Is My Boat Hypalon, PVC or P.U?

Rib tube material can look the same however to the trained eye its usually not to hard to tell. PVC also known as Polyvinyl chloride is generally a stiff plastic sheeting however by adding plasticiser additives they have made it vastly more malleable, the trouble starts when these additives leak out of the material when hot, old or under UV, this then causes the material to lose its flexibility and begins to deteriorate. the other issue is that there is no UV blackout, so UV rays penetrate the tube and destroy the adhesives. because of this the many manufacturers turned to welded seams this is a very strong mechanical join that will not separate with heat, however it is often harder to repair, and welded areas stiffen, crack or delaminate which will be hard to fix.

pros

• Shiny
• Scratch puncture resistant
• Weldable
• Cheap

cons

• Doesn't last long when bonded
• Welded seams are hard to repair
• Fabric cracks and becomes stiff
• Not very chemical resistant

How to tell

• Is a harder surface material excellent rub resistance. if you try to sand it, it well scratch and score as apposed to sand
• Will usually have the same colour internally and externally
• Will soften quickly when wiping with solvent
• Usually more shiny
• Look at edges of seams, if they look welded its PVC or P.U

Brands who use pvc

• Valiant
• Zodiac
• Yamaha
• Honda
• Mercury
• Bombard
• Highfield
• Ribeye
• Ballistic
  And many more

Tubes made of polyurethane (PU) are difficult to manufacture and are consequently not often used for RHIB construction. PU has the advantage of being very tough. Earlier PU had a disadvantage of aging quickly but newer types are much more resistant to degradation when exposed to ultraviolet-light. The issue with most of the older P.U built ribs is the UV rays and heat penetrate the fabric and much like with PVC destroys the adhesive bond. More recent fabrics are said to have a black out layer to help combat U.V rays.

While P.U tubes have been thermal welded, fittings and attachments will still usually be bonded using adhesives. when welded it is very strong inflatable but can also have a tendency to crack sometimes and can be very difficult to repair. A high-quality PU-made tube lasts over 20 years. PU tubes are often to be found on commercial RIBs, in applications where strength and durability are needed.

Pros

• High durability
• Can be bonded and welded
• UV resistance
• Scratch/puncture resistance

cons

• harder to repair
• Stiffer than other options
• Doesn't adhere as well as others options
• Harder to work with than other options
• Welded seams are hard to repair
• Welded cracks and delamination hard to repair

How to tell

• Shiny
• Can have grey or same colour internal layer
• Look for welded seams
• Can often see its larger internal canvas/weave layer
• Much thicker material

Brands that use P.U

• XS-ribs
• Tornado
• Vanguard
• Wing inflatables (USA)