is it my confidence?

[hydroforce3]

hi guys im wondering how rough of sea do you guys SIB in? it has been a while since i have been able to get out on my sib as my local weather has been a total pain and total wrong conditions, anyhow i see a lot of videos online of kayakers paddling in some choppy rough conditions which i wouldn't dream of going out in. i only have the bottle if the water is glassy smooth. Are the kayakers being stupid or do i need to grow a pair of balls and go even if it still abit lumpy? OBVIOUSLY not big swells. I have a 3m sib

cheers guys

[davkt]

Well the Kayakers will know the limits of themselves and their boats and probably be able to without too much effort get themselves the right way up again if it all goes horribly wrong and they end up upside down!

[HDAV]

It's a tricky one, one mans "too choppy" is another's "fun". Some solo kayakers I think take a risk but then I'm not a kayaker.....

You may find going out with some others helps build up confidence

Today I was in charge and leading a newbie on short run I thought conditions were fine a bit lumpy he said it was the biggest swell he had ever been in.

Find some local guys and push your limits.

Edit to say: push your comfort zone, safely. When it stops being fun, time to turn around and go back.

[davkt]

Just for comparison, I'd have happily kayaked the rough stuff we went to play in on my advanced powerboat course which gave us some very wet and wild rib driving.

[beamishken]

I think the answer is go out in whatever you feel comfortable in. If your out and your concerned about the conditions then your not going to enjoy yourself.
It's meant to be fun not endurance ,can't you find somewhere with some shelter that opens to more exposed water? maybe a sheltered bay or estuary then you have the option of going out to explore more exposed areas or head to the sanctuary of shelter and play there.
Obviously you need equipment suitable for the conditions your out in but plenty of threads and opinions about required equipment. Opinions kinda go from minimum basic to "you need a bigger boat to fit the safety gear in"
There's nothing worse that arriving at your chosen location then thinking "I'm not going out in that" and turning round and heading home.
Even if you have to travel further to find a location that provides more shelter if required, you might find you get out more and can ease yourself into more challenging conditions by poking your nose out of the harbour or bay

[rossymtb]

I class today's conditions mill pond. But I have been out in force 6 and had "fun" on the sea. But it makes life easier when you have a calm harbour to motor on back into. Instead I find the worst thing is trying to launch and recover through the surf with breaking waves.

[jeffstevens763@g]

mate its not about growing balls it's about enjoying it if you have a limit stick to it until it feels right for you to push the boundary the more you use your boat the more confidence you will get think about going in company of others.
i've been power boating & canoeing [early years] for 53 years and there are occasions when i will turn back or not even bother to get the boat out last time was this january on the east coast of scotland.
read my thread on sibbing at ERR its planning local knowledge from others & experience.
gurnards threads too an A to Z of sibbing not only informative but also his planning & limitations one of his craft is 2.75m with 6 hp.

[davkt]

Originally Posted by davkt

Just for comparison, I'd have happily kayaked the rough stuff we went to play in on my advanced powerboat course which gave us some very wet and wild rib driving.

And by wet and wild I mean stuff I still wouldn't want to be out driving in without an instructor or much more experienced than me person alongside me in the boat. As others have said its about doing what you enjoy, and more importantly can safely do.
Rough water boat handling is skill you need to learn just like say coming along side the jetty was when you first started. If you want to go out in those conditions find someone who is more experienced to go out with or even have a chat with your local powerboat school about some coaching.

[Pikey Dave]

To be fair, most "standard" RIBs & by that I mean the RIBs that the majority of us use ie 5-7m 90-200hp, will handle far worse conditions than the average Ribnobber is prepared to. I've pushed boats to my limits over the years & the boats have always more to give. I'll bottle out before the boat does. It doesn't have to be a ruffty tuffty rig (though that style is my personal preference) but if it is a balanced outfit, decent hull with a reliable engine, it will take just about anything that you are prepared to point it at.

[Starovich]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

To be fair, most "standard" RIBs & by that I mean the RIBs that the majority of us use ie 5-7m 90-200hp, will handle far worse conditions than the average Ribnobber is prepared to. I've pushed boats to my limits over the years & the boats have always more to give. I'll bottle out before the boat does. It doesn't have to be a ruffty tuffty rig (though that style is my personal preference) but if it is a balanced outfit, decent hull with a reliable engine, it will take just about anything that you are prepared to point it at.

Should be an auto response to the "what boat" threads

[Poly]

Originally Posted by hydroforce3

i see a lot of videos online of kayakers paddling in some choppy rough conditions which i wouldn't dream of going out in. i only have the bottle if the water is glassy smooth. Are the kayakers being stupid or do i need to grow a pair of balls

Those kayakers probably have been doing it for years and building up their confidence. They may well have been white water, or surf kayakers before they ventured long distance too - so what looks bad to you looks flat to them! Its also interesting how a long sea kayak feels compared to a shorter SIB - which provided you have the balance is actually not as scary inside the boat as it looks from the outside. They also often paddle in groups, so you can help rescue each other when it goes wrong, and can raft together for stability if there are problems. Finally they don't care (almost expect) to capsize - whereas your engine really will care... I am not a good kayaker so wouldn't kayak in some of the conditions I would sib in, but I have friends who would kayak in things I would never consider taking my boat out in.

[HDAV]

Originally Posted by rossymtb

But it makes life easier when you have a calm harbour to motor on back into. Instead I find the worst thing is trying to launch and recover through the surf with breaking waves.

Very good point having had rough days launched from a harbour and a beach a harbour is so much better, beach recovery in surf can be a nightmare and ruin what was an otherwise nice trip. Whereas being able to retreat to a harbour tie up and go for a brew can make a wasted journey in nice day out!

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by HDAV

Very good point having had rough days launched from a harbour and a beach a harbour is so much better, beach recovery in surf can be a nightmare and ruin what was an otherwise nice trip. Whereas being able to retreat to a harbour tie up and go for a brew can make a wasted journey in nice day out!

We got caught out on a beach launch once, it blew up whilst we were out & recovering onto the trailer was going to be a nightmare. Fortunately it was a sandy beach, so I ran the boat up onto the beach, everyone jumped out & we inched the boat out of the surf with each incoming wave. I brought the trailer down & winched the boat onto the trailer off the beach.

[jwalker]

Don't compare yourself to kayakers. Am I picking up that you think you should be able to cope better than a kayak in poor conditions? A sib or rib in rough water is capable of - (read will) - crashing hard and shaking your fillings out, a kayak doesn't do this, especially a sea kayak.

If you've noticed a bird on the water surface bobbing over the waves when they're pretty rough and you wonder at its simplisity and buoyancy, that's what a kayak can do too.

[hydroforce3]

ok guys many thanks to all your advice and comments, i havnt been able to get out on my sib in ages so hopefully when the conditions settle a bit i will get back out there and try to enjoy it, like you all said enjoy it I will ease myself back in and slowly push myself and my boat SAFELY

cheers all

[Fenlander]

I wonder where you launch Hydroforce?

Makes such a difference. If you are on a featureless coast with the waves constantly rolling in it can be hard to build up gradual experience.

We always choose holiday/weekend destinations where the launch area will be fairly calm and there will be alternatives if it is very windy. Scotland is brilliant for this with a fantastic coastline full of alternatives, shelter and boltholes.

If your usual launch is in an area of more relentless sea conditions as others have said going out with others who have greater experience is a good start.

Not sure if you usually go out alone but the moveable and reactive ballast of a crew member is a great help when it's really rough.

Again as others have said a SIB will always float and the only issue is to make sure that's always the right way up.

[slate1234]

I find it hard launching from the beach if the waves are big, it just does my head in because everything is drenched before I have started, I have been caught out at around 6 mile's out a swell got up at around 2m it was a long trip back but I know having the correct gear in place and working does give me a bit of comfort, I just take my time, I feel if I can stay in the boat the boat will stay in the water, as said in other post's take your time and build confidence and if you bump into a local who has a boat ask ask and ask the more you know the better.

[stray]

I know how frustrating not getting out is, I'm on the North East coast as well. Up until last week I'd managed 2 days fishing this year. Friends of mine with "proper boats" hadn't even been out.
I go from an open beach as well, the maximum wave height I'll launch in is 2ft and I've had a drenching or two in that because of set waves. Patience is the name of the game up here, wait for 1ft or less of swell and light winds to get the best out of your sib, unless you're an Adrenalin junky.

[stray]

Have you managed to get out in the last week or so? We've had some lovely weather.









And a few fish.

[hydroforce3]

Hey stray yes mate i took my girlfriend out over to Whitehaven 2 days ago for her birthday and managed to get out on the sib, not as lucky as you though as we had no fish but conditions were incredible! flat as a lake so we launched at Whitehaven Harbour beach and headed 1NM offshore and 2NM south towards st bees head. it was amazing reminded me why i love sibbing so much, congrats on the fishies mate keep it up

il upload some picks shortly