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BCain
Navigator

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USA
103 Posts
Initially Posted - 02/18/2003 :  18:05:21  Show Profile
I was given a 10.5 foot RIB dink by a friend. He dosen't know much about it other than it is a 1999 model. It is an Artigiana Battelli Model 320VS made with Hypalon fabric, she sat out in the sun for a while and is faded but holds air and has no obv. damage other than the bottom needs some glass repair and one handle came off the tube. Does any one else have one of these and if so can you give me some advice on brightening the hypalon and reattaching the handle?

Bruce WindShadow SK/SR Central Fl. Lakes
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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts
Response Posted - 02/18/2003 :  20:44:57  Show Profile
Wow! That's some gift! Artigianna Batelli - "AB" - is one of the leading brand names in Hypalon inflatables. Your RIB probably cost almost $2400 new. It's not a cheap flimsy throwaway, and will probably give you good service for many more years. The handle needs to be glued back on with Hypalon glue, which is a 2-part contact cement. Don't try any other glue, or epoxy, nothing else will work properly, believe me. You need to get some "genuine Hypalon glue". Look in your local yellow pages and find a dealer of Inflatable boats, and buy a pint kit of glue from him. To make the repair, sand or wire brush the surface of the handle clean, removing all old glue. Same for the boat, but don't damage the fabric, just clean it and scuff it. Mix the two parts of the glue, enough to cover both the handle and the boat fabric in the area to be glued. Apply a coat of glue to both surfaces, wait for the glue to dry to the tackiness specified in the instructions, 7 to 10 minutes or so, then FIRMLY press the handle onto the boat. Take a piece of wood and really press down around the edges of the handle. Leave it alone for at least a couple of hours before you try to move or roll up the boat. The glue needs at least 24 hours to cure to full strength, so don't pull on the re-glued handle or stress it in any way for at least that long if you can help it.

As for brightening up the Hypalon, I don't know. Hypalon is a synthetic rubber, and is actually just a thin coating (10 mils or so) on the polyester cloth that provides the boat's structural strength. The underside of the cloth is coated with Neoprene to provide the air seal. Since the Hypalon isn't very thick, it isn't all that difficult to damage it if you try to scrub it too aggressively. I have read somewhere of a product that claims to "refresh" the look of sun faded Hypalon by re-coating it with something. Again, ask an Inflatable boat dealer. Don't scrub your boat with anything abrasive. you could do more harm than good. Can you just live with it looking a little faded?

Larry Charlot
Catalina 25 #1205 "Quiet Time"
Sacramento, CA

Edited by - lcharlot on 02/18/2003 20:52:41
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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts
Response Posted - 02/18/2003 :  22:34:19  Show Profile
Bruce - we have a Hypalon dinghy on the Texas coast. I've tried everything I know to make it clean again and have given up the struggle. If you find anything that works well please post it here!
Derek (sometimes on "By George")

<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3dc30b3127cce942c608d6f1e0000001010" border=0>
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Ed Montague
Captain

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USA
499 Posts
Response Posted - 02/19/2003 :  19:42:57  Show Profile
West Marine sells a special paint for RIB's. I used the grey on my 18 year old Achilles. It is more of a battleship grey. So far it looks just OK, not great. If your inflatable is really looking bad then give it a try, otherwise I can't really recommend the paint. It did improve my boats appearance and I feel that it helps protect the hypalon from further degredation from the sun. The paint also comes in red.

Ed Montague on 'Yahoo'
1978 #765 SK, Stnd, Dinette ~_/)~
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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.