Biggest hand launch SIB

[jwatson]

Hi chaps. I'm toying with the idea of getting a sib instead of an sr4. I understand the sr4 will be far better in chop etc but the advantages of sibs are really getting my attention. My question is it possible to have a good size sib say 4.2 with a 40hp on and still hand launch? Sometimes it would be trailer launched but I would like the versatility. Failing that it would be down to a 3.5 ish with a 25hp. Cheers guys

[Nick Hearne]

4.2 with a 40hp on it is going to be trailer territory, I would stick to the Sr4

[jwatson]

Hi thanks nick. Yeah that's what I thought. That being the case I can't see any advantages to having a sib over 3.8m. Other than price. Maybe beaching? What sort of weight are we talking for say a 3.5 with Ali floor and 25hp?

[John Kennett]

A 4m SIB with a 25hp 2-stroke would be hand launchable with some decent transom wheels. If it was trailed to site then that would also avoid any lifting and carrying of the motor. Like Nick says though, anything with a 40 on it is going to be too heavy (unless you have half a rugby team standing by to assist!).

I like the idea of a small RIB that would mostly be trailed, but could also be hand launched with transom wheels. Something like a lightweight 4m aluminium RIB from Ribeye or Highfield might be the answer. I'd probably still want a 25hp 2-stroke though.

[prairie tuber]

By "hand launched", I assume you mean with the boat on dolly with floatation tires. In that case yes.

If you mean simply with a couple of transom mounted launching wheels with turf tires, then maybe. In this scenario, you would want to have 2 people launching (1 on each side near the bow). If launching this way, do the following to avoid causing damage to the boat hull (especially if it is not a commercial grade SIB).

Run a 2-3" wide webbing strap under the bow and have the launchers hold the strap rather than the top sponson rope directly. Feed the strap between the top grab rope and the sponson on each side near the front to keep the strap from slipping forward.

[chipko]

3.5 ally floor sib around 65kg
25hp 2 stroke - 51kg Tohatsu
25hp 4 stroke - 62kg Suzuki to over 70kg

[jwatson]

Ok I'm pretty confused now. I would always be out with a mate & we could easily carry a 40hp (75kg?) between us but going off the spec above I would estimate a 4.2 sib to weigh around 75kg. That's still movable with two by my reckoning but easier said than done on a sandy / shingle beach I bet. I'm not questioning anyone's comments I'm just trying to get my head around it.
That said is it worth the hassle. Should my options be more clear cut to either sr4 and stick to slipways or 3.5 25hp sib?

[jwatson]

I've just realised that what I'm implying is putting the engine on the transom in the water. Not good!!!

[Landlockedpirate]

You are misundersatnding the nature of the weight. Picking 75kg up between 2 people is possible, picking a 75kg sib up isnt.

The problem is balance and hand holds, a sib just doesnt like being carried by 2 people, much easier with 3.

Myself and teenage son can hand launch a 4.7m sib with a 25hp 2 stroke using Zodiac launch wheels over good ground if the gradients are not too steep.

[jwatson]

No yeah I get that. Big clumsy things are much more difficult. Even disregarding a coastal breeze!

[Peter_C]

I can hand launch my 4.2m SIB with a 40hp by myself. It takes two people to recover and drag back over a soft sand beach.



There is a bunch of info in this thread.

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/buying-...sib-64049.html

[jwatson]

that is a cracking launching trolley!! where would one acquire one of those?!

[Peter_C]

Originally Posted by jwatson

that is a cracking launching trolley!! where would one acquire one of those?!

I don't use a trolley, I use transom wheels and a bow dolly, that I made, using Wheeleez tires. The transom wheel setup goes into salt water, so they are stainless, and the front dolly I just built out of steel from my stock on hand. The stainless and tires total is around $469 US dollars. Of course building and engineering them took hours...

My transom wheels fold. Unfortunately for a boat of this size you can't really buy anything in the way of soft sand transom wheels pre-made, at least that I know of. They work awesome in that we can beach land most anywhere accessible in our travels.



For the bow you can by a dolly. They are fairly expensive and this is what I based my design on.

[prairie tuber]

Ah... One of my all time favorite SIB photos. Lots of floatation.

Thanks for posting again Peter!

[jwatson]

Erm ....

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IM6CcDy5UOs

[Nick Hearne]

Nobody said it was going to be imposable but ignore the advice if you want, my first boat was a 5 odd metre sib with a 40 hp which I used to man handle on and off the transom on my own but I would not want to be doing it today as I'm older and wiser well older for sure

[Amukinado]

Possible ≠ I'm willing to do it every time

Possible = It's too hard. I'll just stay home and watch some tv.



Try to keep it simple and easy or find some kind of system that will make your life easy.

That said, I'll keep saying that launching by hand is much harder than it seems, specially in the beach. You either have a really good trolley or you're going to sweat.

[paddlers]

Our 14 year olds launching our 3-5 ally floor + 20hp Tohatsu + 10 litre fuel tank, it's a 100m to the water. Easy with a dolly

Cost under £25 !!

[bartiny]

Originally Posted by paddlers

Our 14 year olds launching our 3-5 ally floor + 20hp Tohatsu + 10 litre fuel tank, it's a 100m to the water. Easy with a dollyAttachment 98247

Cost under £25 !!

I like that, was that £25.00 for the bits to make it or did you buy it as is?

Do you have the link if the latter please?

[bartiny]

Originally Posted by jwatson

Erm ....

IMO anyone stupid enough to try that on there own with a 40 hp deserves to spend six months in traction.

I have pulled my back 3 times with a 25 hp 2 stroke, thats why I now have my SIB on a trailer. And yes I consider myself fairly fit (for my age anyway )

Just my opinion