Elling KB350 setup and mods etc

[Fenlander]

At last the Elling has arrived. First post just to show what was in my boxes. Initial setup to follow over the next few days. Very pleased so far. If other new and existing owners wanted this could be a combined resource thread but feel free to post individually if that suits better.

So initial thoughts... I received...

Boat and floor: The material seems a little more plasticy than my Bombard which has a hint of Hypalon feel in comparison... not a negative just my impression.

Pair of seats and padded covers: Seats feel stronger than on the budget Zodiacs and the padded covers have a nice high density foam. Might hide the covers from Mrs F... don't want her to get too comfy. Pleased to check and find the bracket-seat woodscrews were to full length unlike some supplied in 2020.

Pair oars: Standard modern SIB fare... bit plasticy and I've found in cold water similar blades can shatter when pushing off rocks so I may see if I can adapt the mounts to my wooden oars.

Bags: Red one for boat and a useful extra one each for seats/oars/floor and bow canopy.

Pump: Generic stirrup style pump. Using these is harder on my back than a footpump so will probably get a Bravo footpump for topping up... we always carry one on trips for emergencies.

Repair kit in tube: Usual one part tube glue, small amount of material, useful valve spanner and allen key for Borika mounts.

Canopy: A £245 extra to look after Mrs F and the new pup a bit more! Looks nice quality and a good design.

Borika mounts: Ordered about £40 worth as extras inc eyes, rope cleats and a GoPro mount.

While I had everything collected together new and clean weighed it all. I've read somewhere in the past when another owner did this and it's not quite as on the Boatworld website where they state 40kg.

Real world...

If you carry the boat in its shiny red bag with floor, oars an seats in the second bag the boat is only 35.3kg of which 1.3kg is the bag. So that's a useful 8kg saving over the Aerotec carried with floor in as we tend to do.

Then the second bag... seats, oars and floor is an easy 13.5kg lift.

The canopy despite feeling decent quality is just 2.2kg inc mounts.

Going to blow it up now... hold up the transom wheels to see if I made the right choice... and see how comedic the canopy looks.... I know they do a job but often spoil clean lines of a small boat.

[Oldman2]

Is it dry at yours today I wonder? Will it be a garden blow up or a lounge with dog creation

[pumpkinking]

Following with interest Fenlander! Trying to convince a friend of mine to get one of these so we can go boating together! (Eh MW? [emoji6])

[Tel1965]

Just arrived back with mine. The missus wanted to go to dovedale so we’ve spent the day there. When I got home the wheels from Germany had arrived, so with any luck I’ll be doing a first inflate tomorrow after I’ve picked up the engine. As with Fenlander I’ve had a few extras as it’s my first sib I needed a few bits and pieces. I’ve had the “A” frame, 2 borika rod holders and mounts, fish finder transducer mount, a couple of mooring cleats, 4 universal adapters, 2.5kg grapnel anchor kit, drift anchor, 2 Elling cushioned seat bags.
I hope the boat is lighter out of its box as the missus struggled to lift it with me. If it’s not then I’ll have to make some sort of dolly for in and out of the car. I’ll post a couple of pics tomorrow after I’ve set it up in the garden.
Looking forward to reading others reactions to their new boats. Apparently 8 have been sold and delivered today, not many left in stock so if anyone wants one they will have to be quick.

[Oldman2]

I tried adding KB350's to my basket today and it refused more than 3 so I would suggest 3 is probably all the stock.
Glad you got yours too, I am looking forward to all the inflation and modding threads.

[Tel1965]

I’m just so pleased that I got one at long last. I’ve had a big smile on my face all day today, maybe that’ll change tomorrow to frustration as I attempt everything for the first time ever. Hopefully I’ll learn quickly.

[Fenlander]

>>>I tried adding KB350's to my basket today and it refused more than 3

Oooh crafty!

[Fenlander]

Actually been a busy afternoon fiddling about sussing stuff out. Thought I'd try the supplied pump which seemed impressive... for about a minute before I got fed up and hauled out the 12v Bravo. By chance the standard Zodiac small valve end on the Bravo was a tight push fit into the Elling hose so that is easy.

After the deep V Aerotec... which when fully inflated will fall to one side or another when working on it... nice to have the Elling sit level on its tubes.

It's certainly a smart looking boat with those red accents lifting the look of grey tubes.

Amazingly the workout mats I bought on impulse weeks ago in Aldi are just the right width to nestle in between the tubes... one fitted in image below and the second will cover up to the bow.

I'd thought the Borika mounts were interesting but a bit of a gimmick but already they have come in really useful. It will be interesting to see if the GoPro extra adaptor I'd ordered will suffer from the wobbles or be OK... worth a try.

I found my RAM mount for the Garmin only needs a little filing out and two new holes drilling then it's base will bolt straight onto the Borika base with no further stalks needed so that will be a neat job and minimise shake. I hope so as my previous favoured siting bolted to the end of Mrs F's seat would mean cutting the cushion about.

I know it's not to everyone's taste but for me the oar stowage is where I like then inside the tubes... I may reflect and keep them too not swap out to my wooden ones as you'd have to turn down the diameter of the wooden ones for a metre to slide them into the mounts.

[Fenlander]

Next onto the bow canopy. Really light... well designed and the materials look durable as far as you can tell. I set it up to get an idea of the positioning and found as The Gurnard said... with his brothers Frib I think... it is quite secure even without gluing on the support hoop attachment patches. I found with a bit of experimentation actually a bungee each side as shown back to the nearest Borika mount with the loop fittings I'd bought by chance was enough to make it a sturdy setup so I many not need to glue the extra mounts... certainly not for a trial with it.

I would however still glue on the small patches/buckles to tension the lower edge as they will be unobtrusive even if the canopy wasn't on.

I was surprised how large the clear area was meaning forward vision is hardly affected.

While at the bow I tried the basic trolley I bought used on Ebay a while back. It picks up the bow handle to a height of 50cm which is sufficient to lift the tubes well clear of the ground. It does need a mod to attach to the bow handle across a broader amount than the single shackle it has at the moment.

[Fenlander]

All good so far... so onto a job I've done so many times with not a thought of a problem... fitting the transom wheels. Held one up for positioning... damn... shot myself in the foot buying a version of the Trems I like ages ago without considering the very shallow 13" transom of the Elling. As the image shows when clearance is given to drop the legs a little as you need to engage/disengage with the lower buttons the top fixing would be in the very top edge of the transom. Oh well I'll sell these on and look further for another type. If we get out Sunday we'll be carrying it!

To cheer myself up dropped the Tohatsu on. Looks very in keeping with the red accents on both OB and SIB matching and it seems to nestle down nicely between the big tubes.

That looks the right height from the off with the AV place close to level with the centre tube bottom... mind you this semi cat style hull is new to me so it may need to be changed a bit up or down.

[pumpkinking]

Fenlander that motor looks very smart on the elling, colour matched and all! The cav plate alignment looks perfect!

I bet you’re well chuffed [emoji106]

Looking forward to reading more when you get it out on the water and hearing your verdict!

[nacnud]

Hi
Got my Elling to Day first impressions it’s a good looking sib good quality fittings excellent seat bases haven’t seen this type of inflation valve . Tube inflation pressures seem a bit vague may have to take a course in Russian.
So far so good. I hope I’m not the only Elling siber north of the border.

[Steve509926]

Hi Fenlander,
Looking really good so far, looks very smart
In the last picture, taken from the stern. What's the red dot on the bow tube? Is it the pressure relief valve?
Just a thought, if the bow canopy doesn't work for you, you can always use it to grow tomatoes under

[Fenlander]

Yep a pressure relief valve... don't actually like them... another potential point of failure and I've always been happy monitoring the sunlight and tube exposure letting a bit out or topping up as needed.

The canopy is certainly large enough for a bumper crop.

[Fenlander]

>>>Tube inflation pressures seem a bit vague may have to take a course in Russian.

Yes the instruction book is a little minimal. I've decided .22bar for tubes and .7bar for floor... and the central outer keel tube also .22.

[chipko]

Looking good there Fenlander. We also broke forum tradition with the initial inflate taking place in the garage not the lounge...heresy!

Must confess didn’t even try the smart looking stirrup pump, just went straight for our little 12v Sevylor. Good news a generic Halkey Robert’s adapter, with the addition of a good few spacers, fits the Elling valves just fine.

First impressions, looking good in its grey livery with black/red highlights. Liking the huge 500mm dia. toobs with stubby cone ends and comfy flat air deck...prefer to helm sitting on the floor. Even more excited (sad or what!) with the tunnel hull. With an elevation of nearly 150mm it should give a true catamaran ride and the central keel helping quell any dreaded ventilation.

Surprisingly, the handbook states a max 0.22bar (0.2bar on transom plate) with a working pressure of 0.15bar for the tubes. I’ll initially try 0.15bar but gut feel this sounds a bit on the low side. Interested to hear what others think/run.

Early doors, but looking good so far.






PS: Silly I know, but very tempted to try our efi 20 on it. Just for a laugh, and on a calm day

[Fenlander]

I started at .15bar and they felt pretty soggy compared to the .24 of the Aerotec I've been sitting on for the past few years.

I'll be having a word with Boatworld tomorrow as I wonder if they have a gauge to fit with the correct HR adaptor... for mid flight checks.

How did your Sevylor do pushing the valve springs open? My Bravo went to HP mode almost instantly sensing their resistance. To save its piston pump I just put the valves into deflate fixed open position then when the volume element was done whipped the hose off and returned the valve button before too much air was lost then the Bravo topped up in HP mode.

[chipko]

Sorry, I think our threads crossed re my pressure comments.

The little Sevylor coped fine, a bit slow for these giant toobs, but it’s a single speed
190l/m jobbie.

They are strange valves though. The inner quarter turn protrudes way out in the closed position. At the moment running with an adapter without a central plunger, but have one with an adjustable plunger in the spares box.

Good call enquiring about a dedicated gauge. All our gauges with HR adapters have fixed central plungers which open these Elling valves before fully seated. Reckon they could be easily adapted but would prefer a dedicated gauge if available.

Your motor looks and sits great...AV plate at ideal height in your photo.

[Tel1965]

I’ve been reading with great interest as I’ll be doing a first inflate later today after I’ve picked up the engine. I bought an outdoor master shark pump, it comes with different adapters so I’ll be having to guess at which one to use. I’m sure I’m going to get into a bit of a mess and it’ll take me hours to set up the first time. I’ll report back on my trials and triumphs.
Interesting canopy David, you could do a bit of sailing with that. I was tempted to get one when I picked up the boat yesterday, but at £245 I thought I’d wait and see how you got on with yours first.
You’ve got me a little worried about my choice of transom wheels, I’ll do an inflate and clamp them on and see what happens later.

[Fenlander]

Canopy... greenhouse... sailing... yeah I get it... not the sleekest looking addition to the boat and as I've probably said before ideally I wouldn't have one for our type of use if it was just me solo... but time to give Mrs F some respite from the stinging salt spray now and again.

Think I've also said if it does suit it would still do the job for us 20cm lower which would really help the looks and the local marina cover making guy could alter it.

Re the transom wheels the type I bought in error have about the widest spacing of any between their upper and lower fixings so I hope yours will be OK.

I've just ordered some Zodiac OE ones which I had some ten years ago on a previous SIB as in the images below. Their fixing upper/lower points are much closer together and they are quite long to offset the fact the Elling transom stops quite a distance above the tube bottoms unlike any conventional SIB.

You can see their bottom bracket fixings are a fair bit above floor level to keep them well clear of the air floor.