honwave t35 vs bombard commando c4

kirill · 15 January 2019, 20:58

Hi. I have my honwave t35 for number of years, been exploring west Scotland ,Wales etc. Sometimes on the way back the wind picked up or going against tide,creating short stand waves etc. so the ride back home not always a pleasant one.To solve the problem I am thinking to go 4m range. Not looking for 20 plus knots over the waves but more comfortable ride with reasonable speed. The question is is it worth it to change from 3.5 to 4.0-4.2m or the difference will be minimal. Thinking to upgrade to bombard commando c4. I know it is a pricy but i think the boat have a dippest v from all other SIBs. Forget the weigt of the boat. Loanch takes only 10 min, but I spend all day on the boat. I do not want to compomise on the water. What if I go for common T40 for example? Will it solve the problem or bombard is the best?

jeffstevens763@g · 15 January 2019, 21:09

T40 will be better for sure highland haggis has one on here, consider the quicksilver 4.20 at Barnet marine with speed tubes same as the futura £1600 new out

Fenlander · 15 January 2019, 23:44

Welcome to the forum Kirill.

>>>Sometimes on the way back the wind picked up or going against tide,creating short stand waves etc. so the ride back home not always a pleasant one.

This can be a problem with SIBs and one that's frustrated us in the past including with our T35ae a few years back.

For any given length SIBs with flat alloy floors and a keel under with the stretchy hull shape tapering back to flat or almost flat at the transom will behave broadly the same.

But I agree with Jeff going up to the T40 Honwave will help due to the SIBs extra weight and length... all the better if you carry a bit of weight forward.

The extra 30cm length and 50lbs weight of the C4 should help even more... and it's wooden keel will stay in shape better than an inflatable one as well as being fractionally deeper so that might be a step up from the T40.

However you can get three T40s for the cost of a C4 so you really need to believe the C4 has significant advantages.

Assume you will be upgrading the OB size too?

Jeff you got a link to the new speed tubed Quicksilver... sure you mentioned it before but can't find it??

jeffstevens763@g · 16 January 2019, 09:55

here you go there's not much info at the moment ive contacted barrus for more info and they will send to me when they get it this boat is the 4.7m if you ring the below for more info they might have one in and i'm sure they are doing a 4.2m. [ seen it on an EU site]
if there any good and as good quality as my mercury [same boat just renamed again] these will be a very good option against the over priced zodiac/bombard/AKA stuff.IMO

eBay

Fenlander · 16 January 2019, 10:41

Thanks Jeff. Just for general interest really. I've found a couple of pics...

jeffstevens763@g · 16 January 2019, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Thanks Jeff. Just for general interest really. I've found a couple of pics...

thats the one david the chisel front looks a bit like a seasearch boat which by all accounts is a lower spec material i was told by central marine services yesterday.
but when you look at the 4.7, long shaft boat i know but it's the same weight as the previous model ish, so i think the material spec is the same as mine but i need to look at one [might be into changing if it stacks up against mine which i am very pleased with] the other two models will be short shaft for info. i did ask if central would be getting one in but he's stacked out with zodiac stuff also he would need to buy one for show purposes at sub £2000 at lot of dosh if it dosnt sell personally i think these would sell well at the prices at barnet marine

Kurt · 16 January 2019, 15:39

Kirill,

I'm switching from a 3.1m to 4.0m for the same reason you state. Should have it on the water this weekend and hopefully will be happy to report a significant change.

Jeff,

I looked at the link you posted and would love to see a picture of it loaded at its 80 person max capacity! Hopefully it is as quality as yours and it will be a great alternative to the Zodiac.

jeffstevens763@g · 16 January 2019, 16:29

yep saw that kurt standing room only second class passengers on shoulders

kirill · 16 January 2019, 21:05

Thanks you all for reply.The reason I have started this thread is simple. We all can not try before you buy.I do not know any dealer who simply put a brand new inflatable on the water and let you decide is it good for you or not. The only way to find out is to ask if somebody alredy did this sort of upgrade or try, in my case commando c4, against another similar size boat . Of course, we are all different tastes needs preferences etc. but the moore information you will get the clear the picture will be. Do I need it or not and what for.

For Fenlander: yes I will be upgrading my 10 hp Honda for 15.Now with two people and the gear I do around 14knots. If I have a third person i change prop foom 9 to 8 inch and get 13 knots . My guess if I have a 15, even with upgrade, I will get around 17 knots. that is enough for me. I can not see why I need to spend extra for the power which I probably will never use.

jeffstevens763@g · 16 January 2019, 21:29

Most sibs in a given size ride the same in my expearence and Ive had a lot over the years, length is a major factor with the fulcrum effect with the bow dropping more slower and bridging the chop with its length giving a better ride. Your always going to get slap from the hull due to design. Hard seats don't help I use foam cushions which help tremendously sat on the floor if you need to keep speed up, my guess is a 15 hp & 4 m boat will give you what you need fully loaded you might struggle to plain in the rough but that might not bother you. A speed tube boat will be a more efficient hull giving you more to play with for available horsepower.
I ve been in a bombard and didn't think there was much difference but I do prefer the wood keel

Gazzago · 20 January 2019, 19:01

My thoughts are the Bombard would probably help with a more rigid keel but I’ve heard they can be difficult to put together. Quite expensive but good quality materials I’m led to believe.

Other than that any increase in size will help you. I went from a 3.3m to 3.8m and it was a huge difference in handling chop etc.

kirill · 21 January 2019, 18:09

Thanks Gazzago.I am slowly making my mind and your videos helps. are you regular visitors to Oban and arround. or this is a special ocasion only? I have read many threads and also watch youtube. It seems to me that you have a bunch of six seven guys who doing trips together all the time,or it is just once a year?
Kurt. I hope you manage to go out this w.end,so how was it and what you are changed for?

Gazzago · 21 January 2019, 18:45

I’m not a regular visitor to the West coast by boat yet. Although I’m no stranger to the area in the car.

Last year was my first year with a sib but it was fantastic so we have one trip planned for this year already and hopefully will add another if we can get it arranged.

Keep an eye on the upcoming trips threads and enjoy choosing your sib. They are an easily accessible and connected way of exploring coastal waters.

Highland Haggis · 22 January 2019, 14:21

Hi gazzago will be putting together a few more trips soon just working on tide timetable soon as I have done this will post

kirill · 24 January 2019, 18:40

Hi Highland Haggis. somebody told me that you have honvave t40. can you be so kind and give me the measuments of width of the floor panel . If i desided to go fo the honwave i need to be sure that it fits in my van. thanks Kirill