Hyperlast Rescues the RNLI

The RNLI Lifeboat stationed at Appledore in Devon is a 47’ long Tyne class lifeboat moored 300 metres offshore in a tidal estuary at the confluence of the rivers Taw and Torridge. Tidal action here has led to problems, with typical mooring buoys jamming under the boat’s bow causing damage to paint and hull from the buoy’s metal fixings. The tide also runs quickly (up to 6 knots) partially submerging the mooring buoy at full flood. The RNLI therefore needed a new buoy that could withstand the hard-wearing tidal action and be buoyant enough to remain on the surface.

‘Hyperlast’® 7980306, a new design of resilient foam elastomer, provides the right material solution for protecting the new buoy, a 2-metre diameter mushroom shape with a radiused outer edge to minimise the amount of surface area in contact with the boat.

Hippo Marine of Saltash, Cornwall designed and moulded the buoy outer surface with ‘Hyperlast 7980306’. “The bespoke ‘Hyperlast’ polyurethane elastomer provided the perfect answer to the RNLI problem,” says Hyperlast Limited’s, Shaun Robertson, “ ‘Hyperlast 7980306’ demonstrates great elasticity and return to shape. It’s easy to mould in cool conditions, takes on colour pigmentation well and is very buoyant. It fitted their bill!”

The RNLI also reports an effective result. The buoy has been installed at the station and has proved to be extremely successful in all tidal and wind conditions. It is also stable and buoyant enough to sit on top of a fast running tide.

Hyperlast Limited offer a wide range of products within the marine sector: the 'Hyperlast'® polyurethane coating range, for example, has many marine engineering applications: ropes, mooring lines, nets, buoys, fenders, electro-mechanical cable protectors, to name a few. 'Hyperlast' is resistant to water and is extremely abrasion resistant above, below and in the splash zone. As such, it is the ideal material providing protection and durability whilst preserving the functional integrity and performance of the core.

The spray-applied 'Hyperlast' polyurethane provides a long-lasting protective coat that is tough enough to withstand the marine environment and resist the growth of marine organisms. The application is light-weight and does not substantially increase overall weight or affect buoyancy specifications.
Hyperlast Limited is, globally, a preferred supplier of many other polyurethane products for a very wide range of applications across all industry sectors. Part of the British Vita group, Hyperlast is well known for its ‘Autothane’® micro-cellular elastomers that are to be found in the suspension systems of F1 race and series production cars throughout the world, and also the ‘Hyperlast Syntactic DW-512’® range, which is engineered for the oil industry’s deepwater flowline insulation and protection applications.