Opinions please Excel/Honwave

[TmMorris]

Originally Posted by Brinormeg

What ever we end up with (depending more on stock than anything else) we will look at making a diy trolley of some sort from a sack barrow for the boot and moving short distances like ive seen guys make here and youtube etc. Think we will need something for the 20hp Outboard anyway.

Im sure tmmorris posted he is getting a towbar rack and it will be interesting to see how he gets on with that. Guess would be easier to lift weight off and on along with less salt water getting into car

Phew...all Fenlander's Ellings are sold...that one off the list Limecc

I think this year we have less choice and availability is playing a more pivotal role than usual, plus we're quite late into the season for stock arrivals now. Excel had the stock, were an hour up the toad and had a very low number of negative mentions on the internet. The weight is the big gamble, hence I took a punt on the tow bar carrier in case.

Plan one is that it will tilt into the boot of a 3 series estate and then be pulled in from inside the car. Plan two is that I have another car with a tow hitch and I'll tilt it onto the carrier.

I'm fully expecting a plan three to be required but I know I can lift 60kg so it's mainly going to boil down to manoeuvrability and ensuring no damage to the boat, car or my back. That may be making a bed for the pack to which the transom wheels attach or picking up a sack trolly and cutting and shutting it to a tailored size although as the boat has a pair of wheels it seems logical to use those rather than acquire more.

[Fenlander]

>>>as the boat has a pair of wheels it seems logical to use those rather than acquire more.

When our previous outfit was at its heaviest... and still well below that of many here... we always aimed to set up immediately adj the car so everything was just a few metres lift. Then we used the SIB with its transom wheels as a big wheelbarrow to trolley everything to the water.

Then in locations where that setup area was some way from the launch we bought a bow trolley to avoid pulling arm out of shoulder (but not in time to avoid the start of the neck/shoulder damage I'm suffering now).

A few years back we had a reliability issue with our 20hp where I had an unplanned need to get it off the transom on a steep greasy slipway and up to the car where neither using the boat as the trolley or an outboard trolley was practical and it brought home that unless you are running a fully trailed outfit one day you may be tested by lifting everything manually.

As we have said many times before it's not just about the weight you know you can lift but the devilishly awkward nature of top heavy outboards which never have the right lifting handles. Similarly SIBs packed in their bags are quite large as well as heavy so present their own problems... but oddly while I ended up not being able to manage our 43kg 20hp I can still just lift our 43kg Aerotec packed in its bag as you can lean back and support part of its weight against your body for a short distance.

[TmMorris]

Yup. It's when plans don't work out that your set up gets really tested.

The 15hp I can walk one handed with the fuel tank in the other if needed. Having a pair of workman's gloves in the bag helps.

A board which the transom wheels can be fitted to will help when moving the bag as well as hoisting it into the boot. The usual bit of old carpet that can be folded out of the boot to protect everything is useful.

It's the hoist and push of the sib pack on a board with wheels that on paper seems a risk to the old back. Some kind of ratchet strap to the top of the board to a seatbelt fixing eye might be the solution there to prevent errant slippage.

But one of the best gimmicks I ever bought was these handles. They've turned out to be really useful for making the difference between lifting or dragging something awkward from being a real pain to just a chore:



But I'm under no illusion that despite selecting good launch points, setting up and packing away is going to be a graft!!

[Brinormeg]

Right or wrong it will soon be on its way
Stock and delivery times dictated ending up with the Volaire 390, 350 launch wheels Fitted with kit. 12v hp pump, seat cushion bags, outboard trolley and even bought the boat rack.
I realise I could have saved a bit diying it or shopping around but time to tinker about and mod stuff is really limited with work etc.

Now outboards I have a choice again which I dont have the exact details here but ...used immaculate 15hp Yamaha? or a new Suzuki 20AS?....with the yamaha being a good bit cheaper.

Opinions once again...although I already have an idea..

On having a quick google (and if looking at the correct models) the Suzuki looks like a relatively light OB in comparison for the extra power but I really dont know much about OB so welcome your knowledge and wisdom

[Fenlander]

Isn’t the Yamaha some 10kg heavier for less power? If so never worth the cost saving.

[Limecc]

Don't forget the 20hp Tohatsu is lighter than the Suzuki and has two years extra warranty.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Limecc

Don't forget the 20hp Tohatsu is lighter than the Suzuki and has two years extra warranty.

It’s only 1kg lighter & the warranty is limited. 3yrs parts & Labour, 4 years parts only and you have to have it serviced. The Suzuki is 5years parts & Labour, also dependant on servicing. I took the conscious step to self service mine & forego the warranty.

[Fenlander]

>>>self service mine & forego the warranty.

Likewise. I took my Suzuki 20 for the 20hr to keep the warranty through the first year and then went DIY.... the rubbish job they did at that service and deceit over estimate vs actual 100% confirmed it would not go to them again. The cost and time/hassle of taking it for 5yrs worth of servicing was just not worth it to me... I was happy to self insure.

[Brinormeg]

Cheers guys. Had kind of already decided on the 20 although wasn't sure about the warranty and service yet but will check it out a bit more later.
Am I right in thinking that like a car warranty as long as service is carried out by a vat registered garage and manufacturors parts are used...then the warranty stands.
I've done this with a local garage with all my cars and still had warranty claims later that the they coughed up for
Just wasn't sure with outboards...having to ship them back if there wasn't anywhere up here near Aberdeen.
Everyone struggling with stock and on making enquiries elsewhere...very few promise before ...june / july becuase of demand.

[Fenlander]

Suzuki said Suzuki dealer only when I had mine in 2016. Probably less mileage than you but for me each service would have been a total of 130mls and 4hrs on the road to drop one day and collect the next... absolute pain.

[Brinormeg]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Suzuki said Suzuki dealer only when I had mine in 2016. Probably less mileage than you but for me each service would have been a total of 130mls and 4hrs on the road to drop one day and collect the next... absolute pain.

Just checked their website for main dealers......looks like 18 miles away for me....happy days.

But to be honest will probably let them do the first year then after that if I am still happy with the setup we have and plan to keep it...then probably just start servicing myself.

This brings me on to the other extras I am going to need....and more questions

Wheels. Went for the 350mm ones
I saw on the forum they needs a spacers. I Could do this myself but they will supply and fit if I want. Any reason not to let them?

Pump.
They can supply 12 volt High pressure...which I feel will need. Can always pick another one up later if feel their supplied one isn't great.

Seat Cushion and storage Bags. Could make my own but they can supply which looks like quite good ones and at a reasonable price i thought

Folding outboard trolley...a must i would say for some of the locations I have in mind. But most times plan to have on the sib very near car and transport that way. Will double up as a stand for storage as well.

Once have it set up I feel that possibly a bow trolley of some sort may be needed at some locations but can sort that later.

Will need Radio when venturing out to sea a little...just not so confident brave and bloody stupid as I once was. So feel this a must but will buy myself from elsewhere after checking out the forum etc

Already have navionics app on my phone but fancy getting a fish finder/depth but will get that myself also.

Life vests we have but are very old uncomfortable ones...so plan to invest in new ones after again checking out what people like here.

Have waders but plan on investing in some proper clothing later...because its always bloody cold up here and to keep the other half happy

Boat rack. Going with their supplied one.

Anchor/rope etc could get myself

Bow cover they cant supply but could make my own or buy third party.
Although the look on the better halfs face when in Aldi saying I needed the tool they had that I never new I needed.....was a sowing machine....

Anything else? Any recommendations ?

Besides a remortgage

[pumpkinking]

Hiya, my thoughts:

The pump they supply is the blue Sevylor - I have one, works well for me so far. I bought online but pricing varies so worth a check.

Boat rack also available online - it’s a Buzz Rack, but I think excel pricing is competitive.

Haven’t used excel’s seat cushion bags but they are on my list after passenger complaints last year [emoji28] numb bums on those aluminium seats.

I have Seago Seaguard auto inflate life jackets, haven’t used them in anger of course but my sister has volunteered to be thrown overboard this summer in the name of science - perhaps I’ll film it and post on ribnet [emoji23] I like them because they’re good for family expeditions where I need to stuff them in a large backpack at the destination, and the priority would be to keep people face-up if they fell in.

For more adventurous trips I would probably borrow my friends buoyancy aid rather than use the auto inflates, different tool for a different job - easier to swim if it came to it in a buoyancy aid than with a sausage ballon around your neck!

And do you have Tarp Clips on your list to stop the seats sliding? Defo essential. I think that was Jeff or PD who posted about that solution in one of their new boat threads...

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Brinormeg

Just checked their website for main dealers......looks like 18 miles away for me....happy days.

But to be honest will probably let them do the first year then after that if I am still happy with the setup we have and plan to keep it...then probably just start servicing myself.

This brings me on to the other extras I am going to need....and more questions

Wheels. Went for the 350mm ones
I saw on the forum they needs a spacers. I Could do this myself but they will supply and fit if I want. Any reason not to let them?
I made my own spacers & fitted the wheels myself, dunno what kind of job Excel do

Pump.
They can supply 12 volt High pressure...which I feel will need. Can always pick another one up later if feel their supplied one isn't great.
I got the supplied Sevylor pump too. Not a bad little unit, but being single stage, it's slow. I go a HIKS one from Amazon & use both pumps together, I set the Sevylor one up to inflate the floor & use the HIKS for the chambers. The HIKS has the tubes blown up by the time the floor is done.

Seat Cushion and storage Bags. Could make my own but they can supply which looks like quite good ones and at a reasonable price i thought

We got 1 seat bag/cushion, it works well. Probably not the highest quality, but ok for the money. If it fails, I'd get another made up using the old one as a pattern, but so far, it's held up.

Folding outboard trolley...a must i would say for some of the locations I have in mind. But most times plan to have on the sib very near car and transport that way. Will double up as a stand for storage as well.

Yup, we did a season without one but soon realised that a trolley could make life easier. We got one of these, expensive but very well made, although there were one or 2 sharp edges that I had to smooth off with a bit of emery.

Once have it set up I feel that possibly a bow trolley of some sort may be needed at some locations but can sort that later.

Will need Radio when venturing out to sea a little...just not so confident brave and bloody stupid as I once was. So feel this a must but will buy myself from elsewhere after checking out the forum etc
Yup, we carry an Icom handheld, wouldn't go to sea without one tbh.

Already have navionics app on my phone but fancy getting a fish finder/depth but will get that myself also.

We have a Hook5, good little unit, but there are plenty out there in that price bracket. Buy a decent make & you won't go wrong. Watch out on Cactus/Force4 etc for bundle deals. Also you will get bargains on last years model when the new version is released. Marine electronics change by the month & like mobile phones, they more or less do the same thing. If you can get one that includes a chart bundle, all the better. The Navionics silver are very basic, you want the Gold or PLatinum.

Life vests we have but are very old uncomfortable ones...so plan to invest in new ones after again checking out what people like here.
We have basic lightweight life jackets on the SIB. No point in getting super dooper Offshore types for the kind of boating you'll be doing in the SIB.

Have waders but plan on investing in some proper clothing later...because its always bloody cold up here and to keep the other half happy

we wear old walking waterproofs, shorts & sandals in the SIB, it tends to be fair weather boating. We have drysuits if it gets that bad. I've tried "Sailing wear" type clothing & never had much success keeping dry. You invariably end up in the water especially launching & recovering a SIB. Just IHMO

Boat rack. Going with their supplied one.

Anchor/rope etc could get myself
We have a 1kg Cooper & 30m of weighted line, this removes the need for sharp/rusty chain & anchor in the SIB

Bow cover they cant supply but could make my own or buy third party.
Although the look on the better halfs face when in Aldi saying I needed the tool they had that I never new I needed.....was a sowing machine....

If you mean the bow dodger, we have the Excel one, works very well & keeps the wind/spray off. Similar quality to the seat cushion/bag.

Anything else? Any recommendations ?

Safety line & clip from engine to boat, you don't want the engine going overboard.
I incorporated a couple of eyebolts on the transom as part of the launching wheel installation.
Keep an eye out in Aldi for the dry bags & duffle bags, great quality & a bargain.
I put a couple of Railblaza starport mounts on the inside of the transom to take a couple of rod holders if fishing is your thing.
I also have a separate Racor Snapp filter between the fuel tank & engine.
The Zodiac fuel bladders are great (IMO) & are a great addition to the setup. They appear on Ebay occasionally.
We have a cheap thin ground sheet that we put down the setup the boat on, just to give some protection. Also handy for deflating & folding the boat on at the end of the trip. Stops sand/mud/crap from sticking to the wet hull & getting folded in.

Besides a remortgage

Originally Posted by pumpkinking

Hiya, my thoughts:

The pump they supply is the blue Sevylor - I have one, works well for me so far. I bought online but pricing varies so worth a check.

Boat rack also available online - it’s a Buzz Rack, but I think excel pricing is competitive.

Haven’t used excel’s seat cushion bags but they are on my list after passenger complaints last year [emoji28] numb bums on those aluminium seats.

I have Seago Seaguard auto inflate life jackets, haven’t used them in anger of course but my sister has volunteered to be thrown overboard this summer in the name of science - perhaps I’ll film it and post on ribnet [emoji23] I like them because they’re good for family expeditions where I need to stuff them in a large backpack at the destination, and the priority would be to keep people face-up if they fell in.

For more adventurous trips I would probably borrow my friends buoyancy aid rather than use the auto inflates, different tool for a different job - easier to swim if it came to it in a buoyancy aid than with a sausage ballon around your neck!

And do you have Tarp Clips on your list to stop the seats sliding? Defo essential. I think that was Jeff or PD who posted about that solution in one of their new boat threads...
YUP, these work well & provide an additional tying on point as a bonus.

just my 2 penneth, all IMHO as usual.