Although the Nitrilon material appears very durable and the designs are pretty good, the vulcanizing has completely failed after only 8 years and can’t be repaired. The boat was lightly used and impeccably maintained. The distributor has been unhelpful. I can’t know if i got a defective boat or they all will fail similarly.
Well, if yours is 8 years old, you have a product that is no longer available from a company that was sold and apparently dissolved, the new owner just keeping the name and distribution channels to bring in a different company’s products.
From 2019 Innova by Gumotex Inflatable Kayak Line Update - GO AIRKAYAKS.COM
" In 2016, Gumotex acquired the company and assets for Innova, Gumotex’s US-based dealership, and began importing more of the Gumotex product line to the US under the name Innova Kayaks by Gumotex."
Also of note, not an inflatable expert here, but my general feel that inflatables in general do have issues over time, so 8 years may not be an unreasonable life. Even the multi-thousand dollar Hobie inflatables apparently can have this. I had my eye on an Hobie I12S inflatable, and have been warned off due to seam failures (possibly the reason Hobie discontinued that model).
8 to 10 years is about how long an inflatable with glued tube seams lasts, regardless of how much you use it. That is the trade off between like a PVC inflatable or one made Hypalon, like a SOAR that has a welded seams. You pay half as much, but they only last about half as long. I have had Stars, Saturns, and right now, I have a Sea Eagle. Longest any have lasted was 9 years before the seams started going. Before Star was taken over by NRS you could send them in to be re-glued, and I have re-done some myself, but after having a seam fail halfway through a trip down the Rio Chama , I don’t keep them much past the first time they start leaking. I have seen a few that are almost all drop stitch rather than just the floor and I would be curious to see how long one of those lasts but again you are looking at an $1,800 boat as opposed to a $800 one.