Tribo-tape for canal narrow boat sliding hatches
The narrow boat sliding hatch on canal boats is nowadays as ever present as the main entrance. The practicality of a sliding hatch, the intended ease of use and its space saving abilities are the main reasons for their success. They usually consist of two pieces of angle iron welded to the roof of the boat. The hatch then slides forward and backwards on runners.
However, there are some issues that can occur affecting the hatch movement, such as metal to metal wear, making the hatch hard to manoeuvre. Another issue is the potential for gouge marks to occur if the runners are forced into a movement. Adverse weather conditions can also play a part with the degradation of the narrow boat sliding hatch, being exposed to the elements over time will cause rust and corrosion, which in turn will also affect the movement of the sliding hatch.
Some common preventatives for such issues are standard teak wood and Vaseline and PU sealant which can work temporarily however these aren’t considered long term solutions and can actually be detrimental because of the potential build of of dirt and debris that can build up on the runners.
igus® has recently developed its new tribo-tape material, made from tribologically optimised iglidur® materials. Designed to reduce wear on a wide range of applications due to its low friction and abrasion values, the tribo-tape has maintenance-free dry-running properties that in turn, improve all types of sliding surfaces. Tribo-tape can improve the function of a sliding hatch door by eliminating alignment issues from wood expansion. There is also no need for lubrication so dirt and dust particles are not attracted to the runners or hatch, which also assists with the long term smooth running of the sliding hatch.
With a variation of materials, widths and thicknesses available, this versatile product can be mechanically attached or the self adhesive option would be the best option.
