Long Live the Sib Review

[Locozodiac]

Simple & great ideas to perform to sibs to better their performance and lasting time between service maintenance and costly repairs.

01-Glue a small d rin’g in the middle of the inner bow to tie your gas tank, when full will have 24/26 kilos to better balance the sib specially when single driver or light load use. If your sib is equipped with a front bag harness, will have more extra kilos. Being tank and front bag one in top of the other, more available sib space.

02-Glue 2 (12 x 6 cm) same fabric patches in the middle of each 2 side joiners, this will solve the abrasion that is produced at these points specially when the sib is not used correctly inflated/used on bumpy seas. With a smooth metal paper file, file all rubber borders that comes in contact with the patches. Re glue with a proper epoxy cement all rubber side joiners endings, comes very easily off once on boat and by some strange and stupid reason comes already delivered factory faulting. After gluing, file any existing protuberance border between the aluminum joiner and the rubber endings, the smoother, the better. The idea is to cut a patch at least 1 cm higher than the joiners for good lateral fabric protection.

03-Cut a proper long tube to tube & wide stripe of fabric and glue it in the transom’s lower part, where the aluminum floor meets against the lower transom. Newer aluminum sibs floors are coming with a open u shape form in the last section floor, this U cavity with time use will hold lots of sand and produce extreme abrasion to the lower transom fabric. Other alternative will be to seal off this u shape with silicone/sikaflex or appropriate material and re file. Once filled, must not protude u shape.

04-Glue a U shape fabric stripe with a hole at the extreme stern keel ending, pass a appropriate string through the hole, inflate to correct pressure, temper the keel and tie it to the middle inner engine plate, will have a correct all times perfect aligned keel.

05-Third world bimini top: screw a metal clamp in lateral middle of front seat, drill a hole the same diameter as the lower umbrella tube on a round wooden base, center & fix with 6 minutes epoxy glue, let dry. Good & funny sun shelter shade once anchored, perfect for summer.

A usual use appropriate PVC or Hypalon fabric patches and glues, 2 parts mix is better and will last longer than single parts mix emergency glues. See attached photos for better visual comprehension.

Long Live the Sib….

Happy Boating

[danilo]

Thanks Locozodiac, Very useful guide!

[prairie tuber]

Good stuff & excellent pictures.

[Clipper]

Awesome, some useful hint there, is it common for sand to wear out a sib at the side joiners? i think i need to sand some of my edges, especially the H floor joiners as they are particularly sharp and have even scratched the bottom of my sib.

keep the useful hint coming loco,

cheers.

[danilo]

Originally Posted by Locozodiac

01-Glue a small d rin’g in the middle of the inner bow to tie your gas tank, when full will have 24/26 kilos to better balance the sib specially when single driver or light load use. If your sib is equipped with a front bag harness, will have more extra kilos. Being tank and front bag one in top of the other, more available sib space.


Happy Boating

Hi Locozodiac,

This would work fine on a small SIB, however I guess one would need to install longer fuel line for bigger SIB. Would installing longer fuel line have any negative effect on the engine supply and what is a max lenght ie. in case you wanted to reach inner bow of 3.4-3.8m SIB??

Regards

[Poly]

Originally Posted by danilo

Hi Locozodiac,

This would work fine on a small SIB, however I guess one would need to install longer fuel line for bigger SIB. Would installing longer fuel line have any negative effect on the engine supply and what is a max lenght ie. in case you wanted to reach inner bow of 3.4-3.8m SIB??

Regards

Danilo - I don't have a SIB but I do have a 3.9m boat. My fuel line is long enough to reach the front of the boat (with some to spare) and doesn't seem to have a problem (with a 20 HP 2 str). The only issue I can predict is it will take longer to prime the fuel with the bulb. The same diameter fuel lines are used with much bigger engines, and on much bigger boats (where 3.8m is still the back of the boat!) so I don't expect a problem with the pipework delivering the fuel.

[danilo]

Polwart, Thanks for your prompt answer.

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by danilo

Hi Locozodiac,

This would work fine on a small SIB, however I guess one would need to install longer fuel line for bigger SIB. Would installing longer fuel line have any negative effect on the engine supply and what is a max lenght ie. in case you wanted to reach inner bow of 3.4-3.8m SIB??

Regards

Have been using bow d'ring to hold tank down on 330/360/380 models, with no problem at all, you gain more space availability, works and balance better the sib. All gas tanks brands are not delivered witht the same gas hose extention. We are using Tohatsu engines and gas tanks that comes with appropiate lenght for those three models including smaller sibs, the hose runs through the middle of the tank/sib floor on to the engine. Anyway you can change for a new lenght hose to pass sideways if centered passing is unconfortable for you, no problem with pump nor primer bulb, if extending use same original hose diameter.

Happy Boating

[m chappelow]

once had a extra long fuel pipe on a large sib ,tank up front in the bow with a long fuel hose running around the bottom of the tubes, i thought that the fuelpump might be under more strain but a retired marine engineer said that its the lifting up of the fuel that puts more strain on the pump than a long run and there was only about 30 cm head of fuel to lift when running with bows up and a low transom.

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by m chappelow

once had a extra long fuel pipe on a large sib ,tank up front in the bow with a long fuel hose running around the bottom of the tubes, i thought that the fuelpump might be under more strain but a retired marine engineer said that its the lifting up of the fuel that puts more strain on the pump than a long run and there was only about 30 cm head of fuel to lift when running with bows up and a low transom.

In two years we been placing fuel tanks on prow with "factory lenght hoses" haven't had any pump problems so far, will need a full gas tank to lift fuel better and compensate the tank bow inclination, when engine starts to misfire because of "low fuel", generally 1.5 gallons or less, place a folded towell under the tank in the opposite corner to level gas out. Anyway, pump parts are extremely cheap, not a big issue to worry about and the better balanced sib ride is fully justified.

Happy Boating

[danilo]

Originally Posted by Locozodiac

05-Third world bimini top: screw a metal clamp in lateral middle of front seat, drill a hole the same diameter as the lower umbrella tube on a round wooden base, center & fix with 6 minutes epoxy glue, let dry. Good & funny sun shelter shade once anchored, perfect for summer.

Hi Locozodiac,
Do you have some more photos of the sun shelter mod or does anyone else have some other ideas how to install canopy on a sib (would be very handy when fishing)?
Also, I have seen a number of posts regarding fishing rod holders, but these were mainly designed for solid boats or rib a frames.
Does anyone know of rod holders that could fit on a sib?
Is it a good idea to clamp them on the transom board and should I need to do any re-enforcements of the board before doing so?
BTW, the boat is Yam 340S (made by Zodiac) with wooden floor (marine ply I believe).

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by danilo

Hi Locozodiac,
Do you have some more photos of the sun shelter mod or does anyone else have some other ideas how to install canopy on a sib (would be very handy when fishing)?
Also, I have seen a number of posts regarding fishing rod holders, but these were mainly designed for solid boats or rib a frames.
Does anyone know of rod holders that could fit on a sib?
Is it a good idea to clamp them on the transom board and should I need to do any re-enforcements of the board before doing so?
BTW, the boat is Yam 340S (made by Zodiac) with wooden floor (marine ply I believe).

Hola Danilo

Was thinking in making a canopy with aluminum posts, couldn't get the right type of aluminum needed down here, so opted for the umbrella canopy, works very well in summer, is displayed when the sib has reach a stop & anchor position, what I like is : you can remove, fold it, put inside a plastic bag and keep it on the floor at any of the tubes side, wont bother a thing. Could cruise while it's displayed, but at a very low speed, like trolling without wind.

What don't like about canopies is that the alum tubes must be long in order to be folded and don't interfere with prow space. The ideal will be to have it folded on top of the prow but will protuber awfully to the prow sides because of different canppy/bow shapes. If placing rod holders, must be fitted to the transom.

Happy Boating

[danilo]

Thanks, I would prefer umbrella type too, it takes less space and it's more practical.Trolling is exactly what I am intending to do so sun shade would come handy at low speeds.Any chance of posting a pic of the boat with the umbrella in open position.I am planning to get a pair of Mitchell rod holders (see pic) and clamp them to the transom board, is this the best place for them on a sib?

Regards

[Andy JC]

I would say the transom would be the best (and probably only) option in a SIB. Just make sure they don't foul the engine on full left or right lock.

They look like a good solution for a removable rod holder, cheap too - found them online for £2.99!! What's the build quality like? Guess they're pretty much disposable at that price. Only question is, do they do the job?

Have you or anybody else used them before?

[prairie tuber]

I recently purchased this 'quick draw' system made for Cabela's by Scotty.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...=cat21300&rid=

I haven't mounted the base on the transom just yet, because I'm still determining the exact spot I want it. Ideally located where it will be very handy, yet will not interfere with any other items that need to be mounted on the transom. I have also modified this rod holder slightly so that it will hold the rod in place snugly while travelling at planing speeds.

I made this modification by drilling a couple of slightly ovalized holes on the bottom of the inner plastic cylinder & screwing down 2 small soft rubber stops onto the top side of the outer 1/2 cylinder (which the innner cylinder clicks into). I also added some very thin soft rubber padding to the inside top ofthe inner cylinder. When the inner cylinder clips into the outer 1/2 cylinder, the rubber stops protrude through the ovalized holes in the inner cylinder and press up against the handle of the rod. They push the rod handle against the padded ceiling of the inner cylinder and hold the rod very securely.

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by danilo

Thanks, I would prefer umbrella type too, it takes less space and it's more practical.Trolling is exactly what I am intending to do so sun shade would come handy at low speeds.Any chance of posting a pic of the boat with the umbrella in open position.I am planning to get a pair of Mitchell rod holders (see pic) and clamp them to the transom board, is this the best place for them on a sib?

Regards

Hola Danilo

As soon as I have the unbrella with me (is at a friends house) will post some pics of the displayed unbrella/boat, find to be the cheapest sun shelter to buy and adapt if you could call a "canopy". Traditional canopies can cost as much as $ 100/150 dollars.

Happy Boating

[Locozodiac]

Other interesting "make your boating life easy" issues:

(1) Tow Line Prow Strap : Displays fast & easily for towing

(2) Anchor Line Organizer : Helps organize rope & anchor

(3) Rope Organizer : Avoids Rope Entanglements on deck/prow, just release rope lenght as botton depth is required, will hold up to a 14" sib.

(4) Umbrella Shelter : A very economic & simple to install summer sun shelter.Tie 2 or 4 lines as required to cardinal points and onto lateral ropes, will prevent fly away umbrellas while fishing/sun sheltering with wind.

Happy Boating

[danilo]

Loco, you're Legend!!!How thick and long are the anchor rope & chain?
I am sure answer to this question would be of interest to any boating beginner including myself...
Many thanks for posting the info and these great pics!

Let's hope John moves this thread (when he gets free moment) into our new SIB section .

Regards
Danilo

[BumbleAbout]

Chain length tends to be around SIB length (either 6 or 8mm dia chain) with a combined rope and chain length (the scope) of 4-6 times the maximum depth (you can anchor at low tide and then the depth increases as the tide comes in).

For a SIB the rope diameter is more about not cutting into your hands as you pull up the rope/ anchor rather than the breaking strain of the rope - 10mm is a good starting point.

For years in a 3m SIB I got away with a 2kg folding grapnel, 3m of 6mm chain and 20m of nylon 3 strand rope - but that was for lunchtime mooring off a beach. Any drifting was usually noticed and was fixed fairly quickly and easily.

Now that I want to anchor overnight I use a 6kg (chinese copy) delta with 5m of 8mm chain and 40m of 10mm rope plus a second 3kg anchor with 20m rope.

[prairie tuber]

Hi Bumble,

I recently purchased the same Chinese made 6kg Delta style anchor. It has been very effective so far - especially on muddy bottoms where the grapnel wouldn't work very well. It is a bit of a pig for stowage however. I came across a clever anchor called a 'box anchor' yesterday and have just posted a thread about it in this section.