Honwave 3.5 air floor or solid alu floor

[billows]

I will not be assembling the boat every time but will use a small trailer and launching wheels.Cost will not be a factor.
Which should I buy?

[Fenlander]

Honwave air floors are either 3.2 or 3.8... I'd guess the 3.8 is the best comparison for the 3.5 alloy floor.

Personally I'd go for the 3.5 alloy floor if using a trailer. It's a super stable feeling SIB and very practical in use with that flat alloy floor. One small advantage of the alloy floor is that it effectively has a "bilge" where a bit of water can gather under the floor. The air floor construction means any water that gets in the boat sloshes about your feet and kit. Not a big problem but worth considering.

There is also less chance of suffering annoying flex at speed with the alloy floor.

[pagick]

I’d go the lower problematic floor alu. Aluminum is more hassle to build but it never get a flat. Also makes a stiffer boat.
I have a piece of boat carpet in mine and love it.
Boat carpet has a no slip backing. Carpet really helps with sand scuffing up the floor and slipping. Just shake it out if it gets sandy.

[Gazzago]

Another vote for the aluminium floor from me if you’re not deflating and packing it away each time.

It will be a little heavier but on that size of boat should not make much difference.

Puncture proof, stable and stiff. Nothing wrong with the air floor though if you decide you want the flexibility of rolling it all up more easily.

[billows]

Has anyone experience of the Quicksilver brand? They have a small rib with an aluminium floor in their range also which looks quite attractive for my purposes

[paddlers]

I've owned a 3.5 aluminium floor for a few years and it's been faultless coupled with a 20 hp it'll plane 5 adults .
Super stable.

[Fenlander]

Quicksilver are good too, is that an alloy hull model you've seen or alloy floor?

[billows]

Mini rib with aluminium hull, will be using 6hp engine
2.9 has single skin very light 41kg
3.2 double skin 61kg

[Fenlander]

If you are using a trailer then there are several advantages to the alloy hull... resistance to damage and performance for any given outboard HP being the ones that would appeal to me.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by billows

Mini rib with aluminium hull, will be using 6hp engine
2.9 has single skin very light 41kg
3.2 double skin 61kg

We switched our air deck tender for an aluminium rib and its beter in every respect.
The only advantages a sib has over a rib is being able to fold up and the cost. Everywhere else the aluminium hull rib wins hands down.
Ours is faster handles choppy water better, planes out better and its a few kg lighter

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by billows

Has anyone experience of the Quicksilver brand? They have a small rib with an aluminium floor in their range also which looks quite attractive for my purposes

Probably you meant A Quicksilver Rib with an alum deck/hull, right ? If so, they cost more than a traditional alum panel floor.

Air floors needs to be constantly inflated once on water to perform as expected. Are prone to temp changes...

Happy Boating

[billows]

Yes 2.5 times the cost of a Honwave

[Fenlander]

You said cost not a factor!

Will you keep the 6hp or upgrade the motor?

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by billows

Mini rib with aluminium hull, will be using 6hp engine
2.9 has single skin very light 41kg
3.2 double skin 61kg

the 2.9 is cat d & 3.2 is cat C hence the weight difference if that is a factor for where you use it

[Max...]

Seems a bit daft buying a lovely and very capable alu hull RIB or solid floor SIB and sticking a puny 6 hp on it?

[Locozodiac]

Quicksilver as seen on their web page has abandoned their line of nice fiberglass hull Ribs for the Alu-Ribs which are way costly, such a pity...

That 6 HP motor should benefit going for a prop maximization from current prop to one less pitch powering whichever new type of inflatable will go towards. Skip the air deck ones, will disappoint you.

Happy Boating

[ba_fisher]

I am also looking at the Zodiac Cadet Alu RIB, probably a 330. It will be used on lakes and bays, and perhaps in the ocean only on completely flat days.

I am going to trailer most of the time, but maybe very occasionally will try to remove the engine and carry the boat (2 people) to do a beach launch. The hull weights 104 lb so it seems doable.

The max engine is 15hp. I will probably get a new Suzuki 15 four stroke that weighs 98 lb. Does anyone know how fast that can get on calm water.

My last RIB was 4.2m and I had a steering console, but this time I want a simple tiller. Will it feel safe sitting on the tube with the 15hp on full throttle? I’ve never done that and worry about falling off the boat while by myself.

I suppose the transom will be strong enough to allow the motor to be tilted up while towing on bumpy roads?

[Fenlander]

I like the look of all these smallish alloy hull RIBS. At the moment it is essential to us to be able to have a SIB we can travel in the car and inflate each use... but if age catches up with me (re lifting the outboard and the whole setup process) in the future and our use is similar these alloy hull models really appeal for a lightweight trailed outfit.

If there are always two of you and you take the engine off then carrying that 330 should be OK... but it will be so much easier if you get the dealer to fit a pair of lift handles on the rear inner tube as per my old Honwave in the image below. It's really hard to carry with your fingers under the transom and not keep dropping it and the handles make it so much easier.

With what I know of SIB speeds from experience and reading what others say of their light alu RIBS around 3m-3.5m I reckon 25mph or more with a modest load.

I sit on the tube all the while and always have... even flat out with 15hp/20hp motors in sea states thjat allow it... always feel secure as long as I sit on the starboard side which means you naturally lean in towards the tiller.

It's not just the transom to consider on bumpy roads with the OB tilted... it is a huge strain on the tilt mechanism so you need to add some sort of skeg support or a wooden block in the angle between leg and saddle to assist the tilt mechanism.

[Max...]

Originally Posted by ba_fisher

Will it feel safe sitting on the tube with the 15hp on full throttle? I’ve never done that and worry about falling off the boat while by myself.

Tubes are OK to sit on but the older you get the harder it gets being twisted and all the force of the jolting going up through the spine. With an iffy back it half cripples me for a day or two after.

Another option especially in chop is a 2" closed cell foam kneeling pad and the RNLI position below:

https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/best-p...tml#post790505

[billows]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

the 2.9 is cat d & 3.2 is cat C hence the weight difference if that is a factor for where you use it

Use would be sheltered large harbour in f4 or less
choice is
quicksilver 2.9 alu hull light easy launch more suitable for 6hp but too small and cat d
quicksilver 3.2 alu hull cat C expensive but best boat of the 4 of course
quicksilver 3.2 alu deck cat c 20kg lighter than honwave so easier to launch and will plane better than honwave on 6hp maybe
Honwave 3.5 ae2 alu deck heavy 74kg cat c but more room

I am replacing my elderly yam 360s which is same weight as the Honwave and did just about plane with me aboard on the puny 6hp. My back would not allow me lift a 20hp

Im tending towards the quicksilver 3.2 alu deck