Long distance cruising with SIB (zodiac futura)

mrr · 16 September 2014, 10:06

Thank you all for the great source of information on this forum.
I am looking to buy a zodiac futura MK 2 FR or HD with Honda or Suzuki 20 or 30 HP. Occasionally (few times a year) I would like to travel longer distances at sea if conditions allow. We need portability, a RIB is not an option and the futura MK II is the biggest SIB we can transport (in my car).

With longer distances I mean something like 40 to 120 miles (60-200 km)

Is it possible to use a SIB for long distance cruising? Can you share your experiences with long distance cruising with a SIB (Like zodiac futura)?

How long (how many hours or miles or KM) did you travel?
What kind of water (big lake; at sea following the coast; at sea, offshore?)
How trustworthy/reliable are 4 stroke outboards with 20-30 HP (Honda, Suzuki) Are they upto the task of long distance cruising with a SIB?

Thanks!

Ovey · 16 September 2014, 10:23

Not having a SIB I could be wrong, but I would imagine space would become an issue as you'd need to carry a large amount of fuel in portable tanks/drums. This wouldn't leave much room for passengers. Also, the boat will be lower in the water with the extra weight so waves are more likely to be relatively higher. Other than that, I don't really see a problem in the right weather conditions.

Nick Hearne · 16 September 2014, 10:48

I have had some longer days out in my Sib

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/friday-...les-63441.html

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/lost-an...ent-57725.html

Greet fun and the boat will keep going long after you have quit

dave3235 · 16 September 2014, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovey

Not having a SIB I could be wrong, but I would imagine space would become an issue as you'd need to carry a large amount of fuel in portable tanks/drums. This wouldn't leave much room for passengers. Also, the boat will be lower in the water with the extra weight so waves are more likely to be relatively higher. Other than that, I don't really see a problem in the right weather conditions.

Hi

I think it's more how far you can manage.Having clocked up 35 miles in one day, my arse and back new the 35 miles for a day or two after in calm weather.I have seen a thread not long ago someone doing 60 miles in 1 day and aching for 2 to 3 days after. It's down to you and your passengers what they can take

azzurro · 16 September 2014, 12:01

Agree.
Sitting on a bench or in the floats, and tiller skipping, with slightly choppy seas after 3 hours is not as comfortable as it looks.
And no matter it is calm in your launching point: the longest the trip, the more probable is it to get into choppy seas.
But it's fun!

themarkjohn · 16 September 2014, 21:16

I've got a Yamaha 50 on my futura mk3 and the last few weekends I have been racking up 50 miles per trip. The gas tank I have is a 45l I I think. The most fuel I've used was 23 liters. Conditions have been a bit choppy in the morning and berry calm in the afternoon for the return trip. The only people complaining about the ride are the ones at the front!

SIBRider · 16 September 2014, 22:48

Traveled up to about 50 miles. Equipment could care less. Our backs less so. In calm conditions it's OK but it gets rough quickly if seas worsen even a bit.

kaman · 16 September 2014, 23:25

I recently racked up 72 miles around Loch Lomond on a flat calm day and stepped out of the Sib feeling like I could do it all again.
I have also gone go sea and covered a few miles in a foul chop and felt like I never wanted to get back in the Sib and that I had been kicked all the way back into port with steel toe capped boots.
I guess the big decider is the weather conditions when it comes to what distances are achievable in a boat - and that rule applies to any size of boat!

prairie tuber · 17 September 2014, 06:02

I've done a few dozen trips of the sort of lengths you mentioned in SIBs ranging from 3m to 4.7m. Many were very comfortable, some not so much. Obviously your seating set up is critical for comfort.

Sitting on a pontoon holding a tiller with your body twisted so you can face forward is not comfortable in the least. It is very important to have a solid seat that allows you to face forward and high enough that your legs can support some of your weight in choppy conditions. It is also much easier for your tiller side shoulder if your tiller hand can be forward of your waist. A long tiller is very helpful for this.

Here are some previous reports of trips in this length range:

http://www.rib.net/forum/f16/picture...nds-20024.html

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/a-quick...sib-25228.html

http://www.rib.net/forum/f16/sib-day...rip-25731.html

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/sibbing...ver-25903.html

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/moose-h...iak-26453.html

http://www.rib.net/forum/f16/pics-fr...ear-22264.html

Mikefule · 17 September 2014, 06:28

I once did 24 miles on the Scottish sea lochs with an 11 ft boat and only a 3 hp engine. I did one or possibly two dives from the boat during the day.

You can only sit comfortably on a tube for so long.

On choppier water it would have been a hard day.

Peter_C · 17 September 2014, 08:02

I have done over 50 miles round trip out on the Great Pacific Ocean from San Francisco Bay. The day was glassy with no waves and we could make top speed, but tended to keep it around 18-22 mph. Burned a full tank of fuel 6.6 US gallons, and had to plug my 3 gallon reserve tank in as I ran out as we entered the Marina.

When on a boat for along time I have to get comfortable once in a while. That means standing up often. I will sit stand on my motor, and typically I have my launch wheels on to lean against. If there are only a couple of us, or myself I bring a camp chair to hang out in and relax. Since it supports my back it is more comfortable.

On that note, I did buy a small folding boat seat and have been contemplating bending up some tubing and instead of sitting on the hard tube sit just above it on my new seat. Never seen it done before?? If that great idea doesn't work, I am going to build a bench seat and mount it on that for when I have only one passenger. I plan to do that anyway. Got a few projects before either one comes about though.

mrr · 03 October 2014, 21:00

Thanks for your replies. Nice to read your stories!
The conclusion is that 50 miles offshore is possible in a SIB if sea conditions are very calm. Will give it a try in the future.

If there are more SIB-ers who go far out offshore occasionally, I look forward reading your experiences and advice.

Peter_C · 03 October 2014, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrr

The conclusion is that 50 miles offshore is possible in a SIB if sea conditions are very calm. Will give it a try in the future.

I doubt there are many people alive that think 50 miles offshore is okay to do in a SIB.

willk · 03 October 2014, 22:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_C

I doubt there are many people alive that think 50 miles offshore is okay to do in a SIB.

Quite a few internet trolls claim to do it regularly/regularly claim to do it

Whatever

dave3235 · 03 October 2014, 22:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_C

I doubt there are many people alive that think 50 miles offshore is okay to do in a SIB.

Just phone the AA lol!

The Gurnard · 04 October 2014, 11:12

I think I do one or two long distance trips a season in my SIB.. say 50 - 60 miles in a day but they are round coastlines etc..not straight off shore. I will cross ten miles of exposed sea in good weather, to get to an island I want to explore..example ..Ailsa Craig is around 10 miles from the mainland or Eigg around the same.. but 50 miles off shore ? That's like considering visiting St Kilda in a SIB .. nope not for me.. although I do know of a couple of kayakers that made that journey this year ..I would call a journey like that as "Extreme SIBbing" :-D

Nick Hearne · 04 October 2014, 11:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrr

Thanks for your replies. Nice to read your stories!
The conclusion is that 50 miles offshore is possible in a SIB if sea conditions are very calm. Will give it a try in the future.

If there are more SIB-ers who go far out offshore occasionally, I look forward reading your experiences and advice.

It is possible but I would not recommend it

If you are 50 miles out that is a round trip of 100 miles and that is a lot of fuel for a sib too!

Not recommended from me!

kaman · 04 October 2014, 12:33

10 to 15 miles out from mainland Uk is far enough for me on a flat calm day.
This is as far as I have been, or ever want to be from land in a Sib.
On each occasion I was going to small Scottish Islands so I'm theory the true distance from land is half of that.

I must admit I do feel very vulnerable when this far from shore and you become very aware that the slightest technical issue could end up in a Pan Pan or a May Day call.

I do cover substantial distances trolling and drifting whilst sea fishing - in the region of 25 to 50 miles per day. However I seldom go beyond 2 miles from shore.

I use MX Mariner on an android tablet this allows you to leave a snail trail of where you have been and tells you the total distance covered.

I would not be confident nor would I enjoy going 50 miles from land in a Sib.
Each to their own tho!