2.7m SIB deck air/alu deck? Honwave/Zodiac

Max... · 03 June 2011, 10:44

Hi Chaps,

Had to sell my 4.7m Searider earlier this year and just planning to buy a small SIB for occasional leisure use. Will be mainly inland rivers/Norfolk Broards but the odd summer potter along the coast - nothing at all like the SR 'RIB' type of thing - I'm talking carry it to the beach on fine, sunny calm days only and venturing no more than a few hundred metres from shore.

Important points are compactness and portability by myself and the wife or myself only with transom mounted wheels. Easy take down when necessary (probably keep it mostly inflated in the garage over summer) but do not want to trailer it - ideally something that will partially deflate and go in the back of a Land Rover 110. Capacity for 2 adults + 2 small kids.

Engine has to be *four* stroke and portable by me.

Don't need any rough water capability or deep V style hull.

Thinking a 2.7m Honwave or similar equivilent Zodiac etc.

Seems the alu floor Honwave is 54kg - the air V deck is 34 KG. I like the lighter weight obviously but a 'solid' flat floor appeals and would probably be more suited for our use...? Is the 20KG difference in practical use the difference between it being easily liftable by two or *not*?

Also put off by reading many topics re' the Honwave floor needs the £100 Bravo pump and the floor pressure is critical...

Have also read that difference between a 6HP and a 8HP is quite a lot in weight - again one easy to carry the other bordering on not?! Is the 6HP enough? For coastal use it would mostly be just me and the 8 year old.

Would welcome any thoughts on set-up etc.

willk · 03 June 2011, 11:51

I think it's too small. I have one, and no way are you putting two adults and two kids in it.

Max... · 03 June 2011, 12:28

Really? Not even pottering along rivers at 3 - 5 knots?

PeterM · 03 June 2011, 12:36

I'd not go for the Honwave as the launching wheels are I think painful / expensive due to the built in hull extensions in the air floor ?

I had a 2.6 Excel SD airfloor, so so much cheaper than the honwave and I was impressed . Oh and the air floors are flat , with a keel underneath so not like the internal V of the Honwave.

I think they may do a 2.9 which would give some more room for kids & stuff. Slow speed I think you would get away with a 2.7 just not have much comfort which would be painful/ annoying after a while .

unless you stick 15 hp on it, then you'ld only get 6-7 knts out of it loaded up, 2 up and 6 or 8 hp I think would get you planing. And a 15hp start to weigh in for a 4stroke ..

Just my 2p worth ...

Edit - yes they do a 2.9m ; http://www.excel-inflatables.co.uk/b...able-sd290.htm

Fenlander · 03 June 2011, 13:29

We've had the last 3yrs with a 3.2m Zodiac for 2 adults and 2 small teens. Even on the river 2.7m is very short for 2+2.

We have a 27kg 9.8hp 2-stroke and I would not consider a 4-stroke due to the weight. You might just plane with 1+1 and a 6hp, I'm sure you would easily with an 8hp.

Our 3.2m weighs 52kg and it's OK for 2 adults to carry on easy ground but down banks or greasy slips and over deep sand it's a little harder. Every few kg saved really does help.

We are just upgrading to the 3.4m-4.0m range and the weight issue is a major stress.

Hugh Jardon · 03 June 2011, 14:09

we can get two adults and two children and two dogs in a 2.75 yam on the canal and we have even had 4 adults and 2 little kids in it. It is all rather cosy but it was fine, but the engine has integral fuel tank which makes a difference, a 3.4 gives a lot more usuable space which can then be dimished if you have an inflatable thwart and or a large fuel tank or in the worst case both!

Max... · 03 June 2011, 14:34

Thanks for the input - all thoughts welcome, kids are 4 and 8 so not big teens.

Peter - like the look of that Excel - how is yours holding up after some use? do you have any decent pics you can share or email me please?

PeterM · 03 June 2011, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

Thanks for the input - all thoughts welcome, kids are 4 and 8 so not big teens.

Peter - like the look of that Excel - how is yours holding up after some use? do you have any decent pics you can share or email me please?

It was so good someone nicked it after 6 months

but was doing well until then .

Seriously I was a little sceptical when I go it, but was very impressed with the build but once I had it out and in use got a lot of good comments. I considered Honda etc , but just silly money for a little fun/ tender etc ...

I'd buy one again with no hesitation if I needed something like that. Someone else on here has also had good things to say too. Maybe a search will show them up ?

Pete

Hugh Jardon · 03 June 2011, 15:06

Our yam 275 with yam four stroke 4 hp was 550, it was about 2 yrs old and like new, has hard floor.

I assume it was a good price unless someone advises I paid over the odds

C-NUMB · 03 June 2011, 16:02

I owned a 3.0 M SIB and that's about the smallest I would buy, what ever use. Weight difference is no huge compared to a 2,7 long.

It's correct that the pressure of the airfloor is critical, but issues applies only at higher speeds. So if You intend to potter around whit a relative small engine, would not expect any issues whit the air floor, even if not always inflated to 100% correct pressure.

Assembly of an airfloor I so much easier, so if You want a truly mobile boat, would go for an airfloor in 3 M + range.

lockieboi · 03 June 2011, 17:49

look here.

PROWAVE INFLATABLES FOR UK INFLATABLE BOAT SALES, TENDERS,DINGHIES ALL AT GREAT PRICES!

i know they are not very well know but i had one the, 320 airdeck and am about to buy another one of them, the 380 ali deck.

they come with the launch wheels and seat and seat bags thrown in and are reasonably priced.

John Kennett · 04 June 2011, 09:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

Engine has to be *four* stroke and portable by me.

For a given horsepower, a 2 stroke will be more portable. But I guess you've taken that into consideration

Quote:

Thinking a 2.7m Honwave or similar equivilent Zodiac etc.

I would go a bit bigger. Something like 3.1m or 3.4m would give you a lot more boat, but not much more to carry.

Quote:

Also put off by reading many topics re' the Honwave floor needs the £100 Bravo pump and the floor pressure is critical...

It doesn't need a £100 pump, a £20 Quicksilver stirrup pump will do the job perfectly well. The absolute floor pressure isn't really critical, it's just critical that you get it up to around the right pressure.

Quote:

Have also read that difference between a 6HP and a 8HP is quite a lot in weight - again one easy to carry the other bordering on not?! Is the 6HP enough? For coastal use it would mostly be just me and the 8 year old.

Go with the biggest one you're comfortably carrying. Maybe consider a 2 stroke?

My preference, having owned a variety of different SIBs and outboards, is for an airdeck of some sort if you'll be packing it away each time you use it. For the use you describe a flat air floor with an inflatable keel will be fine. From what you have said, something like a Quicksilver 310 or 340 Airdeck would do well. Those Prowave's sound like a pretty good deal too.

Max... · 04 June 2011, 18:20

Chaps - thanks for all the advice. I'm quite impressed by the Excel that Pete flagged up (the flat/reinforced/replacable air floor, SS fittings, two seats etc) - thinking as well that the 2.9m might be the optimium length. Engine has to be four stroke and umming and ahhing about a 6hp or 8hp...

Went over to Newhaven today and popped in a large chandlers there to check sizes of SIB's- no names mentioned but my wife and I were truly flabbergasted by the surly and totally offish attitude of the 'salemen'...really, really bad.

Anyway, later down at Seaford saw two young guys launching a 2.7m Quicksilver - one of them shouldering a 10hp four stroke down the beach!

A bit younger than me but I reckon I could handle an 8hp the short way we would need carry it.

So, looks like a 2.9m SIB and a 8hp or so is the likely set-up but once more I would welcome advice on the real world difference an 8 makes over a 5/6hp?

willk · 04 June 2011, 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

So, looks like a 2.9m SIB and a 8hp or so is the likely set-up but once more I would welcome advice on the real world difference an 8 makes over a 5/6hp?

Think about the weights and the likely usage.

With the family on, an 8hp won't plane the boat.
With one up, a 6hp should.
In many of the manufacturers ranges, the 4/5/6s weigh the same, the 8/10s are heavier (40kg

), the 15s heavier again.

In your case, maybe the 6hp with built in tank, frees up space, easy to carry, not gonna plane with the family anyway, unless you go 10hp and maybe not even then...

Me, I'd stick my engine on there...

Max... · 05 June 2011, 09:37

If I could get over my anti-2 stroke bias - something like the rig below would have been awesome and a real flyer - bit of a hefty premium on it due to the lovely Yam 15HP though. A brand new 3.2 Honwave is under £900.

Honwave T32-IE '06+Yamaha 15hp 2 Stroke 2005+Bowbag | eBay UK

Does a 2 stroke 15 really only weigh 34KG??

Lockieboi - got any decent pics or more feedback on your 3.2 Prowave please?

At the end of the day I would probably have to settle for what I can find for sale as I'm buying secondhand - I would consider a new boat but seperate second hand engine but they don't seem so easy to find...

lockieboi · 05 June 2011, 10:09

Hi mate here's some pics.

They bought out a new design this year so the colours are slightly different.
Shame you weren't after a sib a week ago, just sold it.

lockieboi · 05 June 2011, 10:22

Hi mate here's some pics.

They bought out a new design this year so the colours are slightly different.
Shame you weren't after a sib a week ago, just sold it.

Hugh Jardon · 05 June 2011, 14:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

If I could get over my anti-2 stroke bias - something like the rig below would have been awesome and a real flyer - bit of a hefty premium on it due to the lovely Yam 15HP though. A brand new 3.2 Honwave is under £900.

Honwave T32-IE '06+Yamaha 15hp 2 Stroke 2005+Bowbag | eBay UK

Does a 2 stroke 15 really only weigh 34KG??

Lockieboi - got any decent pics or more feedback on your 3.2 Prowave please?

At the end of the day I would probably have to settle for what I can find for sale as I'm buying secondhand - I would consider a new boat but seperate second hand engine but they don't seem so easy to find...

the 15 yam and the 9.9 are almost identical and you can easily mod the 9.9 to be a 15, that may open up some more choices for you when you are searching.

Max... · 06 June 2011, 12:49

Thanks Hugh, I may defintiely have to consider a 2 stroke after comments on here and a few hours this weekend looking back over similar topics.

The 2 stroke 9.9HP could be a great partner to the 3.2 and the option to convert to 15 if a bigger boat/more power desired is handy. Where can I find more on this conversion and does it apply to a specific model? Have read the Tohatsu is also convertable??

Problem with all this is you start out thinking a nice light, easily launched economical 2.7 with 5/6 hp is ideal, then you realise a 3.2 with 8 or 10 hp is better, before you know it the 3.6 with a 15 is on the cards and you're a long way away from the light/cheap/easy to carry original idea........

br1anuk · 06 June 2011, 21:32

You should have a look at the Zodiac Activ-v 3.1m airdeck secondhand with a Tohatsu 9.8hp 2 stroke and a set of genuine Zodiac launch wheels.

The wholly grail.

Brian.