Anyone have info on Seamax inflatables?

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
Re: Anyone have info on Seamax inflatables?

Being following both posts with interest, each of you have their own particular opinion, so won't interfere with any of them, just add some more water to the broth :

On the web you can post any information regarding whatever you want to promote on your product, can even be big lies, don't kow if you guys have local legal regulations, penalties regarding false propaganda information on web sites ? Will doubt if Zodiac is using Mehler fabrics unless stated on ther web page, they used to make their own French material with fancy name called Duratex just not to mention that is plain pvc fabrics that scares some people to death, personally don?t have any issue with this material and price.

Most sibs/ribs comes from very few big manufactures which makes boats to other Companies, just a logo issue, same girl with different bra and even can choose color, accesories, the fabric you want your boats made from, hyapalon pvc, akron just to name most fabrics used.

Dupont still makes Hypalon, this material is used in other commercial applications not just boats and is the thin exterior coating of a heat laminating sleeve. Manufacturers as Zodiac, Gonmonautica, buys Hypalon rolls from Dupont same as Pennel and does the laminating process in their own plants.

Not a big issue to consider Mehler being 1100 denier fabric, is just plain standard 0.9 mm thick pvc now a days, so will cut as a cheese as any other same thickness fabric, this is not the fabric used on Rambo, Norris boats as seen on movies :D

Most reputed Chineese plants uses Korean fabrics including bonding materials, materials which are extremely affordable, so nonsense using crap materials. The cost of producing a pvc boat is only 35% of it's ex work price, the rest is hand labor and profit, so these guys don't work for peanuts.

What don't understand is: Why are you arguing about pvc materials and it's life span, do you plan for your grand children to inherit your old Zodiac, Mehler, Asian pvc sib ? If you are a real all year round boater, you should get rid of your pvc water toy each 5 years at the most, if not, will begin to pay high reparation fares for ungluing issues. 5 years is the best to obtain a nice second hand price and move to a new one. Don't you guys change cars every 2/3 years ? do about same with inflatables. As an example, Saturn was a perfect unknown brand some yaers ago, now it's better known for their good quality boats and affordable prices, be sure there will be other Asian manufacturers that will follow.

PD. Luveinfalatbleboats, you state that you buy from reputed dealers that offers a full warranty, why do you still have an issue wether it's welded or hand glued ? This issue sounds as a scratched record.

Happy Boating
 

TOHATSU GURU

Admiral
Joined
Jul 22, 2004
Messages
6,164
Re: Anyone have info on Seamax inflatables?

I too remember awhile back that DuPont did announce that they were no longer going to produce Hypalon themselves and they were just going to allow it to be produced under license. As to what Zodiac uses, I'm a Zodiac dealer and a Zodiac/MilPro dealer and I don't know who they are using this week for Hypalon, PVC or Poly:) I'll see if anyone at Zodiac North America knows...Or is willing to say.

Also, I think we are all on the same page with taking a chance on a no name. Again, my only concern is with a novice not knowing the risk. Anyone who knows the risk up front can certainly look at the money involved at make a decision either way depending on how lucky they feel:)
 

Luvinflatableboats

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
80
Re: Anyone have info on Seamax inflatables?

Sea-Rider,

Firstly Dupont have stopped making Hypalon here is the link http://www.dupontelastomers.com/products/hypalon/hypalon.asp?redirect=hypalondotcom

Secondly, I don't care if a boat is glued or welded however in China where I manufacture my goods too there is an issue with skilled labour. I am told it requires no or very little skill to use heat welding while gluing requires a skilled worker. In this instance I would go for welding before gluing. the other thing is that like a computer hard drive over time, glue will fail eventually and heat welding won't. But this is a moot point since the material around it will fail eventually too. I am sorry that I sound like a scratched record but I think it would be easier to for a factory to buy a can of glue and start making boats then to get a heat welding machine and heat weld the seams. I have seen a lot of my designs poorly knocked off in China and I always believe that the company buying the product should check it out and see the difference. Its no different with boats.

What happens in China is the purchasers in the rest of the world try and get the goods for cheaper and cheaper and press hard on the factories to produce for less. The factory owners and workers need to eat so they cheapen the product until you get a disaster like the lead in the ink saga with toys. They also hire the cheapest labour they can find.

In terms of PVC I am not planning on my grandchildren using it however I think my boat should last with proper care 10-15 years. I use 303 protectant and I store it well in the winter. I live in Canada where we get 4-5 months of boating at best so PVC is acceptable to me since it is stored for 7-8 months a year.

When you say reputed manufacturer how do you who is and who is not reputed. In China often the same manufacturer makes inflatable boats and for example hairbrushes.

"Most sibs/ribs comes from very few big manufactures which makes boats to other Companies, just a logo issue, same girl with different bra and even can choose color, accesories, the fabric you want your boats made from, hyapalon pvc, akron just to name most fabrics used."


On Alibaba one of the main trading sites I use to source factories there 18004 inflatable boat products listed for sale and manufactured in China. Home > Products > Search : inflatable boat 18,004 Products and 610 factories Home > Suppliers > Search : inflatable boat 610 Suppliers. Not sure if you know all 610 suppliers and whether they are reputable or not or what material they use but I think not. Also Duratex is made by Duratex and not Zodiac. http://www.duratex.dk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=7&lang=en


I appreciate your input and advise. At the end of the day I am hoping to get 10 or more years out of my inflatable if I take good care of it. I use my boat a whole lot less than my car. In terms of investment changing an inflatable boat every 2-3 years would not make sense considering a tinnie will last 20-30 or more years without any care. Buying a cheap inflatable every 2-3 years will work out more expensive than buying a decent quality boat in the first place. As they say buying cheap is expensive.

There is an excellent book about inflatable by Jim Trefethen which is out of print but you can still get it second hand.

http://www.amazon.com/Inflatable-Boats-Selection-Repair-Seamanship/dp/007065252X

It makes great reading and very humorous I recommend it highly.
 
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