Hand glued Vs. Seam Welding?

[gregr266]

As the title implies...what is the real difference. I am looking at a Zodiac classic which accoriding to the website is PVC which does not bother me because it is not going to be stored outside. I am also looking at the Saturn brand which also looks really nice. Also made out of PVC and hand glued. I keep reading about keeping away from hand glueing because the seams will fail, but get the seams that are "welded." But arent all Hypolon boats "hand glued." Is there a real difference between the hand glued or the Seam Welding. For those that have the Saturn boats.....how do you like them. I am going to be using it in the harbor around the breakwater and up and down the coast of So Cal for some fishing. Also take it to some lakes. I know all about the Zodiac...had one growing up and was nice. took it to the islands alot, but cost is a real factor with a wife and two teen kids. Thanks for the info.

 

[nobrainsd]

Re: Hand glued Vs. Seam Welding?

Classic question. First off, the life span and durability of hand glued hypalon seams doesn't really tell you anything about the relative merits of the two types of PVC bonds.

The zodiac does have thermo welded seams in the tubes. The transom and the floor are hand glued seams. My personal experience indicates that hand glued seams have a shorter lifespan than the thermo welded seams, particularly if the environment is hot. That includes out of the sun storage locations that bake. So I have had to reglue both the transom and floor. It is old. I'm not surprised. I have never had a thermo welded tube seam fail. My Zodiac MK2 Futura is 12 years old.

The hand glued PVC boats are fine. Kept well they will last quite a while. But I would definitely try to be realistic about how long a hand glued PVC boat will last. Of course you can repair it, but tube seam failures are not something I accept in a boat or work on. For the price the hand glued boats are great. Just remember that they are a consumable item. Sell them after a couple of years or hold them until they are done.

A boat is soooo infinitely better than no boat. I am very happy that I spent a little more and bought my zodiac. I wakeboard, hydrofoil, surf and fish with it. I travel to far away places. I feel safe with the thermo welded tube seams, the extra rated horsepower, the aluminum floor and all of the little extras a zodiac brings to the table. I would never have bought a boat as old without thermo welded seams (it was a used boat purchase). However, if I didn't have the cash I would be rolling slower locally in a smaller less expensive ride for sure!

 

[Ocean Airbrush]

Re: Hand glued Vs. Seam Welding?

In scientific terms, they should be equally durable if the hand glueing is done properley.
The glue used on PVC actually melts the PVC and when the two parts are joind the materials actually blends together creating a molecular chemical "Weld".
The other method uses heat to acheive the exact same result.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Hand glued Vs. Seam Welding?

Hand glued PVC boats fail at a higher rate than heat welded boats due to the effect of UV on the glue and on the PVC itself. The PVC material used in inflatables looses elasticity due to UV and subsequently causes a weakened bond to the glue. The UV inhibitors in the glue fail anywhere from three to seven years after exposure. So, you can lose a bond from either one or both.

Heat welded boats don't generally fall apart, however, a marginal bond can fail at any point in the boats life. I have a brand new, brand X, replacement boat skin that was sent to replace a defective boat...The replacement skin has nine leaks in a welded bow seam
That's unusual, but not unheard of. Service life on the fabric of a PVC boat depends on the manufacturer and environment it is used in. We tell people seven years is probable...Any more than that is a gift from the Easter Bunny. Some PVC boats can fail in as little as three years and some people have used PVC boats for 10 plus years with little or no problems. It's something of a crap shoot.

Hypalon glue is not anywhere near as sensitive to UV rays as PVC glue is and Hypalon material is not effected by UV so you can't equate the hand gluing aspect of one with the other.