On The Brink

dek · 20 April 2012, 14:59

Hello All
As the title indicates I am just on the brink of purchasing a sib. After spending hours on the net and weighing up the pros and cons ie:- trailer or not , ally floor or air floor etc. I think I have come to the conclusion that a 3.5 to 4.00 metre air floor with a 15/20 hp.four stroke would do the trick.
My question to you is would I be able to manage a 20 hp.motor on my own and launch on my own. Do any of you do this on a regular basis or do you think i may get brassed off doing this ? I am clogging on a bit ( very young 55 ) but am itching to get back on the water after many years of landlock , but now idealy located in Bournemouth .
My preference is Honwave 3.8 with 20 hp. but am open to any suggestions from your vast experience.
Thanks in advance for any input.

Cheers.
Dek.

PeterM · 20 April 2012, 15:07

Hmmm- honwaves - great boats but not the lightest ...dare I suggest the consideration of a Bombard 380 Aerotec with a 15 2 stroke yamaha.....and good launching wheels ....

I have the boat with a 25 which is a tad heavy and I'm a sprightly 30 something .....

Poole & Christchurch are the ideal spots for these sort of boats...Am hoping to get the boat out in the next few weeks as I too live in Bournemouth so when I do you are welcome to come and try lifting the 25 .... there are some pics on here somewhere !

Nos4r2 · 20 April 2012, 15:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by dek

My preference is Honwave 3.8 with 20 hp.
.

Get a trailer, or at least an outboard trolley and transom wheels. A 20hp 4 stroke isn't light.

TomKat · 20 April 2012, 15:39

I had one with an 8hp Mariner 2 stroke and I would not want to carry it too far, dread to think of what a bigger engine would do to my back.

What about the Futura on the for sale section, surely a much better boat than a Honwave/Bombard?

PeterM · 20 April 2012, 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomKat

What about the Futura on the for sale section, surely a much better boat than a Honwave/Bombard?

A tad heavy ? and its in Blackpool .......but still a nice boat..

I'm assuming its not going to be trailered ?

dek · 20 April 2012, 17:45

Thanks for the input to date.
Nos ;- yes would definately have launching wheels.
Peter M :- dont fancy trailer at all and storage may be a problem depending on other residents. Would like to see your aerotec and try lifting engine at some time, thanks.
The Futura looks nice but is a long way and possibly to heavy to manage.
Thanks for your idea's please keep it coming.
cheers
Dek.

matt h · 20 April 2012, 18:10

As Pete says 20 hp four stroke is pretty heavy to lift . 15hp-25 two stroke is really the limits for a lift easily

clydeoutboards · 20 April 2012, 18:35

Honwave yes 20hp of any make mmmmm a big no it is just under 50kg by the time you add the oils for the Honda and a few more kg for the Mercury.

I would also add that 20hp on that boat is a lot so though happy to quote on the package I think you would find this overkill unless you had a huge need for speed.

oh if you dont need the slightly bigger tube size of the honwave I did have a play in a few seaswifts that we put one of our Honda 10hp on and that was a lot of fun.

We dont sell them but they are easy to get and are designed in the UK and are an English company.

Seaswift Boats - Astonishing value on hard boats, RIBs, inflatables and tenders

Dave

MattD · 20 April 2012, 21:03

I have not long had my first boat (Honwave T40 and Tohatsu 20 4 stroke) and I think you will soon get fed up with a 3.5 to 4 meter air floor with that size engine. The tohatsu 20 is really too heavy for one person to carry and if laid flat has to be kept with the tiller side up to avoid oil damage, getting it in and out of a car like that would be hard work. The Honwaves aren't much lighter at that size either.

The pump that came with my boat is next to useless, it is impossible to get a good seal with the valve and when you switch to the high pressure output it takes ages to get any air into it.

I bought a Snipe inflatable boat trailer for mine (Snipe Trailers and Cradles) and leave it inflated with the engine on most of the time. If you don't want to tow then I would consider a smaller engine.

Matt

MattD · 20 April 2012, 21:08

opps, I mean't if laid flat must be kept tiller side down.

BrAinZ · 20 April 2012, 21:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by clydeoutboards

We dont sell them but they are easy to get and are designed in the UK and are an English company.

Seaswift Boats - Astonishing value on hard boats, RIBs, inflatables and tenders

Dave

Shame their link for their "Light Air Tenders" is broken, they look like nice little boats.

dek · 21 April 2012, 10:42

Hi all
i have seen a nice package honwave but only has a 10 hp. honda four stroke. I assume this would be OK on my own, but would it plane 3 up ?
Thanks for your help.
dek.

ppenman · 21 April 2012, 12:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by dek

Hi all
i have seen a nice package honwave but only has a 10 hp. honda four stroke. I assume this would be OK on my own, but would it plane 3 up ?
Thanks for your help.
dek.

I've currently got a Futura mk2c fastroller with a Yamaha 25 2 stroke. It's a nice boat but quite heavy to lift back in to the car singlehanded at the end of the day. Having previously had an aerotec 380 with various engines 10, 15 & 25 2 strokes, if I was choosing again I would go for the aerotec with a 15hp 2 stroke.

Keith Hart · 22 April 2012, 08:13

I have a 15hp two stroke for my SIB and I can manhandle it but you wouldn't want to carry it too far. The four stroke engine was about 25% heavier. If you get the chance get to a dealer and try picking a few engines up to see how you would manage.

I would recommend the trailer option though as it does not take too long to get fed up of inflation, deflation each time you use it. The easier it is to get the SIB out and launch it the more you will use it.

Keith Hart

bingosucks · 22 April 2012, 09:25

not much to add to this, i think you may struggle to plane with 3 up on a 10hp(i couldn`t) so i got a mariner 15 2 stroke which flies! (2 strokes are lighter and you don`t have to worry about oil leaking)... now word of warning i`m 38 and a builder and i struggle to lift this thing...a jump to a 20-30hp i`m thinking would be really heavy, so you would have to think about leaving pumped up and maybe go with a trailer option... on a side note i struggle to fit the set up in a megane estate so prefered to use a camping trailer (i have an l200 for work now

..) with the lighter setup(it is still heavy) i use fairly big rib wheels and can wheel it to wherever i want to go

...... having said all this if i could do it again i`d prob go for a 3.8 boat with 25hp engine ,i just crave speed lol

dek · 22 April 2012, 13:13

Hi Guys
well I am no longer on the brink as I have taken the plunge and purchased from matt m a ribnet member and true gent.

The boat in question is a bombard aerotec 380 with yamaha 15 hp. two stroke. Collect next saturday and looking forward to getting back on the water after an absence of several years.

Thanks for all the thoughts and information passed on which helped in my decision and look forward to meeting you on the water.

Now got to nurse my wallet as I am sure its going to take a pounding !!
Cheers
dek.

PeterM · 22 April 2012, 13:17

this one ! Very nice set up ..... ( mines the tatty one next to it )

TomKat · 22 April 2012, 13:23

Good man, looks a superb package, be sure to let us know how you get on, I would love one of those for SIBING in Scotland next year. You did the best thing buying a good quality used package, if its not for you you wont be chucking all the depreciation away - unless you sell it on to me in which case they depreciate really really badly!!!

John Kennett · 22 April 2012, 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by dek

The boat in question is a bombard aerotec 380 with yamaha 15 hp.

Good choice. You've got the optimum combination for portability and performance.

Welcome to the club

Majotty · 24 April 2012, 09:39

I would concur. I think that you have made an excellent choice. I also have a 380 Aerotec, having traded up from an airfloor Cadet which moved too much for my liking. I strongly believe that if you are not going to go with a hard for sib there is nothing better on the market than the Aerotec. They are such a capable little boat.

I would however disagree with the comments made about engine size above. 15hp on your sib will be lots of fun but I think that the difference between 38kg (15hp) and 50kg (20hp 4st or 25hp 2st) is somewhat negligible. They are both a pig to carry for any distance. You are best off with a trolley for storage at home that you can put it on from the car boot and then at the ramp, mine goes onto the ground next to the car until the boat is inflated and then straight onto the boat. At both ends you needn't carry it for more than 1-2 metres at most. Plus don't be too mucho to ask for a hand lifting them. And as to getting a trailer, isn't the whole point of a sib to get onto the water without a trailer? (not meaning to be offensive with this comment but I am always confused by sibs on trailers). If going the trailer option why not buy a Rib, as lets not kid ourselves, they do handle better.

But back to the matter at hand. Excellent choice and I hope you have a great summer boating.

Matt