How to tell Hypalon ?

[Marc Bergmueller]

I'm going used dinghy shopping and would like to know how to tell Hypalon from pvc. The guy tells me when he bought it at west marine it was the better of the two, but he doesn't know what material and when I asked the price he paid, he said $1000 in 2008. Any help?

 

[Stu Jackson]

If you're near a WM store, have you considered going in and seeing the difference? It's hard to describe this kind of thing on the internet, like smells, sounds and electrical issues without wiring diagrams.

 

[Marc Bergmueller]

Thats what I was afraid of.
Our little WM has two pvc ones.

 

[Richard19068]

Thats what I was afraid of.
Our little WM has two pvc ones.

Well then, if it's hypalon, it will look different then the PVC ones at West marine.

Sorry I know that's not really helpful.

Are there any repair shops nearby that might have some small pieces of hypalon material used for patches? Maybe you could get a feel for it that way.

 

[Marc Bergmueller]

Good Idea

 

[wetass]

There should be a little plate on the dinghy - something identifying the model - From that you should be able to tell as well.

 

[heritage]

http://www.hotribs.com/02articles/059-tube-materials/inflatable-boat-tube-materials.asp.

This link should help with the ID.

 

[RAD]

Also 1000.00 dink from WM is no way Hypalon, also if it says Zodiac by WM than its PVC

In 2000 I bought a Zodiac by WM (PVC) and it was a air floor model and the price was 1600.00 and the cheapest model I believe was 1200.00 then.
After years of grief with this dink I'd been better off slitting my wrists

BTW I've been using a 25+ year old Achilles Hypalon dink and it performs like the day it was bought

 

[Stu Jackson]

Does the WM catalog indicate which dinghies are H and which PVC? IIRC, they might. My catalog's on the other side of the house right now. Probably could check on the online catalog, too. They should tell you what the material is made of.

Then to "know" go check 'em out.

Good luck.

 

[Marc Bergmueller]

Thanks guys. Its a two hour drive to find out for sure, I might as well wait for a "for sure" hypalon.

 

[Allan12210]

http://www.hotribs.com/02articles/059-tube-materials/inflatable-boat-tube-materials.asp.

This link should help with the ID.

The chemical test here is good. If you can cut a small sample from somewhere (not from the tubes) and put it in some pvc glue for a while, the pvc should dissolve. Hypalon is a crosslinked rubber and therefore insoluble. At most it might swell a bit, but when it dries out it will all still be there.

Also, to keep PVC flexible it is plasticized with something (butyl pthalate). After a few years it starts to bleed out. If the dinghy is sticky to the touch it is probably PVC.

 

[Hermit Scott]

Marc- I will sell you my hypalon I bought from a guy on here if you want a real hypalon dinghy. I never use it. I use my kayaks but not the inflatable.
I did the research and decided I would never own a pvc dink. Now I own a hypalon, unfortunately I never go anywhere I need it.

 

[Ed Schenck]

If you look closely at a hypalon inflatable it will have a heavy look of thread, like a tight weave. And they are heavier. PVC is smoother and lighter.

 

[vikingwoman]

The cost is a good indicator. Hypalon has to be hand made PVC is mass produced by welding..

Our Mark 1 Zodiac 1240 is 31 years old and is hypalon repaired once for the keel. We just had it out for our vacation and with the 20HP Merc still goes 35 kns and is a great work boat for our ketch. We would not consider PVC enough problems replacing our high quality fenders every 3-4 years when they get sticky and mark the topsides.

 

[dhays]

"Best" depends on what you want. Hypalon has much better UV resistance. However, I like PVC inflatables. We don't have to worry too much about sunshine here and PVC is tougher and holds air better than Hypalon. Pick the material for how you will use it.