Advise for a freshman please

[ian parkes]

Originally Posted by Richard B

If you check out your facts, you'll find that it''s in spec for this model.

Thats good should go well

What about the fin though would that have been fitted because its stern heavy or are there other reasons for fitting it ?

[RichardP]

I checked your web site Richard B. and it made me feel better - at least when it goes about towing vehicle choice. Is that a 4 or 6 cyl Merc? You towing more than double the weight of my package so I think I should be OK with my VW. Nice boat too...
I'll get some advice on that fin issue.

[Nos4r2]

Search this site for doelfin(s) or doel fin and see what you come up with. There's a lot of + and - points to having them. I've had a bad experience with them but some love 'em...

General consensus (though never owned them) is that smart tabs are better though.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by RichardP

I checked your web site Richard B. and it made me feel better - at least when it goes about towing vehicle choice. Is that a 4 or 6 cyl Merc? You towing more than double the weight of my package so I think I should be OK with my VW. Nice boat too...
I'll get some advice on that fin issue.

Lovely boat. Previous owner was a top bloke

[Tomas]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Search this site for doelfin(s) or doel fin and see what you come up with. There's a lot of + and - points to having them. I've had a bad experience with them but some love 'em...

General consensus (though never owned them) is that smart tabs are better though.

I mounted a 50 Johnson on my 4.7 Searider and ended up with Doel Fins which seem (to me) to have made an improvement in three areas.

1. I troll a lot at around 7 kts. and the fins make it easier to stay in that
groove without bogging down or running away.

2. The 50 was not the max hp spec for this boat and the fins seem to make
it easier to get up on a plane with a heavy load.

3. I do a lot of diving and the fins make for a real nice step when boarding
the boat.

I don't monitor WOT speed and my guess is that the fins slow the boat to some degree, just my intuition. Performance flat out however remains just fine for me and in 1.5 to 2 meter seas I don't have the cajones to run flat out anyway...or possibly more accurately speaking, I wouldn't have any cajones left were I do do much of that in a 4.7 meter hull!

After nine years of hard use I can say one thing about the fins. They are durable. I am familiar with trim tabs but not familiar with smart tabs and will look for more info just out of curiosity. I've got this bug where I might upgrade to a 5.85 Ribcraft so I'm collecting information on all the details various systems to possibly maximize the set-up on a new boat. As posted elsewhere, the SeaRider after nine years is still tough as nails with no problems noted on either the tubes or the hull even with our brutal UV index down here!

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by Alan

When I had a 7.5m boat and trailer (around 2250kg all up) I used an Isuzu Trooper SUV.

A lot will depend on how much towing and where you are towing it. If your limit is house to ramp and back and it only a short distance then you'll be fine. I used to drive a Trooper Alan, and when I got my new boat (the 590) I managed to blow rings in the truck engine three times in six months. This was from towing at 130 km/h down major highways. Once I upgraded to a Yukon, I had no problems at all...

The boat looks like it's in good shape, but if it has been used in salt water and not maintained properly, you might be in for a world of hurt. Perhaps insist on an impartial inspection by a marine mechanic. As was pointed out, this might be a little pricey, but there isn't the same supply of used boats here.

[farsider]

So how did it turn out RichardP? Just curious as i have been looking around the area also and the more info the the better. The pickens are slim out here on the wet coast and the sellers know it

[pathalla]

Looks like a pretty nice rig, if you like it when you run it buy it, it will give you lots of enjoyable days out. It looks to me like you have a black painted aluminum wheel (Yamaha has both black and white aluminum props) with some paint taken off from touching bottom a bit in sand or from prop cavitation, with enough cavitation paint can be taken right off the blades. A few things I would check or want to know if buying the boat... if the engine shows little use (nice paint, very clean under the cowling) it probably does have very little running time. If you are worried check/compare compression with factory numbers on the cylinders, that will tell you a lot. I am a fan of Yamahas, the motors I have owned have been very reliable. I would definitely check the shaft length on the motor, Yamaha builds motors with different shaft lengths, trim the motor all the way down with the boat on the trailer, the prop should just clear the bottom of the boat. (keel) Sometimes people buy a motor with incorrect shaft length, too short and it will cavitate like crazy in turns or in waves, the doel fin could have been fitted to address cavitation if it is too short. It looks like the boat has a pretty deep vee in comparision to the motor's shaft length but that could just be because of the picture angle. Hope it is all ok and works out for you, good luck!! Oh, and Happy Holidays!!

[prairie tuber]

Here is a link to a PDF file on the specs for this boat. Max power is 90 hp and max engine weight is 348 lbs.

http://www.zodiacmilpro.com/product/zodiac/500SRMN.pdf

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by pathalla

It looks to me like you have a black painted aluminum wheel (Yamaha has both black and white aluminum props) with some paint taken off from touching bottom a bit in sand or from prop cavitation, with enough cavitation paint can be taken right off the blades.

Got news for you, buddy;

With enough cavitation, aluminum can be taken right off the blades. Don't ask how I know, as I'll disavow all knowledge of running a prop without a spacer to take up the slack between the prop and the prop nut...

jky

[enwulff]

Do yourself a favor and have a certified engine tech take a look at the engine and steering system and do a full service on it prior to buying it. Check the manual for what a 100 or 200 hour service would be but it would involve at least changing the oil, fuel filters, lower unit oil, and the spark plugs. They can also do a computer diagnostic on the engine to make sure that it is running inline with the specs and doesn't need anything adjusted in terms of idle or timing. You will spend a couple of hundred bucks servicing it, but you should get it done anyways when you buy somebody elses boat and you will know that for the next 100 hours you shouldn't have much problems.

Ask the tech to give his opinion on how well the enginge has been maintained. If the tech sees a problem, the only thing you are on the hook for is the cost to service the engine. Having a bad engine is the biggest $$$$$ problem you could have with a RIB.

When I bought my RIB there was a very small leak in the hydraulic steering shaft that got worse over time. I never picked up on it, till it was to late, though I did notice some oily residue on the transom. I just assumed it always was from the grease fitting on the engine. The good news was all the parts to replace the steering system were under warranty and all I had to pay for was the labor.

[pathalla]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

Got news for you, buddy;

With enough cavitation, aluminum can be taken right off the blades. Don't ask how I know, as I'll disavow all knowledge of running a prop without a spacer to take up the slack between the prop and the prop nut...

jky

Haven't done that yet John but there is a first time for everything.

[RichardP]

Sorry for such late reply; have not been checking the thread lately... I only had the boat on the water few times as the weather turned ugly (Farsider would now) with rain and snow - that would be one of only few disatvantages of ribing - kind of hard to hold an umbrella over your head while riding... As the prop goes - it is SS with few dings but straight as far as I can say. I will have the engine serviced with new season and I may find out some more info on its shape than but I feel pretty optimistic. One thing I noticed is that when trimmed all the way down I get some vibrations from it; may this be something to do with aftermentioned cavitation? It disappears with little notch up. Otherwise it goes like a stink - I'll now exactly how fast when I finally install my new GPS/chartplotter.
It is somwhat transom heavy, especially with people sitting on the back bench (I think that's why the fin was fitted) but I'm trying to do some modifications with weight distribution ie anchor chain and another seat at front of the console to counter act it.
Farsider - if you want some more info on what's available in Vancouver area (I've been keeping good eye on what's out there) send me a private message.
To everyone - thanks for all the info and I hope to see you out there...
Richard

[RichardP]

Forgot to attach it to the last reply... Sorry don't have any pics on the water.
By the way: does anyone have a simple explanation on what is the difference between Zodiac SRMN (what I have) and Hurricane - some of you may laugh at me for asking but when I was trying to compare specs it was'nt so obvious - SRMN actually has heavier Hypalon (1800) and is built to military specs ("Zodiac's SRMN were originally built for Military use so their hulls are reinforced to take the maximum G forces that are applied when fully laden and powered at maximum speed"). I know Hurricane is significantly more expensive (SRMN is no cheapie either). I'm sure Stoo will have something to say on that topic if he gets a hold of it
Maybe I should start a new thread... will see
Richard

[pathalla]

good luck with the boat Richard, hope it turns out to be everything you anticipate and then some, Peace, Pat