Hypalon vs pvc

[gettinthere]

I need a new rib.
Everything I read says pvc is bad BECAUSE of UV degradation. So why not install a cover, dinghy chaps, and have a dink that can last?

The cost of pvc vs csm is significant, even with a first rate cover. So the covered pvc may not last quite as long but will there be a significant time difference?

And, forget the orca 215 hypalon. My AB with the 215 is toast after 7 years. Leaking like a sieve. The good stuff is orca 820 or 866 and that is much more expensive.
I can get a 10' orca 215 for around $4000 and up but a good orca 820 will be well over $5000.
10' Pvc ribs run around $3000.
Will a $2000 premium price last significantly longer if I cover the pvc?

 

[jviss]

My AB with the 215 is toast after 7 years. Leaking like a sieve.

Yikes!

I have an AB 9VL with Orca fabric. How can I determine if its 215 or 820 or 866?

p.s. I coat it every year with two coats of 303, and it's like new, and I haven't added air on a couple of years. It's 6 years old, i.e., entering the 7th season now.

 

[gettinthere]

Hard to say. Ask AB?
Mine is an Aria model. I think this was their idea of a budget model and used the 215.
Perhaps for their regular line they used the better stuff.
One of the issues with the 215 is that it seems to chafe easier. Mine looks like a lizzard.

 

[dmax]

As a point of reference, I have had my hypalon inflatable (made by Zeppelin) for 28 years, still looks excellent. I do keep it covered when not in use.

 

[gettinthere]

Yep. The old stuff was good stuff.

 

[MFD]

I can't speak from direct experience and overall service life, but I would also say that like many things it depends on your use case(s) and your needs. If you truly think you will have the cover on it the majority of the time, and are not in say the tropics, then PVC would probably work just fine.

For myself (and also the boat does not have davits) I simply recognized that dealing with a cover, cleaning/maintaining that and everything else was simply not going to happen. Current dink I bought ~4/5 years ago and was planning to go PVC for budget reasons and then West Marine (yes I know, not the greatest reputation) had a deal on their aluminum bottomed hypalon ones (like 30% off) and I just jumped on that. So far so good roughing it up on the beach (yes, aluminum is nice and light too) and just not overly worrying about it.

Stumbled on at least one review where somebody had purchased this same model (gray/black and black aluminum primer on the bottom) and it overheated in the tropics and the hypalon=>aluminum hull bonding delaminated or something. Otherwise has been very serviceable for moderate use and extremely little maintenance.

Up here in the PNW, it spends about half its life on the foredeck in the winter and the other half of its life floating around behind the boat in the summer - so at least the tubes get shaded 50% of the time!