made from PU (Polyurethane) or Hypalon although Rib Retubes Ltd material of choice is PU. There are many reason for our preference of PU coated fabrics, they stem from the fact that it looks better for longer and is a stronger material then Hypalon. PU also does not scuff as easily as Hypalon and can be welded. We have invested in a state of the art hot air welding machine, the advantage of a hot air welded PU tube is the bond is mechanical and not chemical (GLUED). The welded joints can not break down like glue will over time, so if the tube is looked after properly it could still look like new in 20 years time. On this page we will put the technical data for both materials and videos of scratch tests, please get in touch if you wish to discuss further...
BOTH Fabrics use the same GLUE for repairs, Bostik 2402, Do it yourself repairs are as easy with either fabric !
Polyurethane (PU):
Very few makers use this as there is a big investment in machinery upfront required to make complete NEW welded tubes. Whilst PU is a bit more costly “on the roll” than Hypalon, with only 20m of fabric in a 6 m boat it makes virtually no difference to the overall cost of a tube which fabric it is made in. PU can easily be glued or welded, Rib Retubes Ltd use it both glued and welded on the boat and weld attachments like the lifeline patches, which makes for MUCH stronger units than glued ones. The tubes though still glued to the boat have welded seams as this gives maximum strength. Available in 1300 GSM with some colours in 1700 GSM.
ADVANTAGES: Superior durability.
Stronger glued & welded bond at build. EASY TO DIY REPAIR with Bostik 2402 as long as our guide is followed (See below). Greater Abrasion Resistance, Stronger in Rip Tests, Excellent UV stability, does not Fade as much as Hypalon, due to how it is made it is typically a thicker fabric. See the scratch test above. The test says it all and shows how durable PU fabric is.
DISADVANTAGES:
Limited Choice of colours compared to Hypalon.
HYPALON: Also known as Neoprene as often the fabric is Hypalon one side and Neoprene the other. Glued construction only, a rubber-based material. Availableweights of 1300 gsm and 1500 gsm. Though a lower cost per metre whilst in roll form, being able to construct a tube only by gluing takes a lot more time and requires the use of much more adhesive.
ADVANTAGES:
Durable, excellent UV stability, though it does fade in sunlight over time. Easy to repair DIYwith Bostik 2402, supple material not greatly affected by temperature. Wide range of colours.
DISADVANTAGES: The scratch test….. seen above, says it all. The surface is easily marked, it will fade in sunlight over time more than PU. Seams are less strong than PU as the PU fabric has a higher tensile strength. Hypalon can not be welded.
At Rib Retubes Ltd we offer PU or Hypalon as “no cost options” we prefer PU for the obvious reasons we show in the video but see no significant disadvantage in Hypalon. If you are not fussy about how your boat looks after it has been used for a while Hypalon is "OK", if you are ………. PU may be better !
Below is a test data sheet for the commonly used fabrics for RIB re-tubing.
