FLEXIBLE AND DURABLE SURFACE COATINGS FOR INFLATABLES During the past couple of decades, a range of rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) have been built and refined by companies to meet the demands and stresses of maritime rescue services. 34 June 2016 M A T E R I A L S The combination of rigid hull and large inflatable buoyancy tubes was first developed in the 1960s. The early inflatable sections were not very robust and were prone to deflating. Research showed that the strength and durability of the inflatable sections, often referred to as fenders, could be dramatically improved by using spray-applied surface coatings to cover the tubes. To be successful, coatings must be strong, flexible and resistant to the ravages of continual exposure to salt water and UV light. Polyurethane coatings produced by Gold Coast-based Rhino Linings Australasia (RLA) are used by some RHIB manufacturers to protect and strengthen the inflatable sections, in addition to providing non-slip walkways on deck sections when required. One versatile surface coating in particular, Rhino Tuff Stuff, provides maximum slip resistance with enhanced protection against impact, abrasion and corrosion. Spray-on application creates a single, seamless coating, that conforms to any shape and size and bonds to virtually any substrates. Polyurethane coatings made by the company have a patented mix ratio that have been developed over many years. “We have dedicated staff who understand the chemistry of the product,” said Denis Baker, special projects engineer at RLA. “They have a great depth of knowledge and experience for which products can be used and in what situations.” The elastomeric properties of the Rhino Linings coating systems allow for application to surfaces that are subject to vibration, expansion, contraction, movement, flexing, abrasion and impact. The selected coating in this case is extremely flexible while maintaining its integrity under repeated flexing, regardless of film thickness. “The polyurethane material used in Tuff Stuff has been tested by Australia’s premier research organisation, CSIRO, and has been certified as a Class III ‘Wet Area Membrane’,” Baker added RHIBs range in size from 4 to 9 metres, although they can be as long as 18 metres. Their shallow draught, high manoeuvrability, speed and relative immunity to damage in low-speed collisions are advantages in the situations in which they operate. Constructed with a solid, shaped hull
EN jun16-LR
To see the actual publication please follow the link above