Newbie SIB Advice

[Mike The Mechanic]

I’m getting myself into SIB fishing early next year and would like some advice thanks.
Setup I am thinking of getting is a Honwave T25 AE with a Tohatsu 20hp.

First regarding trailering. I mostly won’t be using the trailer to launch so I have to get it off the trailer onto its launch wheels then back on again. Will this be manageable by myself with this outfit?. The trailers I have been looking at have rails on not rollers.

Regarding launch wheels. I have been looking at these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134853814467 will these be suitable for sandy beach launch? Again by myself.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mick

[chipko]

Hi Mick, did you mean T25 or is this a typo. Only questioning as it will only take a 6hp motor and too small really for good sea keeping and certainly wouldn’t warrant a trailer.

[chipko]

The Beachmasters style wheels are a great low profile design and super easy to deploy/retract, but rather small over soft sand making a loaded sib a hard pull. Also being so low profile will be difficult to drag boat on/off the road trailer.
To get a sib easily off a bunked road trailer solo I’d be considering some wheels with a much longer leg. Something like this telescopic set from Boatworld would be ideal to match the height of a road trailer and the larger wheels also good for soft sand.
https://boatworld.co.uk/boatworld-he...-launch-wheels

[Steve509926]

Hi Mick, T25 is very small and I wouldn't have thought the most stable platform to fish from (although I don't fish myself) I would have thought something around the 3.6mtr + would be much better platform to fish from and a better performing sib overall. Take a look at the Boatworld and Excel range of sibs, the Boatworld carbon pro has great reviews from those who fish.
I don't have the problems that chipko is mentioning with the Beachmaster style of wheels. I find them good over sand and very easy to use on & off a trailer. I know others have had problems with regard to quality with copycat "Beachmaster" wheels, but I can honestly say I think they are excellent and would recommend them.

https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/beachm...ion-89002.html

[Fenlander]

Hi Mick and welcome.

I too am assuming T25 is a typo and it's probably a T35 you are thinking of. I'll reply more once the correct SIB is confirmed.

[Peter_C]

A small SIB with a 20HP can easily be put on and off the trailer solo. I did my 4.2m with a 40HP 2 stroke with only a little grunting as it slid off the carpeted bunks prior to the wheels landing on the ground. Silicon lube helps makes the carpeted bunks slippery. For a small boat the Beachmasters are awesome. For something with a 20HP I would go with Wheelez tires if traveling over cobble or sand. https://wheeleez.com/wheeleez-boat-launching-wheels/ The bigger, wider, and softer the wheel the easier it will be to pull solo.

Once I put launch wheels onto my SIB I NEVER dipped the trailer again. Even rigged an electric winch to pull it onto the trailer at steep launch sites. My wheel legs were also long enough I could come in tilted fully down and not hit bottom. Also makes it easier to get on and off the trailer, so the bow doesn't have to be put way up in the air as it goes on the trailer.

[Mike The Mechanic]

Originally Posted by chipko

Hi Mick, did you mean T25 or is this a typo. Only questioning as it will only take a 6hp motor and too small really for good sea keeping and certainly wouldn’t warrant a trailer.

Sorry should have been T35 AE

[chipko]

Ok makes more sense now.

Good choice to be honest and the T35 is a fine boat if it’s an aluminium floor you’re after. Perhaps also worth looking at similar offerings from Excel and Boatworld but they’ll not better the T35 and likely not hold their value as well.

The Tohatsu 20 efi is also a cracking motor and the lightest at 43kg so once again a good choice and a perfect match for a 3.5m sib.

A T35 with a 20hp motor plus kit is a fair old weigh so I’d still be recommending larger/longer leg wheels unless of course you’re just trundling a short distance across a car park and down a concrete slip.

[Mike The Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi Mick, T25 is very small and I wouldn't have thought the most stable platform to fish from (although I don't fish myself) I would have thought something around the 3.6mtr + would be much better platform to fish from and a better performing sib overall. Take a look at the Boatworld and Excel range of sibs, the Boatworld carbon pro has great reviews from those who fish.
I don't have the problems that chipko is mentioning with the Beachmaster style of wheels. I find them good over sand and very easy to use on & off a trailer. I know others have had problems with regard to quality with copycat "Beachmaster" wheels, but I can honestly say I think they are excellent and would recommend them.

https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/beachm...ion-89002.html

Hi
That’s an excellent thread very informative thanks.

[Mike The Mechanic]

Originally Posted by chipko

Ok makes more sense now.

Good choice to be honest and the T35 is a fine boat if it’s an aluminium floor you’re after. Perhaps also worth looking at similar offerings from Excel and Boatworld but they’ll not better the T35 and likely not hold their value as well.

The Tohatsu 20 efi is also a cracking motor and the lightest at 43kg so once again a good choice and a perfect match for a 3.5m sib.

A T35 with a 20hp motor plus kit is a fair old weigh so I’d still be recommending larger/longer leg wheels unless of course you’re just trundling a short distance across a car park and down a concrete slip.

Hi

My main launch will be over a sandy beach but plan is to do some Scottish sea and fresh water lochs.

Mick

[Mike The Mechanic]

Hi

I have a Honwave dealer close to me and have been in a couple of time to look at what they have on display. The Honwave’s seem very well made better than I expected actually.

Mick

[Fenlander]

We owned a T35 about ten years ago. Like you we found it surprisingly well made. It was probably the most stable SIB at rest we've owned so should suit your fishing. A 20hp should be ideal, we ran ours with a 15hp 2-stroke and always felt it needed more.

We sold ours on only as we daily inflate from the back of the car, its weight and the faff fitting in the alloy floor each time eventually put me off. Otherwise no complaints.

Regarding transom wheels we prefer longer ones so we can motor to the slip with them down and know the outboard can't hit bottom, also helps loads with kerbs and potholes if it's a long trundle from car to launch location. Having said that I know Steve gets on well with his type. We take ours off after launch and store in the car but if we were to leave a set on while at sea I'd seriously consider Beachmasters as I hate the Mickey Mouse look of long flip up wheels next to the outboard cowl.

[paddlers]

We owned a Honwave 35 AE with a 20 HP fourstroke Tohatsu . Brilliant bit of kit . well made and for us a perfect fishing platform for three adults although we could get 5 in as a basic tender to get us out to the hardboat.
With the trolley an easy launch with the transom wheels too. No issues at all in the five years we owned it.

[Mike The Mechanic]

Hi

Ordered a T35 today with extra seat as there is deal on at the minute and the dealer said it may finish at the end of the month.
I have a small project going on at home which is taking up garage space. Should be done by early February so will start getting the rest ordered when the garage is clear.

Mick

[Fenlander]

Good decision.

[Steve509926]

If I fished I probably would go for the T35, it looks like the best of the Honwave range.