Decision time - Excel 330

[pumpkinking]

Hi all,

This forum is a great resource and has provided so much information for my decision making, thanks for that!

After much deliberation, I think I have decided my new SIB will be an Excel Volante 330 with a Suzuki 6HP.

It seems to me a great compromise between portability and usability. I have considered the larger Sibs and Honwave offerings, but the weight and price puts me off. I will not have the ability to trailer a boat for the foreseeable future so it has to be easy to inflate/deflate on my own and store with the motor in the car.

The wider flat floor of the excels will make it slightly easier to board and more comfortable for family members than a V floor, granted it’s marginal but every little helps.

My usage is exploring UK lakes, rivers and estuaries in the summer in calm weather. I have no immediate plans to travel to the IOW in my SIB, or hooning about towing inflatables, and the 330 with 6hp strikes me as suitable for two average build adults doing some gentle sight seeing, pottering about, and perhaps tender duties for up four adults to a friends yacht in sheltered spots on the south coast.

I believe it should plane with just me in the boat, from videos I’ve seen, but more importantly it should be enough to keep out of trouble. Speed is not important, safety is. I have been SIBing in my old Avon for several years and I’m well versed with tides, currents, weather etc. You could say I’m over cautious...

The temptation to buy bigger is strong, but the 330 seems like the right weight and size for safe family summer fun, with room to upgrade the engine up to a 15hp down the line if I feel more adventurous and have got around to doing my radio course!

I am planning to purchase new as I can afford to, the 5year warrantees on boat and motor seem a sensible reason and moreover I haven’t found anything second hand so far that ticks all these boxes in the same way...

We’ve finally got a holiday on Ullswater in a couple of weeks which I understand is a great place to break in a new boat and motor, hence the desire to pull the trigger on this purchase!


Please could those experienced SIBers offer their verdict on my thinking - am I missing anything? Or should I just go for it and get SIBing again!

Thanks in advance.

[jeffstevens763@g]

OMO I would buy a15 hp straight away it's not so much the weight of the motor more the awkwardness of it. Plus it will do most of what you need in terms of carrying capacity.

[pumpkinking]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

OMO I would buy a15 hp straight away it's not so much the weight of the motor more the awkwardness of it. Plus it will do most of what you need in terms of carrying capacity.

Hi Jeff, understood, sadly I don’t have the funds for the 15hp just now... do you think a 6hp is a mistake?

[jeffstevens763@g]

Certainly not a mistake anything that gets you on the water and have fun it's just it will be at its limit most of the time with not much scope

[Milgrip]

I have been very pleased with my Excel SD330 and I have the Suzuki df6 and the Suzuki df9.9 (both 4 strokes). Out of the two I prefer the 9.9 it has more power when in strong tides and currents. However the 6hp is much easier to lift into the back of the car and lug around. So if on my own I'd use the 6hp but if with two or more I'd definitely use the 9.9.

[Fenlander]

It's a difficult call as always... as your tagline hints.

But thinking again about your stated use of river, lake and quiet estuary I'd say a 6hp will get you about OK.

Problem is going above the 6hp is a slippery slope because the weight jumps a fair bit to an 8hp and then it's not much more weight to a 15hp... and then in 4-strokes a 20hp weighs the same as a 15hp so might as well get that.... and on and on it goes.

Re the SIB I'd be looking very hard at the comparisons between the 3.2m Honwave air floor and the Excel 330 to make sure the Excel was the right choice. Those flat air floor models can misbehave on the plane if you upgrade the motor in the future.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Milgrip

I have been very pleased with my Excel SD330 and I have the Suzuki df6 and the Suzuki df9.9 (both 4 strokes). Out of the two I prefer the 9.9 it has more power when in strong tides and currents. However the 6hp is much easier to lift into the back of the car and lug around. So if on my own I'd use the 6hp but if with two or more I'd definitely use the 9.9.

The DF9.9/15/20 are all the same engine & weigh in at around 44kg, outrageous for a 9.9hp engine but ok for a 20hp.

[pumpkinking]

Thanks all, yes this is reassuring to hear because these are the compromises I have been considering.

I am locked into a 6hp right now from a weight and cost perspective. I definitely have it in mind that a bigger motor will be found in the future, whatever one of the many options that might be...

Milgrip - Reassuring to hear from an SD330 owner! I can imagine myself ending up with a 9.9, I’ve heard from several sources that a 330 with both 6 and 9.9 hp options covers most bases!

Fenlander - thanks that’s good to hear, and yes the honwave 3.2 is the clear direct alternative for me. If I find one available second hand I would certainly be tempted... Buying new, there’s a lot more left in the bank for insurance and accessories with the excel than there is with the honwave, which is a major factor for me.

I would be interested to hear from someone who has used both the SD330 and the T32-IE, I know there is a direct comparison between the Excel Volaire 390 and the Honwave T38 where the Excel won, but both of those are out of my size and price range and the volaire has the V hull instead of SD330’s sausage keel...

Tricky...

[pumpkinking]

I should also mention that the quality control issues with the honwaves have put me off somewhat...

[Fenlander]

>>>quality control issues with the honwaves have put me off somewhat...

Yes that issue doesn't seem to have gone away. I think I'd want to see the one I was buying inflated at the dealers before handing over any payment.