Need help deciding which SIB, narrowed down to 2!

[Landlockedpirate]

Originally Posted by willk

But other than those minor issues, would you recommend the aluminium or the wooden floor?

Neither, Why waste money ? I suggest a cardboard floor sprayed with a $20 can of NeverWet Super-Hydrophobic should do the job.What could possibly go wrong

[willk]

Originally Posted by Landlockedpirate

Neither, Why waste money ? I suggest a cardboard floor sprayed with a $20 can of NeverWet Super-Hydrophobic should do the job.What could possibly go wrong

An excellent suggestion sir, I bow to your inferior post count

[frankc]

I mess around on the water with a variety of boats both on the Georgia and Florida Gulf coasts. No way I would do what you propose off Georgia, as it can go from dead calm to roaring in a matter of minutes. I have seen the Gulf do the same off St. Petersburg and the Keys.

Hopefully you are familiar with sea conditions in your area, but even so, you are proposing going too far from shore in a 11 ft craft.

Realistically how far off the beach would you have to travel to find the kings? They use kayaks in the Gulf to fish for them, but they do not travel the long distance you propose.

I would also comment that the high posters on this site represent many hours of experience and generally give advice you can depend on. If they raise the caution flag, a wise person would pay attention to what they say. You learn a lot on those days when you claw your way home with you tail between your legs and your teeth clenched. You don't want to experience that for yourself if you can help it.

If I were considering what you propose, I would not set my sights on a glued seam PVC craft. Floor material would be a secondary consideration.

[paddlers]

I'm an under 500 post person but it never ceases to surprise me how quickly sea conditions can change !!
Even a few hundred metres from shore it's can still be a recipe for disaster with a broken engine and a set of oars. I hope the advice given in this thread by some very experienced boat handlers is accepted by the less knowledgeable ( I'm in the latter category !).

[Starovich]

So kjack87 i see your going for a spot in the darwin awards, good luck.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by willk

Slight Edit following Post #14 ;-)
I understand very well. I have a 9.8hp Tohatsu on a 9' SIB. I've been out on days when it would have been possible to take it cross channel to Scotland - but I wouldn't risk it in a craft so dependent on millpond conditions.

I'll admit that going further offshore in these little boats is tempting, as they're so confidence inspiring. However, it's the speed/conditions thing that puts me off. They can only handle a very narrow range of sea conditions - flat calm to seastate 4 at most. In seastate 4 they have vastly reduced speed and agility. If conditions change, either due to weather or localised phenomena, then you're in trouble. A larger boat with more HP will generally see it through.

Do you know that a 9.8hp will shift your load on the plane?
I understand now thanks to that video, I'm sorry I hadn't seen it earlier in my armchair boating career. I think you should pick the aluminium floored boat and go as far offshore as you feel comfortable with

I second this advice, and I'd like to accompany him with another boat. I'd like to redeem my free chum coupon for shark fishing.

[Locozodiac]

If on a tight budget, would preffer the wooden floor larger sib, bit roomier. Those alum floor board are the standard type, not heavy duty ones seen on more professional sibs, so not an issue, have had both. The wooden will need more care about, being more prone to scratch easily than alum.

You have different bow types, could be pointed as in old Zodiac, Avons, round or square, will depend entirely on the manufacturer. Being the round type bow, the roomier. Not an issue with winds whatsoever as keel is what cuts water, not bow.

Do you like air decks sibs, if so, why don't you consider a much roomier 365 Saturn inflatable. That 9.8 horse will slide/plane it much better than smaller Zodicas sizes.

If your boating area is calm, no issues, just carry along proper equipement in case of trouble to be in the safe mode.

Happy Boating

[kjack87]

Originally Posted by Locozodiac

If on a tight budget, would preffer the wooden floor larger sib, bit roomier. Those alum floor board are the standard type, not heavy duty ones seen on more professional sibs, so not an issue, have had both. The wooden will need more care about, being more prone to scratch easily than alum.

You have different bow types, could be pointed as in old Zodiac, Avons, round or square, will depend entirely on the manufacturer. Being the round type bow, the roomier. Not an issue with winds whatsoever as keel is what cuts water, not bow.

Do you like air decks sibs, if so, why don't you consider a much roomier 365 Saturn inflatable. That 9.8 horse will slide/plane it much better than smaller Zodicas sizes.

If your boating area is calm, no issues, just carry along proper equipement in case of trouble to be in the safe mode.

Happy Boating

Thank you I just checked out that saturn and for $1050 its not a bad deal! Will the difference between that 12 ft and the 10ft's I'm looking at make a big difference in choppy seas? Would you recommend going for the inflatable floors over the wood floor?

Rest of you.. think you very much for your concern as I don't plan on going more than a few miles out at MOST and planning my outtings on a calm day. People use these boats all the time for spearfishing / light offshore fishing that I am doing. I am a younger and have ocean experience. I can not trailer my sib and need to fold it up after my use. I understand the "risk" associated with going a couple miles offshore but I think a lot of you are over-reacting and have watched Titanic 1 too many times. I am not going to be Christopher Columbus sailing across the Atlantic here just going a couple miles offshore !!

I understand it can be dangerous in an unsinkable boat with an unsinkable lifevest - sarcasm.. if absolute worse comes to worse I will have a strobe light and marine radio to flag down the helicopter.

[Alzi]

Spear fishing , with an Inflatable miles offshore , that's a Bright Idea.
Will common sense ever prevail !!
Only in America !

[kjack87]

Yeah it's called keeping a case over your spears until you are underwater and putting the cover back on once you resurface. Please no more replies from old burn-outs that are too scared to use an inflatable boat

I would like reponses from people who have used a small inflatable for offshore since that is what they are INTENDED for as TENDERS to go a couple miles to the beach while OFFSHORE. I understand many are older and are scared of being in anything less than a 40ft yacht but sorry I dont have 50k to blow on a huge rib like most.

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by kjack87

I understand many are older and are scared of being in anything less than a 40ft yacht but sorry I dont have 50k to blow on a huge rib like most.

F5-6, with wind from the North (NE Scotland in June). Wind dropped an hour later to F2-3, and the sea-state was completely different. That's how quick the weather can change.

You don't need $50k, or a 40-footer. What you need is common-sense and respect for the sea!

[frankc]

You started this thread with:

"Price Range $1300 max
Length 10-11 ft
Use: Light offshore fishing 5-10 miles out
9.8 Tohatsu 4 stroke
MAX load: 2 fisherman, light gear, 40-50 lb icechest"

You say you have sea experience and that a person is safe with an unsinkable boat. That is good, as the Coast Guard generally finds a boat after a mishap. It is not so unusual to find someone drowned in a life jacket after a bout with rough seas also.

The majority of posts by experienced boaters was designed to raise the caution flag which you do not appreciate.

My question to you is why did you ask for advice when you have all the answers?

[kjack87]

Originally Posted by frankc

You started this thread with:

"Price Range $1300 max
Length 10-11 ft
Use: Light offshore fishing 5-10 miles out
9.8 Tohatsu 4 stroke
MAX load: 2 fisherman, light gear, 40-50 lb icechest"

You say you have sea experience and that a person is safe with an unsinkable boat. That is good, as the Coast Guard generally finds a boat after a mishap. It is not so unusual to find someone drowned in a life jacket after a bout with rough seas also.

The majority of posts by experienced boaters was designed to raise the caution flag which you do not appreciate.

My question to you is why did you ask for advice when you have all the answers?

Thank you for the informative video. I have been 30 miles out many times on jet ski's fishing.

I never asked about cautions of the Ocean... since so many say that a 10' boat going a few miles offshore is "dangerous" and I will "die" what is your recommendation of the smallest inflatable you would go with using a 15 hp engine? What do you people even use the inflatables for? I don't see the point in even having one if your too scared to use them ? What do you use them in the pool or what???

[kjack87]

I don't mean to sound rude in my posts I just dont think many people understand how the water is off the Texas Gulf... this is about as rough as it gets unless there is a storm brewing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMgrzs2lgwQ

[Nos4r2]

I'm going to make one last attempt at being nice and explain some basic stuff.
Firstly, VHF handhelds.
A marine handheld VHF radio only has a range of about 5 miles at absolute optimum-and that's reduced even more the closer you are to sea level.
At best it's line of sight, and a 5w or 6w handheld doesn't transmit far. There needs to be someone near enough to you that happens to have a VHF turned on to receive as well, not just a shoreline.
If you're in the water,line of sight is severely reduced unless there's a ship close enough,and the chances of them maintaining a listening watch is quite slim. You could very easily only have a usable range of half a mile or less.

Secondly, inflatables like the ones you're contemplating are NOT meant or built for going ashore from miles out. You wouldn't anchor a 40 foot yacht miles out anyway. They're meant for running around in harbours or running along the intercoastal for a few miles. With that type of use if you get a punctured chamber, you've got a chance of getting ashore before you're dead meat.

Start looking at 12 foot inflatables with the 15hp you mention above and you're getting a bit closer to the bare minimum you need.

If you still want to go ahead and do it, nobody's going to stop you. Just make sure you register for a Darwin award before you leave.

[Starovich]

kjack87
You stated 10-12 foot, inflatable with wood or ali boards.

Then you post a vid of a rib as proof of you logic?!

The amassed wisdom of hundreds of years of boating experience is saying that size of boat that far from shore is not safe, closer to shore or a bigger boat, fine.

if one or some were supporting your plan then you may have an argument, but as it seems that no one thinks your plan is safe i suggest you re think your plan.

I don't see anyone on here changing their mind no matter what argument you put forward.

As a suggestion, call up the people you are expecting to come get you when it all goes tits up, ask them what they think about 11 ft inflatable 10 miles offshore.

And for the record I've been 1000m+ offshore in that sized boat (OK, it was within 500m of a ship, running safety cover, so some daft tourists could swim over the equator.)

[kjack87]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I'm going to make one last attempt at being nice and explain some basic stuff.
Firstly, VHF handhelds.
A marine handheld VHF radio only has a range of about 5 miles at absolute optimum-and that's reduced even more the closer you are to sea level.
At best it's line of sight, and a 5w or 6w handheld doesn't transmit far. There needs to be someone near enough to you that happens to have a VHF turned on to receive as well, not just a shoreline.
If you're in the water,line of sight is severely reduced unless there's a ship close enough,and the chances of them maintaining a listening watch is quite slim. You could very easily only have a usable range of half a mile or less.

Secondly, inflatables like the ones you're contemplating are NOT meant or built for going ashore from miles out. You wouldn't anchor a 40 foot yacht miles out anyway. They're meant for running around in harbours or running along the intercoastal for a few miles. With that type of use if you get a punctured chamber, you've got a chance of getting ashore before you're dead meat.

Start looking at 12 foot inflatables with the 15hp you mention above and you're getting a bit closer to the bare minimum you need.

If you still want to go ahead and do it, nobody's going to stop you. Just make sure you register for a Darwin award before you leave.

Thats the kind of information I'm looking for and I do appreciate all of your suggestions AND taking the time to reply and sincerely do appreciate your thoughts on safety. Just saying "rethink your plan" doesn't help a lot... a few suggestions to point me towards the right direction was really all I wanted. The saturn 12 ft suggestion was the best so far which I have been doing more research on.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by kjack87

Thats the kind of information I'm looking for and I do appreciate all of your suggestions AND taking the time to reply and sincerely do appreciate your thoughts on safety. Just saying "rethink your plan" doesn't help a lot... a few suggestions to point me towards the right direction was really all I wanted. The saturn 12 ft suggestion was the best so far which I have been doing more research on.

No worries.

Personally I'd scrap the idea of buying new-what you'll get new in the US for $1000 isn't really up to the job. I wouldn't be buying PVC either, I'd be getting one made from Hypalon as it's easier to repair on the beach if you need to.

Wooden floors are a pain to fit, but airfloors are very hard to repair as they pump up to a lot higher pressure than the boat will do. If they aren't pumped up, the boat will fold in half on you unexpectedly.

[prairie tuber]

Originally Posted by kjack87

Thats the kind of information I'm looking for and I do appreciate all of your suggestions AND taking the time to reply and sincerely do appreciate your thoughts on safety. Just saying "rethink your plan" doesn't help a lot... a few suggestions to point me towards the right direction was really all I wanted. The saturn 12 ft suggestion was the best so far which I have been doing more research on.

If you were to drop the arrogant attitude, people would be willing to give you guidance rather than comment on how idiotic your previous posts have been.

There are a lot of highly experienced boaters on this forum who have travelled much further distances in small SIBs than what you are proposing. The difference is that they have the experience and proper gear to do so, you clearly have neither.

Without having the slightest clue about the experience and qualifications of the people you are addressing, you call them "old and scared" because they are rightly telling you that using a department store grade pool toy to travel in open ocean conditions is looking for disaster. You were too dim to clue in to the my tonue-in-cheek reference of the lack tow rings on the boat to it's users being rescued by pedal boats (ie. if the boat did have tow rings it would get torn apart if pulled by anything more powerful than a pedal boat).

While I have nowhere near the experience that some the people on this forum have, I have done several dozen trips ranging from 80 to +200 miles (15+ miles from the nearest shore) in SIBs ranging from 11' to 16' long. I have used these SIBs in conditions including as snow storms, gale force winds & class 3 rapids.

When I read the postings from the highly experience SIB users on this board, I pay close attention to what they have posted and ask for clarification if I don't understand the post . If I disagree with something they posted, I will ask them to explain their rationale (while offering up my own) without questioning their experience, age or courage, .

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

But I have done dozens and dozens of trips ranging from 80 to +200 miles (15+ miles from the nearest shore) in SIBs ranging from 11' to 16' long. I have used these SIBs conditions that have included snow storms, gale force winds & class 3 rapids, yet I don't have a fraction of the SIB experience that some the guys here have. I pay close attention to the advice they give and would never question their experience, age or courage.

Prarie Tuber - you've hit the nail on the head.

Looking forward to your 2000 post!