A good all rounder???

tonye · 17 June 2011, 17:20

Hey guys,

Firstly let me apologies lol for more newby questions! I’ve read tons of posts (great forum btw!) and still have more questions

I think the best thing is for me to describe my situation. The boat will largely be used at sea for beach hopping & coast exploring with my girlfriend or fishing and spearfishing with a mate. It would be great if we could do some water skiing as well. I wouldn’t have thought it would ever have more than 2 adults in it, maybe on occasion it will have 3 people in it tops but very rarely.

I think more often than not I would be on my own though, so launching it is a bit of a concern. It will be launched from various places not just strips etc. It would also need to be packed away after every trip unfortunately however I do have a van so plenty of space lol. It would be ace if it was as hassle free as possible to set up and strip down.

It would be ace if it could thrash around in the chop however I think I’m hoping or all things from one boat. I think stability will come with size, which I’m assuming I will struggle to launch on my own and I suppose I don’t really need the space anyway. Although there is something very attractive about a nice big boat lol

Budget would be £1.5 - £2.5 top end (pref as low as possible though) and second hand would probably be best with my budget.

I should add that I know very little about boats and outboards except what I’ve read on here however I’m a fast learner and love adventure which I’m hoping this SIB will bring

What would you guys recommend then & thanks in advance!

willk · 17 June 2011, 17:55

Welcome to RIBnet. Let me look into my crystal ball a mo...

hmmm.

I see them...

I see the members recommending something for you...

I see a Somme Barge, no, a Lombardini, no, not that either...

Oh, it's a Bombard 380 Aerodeck with a 15hp Yammie two stroke.

Channel Ribs · 17 June 2011, 17:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

it's a Bombard 380 Aerodeck with a 15hp Yammie two stroke.

It has to be said that this is a very popular set up

Though I would want way more power.

tonye · 17 June 2011, 18:03

Lol that made me proper laugh

What kind of price do you think I should aim to pay?

willk · 17 June 2011, 18:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Channel Ribs

It has to be said that this is a very popular set up

Popular! That combo caught on here quicker than the clap.

Channel Ribs · 17 June 2011, 18:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonye

What kind of price do you think I should aim to pay?

We have one going locally for 850, which seems a good price.

With engines, it all depends what you want.

willk · 17 June 2011, 18:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonye

What kind of price do you think I should aim to pay?

Oh, I don't do prices, but I'd bet if you gave a few of our Atlases a month or two of shouldering 15hp lumps down pebble beaches, you might get a good deal on one...

tonye · 17 June 2011, 18:23

Here's potentially a silly question

Fishing and inflatable boats... Its not a recipe for disaster yeah???

Max... · 17 June 2011, 18:36

Nothing is more of an exercise in compromise than the world of boating. Like many of us here you might find the first boat you buy was not right and you quickly move on - think carefully though how serious you are about skiing - take that out of the equation and it opens up a lot more choice and a lot more lighter weight, easily managable rigs - if it *has* to be packed in a boot and you *really* need to do some skiing (will be gentle pairs skiing if a 25 HP SIB) then the 380 is probably the only thing to go for.

Without the skiing any of the air floor SIBS around 3.5m with a 10 or 15 HP 2 stroke will be very managable and affordable. Don't worry about the inflatable floor/fishing (spearing!) thing - a thin sheet of marine ply on the floor will protect it and give a better base for all the gear.

Max... · 17 June 2011, 18:45

Forgot to say - have a look through previous topics - I have spent hours and hours this last few weeks checking out past contributions to arrive at what hopefully will be a reasonable choice for our needs - similar budget, 2 or (rarely 3) adults + 2 little kids (but mostly 1 adult + 1 child). No water sports but some gentle summer coastal use with river pottering mostly.

Ended up going for a Zodiac Fastroller 3.4 with Toooohaaaaaaatsusususu 9.8 2 stroke - picking it up tomorrow.

Some helpful topics here:

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/looking...sib-21352.html

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/new-sib...nce-13478.html

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/what-si...tml#post292291

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/propose...ity-41821.html

tonye · 17 June 2011, 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Max...

Nothing is more of an exercise in compromise than the world of boating. Like many of us here you might find the first boat you buy was not right and you quickly move on - think carefully though how serious you are about skiing - take that out of the equation and it opens up a lot more choice and a lot more lighter weight, easily managable rigs - if it *has* to be packed in a boot and you *really* need to do some skiing (will be gentle pairs skiing if a 25 HP SIB) then the 380 is probably the only thing to go for.

Without the skiing any of the air floor SIBS around 3.5m with a 10 or 15 HP 2 stroke will be very managable and affordable. Don't worry about the inflatable floor/fishing (spearing!) thing - a thin sheet of marine ply on the floor will protect it and give a better base for all the gear.

Hi Max and thanks for the response I appreciate it. Can I just check what you mean by "will be gentle pairs skiing if a 25 HP SIB", I didn't quite follow?

Hmm, do I need the skiing, I would have to say no (but I defo have to pack it away), however it adds an extra dimension to the fun it can bring. I suppose this choice comes down to the potencial price saving that eliminating this factor out would provide - any ideas roughly what I could save by cutting the skiing off would bring?

PS

Yeah I make a far better spearfisherman than a roddy lol

willk · 17 June 2011, 18:51

Fishing is not an issue - lots of nobbas on here do it. A bit of old lino on the floor and a big plastic box to bait up in and land fish into is the key.

And NO POINTY KNIVES!!!

After that it's a case of packing a clamshell repair kit and a means of reinflating a downed tube section. In case the worse does happen. You're much more likely to damage it against a pontoon or debris. Pumps are bulky to pack. I've been working on a compact solution for my tiny rig. This is what I've come up with. Next bit is to add a pressure gauge to it....

bigscott · 17 June 2011, 19:00

Tonye I spearfish off a Bombard aerotec 380. Its a popular spearo boat within the LIC and the BSA. They are a lot lighter than the ali floor equivalent and I launch mine single handed without any problems

I always cover the spear with an off cut piece of rubber aswell as covering the stringer just incase they come into contact witht the floor or tubes.

One thing I never do is put a fish on the deck. I leave it on the float, climb back in the boat then lift them out the water and straight into the cooler or storage box.

They great boats and take 10 minutes to inflate, no faffing around with flooring just roll it out and pump her up

I paid £650 for mine second hand. came with launch wheels, bow bag, foot pump and oars and cant be happier.

As far as launching goes its a piece of cake. I do cheat a little and tie the boat to the van roof rack and drive it up the slipway at the end of a hard days diving

Max... · 17 June 2011, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonye

Hi Max and thanks for the response I appreciate it. Can I just check what you mean by "will be gentle pairs skiing if a 25 HP SIB", I didn't quite follow?

Hmm, do I need the skiing, I would have to say no (but I defo have to pack it away), however it adds an extra dimension to the fun it can bring. I suppose this choice comes down to the potencial price saving that eliminating this factor out would provide - any ideas roughly what I could save by cutting the skiing off would bring?

PS

Yeah I make a far better spearfisherman than a roddy lol

Well, for sure no deep water mono starts with a 25 HP SIB - maybe you could drop one but as soon as you start traversing on a mono with a 40 KG SIB and just 25 HP it's going to pull the boat all over the place! My previous boat was a very capable 4.7m RIB with 60 HP that was purchased as I wanted a boat to potentially ski behind - the realities of the UK weather, minimum 1m swell whenever we went out and the un-inviting not to mention potentially deadly UK sea temperature made me think again. (As a younger man I was fortunate to have family who lived in the med and every summer holiday morning was spent skiing on 'glass' at bath-like temperatures behind a 150 HP V8). Lack of places/time to launch and space/money it took up meant I am going for a SIB and I think it will be much more usable for general 'mucking about on the water'.

Mollers · 17 June 2011, 19:32

For a 'grown-up' to ski/wakeboard behind a 50 is lame, any less is hopeless. Buy a 4m Searider wearing a 50, sensibly, the best 'bang for buck' that you'll get within your price range and will do all that you require.

A Zapcat is a mad, but useless for anything other doing mad.

Kernow Buoy · 17 June 2011, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

I've been working on a compact solution for my tiny rig

Interesting pump you've got there Wilk, inspiration came from....???

willk · 17 June 2011, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernow

Interesting pump you've got there Wilk, inspiration came from....???

Well, it's a long story, but I was hoping that if I used it every day, I'd end up with a 4 meter SIB eventually....

Kernow Buoy · 17 June 2011, 21:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Well, it's a long story, but I was hoping that if I used it every day, I'd end up with a 4 meter SIB eventually....

Forget it mate, they don't work.

Err.. so I've heard.

thornbackflound · 18 June 2011, 08:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonye

Here's potentially a silly question

Fishing and inflatable boats... Its not a recipe for disaster yeah???

Been fishing off them for years,just as others have said ,carefull,hard floor is better for the banging of breakaway leads,watch the pointy knives,have clam shell,pump and repair kit and you are good to go.

tonye · 19 June 2011, 09:59

Thanks everyone for all your replies, its really helpful. Well it does look as if a sib of some sort will be ideal but I think I need to forget about the skiing for now lol. I think the last thing I'm kind of debating now is if to get an alloy floor or not. I dont like the sound of the buckling the floors when your planning. does anyone know how long extra it takes to assemble the floor over the inflatable floor? Thanks again