"And it's all gone quiet over here!"

[Max...]

Everyone packed away? I know there are many 'best days still ahead' SIBbers on here but as a fair-weather-fairy I have to say I packed up the old Aerotec a couple of weeks back wanting to go out on a high.

Roll on Spring.

[Fenlander]

We're still wanting one more day at the coast but every day that's been suitable I've been doing stuff like building a pergola or a bedroom wall.

To extend our season a bit I've just bought a river licence as no more than 15mins from here there's a good slip with adj car park & toilet/wash facility. We can go up one way and swing round at the lock then motor down to the other extent where there's a no-frills eatery with moorings so you can keep an eye on the boat from the table.

I've just done a major service and leg re-spray on my 1980s Mariner 4 as that makes a perfect river outboard. 30yrs old and pretty well unburstable... the modern day Seagull I reckon.

Because it's so close to home with a warming midway lunch stop then as long as it's dry with some sun low temperatures aren't so much of an issue.

[Pikey Dave]

We're out on the 21/22 December doing a PB2 course in the Solent, we must be nuts 😳


.....sh1t happens.......

[Max...]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

We're out on the 21/22 December doing a PB2 course in the Solent, we must be nuts 😳


.....sh1t happens.......

Ahhh but not in a SIB...

[psycho]

I am lucky enough to live about 2 1/2 minutes walk from the sea....!

I am also lucky enough to have been out sibbing today for about 3 hours, from Torquay.

[camelgas]

Fenlander: once you have tried the 4hp on the sib, could you post up how you got on with it.

I have a 5hp 2 stroke that I have been thinking of trying on a sib.

Cheers.

[tony t]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

We're out on the 21/22 December doing a PB2 course in the Solent, we must be nuts 😳


.....sh1t happens.......

Yea after spending time with you I can vouch for that


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[uncle al]

I never argue with Pikey Dave, all the best on the solent. Have they found the bloke that went overboard yet? It wasn't me that made him jump honest!

[cantona]

I have just found out about a very handy slipway that I am hoping to get access to over the next couple of months, even at low tide it is only a couple of hundred yards walk from the waters edge, all being well fishing off the North Devon coast this Sunday to try it out

Cantona

[duggie12]

Not packed away yet! Having an Indian summer in Scotland and had a camping trip to the treshnish Islands a couple of weeks ago!

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by uncle al

I never argue with Pikey Dave,

Ach! pay no heed to him, he's a pussy cat

Originally Posted by uncle al

all the best on the solent.

Cheers, straying into foreign territory for us. Good job it's on the shortest days, we can go ninja

[bedajim]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

We're still wanting one more day at the coast but every day that's been suitable I've been doing stuff like building a pergola or a bedroom wall.

To extend our season a bit I've just bought a river licence as no more than 15mins from here there's a good slip with adj car park & toilet/wash facility. We can go up one way and swing round at the lock then motor down to the other extent where there's a no-frills eatery with moorings so you can keep an eye on the boat from the table.

I've just done a major service and leg re-spray on my 1980s Mariner 4 as that makes a perfect river outboard. 30yrs old and pretty well unburstable... the modern day Seagull I reckon.

Because it's so close to home with a warming midway lunch stop then as long as it's dry with some sun low temperatures aren't so much of an issue.

So where's the slip?

[Fenlander]

Huntingdon Riverside Park.

Here... https://goo.gl/maps/uJtUsS9EV7n

Parking £2 up to 10hrs Mon-Sat and free on Sunday. No slipway charge but you should be registered for the river. The slip is sometimes gated/locked and you need a key which is £10 on top of registration fees.

You can turn right away from the slip and it's about 2mls before the next lock in Godmanchester, the other way is a similar distance to the old mill at Hartford which is National Trust and worth a look around.

Then just a few minutes back towards the slip from the mill is Hartford marina with the Hartford mill eatery where you can moor. It's one of the "two for £10" type places which we prefer to a posh place when in the middle of a few hours on the river.

So it's about a three hour outing to do the full length between locks inc a lunch at the mill eatery and nearer four hours if you visit the water mill itself as well.

Obviously rivers are a bit bland compared to the sea but I've lived adj to that stretch of water at various times for over 50yrs+ with punt/sailing/canoe/rowing/cruiser/narrowboat activities so it has lots of good memories.

[simonafloat]

I'll be out on the Estuary one more time this year just to use up the 10 litres of mix I've got! I don't trust 2 stroke mix to last over the winter.

A well known marine engineer in South Devon told me last week that supermarket unleaded really doesn't keep well at all these days. He recommended using super unleaded, not for performance but just because it keeps longer. What do we think?

Simon

[Biggy]

Plenty f-ribs and sibs members are still out, were up the Thames today for a bit of sight seeing.

[kaman]

I always put my winterised sib fuel supply into the car or motorbike at the beginning of the new season.
The larger engines don't complain about the stale fuel.
I then replenish all my tanks with fresh unleaded.
Don't know if a small outboard would make a fuss or not over burning old fuel.
I know my little coleman petrol stove doesn't burn clean on old unleaded fuel.
As for super unleaded fuel I was told the higher octane may cause timing issues ????

[Stigomery]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

To extend our season a bit I've just bought a river licence

Fenlander, might I inquire as to how much this set you back? It's one thing I've considered since we live so close to the Cam and other rivers, but the cost implications that I've assumed have put me off.

Insurance: £70
Safety cert: (ah, don't think I need this)
Registration: ???
River license: ???

I was reckoning £400 which for a handful of outings a year put me off - anything to suggest my calculations are wrong?

Thanks

[Fenlander]

Insurance £50-£70 is about right.

River licence is stupid at £280 if you leave a motor on over 4hp. However I have an old 4hp for the river which brings the licence down to £79. For this autumn/winter/spring I bought a post-Sept 6mth licence for £40 which them makes it affordable.

There is no extra registration above the licence needed and an open boat does not require a safety scheme check.

[Stigomery]

Ouch - £280 is ridiculous

[Fenlander]

Yep it is and because of such increases over the years I'd stopped using the SIB on the river but now I have the 4hp going it's not too bad for the outings we'll get.