Our new Boat The Big Honwave

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

It's GRP with a timber core, so will still suffer rot if the GRP is compromised and the timber ever gets wet.

Excels transom are GRP with a timber core.

Indeed it has a plywood core like most boats. Timber can get wet but if it dries out again no real issue

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Mostly subjective, however the stand out has to be point 10. Excels bag is sh1t

A poor bag on a heavy sib is very significant and can easily result in damage to the boat particularly if a single person resorts to dragging it as I know some have done and punctured/worn through the boat

[smallribber]

Perhaps some excel owners would like to list why they feel excel are better than honwave

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

A few more I forgot.

I feel the excel boats are too wide.
The Honwave dealer network means there are many people to buy from.
I have had some interaction with the new owners of excel and I am not particularly impressed

I hadn't noticed how streamlined the T40 is as compared to the Vangaurd 395 until you pointed it out, and your right the T40 is so much narrower. A whole centimeter - 10 mm! it must make a HUGE difference!
If it had been any other size I would agree that the Excels are wider which to some, myself included, is a benefit.
Getting back to your new T40. It certainly looks a nice piece if kit and I know they perform well. When HH had his it appeared to handle big seas with ease and for such a big, wide sib was relatively fast.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

Timber can get wet but if it dries out again no real issue

Incorrect, repeated wetting and drying out of plywood will cause the plys to separate and weaken especially on the cheap ply that both Excel and Honwave use as the core for their transoms. This will exacerbate if the water can't escape ie: encapsulated in GRP. Any holes drilled must still be well sealed.

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

Perhaps some excel owners would like to list why they feel excel are better than honwave

IMO Excels aren't better than Honwaves, just as Honwaves aren't better than Excels. For what they cost they are both good quality sibs which serve different needs. The only sibs which could crossover are the T40 and the Vangaurd 395, which is why I asked you the question "why you thought the Honwave was better"
No war if words, just a genuine interest.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Incorrect, repeated wetting and drying out of plywood will cause the plys to separate and weaken especially on the cheap ply that both Excel and Honwave use as the core for their transoms. This will exacerbate if the water can't escape ie: encapsulated in GRP. Any holes drilled must still be well sealed.



IMO Excels aren't better than Honwaves, just as Honwaves aren't better than Excels. For what they cost they are both good quality sibs which serve different needs. The only sibs which could crossover are the T40 and the Vangaurd 395, which is why I asked you the question "why you thought the Honwave was better"
No war if words, just a genuine interest.

I have only had honwaves and some generic 3.2 m ali floor sibs which were quite cheap and actually quite good.

Because the Excel stand at Sibs was much better than ever before in that it was bigger and you could actually look far more closely at their boats I did so

And being then the owner of 2 honwaves and also looking at the T40 on the Honda stand my view was simply that in my view and the person I was with the Honwaves represented better value for money and were better.

I am not saying that the Excel boats are bad. Just that I would buy a Honwave over an Excel.

Also a big thing for me is I have a local Honwave dealer who I buy quite a lot off and is good to deal with. Quite honestly I don't necessarily feel the same about the new owners of Excel. You might feel differently

[jeffstevens763@g]

If honwave suits you and your needs bingo for you, for me the excel ticks all my boxes. That’s as far as it goes. although I do like to pick a colour and have mods done before delivery on my boats.yes I’ve owned an honwave with no complaints.

[Steve509926]

I have to say both Honwave and Excel could do themselves a massive favour if they tweaked the sibs that they have within their range.

Why can't the T38 have a removable flat airdeck, what a fantastic sib that would be. Conversely, why can't Excel make a Volaire as a 360, they would definitely have a sale of one!

Unfortunately everything is a compromise and the ideal sib just doesn't exist (I'm sure there's another similar thread)

[Steve509926]

But, as I've said before, I do want to know more about your new T40.
A full run down of your maiden voyage would be of interest.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

But, as I've said before, I do want to know more about your new T40.
A full run down of your maiden voyage would be of interest.

I will of course do that and the usual video. I have to get the Mercury 20 hp going first as it has been in storage a while.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

If honwave suits you and your needs bingo for you, for me the excel ticks all my boxes. That’s as far as it goes. although I do like to pick a colour and have mods done before delivery on my boats.yes I’ve owned an honwave with no complaints.

Am I correct that your excel is a Rib not a sib and yes it looks very good. Very different price point though.

I was interested in an excel rib and asked for a full quote from the new owners of excel at the NEC show. They took all my details but I never received a quote

[Fenlander]

Jeff's is a 4.35m Excel SIB... very good price for the size just a couple of hundred more than the usual price for a T40. A right chunky quality looking boat in his images.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Jeff's is a 4.35m Excel SIB... very good price for the size just a couple of hundred more than the usual price for a T40. A right chunky quality looking boat in his images.

Oh I thought it was a Rib. I stand corrected. Sitting next to Donnys it does look a beast

[Fenlander]

Yes it does look a beast. With Jeff's pro standard mods and in black it looks SAS ready. Most impressive.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Just pulled the balaclava off to chip in David’s right I swapped the Mercury 365 for the vanguard plus parting with £700 which I thought a bargain. I must say the Mercury is a fantastic boat very capable. The excel has a high shear bow as does the 4m honwave great in the rough highland haggis had one on a trip we were on great boat just the colour doesn’t match my expectations for fitting out just me. The excel is a beast but with my kit and me is like an arrow underway very reassuring not matter the conditions

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Just pulled the balaclava off to chip in David’s right I swapped the Mercury 365 for the vanguard plus parting with £700 which I thought a bargain. I must say the Mercury is a fantastic boat very capable. The excel has a high shear bow as does the 4m honwave great in the rough highland haggis had one on a trip we were on great boat just the colour doesn’t match my expectations for fitting out just me. The excel is a beast but with my kit and me is like an arrow underway very reassuring not matter the conditions

Does the Vanguard plus take a long shaft outboard.

Also interested how it fairs next to Donnys (he is da man) Alu hull Quicksilver

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

Does the Vanguard plus take a long shaft outboard.

Also interested how it fairs next to Donnys (he is da man) Alu hull Quicksilver

Not aware of the vanguard plus mine is a short shaft with a different transom angle than other sibs I’ve owned meaning the cav plate is two inches below the keel when sat on top of the transom, in speed terms it makes no difference, never done a side by side speed test with Donny we are more interested in cruising speed and I can keep up with him easily at quarter throttle at about 25 kmh

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Not aware of the vanguard plus mine is a short shaft with a different transom angle than other sibs I’ve owned meaning the cav plate is two inches below the keel when sat on top of the transom, in speed terms it makes no difference, never done a side by side speed test with Donny we are more interested in cruising speed and I can keep up with him easily at quarter throttle at about 25 kmh

I see what I did I read you post wrong where it said 'vanguard plus parting with £700'

[Brinormeg]

http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....ferrerid=27529

You guys jogged my memory on Jeff’s build thread from before….so just spent a while going through it today again. Nice one jeff

Weathers been absolutely pants lately, so revisiting old posts and videos have helped pass the days (that and take me away from bloody painting again while the wife’s not there to project manage)

Have to agree with Steve’s comments on a smaller Volaire though, because if smaller and lighter it would really fly and still have a flattish air floor a lot of us prefer to the honwave. Would probably be fine with a smaller outboard too!

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

I see what I did I read you post wrong where it said 'vanguard plus parting with £700'