New wheels or new SIB

[Peter_C]

I've owned a few 2 strokes and owning a four stroke now, I will never go back. Always felt guilty on start up leaving a slight sheen of oil atop the water

Depending on vehicle... although this should be no problem with something like a minivan or SUV to do this.

A way to move a heavier motor without lifting it is to use a light weight crane. If you can cut and drill metal it wouldn't be hard to make one from possibly scrap, and a few simple parts.


Bolt the crane onto a cargo carrier that slides into the receiver hitch to haul the motor on. (The motor could be lowered onto a dolly to roll around while stored.)

[Blankton]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

I didn't realise that Yamaha 4 strokes were that heavy! That aside, I know it's each to there own, but why would I want to buy, let's say a 10 year old 18hp 2 stroke Tohatsu @ 41kg instead of a new 20hp 4 stroke efi Tohatsu @ 43kg.
The 4 stroke is cleaner, isn't as noisy, and is much much more fuel efficient.

I agree, that tohatsu is a bit of an outlier. I am sure if you made a graph of power to weight of various ob's that one would sit somewhere near the 2 stroke line rather than the 4 stroke line.

If you don't mind spending £2500 as opposed to £1000 that is a pretty good choice. Me personally, I'd be looking at a late yam 2 stroke. 100:1 on the oil, so not really smoky and only 36kg.

[paintman]

Originally Posted by Peter_C

I've owned a few 2 strokes and owning a four stroke now, I will never go back. Always felt guilty on start up leaving a slight sheen of oil atop the water

Depending on vehicle... although this should be no problem with something like a minivan or SUV to do this.

A way to move a heavier motor without lifting it is to use a light weight crane. If you can cut and drill metal it wouldn't be hard to make one from possibly scrap, and a few simple parts.

Now that's an interesting piece of kit & as you say, simple to make. Substitute pins & 'R' clips for the triangle of bolts & easily broken down for stowage.

[Ducati]

I used the beach-masters and my new T38 for the first time today.

Setting up in Promenade Park, Maldon, to use the public/shared slipway.

Setting up the wheels probably took about 30 seconds, I done it before I inflated the boat, it was so easy.
The first thing I noticed was once set up I couldn’t put my little 6hp on it without tilting it into the “shallow setting” which I never had to do with the t38 ie2 and swan neck wheels. This being said it was really not an issue, just something I wasn’t used too.

Walking to the slipway from where I set it, perhaps 50 meters, was really easy, night and day to compared to the old set up.

Out in the water, seconds to put the wheels up, Me and two kids (12 & 3) didn’t get on the plane with my 6hp, no surprise there….

Stopped at the Tiptree tea room, near Osea leisure Park, I think it’s called Osea view.
Pulled the Honwave up the beach with no issues, in fact all the time thinking the wheels and me could handle more weight comfortably.

We had some ice creams & coffee and dug some trenches with my 3 year old on the sand for the still incoming tide.

Pushed the boat out and took the wheels up, again so easy, they really are a great design.
Back to Maldon and then pulled the boat up the slip and back to the car for deflation and packing away.

So all in all I think these wheels are really great, I didn’t get on the plane but whilst maxing out the BF6 I never noticed any adverse effects.

My next update will be when I get a bigger engine.

Thanks all.

[tinker]

Beach wheels make a huge difference, SIBs should come with them from new IMO.

[Steve509926]

Appreciate the pictures, they are a good help. They look good and they look pretty strong, much stronger than the wheels I currently have. Like you I never gave a thought about having to fit the OB in the tilted position, but I suppose it would soon become second nature to tilt the OB before loading it into the car.
It doesn't look like there is much room left between the wheel bracket and tubes to fit a transducer, although my sib is a little wider so it may not be a problem for me.

[Ducati]

Went to Tollesbury today with the SIB and my three children.
It’s free to park on a weekday along Woodrolfe Road and launch on the public slipway/hard standing.
I’ve launched here once before but when I arrived about 90 mins before high tide i immediately noticed how high the water level was. I knew it was a spring tide yesterday but even so, a really high tide so far.

Anyway set up the Honwave and put the beachmasters on.
A few locals suggested driving my car onto the grass next to the little lake, which I did (and thank you)

The slip is part tarmac then stones/pebbles and a good test for the new wheels.
They were great, in fact you know there working well when you don’t have to give them a second thought, unlike the old ones, I used to constantly worry they would bend or collapse.

So we set out to go to either Mersea or the beach next to Bradwell Power Station.

As we got out out onto the Blackwater Estuary from the Tollesbury wick, it was really choppy, the kids decided we should go to bradwell so we headed south. I think it’s just over a mile.

The 6hp was working really hard and the further we went the bigger the waves.

At this point I should point out I’ve not done any courses (planning RYA PB2) and this is my first year of anything water related.

The waves/swell was heading East and we are going southerly so hitting our starboard side.
I think we got about three quarters of the way there when I thought, I’m 95% ok with this but I’m going to turn around and go back, I can always come another day.

The kids were loving it though and bit disappointed we were heading back so soon, so we got back to Tollesbury at exactly high tide.

With this Woodrolfe Road was about 20cm under, my car was fine and would have probably been ok if still parked in the road….but who knows.

Anyway a few things learned today, take more notice of how high tides are, if your gut says time to call it a day then probably do it. Finally the little 6hp really showed its limitations today with a strong chop.

A few pics attached.

[Steve509926]

"They were great, in fact you know there working well when you don’t have to give them a second thought".........

That's exactly what I want! not to be thinking about wheels collapsing when I'm launching with transom wheels.

I'm probably going to get shot down in flames saying this, but as good as a PB2 is (and it is definitely worth while doing) , it can't better experience and common sense. You was 95% OK but that 5% of common sense spoke to you and you listened, probably because your kids were with you. It's something you will remember for future reference.

Really highs springs, good to know incase I'm ever down that way

[Brinormeg]

Glad you had a nice trip out again, and good the kids are loving it as well.

Like you, we aren't very experienced, and yet to do the PB2 (although we did invest in a radio, plotter and a few extra bits of safety kit).

I would suggest that a trip out with someone knowledgeable and skilled with sibs would be a great confidence booster for you (as it would be for us).

We are a bit wary, and probably have been overcautious at times when you see what people are capable of doing with these inflatable boats.

But you definitely did the right thing by turning back if you weren't comfortable with the weather or sea state.

I think every time we’ve been out, something new has cropped up (every days a school day)

There is always another day, and of course you had the most precious of cargos to consider as well.

Really thinking hard about this type of wheels making our set up better......more money and more crawling to the better half.....me thinks

How secure do you find the quick release mechanism for removal of the wheels? I ask because I almost lost a wheel recently while out in the middle of a loch

[Fenlander]

>>>if your gut says time to call it a day then probably do it. Finally the little 6hp really showed its limitations today with a strong chop.

Yep there is always another day... particularly if the wife and/or kids are with you.

I know that area well from Osea Island across the south side of Mersea Island to Brightlingsea. We are often surprised just how choppy it is in the area between Tollesbury, Mersea and Bradwell. Sounds as if you had wind over tide at springs so no wonder it was a bit lively. Also if you went directly south once rounding the point of Tollesbury Wick it's very shallow there which makes it more choppy. The better route is going ENE out of Tollesbury about 1NM following the channel until round the Nass buoy.

As you say it's about 1NM from leaving the Spit to Bradwell to a bit further if from the Nass buoy and at displacement speeds punching the waves or having them side on is not that comfortable. When we had a lower power outfit that couldn't plane a while back we'd often plan to go round to Brightlingsea after launching at West Mersea but after nosing out into the Blackwater south of Mersea Island we'd find the choppy sea just not comfortable to go far and return to mess about down the creeks.

[Blankton]

In my opinion a more powerful engine wouldn't have made it much better. It might be fun on a big rib to go *uck it and punch through the chop, but on a SIB I find it quite annoying! It is OK if you are heading with the chop, you can kind of semi plane and surf the waves. But if running against it, then I find more often than not displacement speed is where I end up. Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but this is my observations mainly off the North Coast of Cornwall.

[Fenlander]

>>>I find more often than not displacement speed is where I end up.

It's whatever you feel comfortable with depending on your outfit, how far you are going (one way or returning) and how the crew feels about it.

But my point is an engine big enough to plane gives you options. There are many trips where the sea state changes from an acceptable/easy plane to more uncomfortable several times over the distance and it's very useful to be able to cover some ground on the plane over the easy bits. There are also wave shapes/durations where at displacement speeds you punt into them low down getting very wet and uncomfortable but at a modest plane you're higher in the water and overall it's a smoother drier experience.

I have huge experience of how these differing conditions and SIB/engine combos affect crew as I carry a very advanced comfort and water in the face detector on the front/mid seat... Mrs Fenlander. I'm never left in any doubt if I get the speed vs sea state wrong as she turns round giving a withering stare.

[Peter_C]

My goto video for what a little inflatable is capable of. This boat has slightly more HP, but few are taking their little boats out in these conditions on purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6gMDlTTN6A

[chipko]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

>>>I carry a very advanced comfort and water in the face detector on the front/mid seat... Mrs Fenlander. I'm never left in any doubt if I get the speed vs sea state wrong as she turns round giving a withering stare.

You’re lucky, our onboard advanced detector has never worked. Must be wired wrong. I have to back off way before any alarm sounds.
Seem to recall, after stuffing the rib in the overfalls off Longstone Island, when the grinning subsided, the only comment was “at least that’ll save you hosing the deck when we get back”[emoji848]

[Ducati]

Thought I’d update this post (if anyone’s interested!)

I sold my Honda BF6 for £1 more than I’d paid for it, although I’d had it serviced and eBay fees cost a few quid. That being said, it was a great introduction to SIBing and the little Honda done me proud.

So what to get?

Well I had my heart set on a new Yamaha F25G - fuel injected but weighing 56kg.
The cheapest price I could get was about £3800, so it was the price, not the weight that put me off, read on for my views on that.

So then it was down to either Suzuki’s, tried and tested DF20AS or the newer Tohatsu MFS20E.

In the end the price made the decision for me with the Tohatsu, about £300 cheaper than the Suzuki.

I picked it up Friday and tomorrow I’m taking my younger two crabbing around Mersea.

The BF6 weighed 28kg and the Tohatsu 43kg. 15kg difference in weight, not much really.

I’ll point out at this stage (and hopefully not sound like I’m pretentious) that I like weight lifting and can happily deadlift 140kg and max rep at 160kg without too much trouble.

But manhandling this engine is really difficult and I can just about mange to get it from my car to the stand and back again without too much pain or risk of injury.
The 15kg increase on a outboard is huge due to the shape and balance of it, lesson learnt by myself!

I’m so glad I didn’t go for the Yamaha (Fenlander - you were absolutely right!)

Anyway, got to do the running-In process now so no max throttle for a while.
I’ll report back tomorrow and let you know how it all goes.

Cheers all.

[Fenlander]

Good to hear an update Dan. Quite jealous of you getting out at Mersea tomorrow. Look forward to seeing how the new OB suits you, a jump from 6hp to 20hp will be a great improvement. Looks like a very moderate wind and mild sea state. If you haven't looked yet do bear in mind it's a falling tide all day towards a low later afternoon when some areas will be quite shallow

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Ducati

Thought I’d update this post (if anyone’s interested!)

I sold my Honda BF6 for £1 more than I’d paid for it, although I’d had it serviced and eBay fees cost a few quid. That being said, it was a great introduction to SIBing and the little Honda done me proud.

So what to get?

Well I had my heart set on a new Yamaha F25G - fuel injected but weighing 56kg.
The cheapest price I could get was about £3800, so it was the price, not the weight that put me off, read on for my views on that.

So then it was down to either Suzuki’s, tried and tested DF20AS or the newer Tohatsu MFS20E.

In the end the price made the decision for me with the Tohatsu, about £300 cheaper than the Suzuki.

I picked it up Friday and tomorrow I’m taking my younger two crabbing around Mersea.

The BF6 weighed 28kg and the Tohatsu 43kg. 15kg difference in weight, not much really.

I’ll point out at this stage (and hopefully not sound like I’m pretentious) that I like weight lifting and can happily deadlift 140kg and max rep at 160kg without too much trouble.

But manhandling this engine is really difficult and I can just about mange to get it from my car to the stand and back again without too much pain or risk of injury.
The 15kg increase on a outboard is huge due to the shape and balance of it, lesson learnt by myself!

I’m so glad I didn’t go for the Yamaha (Fenlander - you were absolutely right!)

Anyway, got to do the running-In process now so no max throttle for a while.
I’ll report back tomorrow and let you know how it all goes.

Cheers all.

Yup, I’m a relatively fit & healthy 59 yr old, I’ve been in “physical” work all my life & can still throw a couple of 25kg bags of cement onto my shoulders. BUT! Outboards are the work of the devil when it comes to manhandling. They are just plain awkward, the centre of gravity is wrong & there’s bugger all to get hold of, the leg & prop fouls your legs, they are just a PITA to manage. I have the 44kg DF20 & it’s just about my limit.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Yup, I’m a relatively fit & healthy 59 yr old, I’ve been in “physical” work all my life & can still throw a couple of 25kg bags of cement onto my shoulders. BUT! Outboards are the work of the devil when it comes to manhandling. They are just plain awkward, the centre of gravity is wrong & there’s bugger all to get hold of, the leg & prop fouls your legs, they are just a PITA to manage. I have the 44kg DF20 & it’s just about my limit.

apart from the "59" I agree.

47kg Merc is my absolute max.