New sibber, advice and recommendations

[seasure]

Hi all,

Ive just bought myself a 3.5 alu honwave with a 15hp yamaha outboard and trailer.
Ive just passed my RYA powerboat level2 and vhf course, i also bought a vhf/gps radio.

I live in east london and I would like to finally take my sib out. Im hesitant about taking it ou on the thames because i took my rya course on the thames and it can get really choppy i dont think the sib wouldnt be able to handle it.

Ideally i would like to take it to the beach were i can do a bit of fishing with a pal. My closest beaches are southend, brighton and camber sands.

Im just not sure what the limitations of my sib are and where i should/should not be thinking of launching, any advice or recommendations would be great! [emoji6]

[paddlers]

Hi Seasure & welcome to the forum. I've no experience of your neck of the woods but have a similar setup with a Honwave 3.5 + 20 hp Tohatsu.
Your best friends in my limited experience are common sense & the weather forecast ! We rarely go out in the sib when it's not going to be enjoyable with rough weather/seas imminent but the whole family love it when it's calm. None of them enjoy being tossed about & prefer the hardboat when it's anything over 2ft waves & even then the Mrs soon gets twitchy when I start wavejumping.
We rarely go more than a mile off shore with our sib and always take all the basics oars/radio/phone/lifejackets/anchor plus plenty of petrol. You soon get in on the plane but if it gets rough you soon halve your speed.

Happy boating

[kaman]

Originally Posted by paddlers

Hi Seasure & welcome to the forum. I've no experience of your neck of the woods but have a similar setup with a Honwave 3.5 + 20 hp Tohatsu.
Your best friends in my limited experience are common sense & the weather forecast ! We rarely go out in the sib when it's not going to be enjoyable with rough weather/seas imminent but the whole family love it when it's calm. None of them enjoy being tossed about & prefer the hardboat when it's anything over 2ft waves & even then the Mrs soon gets twitchy when I start wavejumping.
We rarely go more than a mile off shore with our sib and always take all the basics oars/radio/phone/lifejackets/anchor plus plenty of petrol. You soon get in on the plane but if it gets rough you soon halve your speed.

Happy boating

I'll second that.
Common sense and check the forecast.
I would wait to go out on a very calm day until you familiarise yourself with your rig tho.
Take the basics - flares, Vhf, plenty petrol, basic tools and first aid kit, phone also let someone know where you are going and when you intend to be back.
I've got same set up as Paddlers honwave 3.5 ae and tohatsu 20 hp.
Because I use mine in strong tidal waters I added a back up 2.5hp just in case. However in most scenarios oars will get you out of harms way.

Happy sibbing

[Max...]

Hi, welcome! Get on the A21 and whizz down my way, lots of beaches here to launch from - Bexhill, Pett Level, Cooden etc.

I'd forget the beaches you mention, not ideal, too busy and too many people about!

About 90 mins drive on a good day depending on exactly where you are?

[Harrys Game]

Seasure, Herne bay should be on your list straight down the M2, nice launch ramp and good parking but like every where else can get busy in the summer. Second all of above as far as calm days, flares etc. Regards Jim

[seasure]

Originally Posted by Max...

Hi, welcome! Get on the A21 and whizz down my way, lots of beaches here to launch from - Bexhill, Pett Level, Cooden etc.

I'd forget the beaches you mention, not ideal, too busy and too many people about!

About 90 mins drive on a good day depending on exactly where you are?

Hi Max i live in tower hamlets 3 minutes away from the blackwall tunnel, are these beaches good for fishing as well?

Cheers

[seasure]

Originally Posted by paddlers

Hi Seasure & welcome to the forum. I've no experience of your neck of the woods but have a similar setup with a Honwave 3.5 + 20 hp Tohatsu.
Your best friends in my limited experience are common sense & the weather forecast ! We rarely go out in the sib when it's not going to be enjoyable with rough weather/seas imminent but the whole family love it when it's calm. None of them enjoy being tossed about & prefer the hardboat when it's anything over 2ft waves & even then the Mrs soon gets twitchy when I start wavejumping.
We rarely go more than a mile off shore with our sib and always take all the basics oars/radio/phone/lifejackets/anchor plus plenty of petrol. You soon get in on the plane but if it gets rough you soon halve your speed.

Happy boating

Hi paddlers thanks for the info, i havent got myself an anchor yet, what type would you recommend (weight, length etc)?

Cheers

[paddlers]

Hi, I just have one of the small folding grapnel anchors with @6 feet of chain & 30m of rope in the sib. Cheap and not too much of a problem if I lose it ( just snapped a leg off mine this holiday in rocks) and pretty hopeless on sand/mud but it's the last resort if you've no engine and getting blown about near the shore. Packs up small and not too much of a worry puncturing the tubes. It's amazing how far & fast the wind can move a boat.

[dave3235]

Originally Posted by seasure

Hi paddlers thanks for the info, i havent got myself an anchor yet, what type would you recommend (weight, length etc)?

Cheers

Hi all

4kg grapnal,3.5 6-8mm galvanised chain 20-30 metre optional rope length to your application.Also make sure you take presure reading of tubes and keel once the boats been in the water for 10 mins.If it's gonna have a bit of rough treatment consider getting a chippy friend to make you 2, 1 peace stingers made up.Which will save cracking your floor pannel usualy 2nd pannel from stern where the short stringer joins.

Happy Boating.

[Max...]

Originally Posted by seasure

Hi Max i live in tower hamlets 3 minutes away from the blackwall tunnel, are these beaches good for fishing as well?

Cheers

Easy then, straight through the tunnel, A2, bit of M25 then A21 (around 1 hr 30 to 1 hr 45).

Yep, Hastings still has the largest beach launched fishing fleet - fish galore on the E. Sussex coast.

Most beaches here are shingle/pebble with some occasional steep banks to haul it over but myself and my petite wife manage OK. Two strong blokes will be fine though - you'd need launch wheels.

[HDAV]

Originally Posted by dave3235

Hi all

4kg grapnal,3.5 6-8mm galvanised chain 20-30 metre optional rope length to your application.

The chain is almost more important than the anchor, the weight of the chain keeps the anchor from bouncing as the swell lifts the boat and dragging the anchor.

[alexg]

Camber isn't really an option in my opinion, huge wide beach with a massive tidal range, no slipways for miles and costal defence works pouring thousands of tons of rocks onto the ENTIRE length of the sands if your looking at this neck of the channel Rye or dover are the better choices.

[Sunstreaker]

Hi seasure
The south coast with its predominantly S.E winds can be choppy too. Northerly winds can result in a calmer sea. You could think about A 29 then A 27 or A3/M3 and try Chichester Harbour.

[Max...]

SE?? I'd say almost without fail down here (on the East Sussex section at least) it's a westerly or south westerly 90% of the time.

[Sunstreaker]

Yes my error wine o'clock, of course it is SW lys Max here too.

[seasure]

Thanks guys ill definitely consider all options