PVC vs Hypalon dinghy

We are considering replacing our ancient dinghy with a fiberglass rib. Looking at a 8'10" range. Wife liked the Mercury we saw at the boat show yesterday. Big question was Hypalon vs PVC. Is it worth the extra dough to get the Hypalon? Let me know your thoughts.

If it's going to be in the sun a lot, Hypalon will last considerably longer.

We are in NE so at best it would be exposed for 5 months, would likely get a cover.

Hypalon will last longer in the sun and water. I recently switched from a 9.5 ft Achilles Hypalon soft-bottom dink to a 10'10" PVC soft bottom dink. Sold the 10 yr old Achilles for $750 to a dock neighbor and bought a new-in-box PVC dink from Costco for $500.

Since it sits in a covered slip on a dingy float, it's out of both water and sun so it's less of a worry for me.

PS. I've got a 2HP Honda outboard that runs like a top for sale if anyone's interested. http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s68/honda-bf2d-2hp-outboard-42471.html

Some generalities about PVC and Hypalon that we have experienced .
Hypalon – tougher in feel, lower inflated pressure, heavier, more UV proof, costlier, loses some air over time.
PVC – Holds air better , easier to clean, benefits more from cover if in sun, lighter, easier to damage.

There are better and worse dinghies in each material category. FWIW - we had great results with a 10' Mercury airdeck we bought about 14 years ago. We kept it for 10+ seasons and had it tilted up on the swimstep when not in use for the 6 months of the year we were boating (LI NY).

Thanks we would have this tilted up on swim platform when not in use

Lollygag1 said:

Thanks we would have this tilted up on swim platform when not in use

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Up north you should be fine. Here in the sunny south, with our PVC Mercury on Weaver davits not so much. Disappointingly short life on our last one...Buy the hypalon IMO
After 3 inflatables over many years we finally went to a hard shell Portland Pudgy with an E-propulsion electric outboard. What a terrific combination...

I like Hypalon for all of the reasons indicated above. But it is tougher to do a DIY repair patch. PVC, like plumbing fittings is easy to glue. That is the one plus for PVC. All others are minuses, except maybe price.


David

I live in the PNW. I have had PVC boats and Hypalon boats. I used my PVC boat for 1 month a year. The rest of the time it was rolled up in a bag in storage. After 5 Years it showed a surprising amount of sun damage. My hypalon boat was used 3 months a year and then was stored hanging from davits off the back of my boat. It was covered during storage. The hypalon boat lasted me 20 years before I sold it less an engine for $500.

My experience in the PNW is that you will get 10 years out of a PVC boat and 20 years out of a Hypalon boat. Of course care, use and sun strength will be determining factors.

I have repaired my PVC boat once and it was easy. I never needed to repair the Hypalon boat but I did add attachments. I did not find that significantly more difficult.

djmarchand said:

I like Hypalon for all of the reasons indicated above. But it is tougher to do a DIY repair patch. PVC, like plumbing fittings is easy to glue. That is the one plus for PVC. All others are minuses, except maybe price.


David

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PVC - much easier to clean, lighter, holds air better.

Hypalon hands down. We just saw a pvc dinghy in Ft Myers Beach that had seen a little too much sun. It was a black sticky mess like an old shore power cord.

We have a PVC currently since we live in Michigan and the dinghy is inside in storage at least 6 months a year. We have a Mercury inflatable now. One problem with it is he molded in handles in the stern. We have Weaver davits and could not mount the stern hook where we wanted to due to the molded in handle. Something to look at before you buy.

We use a web dinghy sling to store and while underway. Off season we it will be kept indoors. The easy to clean part will be important to my wife.

We purchased our Avon 10RIB in a boat show back in 1986-87. Hypalon of course. As I type, the boat sits in its chocks on the bow of our 40’ shrink wrapped Silverton.

I had one repair made over 10 years ago. It was to replace a glued on towing ring that I originally installed (pair, one on each bow side) and I ripped off with towing the motor equipped dinghy in rough water. So the dinghy is at least 32 years old and still going strong.

Friends are into their 3 & 4th PVC dinghies.

I had a pvc Zodiac that almost sank during my dive. Two chambers let go. Held up only by the inflated keel. Never again a pcv dink.

I have no idea we’re this easy to clean pvc over Hypalon comes from. No mater how gross a Hypalon boat gets, you can always make it clean with MEK. I usually just use boat soap and occasionally inflatable boat cleaner. Once we pulled an Avon out of the woods that was green and black. One round of MEK and it was white again.

Even here in beautiful BC Canada (you know, the Great White North), our former PVC dinghy would get very, very sticky every summer from exposure to the sun. Without a cover or "chaps" for the tubes you could not avoid it. A great fly trap if that is what you want. Cleaning it was a big job!
Now we have a hypalon and it does not get sticky (except the PVC rub rails and I have now coated those), and it is easy to clean!
My hypalon is now about 6 years old and looks new. No more PVC for me.

I have owned 4 inflatables. Two were Hypalon and two were PVC. One PVC boat failed miserably at the seams (whole sections blew apart) and the other got sticky after only a few years. This was in the northeast.

I had a fiberglass bottom Brig Hypalon inflatable which I loved and should have kept. It was by far my favorite. The other hypalon boat I had was a zodiac and I kept it for about 10 years before I retired it.

For me I would never buy another PVC inflatable. I consider them a cheap throw away boat. My current PVC boat is about 5 Years old and is already getting in tough shape. It has had little use and has only seen the sun for two or 3 summers.

We used to travel often with 3 inflatables at a time and on a few occasions we traveled with 4. Over the years we had about the same number of inflatables with PVC tubes (maybe 6) as we had Hypalon. There were differences in quality between the PVC boats within their own material group and there were differences in the Hypalon boats as well.
The Hypalon boats were definitely harder to keep clean and they also developed some mildew stains that stayed in the fabric.
The Hypalon boats were more rugged, they were heavier and lasted longer, they had lower inflation pressure and were softer.
The PVC boats were lighter , less rugged , harder higher pressure tubes, and they held air better as well as easier to keep clean.

One of the inflatables we had was a Zodiac YL-380 and we had tubes in both PVC and Hypalon for that particular boat as they were slide in tubes.

If price is an issue buy a used hypalon boat vs new pvc. In ten years, the older hypalon boat will be a far better boat than the pvc. Pvc gets sticky and degraded in the sun. Commercial ribs are hypalon. Once you’ve owned one, you’ll never go back.

I had a hypalon dinghy. It started coming apart at the seams first time I used it. Hypalon boats are glued together. If the sun doesn't get them, they will eventually fail due to the glue failing. Quality PVC boats are thermowelded. The seams are actually stronger than the rest of the fabric.

Hypalon is at least 2x as expensive as PVC just for the material. Labor for gluing the boat together also adds to the price. However, for high UV environments hypalon is the way to go. For northerners or people who keep their boats under sufficient cover PVC is probably more cost effective. PVC is also easier to repair.

I had both a hypalon RIB and a PVC RIB. The PVC rib was a much better boat than the hypalon one. You get more boat for your money with PVC (IMO).

Screaming04 said:

... Commercial ribs are hypalon. ...

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All the Zodiac boats you see the first responders, the military, and expedition cruises type cruises use are PVC (e.g. Zodiac Pro boats). They are not adverse to changing the tubes when necessary.

Some military boats actually use Kevlar in the tube fabric.

"would likely get a cover."


YES! Direct sun or reflected sun , both eat the fabric.

ssobol said:

All the Zodiac boats you see the first responders, the military, and expedition cruises type cruises use are PVC (e.g. Zodiac Pro boats). They are not adverse to changing the tubes when necessary.

Some military boats actually use Kevlar in the tube fabric.

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I appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of each material but Zodiac offers their pro boats in either form. (Hypalon and PVC)
Tube fabric also includes a neoprene off shoot in specialty boats.

Looks like a $600 difference at the place that has them on sale this week. Looking through the seat cushions now for extra change.

I purchased one of these last summer. Very happy so far. Thought that the Hypalon and aluminum was the way to go.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west...-boat-black-length-8-6--15997018?recordNum=10

Easting said:

I purchased one of these last summer. Very happy so far. Thought that the Hypalon and aluminum was the way to go.

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west...-boat-black-length-8-6--15997018?recordNum=10

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Seems like a really nice boat - as long as the specs work out for you that is the key.

I have an 8' Zodiac Cadet 240 aluminum hull PVC RIB. Up here in Rhode Island, PVC works just fine. Monthly wipes with 303 Marine Protectant takes care of any UV issues, conditions the PVC, and helps to repel stains. Follow the 303 directions, wipe it dry, and no icky-stickies. At the end of the season, I use Marykate inflatable cleaner. Underway, I carry the RIB tilted and lashed to the swim platform. I go bow-in into my slip, and I keep the RIB in the water ahead of my bow, and only take it out if cruising . My slip is in a fresh water river so barnacles and other sea growth is not an issue, but I get a pretty good brackish water stain on sections of the hull and rear tubes. I'll pull the RIB periodically to clean the bottom. Where the hull and tubes contact the water at rest, I'll apply Aquagard inflatable bottom coating. I'm using a 2 HP Honda outboard, which is OK, but if you want to get this thing up on plane, a bigger engine is required. This RIB's rated max engine is 6HP. And don't think you can row it. Like most small RIB's, oars are too short and it's like rowing a big beach ball.

Very similar to the gas versus diesel debate. PVC=gas Hypalon=diesel. Gasoline bpoats are cheaper and perfectly serviceable. Diesel boats are.....BETTER!!!

My dink is a 1976 hypalon. Its 10' and a 15hp runs on it. Its got a patch on it where I tossed in a lobster and the horns went thru, but no other patches. Pvc dinks are toys, like
a pool raft.

My "military" style PVC Zodiac was a grand raid 12' and had spectacular seam failure and adhesion failure to the transom and was zero value at 5 years; That assessment was by the Ft Laud Zodiac dealer who did major repairs.