Re: pvc guage thickness?
Is the higher number gauge thicker for inflatable boats?
If the material is an unreinforced synthetic film, like a beach ball or air mattress, the thickness is gauged (measured) in mils (1/1000" or 0.001"), or in metric as milimeters or decimal fractions thereof.
When the film is fused with a reinforcing fabric, measurement of the fabric replaces rating by film thickness alone.
Fabric Differences in Inflatable Boats
http://www.allinflatables.com/support/general.html#fabrics
The basic difference between boat manufacturer's fabrics is the chemical composition of the materials used.
In supported fabric boats (those with threads in the material), the fabric strength is measured by the weight of the thread used. Denier or Decitex(metric) is the unit of measure, not a type of fabric.
Denier is a unit of measure for the linear mass density of fibers. It is defined as the mass in grams per 9,000 meters. The denier has its standard based in nature, a single strand of silk is one denier. Therefore, a sampled 9,000 meters length of silk will weigh one gram.
Tex is a unit of measure for the linear mass density of fibers and is defined as the mass in grams per 1000 meters. Tex is more likely to be used in Canada and Continental Europe, while denier remains more common in the United States and United Kingdom. The unit code is "tex". The most commonly used unit is actually the decitex, abbreviated dtex, which is the mass in grams per 10,000 meters.
1000 Denier = 1100 Decitex
The type of thread varies from Dacron to Nylon as does the tightness of the weave. Many heavy duty backpacks are listed at being made of 1000 denier thread. Most foul weather gear is 220 or 440 denier. Zodiac boats are made of 1000 denier and up fabric (the HD's are as high as 1800). Some other companies vary the weight of the fabric with the weight of the boat. Some "light" duty boats are 200 denier.
The tightness of the weave is another measure. You may have a 9x9 weave (threads/square centimeter) or a 3x3. The weight of the thread is important when considering weave density. You can put many pieces of thread in a square centimeter, but a 2x2 weave of 1/8" line will
be stronger. Density must make sense with fabric weight.
