Hi, new to this site but have been in boating for a while.
I own a large catamaran and dinghy out to it daily. I now own 4 inflatable boats and have been around them long enough to have an opinion. Personally i wouldn't own a pvc fabric one. Especially in a hot climate. Their lifespan is incredibly short and prone to failure where the factory can't get to both sides of the fabric for welding.
I like Avon, AB,and Caribe ,Nouvarinia, RIBs. Avon tend to have smaller tubes and flatter profiles on the water.makes for a wetter ride; AB have larger tubes and a Mae West kind of profile on the water. This can make for more wind resistance and drag. AB's tend to be very light though. Caribes are one of the most comfortable dry rides. They tend to be a little heavier than published on some models.If weights not a big deal then go with a Caribe. I like the quality of the construction and fabric of the Nouvarinias and their attention to details which is a reflection of their prices....about 25% more than the rest.
I would rather buy a 15 year old Hypalon in good shape than a one year old PVC.
In checking out the fabric of a hypalon boat look at the porosity of the fabric on the top of the tube and bottom. Are they similar or is it porous from being left out in the sun and baked dry. I wouldn't buy a painted unit either. Painting is a temporary fix and hard to repair later on.
If buying new i would buy light grey and never white. White shows mold too easily. Darker colors tend to get too hot. Although i really like yellow.....
Sorry to ramble......I really like my rides and thought i'd share my experiences.
Motors are a hole other discussion. Safe to say that the two stroke are generally lighter. the newer four stroke have come down in weight to be competitive. and the fours are quieter and no adding oil.
thanks for listening
Rich
I own a large catamaran and dinghy out to it daily. I now own 4 inflatable boats and have been around them long enough to have an opinion. Personally i wouldn't own a pvc fabric one. Especially in a hot climate. Their lifespan is incredibly short and prone to failure where the factory can't get to both sides of the fabric for welding.
I like Avon, AB,and Caribe ,Nouvarinia, RIBs. Avon tend to have smaller tubes and flatter profiles on the water.makes for a wetter ride; AB have larger tubes and a Mae West kind of profile on the water. This can make for more wind resistance and drag. AB's tend to be very light though. Caribes are one of the most comfortable dry rides. They tend to be a little heavier than published on some models.If weights not a big deal then go with a Caribe. I like the quality of the construction and fabric of the Nouvarinias and their attention to details which is a reflection of their prices....about 25% more than the rest.
I would rather buy a 15 year old Hypalon in good shape than a one year old PVC.
In checking out the fabric of a hypalon boat look at the porosity of the fabric on the top of the tube and bottom. Are they similar or is it porous from being left out in the sun and baked dry. I wouldn't buy a painted unit either. Painting is a temporary fix and hard to repair later on.
If buying new i would buy light grey and never white. White shows mold too easily. Darker colors tend to get too hot. Although i really like yellow.....
Sorry to ramble......I really like my rides and thought i'd share my experiences.
Motors are a hole other discussion. Safe to say that the two stroke are generally lighter. the newer four stroke have come down in weight to be competitive. and the fours are quieter and no adding oil.
thanks for listening
Rich
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