Bombard Aerotec ready for the maiden voyage (b@stard son of a Y Class)

[williams359]

How have you found the matting in use. Was it worth the effort or do you find it traps dirt under it. I have just got a Honwave TE32 and I'm thinking of doing the same.

[Max...]

Originally Posted by williams359

How have you found the matting in use. Was it worth the effort or do you find it traps dirt under it. I have just got a Honwave TE32 and I'm thinking of doing the same.

Truly awesome, transforms the floor in look and feel. I generally only use it on the sea so there isn't really any dirt but the boat stays very dry anyway, regardless I always remove the floor and wash the boat out of any salt water and grit etc.

[williams359]

Cheers , I have found the matting on eBay but not the tie down eyelets for the fuel tank . Any clues what to search for😀

[Max...]

I make custom fittings to suit from 8mm shock cord and various toggles and hooks, see the eBay store belonging to these people for all the bits (when they reopen from hols):

Elastic shock cord bungee rope, 8mm, black, white, red, blue, green | eBay

[Crooty78]

Brilliant review mate. I'm going to get some matting for mine also as I agree about that middle panel web piece.

[Max...]

Originally Posted by Big Al C

Very interested in the matting idea (been looking at doing the same), have looked into the yellowing situation.
As we now know its the rubber that turns things yellow (Google) and the fuel speeds it up, over time I think the rubber with the fuel may fall apart? .
Have looked at other suitable mats/matting and are having some samples sent to me to try out.
Its PVC, its what the boat is made from,,,,, different colours, patterns (grip/texture) and thickness. So should not turn things yellow and is fuel resistant.
So well post findings back here by the weekend.

Company supplying samples is on ebay,,,,, loads of helpful info,,,, Coruba is their trading name.

Any update on this?

[Big Al C]

Sorry for the delay,,,,

Got the sample the other week

Its the 2.5 mm stuff, had it in the freezer for about 4 hours and it was still flexible with not signs of breaking. It was dipped in 2 stroke for an hour with the only sign of anything different was it looked cleaner looking on one side. You can see the lighter colour on the second picture,,,, top inch.





Ebay site name is coruba-online, their main site web site is called metroseal.

So I rang metroseal about ordering some, the ebay site is were they sell their end rolls and can do them a little cheaper.
End up getting the 4mm stuff as its cheaper then the 2.5



Had ago at fitting it this weekend along with the steering set up, got a longer steering cable for the cross bar steering, just need to get the right cables for the gear and throttle controls.

[Max...]

Nice job Al.

Added a mount for the Silva 70 I had knocking about - cut from a piece of number plate! Heat gun and some careful shaping and moulding, it 'spring' clips very tightly around the rail. Gaffer tape is just to reference the fore-aft plane of the boat so I can see if it sits right, will see how it goes Sunday...

[SteveHall]

Oh i like the matting - This looks like it will be perfect to tidy up my anchor locker

[stray]

Max you'll have to start a TV show; "Pimp my Bombard"


They do look good though.

[Max...]

Originally Posted by Landlockedpirate

...but been fighting with the matting, cant believe how neat you got yours, it truly is a bugger to fit. Even used your suggestion of a template, but I just cant get it to sit right

It's not *that* neat (Big Al's above looks much better) but did take an afternoon of in and out and trim and in and measure and out and cut and in and......you know how it is.... A total PITA shape to cut perfectly but next time I would at least have this one to use as a template but I should have made a better template in the first place out of card so it would just sit about 10mm larger than the Zodiac floor and then slope up onto the tube all round. Main thing to remember of course is you can cut more off but you can't stick it back on!

Definitely worth persevering with but do be aware of the yellow staining issue...

[Landlockedpirate]

I did the template, but made a mistake right at the start, I decided to try and fit the mat into the gap between floor and tube, but because of floor ties and my oversized paddles, it wont sit right . Its not helped because I got into the classic wobbly table situation " if I just take a bit more of this leg it will be perfect "

The mat Max found is great, thick but pliable, non slip and pretty tough. Best of all it doesnt look like you murdered a mud monster on your white air floor the moment you launch. To the OP on the other thread, I think yours will a lot easier to fit thanks to your flat floor.

[Woodman]

I am just buying an aerotec and need wheels for the beach. All the dealers are quite insistent that the Bombard individual wheels are the best and whilst supplying flip ups like the Trem wheels are very reluctant to supply them. Has anyone on here used fold ups with success? Also are the Bombard wheels easy or a real faff?

[John Kennett]

They're OK. Nice big wheels, very strongly made, and only a minor faff (especially when you realise that you can store them upside down on the transom when you're under way).

Flip up wheels are definitely easier though, and Beachmaster are even better once you get over the eye watering price!

[Max...]

Too bulky for me, I've used the same self made type of wheels on all my SIBs, all you need is some box, section, U channel, bolts and wheels. Costs about £30 to £40 all in. Made the ones for my Bombard from 3mm wall alu so much easier than SS.

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/launch-...tml#post549384

[Max...]

Awesome, awesome day on the Aerotec today, first day of the school holidays - launched off the beach at 9.30am with my 7 year old and 11 year old and finished about 4pm - spent the morning kneeboarding then off to Sovereign Harbour Eastbourne for a spot of Italian lunch, great journey along the coast to drop my 7 year old off then we returned to a slightly lumpy sea for an hour's mini-wave jumping.

Gotta love these little SIB's!

[Max...]

Well, a year on still enjoying the Aerotec immensely and it's worked out the best compromise SIB for us of all the ones we've owned, not for everyone of course and there are better SIB's for trailer users or gentler inland use but where we launch (typically at sea, rarely less than a F3/4 minimum down this way) and enjoying a bit of mild wave-jumping it's proved very capable and safe feeling.

Nearly there with the small mods and set-up fine tuning that we all like to do.

The original compass mount I made a page back was not great in practise, slightly wobbly and difficult to see being a bit behind the shoulder. This is the new improved mount.

We never use the 'plank' type seats in SIBs so a small custom made piece of ply bolted to the (very stiff and secure) starboard seat mount is working much better. Very solid, easily removable and it also provides a great place to mount the GPS.

The pic is a bit of a mock-up with my Garin 72 as I'm using a smaller model which will be firmly fixed but it's a huge improvement on how it was before dangling on paracord tied to the rail and bouncing all over the tube.

The rubber washers hold the ply central in the mount eyelets and I've used SS eye bolts instead of nuts as these can be undone by hand like wingnuts, nice smooth edges and I can clip a drybag on with carabiners. The main big dry bag is up in the bow but this small one is very handy for a bottle of water or similar.

The portside seat mount I use for a hand hold for the driver, much more comfortable than twisting round to hold the rail.

[Fenlander]

Nice arrangement Max. I won't be able to contemplate similar as we may be trialling the loss of a flat floor but no way the Mrs will give up her seat!

Seeing your matting makes me think I may investigate some... but I said the same with the 340 but never actually ordered any.

Mind you if we have an Aerotec epiphany I might end up with the 340 on the back burner and all efforts will be directed into getting the Aerotec right!!

[Max...]

Been a fair bit of interest in the Aerotec recently so posting a few scans (2008 brochure) and links if of interest:

[Max...]

Nice little Aerotec article:

Aerotec Bombard

Engine height trimming:

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/engine-...0-a-33799.html