TUBE MANUFACTURE

ARK Inflatables enjoys an excellent reputation for custom and turnkey tube/sponson manufacture and is the first choice for commercial applications. ARK has had over 21 years experience in this discipline.

We pride ourselves in providing unrivaled customer service, valuable design input, and superior products.

Tubes are sent to all four corners of the globe, packaged and ready to fit. ARK is situated in the Cape of Storms area of South Africa, giving us an unparalleled opportunity to test our products in some of the heaviest waters in the world.

Our CAD design experience and production techniques allow us to efficiently manufacture any type or shape of tube, whether single custom or volume production.

Whether you are needing just one replacement tube for your old RIB, or you are designing a RIB for production, and you require OEM tubes to be mass produced - ARK has the know-how and experience.

RETUBING RIBS

The hard-bottom and engines of your RIB are fine, but your tubes look tired and leak, and frequent patching has not solved the problem? Then extend your life of your RIB, and retube - your boat will look as good as new.

The new PVC components are marked and cut using patterns from our libraries, or using the existing tube as the pattern. After welding, the tubes progress to the finishing department, where the tubes are bonded to the hull and reinforced with strips. We then thermo-bond the handles, D-rings and fender strips, and also fit custom logos, graphics and any other accessories required.

ARK Inflatables is able to retube all types and brands of RIBS, using the same imported high quality PVC used in our whitewater rafts. You bring your RIB to our facility and we do the rest. Enjoy your boating - knowing our expertise in welding and fitting PVC sponsons is matched by our excellent after-sales service.

SPONSON MANUFACTURE

Tubes for Industrial Work boats

If you are really looking for a 'tugboat' version of a RIB, ask for our Diamond Back fully fendered version tubes. These were originally developed for the extreme conditions required by offshore diamond divers, and have since also found favour in other heavy duty offshore applications. Tubes are fully covered in a 10mm thick rubber, laid up in strips and thermo-bonded to the tube.

Cad design and OEM manufacturing

Our CAD design and digital cutting capability allows us to design your boat and present a 3D image before production. Our designers then refine this digital tube to precisely fit the customer's hull. The trick to this part, is our proprietary design software compensates for different fabric stretches under pressure.

Once the design is approved and completed, the cut-file is transferred to the digital plotter-cutter machine to be automatically marked out and cut. We cut one layer of fabric at a time. The single layer cutting permits visibility and QA inspection of every piece as it is being cut.

Once a sponson has been manufactured, it passes through the quality assurance processes that include air-tightness and verifying that dimensions under pressure meet original design. Only then are the products packaged and dispatched from our factory in Cape Town to you.

If you'd like to know more contact us.