East Anglia / Suffolk SIB'ers....

aliengravy · 03 October 2013, 14:08

Hello all,

I'm new here.

After having many boats abroad in Spain, myself and a friend recently decided to get a 3.3m SIB with a 15hp Yamaha. We have the boat, and engine, and just need to pick up a fuel tank and two nice lifejackets now to be able to try out our setup.

Eventually we plan to do some sea fishing, on those perfect weather days we get so many of

Are there any local SIB'ers who go out regularly who would like some company. Safety in numbers Ect.?

It would be nice to be shown some of the spots as well!

willfinch36 · 03 October 2013, 15:57

Hi There, I am out most weekends on the Orwell.
Slightly bigger than a SIB, but keep an eye for me

Where do you plan on launching from?

aliengravy · 03 October 2013, 16:04

Hi Will....

initially I have been thinking about launching at Ramsholt if I can get the tides and weather to tie up. We need to try out the engine and get some trust in it first as it was bought as a non runner that I have repaired and serviced.

Then it will be a case of launching anywhere of interest off of the coast? Wlberswick, Aldeburgh, Southwold, Sizewell?

Are there any good foot launch SIB spots on the Orwell?

For starters we need somewhere with a fairly slack tide, and a fairly reasonable window of opportunity to test out the engine... if it fails on us we would like to be able to row to safety.... Although I do have an old seagull engine I could take as a spare....

JH&H · 03 October 2013, 18:24

Hi alien, I'm new to this forum too, I've launched at the Waldringfield Maybush and headed up to the Ramsholt arms for lunch then headed up to Felixstowe, I left the arms around an hour before low tide without too much mud or problems.

If your planning any weekend trips post it up and I'll try to come along

aliengravy · 03 October 2013, 19:23

Sweet!

I don't suppose your's is the Honwave that was at Andy Seedhouse is it?

JH&H · 03 October 2013, 19:34

Yeah it is that boat, despite hearing all sorts of things about seedhouse boats this is my second from him and I really can't complain! That said it does help that I have access to a full workshop and I love projects.

Did you see the sorry looking boat when it was in the yard there?

aliengravy · 03 October 2013, 19:44

Yes I did... I reckon it was a bargain with that engine. Did you get a trailer too as he had talked about throwing one in the package or did you knock some money off?

I need to go their tomorrow and get a fuel tank for my outfit!

Does the boat roll up and fit in the car ok? that was my main concern!

JH&H · 03 October 2013, 19:54

I haggled him down quite a bit as the engine wouldn't idle very well. I got it home and stripped the carb and fuel lines and now it's perfect if not a bit too much for the honwave. An identical engine sold on eBay at £700 2 weeks ago

I tried deflating the boat for transport but the valves stuck a bit on reinflation so I now leave it inflated as I take it on my pickup truck.

Do you car transport your boat or is it trailered?

aliengravy · 03 October 2013, 20:14

I'm yet to take mine out but I will be putting it in the boot of the car and inflating on site.

Hoping I might get out on Sat or Monday if the weathers good.....

JH&H · 03 October 2013, 20:38

I bought a bravo hi-pressure electric pump to inflate the air floor and ringo at the water - it's been great compared to hand pumping and I leave the tubes inflated.

I was planning to try Mersea island this weekend but I don't know how good it is for your trial run. I found Orford is the easiest launch in ours and if the tide is not running too hard near HT or LT I can paddle ours with two people and our dog

aliengravy · 03 October 2013, 21:04

I really fancy going there too.... Used to have a jet ski and caravan on waldegraves holiday park as a kid.

Where abouts would you launch?

JH&H · 03 October 2013, 22:18

After reading a recent post on here I think its free to launch near the rnli on a hard ramp and then if there's space it's. £2.50 a day parking. Should be a good mix of open water with sea like conditions and calm river stretches.
I haven't been since I used to sail but I drove down Monday on the way back to work, it looked quiet and a good place to go playing or exploring

aliengravy · 03 October 2013, 22:21

Cool! Post up if you're going the weekend. I would try to make it!

It's Copdock motorcycle show on Sunday though so I'll be busy then... Monday would be best but I don't suppose everyone gets a privilege of a week day off like myself.

Fenlander · 03 October 2013, 23:34

I think it will have been my post you read... http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/launchi...a-52571-2.html

Yes it is free because the owners are OK. Just be organised so you don't spend too long with a vehicle on the hard/slipway and look like you are supposed to be there! It is so wide and roomy you can hang about with the boat out of folks way while you park the vehicle.

If by chance the car park near the top of the pontoon is full the next best place is in The Lane which is just a 2min walk back to the slip.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=wes...93.02,,0,16.31

If you get there this weekend high tide is usefully around midday... remember the tide may be over the strood at that time if that's when you arrive.

JH&H · 04 October 2013, 19:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliengravy

Cool! Post up if you're going the weekend. I would try to make it! It's Copdock motorcycle show on Sunday though so I'll be busy then... Monday would be best but I don't suppose everyone gets a privilege of a week day off like myself.

Typical ... I'm shooting tomorrow and going boating Sunday with the better weather.
I'll let you know how it goes for the next Anglian sib trip

aliengravy · 04 October 2013, 19:08

Sweet.... Not a fellow pigeon watch member are you per chance? :-)

JH&H · 04 October 2013, 19:24

Yeah, I do a bit of pest controlling when I have time. I like to do a bit of fishing too, haven't got a new boat rod yet though.

aliengravy · 04 October 2013, 19:49

Cool! Good luck on Sunday, do keep me in touch when you're out we'll have to meet up! My boat rods are ready... I've been looking at charts trying to find some fishing spots....

JH&H · 06 October 2013, 21:41

Myself, the mrs and the dog went to Mersea today. We launched at west Mersea rnli as fenlander suggested - perfect launch site! We launched at low tide, I drove my navara to the water without any sinking and quickly got the boat in the water. I had to park on a side street but that was the only slight hitch.

From west Mersea we went to East Mersea, then on to brightlingsea where we pulled the boat up to let the dog stretch his little legs while we had a drink and lunch (pic from the beach), we then carried along the coast to st osyth. With a calm sea we went straight across to foulness island and had a quick look about (at a sensible distance). The boat was performing brilliantly in open water so with half a tank left we headed back up to bradwell on sea where we found loads of jet skiers, we then went across to tollesbury fleet before finally going back to west Mersea.
We reached west Mersea at high tide and used the public slip to recover the boat as the rnli slip gets a bit cramped at high water.

I would highly recommend a day out here, we are probably going to put a bit more time into planning our next outing here as we spent a lot of time blasting around flat out and not taking in the views!

aliengravy · 08 October 2013, 08:30

Superb! Very jealous. I didn't even manage to get out yesterday and I have to work today so now I've had the boat over a week and not used it.... I did pull out and start the engine and it's all good since my repair :-)

Hoping to venture out next weekend although the weather's not looking anywhere as good!