My new wacky SIB

[matt h]

Poole Today, wicked fun, used £10 of fuel in 5 ish hours. superb!!

[dverstege]

90 or 9hp??
I was going to buy something larger but gas the way it's going up every day and the marina raising prices decided not to. I'm happy passing the larger boats knowing they don't go far off shore ($$$$) I get out 2-3 days fishing on a 20L tank.

[Andy JC]

Looks like you're having a blast there Matt

Did you take a handheld GPS out with you? Any idea of top speed?

Do you find you get much 'flex' in the air floor on the Bombard, particularly at planing speeds? Just wondered as the floor in my Honda (also 3.8m) moves all over the place even though it's correctly inflated. I know an airdeck won't be a solid as a wooden floor but I didn't expect it to move quite so much

[matt h]

To be honest i hardly felt it, ive had Quicksilver 430 Avon 340 Seago 270 and this Bombard, and i have to say it is completely different from any of the aforementioned boats,it has two High pressure pads (floor) which when inflated force th floor down to be very rigid, we took it in to some interesting water, and it really was superb in every way, better than i expected, my mate was on his ski by the side of me and we clocked 23 mph two up with 12 litres of fuel, cant wait to go out again!

[Locozodiac]

Originally Posted by Andy JC

Looks like you're having a blast there Matt

Did you take a handheld GPS out with you? Any idea of top speed?

Do you find you get much 'flex' in the air floor on the Bombard, particularly at planing speeds? Just wondered as the floor in my Honda (also 3.8m) moves all over the place even though it's correctly inflated. I know an airdeck won't be a solid as a wooden floor but I didn't expect it to move quite so much

All air decks & vib floors tends to flex up-down specially on chopy waters, even though correctly inflated to their working pressure. This issue will disappoint some boaters buying air floors sibs.

Happy Boating

[matt h]

i really found the flex minimal, in compared to others i have tried,thew Avon 340 was like riding a large wobbly irish bit i met on holiday whilst very drunk,bit like a waterbed, the Bombard Aerotec 380 is nothing like that,it really was rigid in comparison, very pleased with it overall,

[Limey Linda]

Originally Posted by matt h

was like riding a large wobbly irish bit i met on holiday whilst very drunk,bit like a waterbed,

Eeeew., tooooo much information.

[Andy JC]

Originally Posted by matt h

i really found the flex minimal, in compared to others i have tried

if that's the case I might look around for a used one then. Don't think I can run to a new one, they seem quite pricey

Cheers for the info Matt

[Andy JC]

Originally Posted by matt h

it really was rigid in comparison

...now that one sounds more like my missus

[codprawn]

Do you find the strip handles on the tops of the tubes a pain in the proverbial???

[matt h]

Andy jc, Like that one!! ha ha
Codders, the strip handles are superb,as hopefully clearly shows, loads to hang on to and really heavy duty /usefull, we should have a Sib day out!!!

[Nick Hearne]

Matt that looks very familiar & I only missed you by a day I was there on Sunday!
I think the only way you can appreciate the Airotec is to go out in one as they are not like a normal air floor Sib!
Glad you like it as much as I do, Nick

[matt h]

they really are suprisingly good, had some great jumps out of it, in todays fuel prices it was great to have as much fun with out the cost it was a laugh a minute flying machine thumbs:

[m chappelow]

yep and at the end of the day it could all be rolled up and all go in the back of the car , i would never be without my sib ,infact i down graded back from a rib to a sib a few years ago owing to the cost of fuel and the fact that with the sib i can launch and land just about anywhere. the kids enjoy the sib more too especially in a small one ,much more exilerating that much closer to the water ,and i enjoy the fuel consumpton with a 4 stroke.

[matt h]

hang on a minute,, is that a Y or D class beast you have there?? if so, we need more pictures please!!

[dverstege]

Question? I was looking at getting a Gemini 420 like Prairie Tuber. Just wondering though about floor depth. The Gemini seems not as deep keel so you have to set on the floor when running it. It sounds like yours has more leg room “deeper” and looks like it has the cross seats from tube to tube. Just wondering because of my knees.

[Bigmuz7]

Looks like a tiller extension too .. and is that a long shaft motor ?

[m chappelow]

HI MATT its a y class that i bought last year just about identical to a d class but smaller they are based on the avon 3 40 but the rnli put on loads of extra bits and pieces ie 2 x5 inch trunk bailers ,foam mattrass, reinforcing patches, heavy duty dodger, saddle bags. handles , down side is its heavy , one piece 2cm ply floor ,and heavy duty bronze eyes for davit lifting,also 2 really heavy duty bottle screws for tensioning the floor in the bow which wiegh about 2 kg each,if you want anymore info let me know

[m chappelow]

yes its a long shaft but no tiller extension,the lighter patches are covering the operational numbers up as before the boat was sold to me i had to sign a disclamer that i would not show them though they stuck them on for me.

[prairie tuber]

Originally Posted by dverstege

Question? I was looking at getting a Gemini 420 like Prairie Tuber. Just wondering though about floor depth. The Gemini seems not as deep keel so you have to set on the floor when running it. It sounds like yours has more leg room “deeper” and looks like it has the cross seats from tube to tube. Just wondering because of my knees.

As compared to a zapcat, the tunnel hull design of Gemini's Dive 470 & Surf 420 has the floor much lower relative to the main sponsons. I have a much deeper floor in the Dive 470 than in my 4.2m Zodiac Grand Raid. Hope these puictures help -

I'm 7'2" by the way


... 5'9" actually




These military jerry cans are just over 19" tall.