Hi has anyone had any experience with the ex navy FC? anything to look for? what would be a good price for a 2003-2005 SIB? I am more tempted by the 530 for diving space but the 470 may be better handled for regular deflating and with launching wheels right?
I would love an FC470, I already have the engine and the tanks etc, just waiting for a boat now.....
One day
I won't be selling mine any time soon!
I looked at shipping a second hand one over from the US but it wasn't much better than the really good price I got for a new one from turbodiesel. Have you spoken to him?
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Here are some points to consider that apply to both of these SIBs:
To haul either an FC470 or FC530 along with a suitable motor, fuel & accessories, you will need either:
a) A car or SUV with either a modified boat trailer or modified flat deck trailer (for an assembled boat) or a utility trailer (for a disassembled boat).
b) A full size pick up truck (disassembled boat).
With the utility trailer or pick up box options (where assembly & disassembly are required with each use) you also will likely want another person to assist, to speed things up. It can be done solo, but is much slower). You should also have a high speed electric air pump that is capable of 5 psi.
A small hand crane for unloading & loading the boat and motor from the pickup or trailer box to the ground will be necessary unless you are quite strong. Even if you were very strong, the on board crane would be far safer and more pleasant to use than trying to hoist disassembled components that weigh 200-250 lbs such as the motor and the transom-fabric portion of the boat.
For manual launching, if you have a pair of transom launching wheels, you will also need a 3rd wheel under the bow.
If launching on anything other than paved or concrete ramps, you will need wheels with turf/balloon/beach style tires (eg. the 19" diameter wheeleez type) at both the transom and bow (you would have to fabricate these, since no currently made production launching wheels use them).
If needing to manually move the boat any substantial distance from your vehicle to the water edge, you will be better off with a beach launching cart (with 4-6 beach wheels) rather than launching wheels.
I looked at shipping a second hand one over from the US but it wasn't much better than the really good price I got for a new one from turbodiesel. Have you spoken to him?
Sent from my portable speaking device using Rib.net
Yeah, he's looking out for one for me, but I have no idea how much they are worth. I bought turbodiesels twatsu 50 off him so I'm ready to go....
Here are some points to consider that apply to both of these SIBs:
To haul either an FC470 or FC530 along with a suitable motor, fuel & accessories, you will need either:
a) A car or SUV with either a modified boat trailer or modified flat deck trailer (for an assembled boat) or a utility trailer (for a disassembled boat).
b) A full size pick up truck (disassembled boat).
With the utility trailer or pick up box options (where assembly & disassembly are required with each use) you also will likely want another person to assist, to speed things up. It can be done solo, but is much slower). You should also have a high speed electric air pump that is capable of 5 psi.
A small hand crane for unloading & loading the boat and motor from the pickup or trailer box to the ground will be necessary unless you are quite strong. Even if you were very strong, the on board crane would be far safer and more pleasant to use than trying to hoist disassembled components that weigh 200-250 lbs such as the motor and the transom-fabric portion of the boat.
For manual launching, if you have a pair of transom launching wheels, you will also need a 3rd wheel under the bow.
If launching on anything other than paved or concrete ramps, you will need wheels with turf/balloon/beach style tires (eg. the 19" diameter wheeleez type) at both the transom and bow (you would have to fabricate these, since no currently made production launching wheels use them).
If needing to manually move the boat any substantial distance from your vehicle to the water edge, you will be better off with a beach launching cart (with 4-6 beach wheels) rather than launching wheels.
Many thanks for the detailed reply, I have never had a SIB and was mostly attracted by the idea that I could put one on a utility trailer on top of the motor and then use the transom launching wheels to launch it...I have 2 wide/rigid beach wheels from a sail beach-cat project which could also turn useful but I can not visualize the bow wheel, do you have any pics I could see?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Troy
Check the interconnecting valves, seams etc and test run....
I have a 530 with a custom fibreglass deck and its fantastic for space.
Thanks, I will look at that. I have seen several posts of people having difficulties in finding the templates or measures for the rigid decks, how did you get yours?
I am now based in panama and I am not sure how much it would cost to get one from the US but a 2003-2005 FC470/530 ex navy seals and in ok conditions is about 2500-3000$ does that sound good to you or it is a bit too old? and I may end up getting 250lb of problems?
If I were to start fresh in designing a trailer system for my 4.7m SIB, I would have started by designing a 6-wheel beach cart (which could be easily dis-assembled so I could easily put it in the boat). From their a flat deck trailer with folding ramps that the cart could be pulled upon. The trailer would also have rails which would support the cart's frame thereby taking the weight of the boat & cart off of the cart's wheels.
Thanks, interesting bow wheels, My solid beach wheels would probably be very suitable...has any of you fitted any suitable transom wheels on the 470 or 530?
I have been doing some more reading and it looks like the majority would not go for any SIB longer than 4m without a trailer....is this your experience with the 470 and I guess even more deifficult with the 530? what would be a decent engine size for both 470 or 530? in 2 or 4 strokes which is still below 50kg?
I own and use an ex Royal Navy Gemini and ex Royal Navy CRRC 520.
They are not the same same as the Zodiac military series sib you have but are not dissimilar(over 4 metres)....so for what it is worth...
I use mine on trailers/launching trolley because they spend most of the year on them and 6 monthish in storage so are easy to break down.
If they are going to spend more than a few days afloat it is more practical to to carry it to the waters edge in a pick-up and assemble them there (20 minutes).
If you are only going to use it for a couple of hours/daily use periodically then a trailer of sorts is the way to go...believe me assembly/disassembly will soon take the fun out of it especially if you have dive/camping/hunting equipment as well.
And on that point a max of 25 hp two stroke outboard engine is quite sufficient for propulsion and manhandling to the waters edge. I recommend you do not leave it on the transom during transportation on the road.
A defunct caravan chassis is good to modify for permanent usage.
I own and use an ex Royal Navy Gemini and ex Royal Navy CRRC 520.
They are not the same same as the Zodiac military series sib you have but are not dissimilar(over 4 metres)....so for what it is worth...
I use mine on trailers/launching trolley because they spend most of the year on them and 6 monthish in storage so are easy to break down.
If they are going to spend more than a few days afloat it is more practical to to carry it to the waters edge in a pick-up and assemble them there (20 minutes).
If you are only going to use it for a couple of hours/daily use periodically then a trailer of sorts is the way to go...believe me assembly/disassembly will soon take the fun out of it especially if you have dive/camping/hunting equipment as well.
And on that point a max of 25 hp two stroke outboard engine is quite sufficient for propulsion and manhandling to the waters edge. I recommend you do not leave it on the transom during transportation on the road.
A defunct caravan chassis is good to modify for permanent usage.
Hope that helps.
Many thanks, I instictively love the look and design but folowing the advice received will take it a bit more time to evaluate my needs before buying it. The issue with Panam is that there is a wide area which is worth exploring, pacific and caribbean side and sometime is may worth putting the equipment on some small ferry services to island further out 30/40nm...
If I have to trailer it, it may be perhaps worth investing on a bigger rib with redundant small o.b. to get me to some offshore islands 35/40nm out of Panama City... I have done 60nm on a 21' sailing trimaran but it was always within sight of the land... I am not sure if even a bigger FC530 properly set up with rigid floor and with a small redundant engine would be safe or practical for criossing 35nm of clear pacific with swells up to 8'...or not?
I am aware that there is not one size for all purposes and there will always be some compromises but I am trying to find out a bit more about the boundary for use of these SIBs...
It works really well, it is a perfect boat for fishing, crabbing and throwing gear around on, I put down some heavy rubber matting as well so nothing would slide around.
It is really stable (obviously) and the ability to walk up and down without putting stress on the joins of a aluminium floor is really nice.
That fiberglass deck is the best idea for these sibs i have ever seen! I see from your pics that you have a keel in the deck as well! that is a great idea.
