Proud owner of a Bombard Aerotec 380

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by kaman

In my opinion the Aero tech is a good Sib.
There is no doubt it has a keen following on here but.......
I think it is vastly over rated and over priced.
Plenty other sibs out there that can go toe to toe with it at a fraction of the price.
Granted these sibs to which I refer may well take longer to set up and be less portable - you pay your money you take your choice.
The big negative for me is the concave shape of the aerotech floor.
If money were no object I'd have one - but not high on my limited budget for a replacemeny for my Honwave at the moment.
Similar sized rib with aluminium hull would spank it rotten in a chop☺

I take it you have been out in one?

When it is getting a bit lumpy out on the water the deep v at the bow gives you around 2' of depth so you very much sit in it rather than on it as you do with most of the others I have seen, or used!
My only negertive would be it is narrow for its length but if it was wider you would have to sacrifice rid quality.
Bought mine 8 years ago when it was less than a year old, both my brothers in-laws bought sibs too 1 a quicksilver 3.8 hd with a mariner 25 hp marithan and the other a tohatso equivalent. Nether still has there's as too hevy to cart around one ended up on a trailer but still got rid. I think I could not part with mine for even if I wanted to, for one the wife and kids wouldn't let me even though having 2 other ribs and a squidgy tender to play with you could argue we don't
need it!

[beerbelly]

I tried an aerotec on a flat Scottish loch and with a 15 hp mercury it felt slow and well a bit boring.on flat water it was noticeably slower off the mark and top speed than my honwave ie32 wich is a lot more fun.BUT I have since taken my honwave out to sea and with hindsight I think the lively nature of the honwave on flat water works against it at sea .sure you can leap from wave to wave at a respectable pace but you are hanging on like a rodeo rider .this is where the stability and the deeper v of the aerotec will come into its own.where ultimate top speed and lively handling means nothing but comfort does. top and bottom if you want to go to sea buy an aerotec if you want fun on flat water buy a flatter bottom sib.(I still think an aerotec would suit a 25hp better than a 15hp)

[Max...]

Definitely the V of the Aerotec is a bit draggy and will be slower than a flat bottom Honwave/Zodiac etc but where they skate over the surface and slide all over the place in turns the Aerotec grips and digs in and corners far more like a RIB.

If you have not used an Aerotec on a typical UK F4 sea then you really need to try it and especially if you can back to back with the Honwave or Zodiac type flat bottom - totally different ride and capability. On flat lochs (or glassy seas) any SIB is perfectly capable though.

But flat sea is a rarity in the UK, certainly in the whole year we've not had one single day out with anything approaching flat water and many times a flat bottom SIB just would not have been any use to make any meaningful progress.

[beerbelly]

But flat sea is a rarity in the UK, certainly in the whole year we've not had one single day out with anything approaching flat water and many times a flat bottom SIB just would not have been any use to make any meaningful progress.[/QUOTE]

which is why I bought a sr4

[Fenlander]

>>>tried an aerotec on a flat Scottish loch and with a 15 hp mercury it felt slow and well a bit boring.on flat water it was noticeably slower off the mark and top speed than my honwave ie32<<<


I can understand how it might have *felt* slower due to the drama free way the Aerotec will go into plane and through to maximum speed... but I wonder if it would have been measurably slower by any significant degree? Like Max I would have always said the Aerotec would have skimmed less and been slower.

But the results on our holiday test with Mercury 15 (standard prop) the GPS figures for max flat water speeds were much closer than you might have thought...

Light load... Aerotec 18.8kts - Zodiac 340 air floor 19.1kts
All family load... Aerotec 16.3kts - Zodiac 340 air floor 16.1kts

[Max...]

Beerbelly - you got it! And I'd have an SR4 in a flash if I could store/launch it.

David, what do you call a light load? I'm a a little disappointed with top speed of my Aerotec/15 - especially considering it is no faster than my Zodiac 340 was with a Twatsoo 9.8 for top speed (Aero/15 is much faster on the plane though).

I've seen 18.5 kts recorded briefly but in rougher stuff probably 16 - 17 is more likely.

[Fenlander]

I've just looked back at GPS measured speeds for previous boats where I'd recorded it.

In all the time we used the Zodiac 340 Acti-V/Mercury 15 combo nearer home the sea was never calm enough for a proper measured run so we just saw snatched 17kts come up (two adults, med dog and usual kit) compared with the 19.1kts seen in favourable conditions on holiday the other month with the same load.... which is close to the figures you have for your Aerotec.

A few years back we had a new Zodiac Fastroller Acti-V 360 and that recorded a maximum of 19.8kts with two adults, two teens, usual kit and a dog.... I think the best ever we've seen with a 15hp on a SIB. We were a bit lighter then and the teens were smaller... and conditions were absolutely perfect.


It's my belief these speeds when lightly loaded are somewhat limited by the prop pitch so almost regardless of SIB shape you tend to end up with a similar maximum give or take a kt.

Light load for us is two adults (well fed) plus kit and half a tank... and heavier is with an extra teen, med dog plus more kit and full tank.

[kaman]

Lol I knew that would spark some controversy and debate!

I have tried one in a moderate swell wasn't blown away by its performance although i wasn't disappointed either.

I would like to buy new - it's way too expensive for what it is - just my opinion.

No doubt there will be a few gems in the second hand market tho -
each to their own.

[Fenlander]

Humour me for a moment... why would you like to buy a new one (if cheaper) when you don't think the performance is anything special?

Regarding new price... if you bought new and kept for ten years the depreciation would be around £100-£120 a year... peanuts for its abilities, places it would get you and the fun factor.

Of course you could buy a Honwave and over the same period only lose £60 a year.

For the difference of £1 a week or so makes sense to get what you want.

[kaman]

Never said I wanted to buy one.

[Fenlander]

Well it doesn't matter to me either way but you did in post #17...

<<<If money were no object I'd have one - but not high on my limited budget for a replacemeny for my Honwave at the moment.>>>

Anyway if you fish I couldn't think of a better SIB than the Honwave 3.5 alloy floor you have at the moment... one of the best value SIBs out there... strong floor, transom & seat... roomy... big stable tubes... decent build quality etc.

[kaman]

By that i was meaning I'd have one if I had infinite cash like I would have a lot of things that I would other wise not consider owning. Things like jet skis, quad bike a speed boat etc etc the list is endless.
A 380 would definitely be in there due to its portability.
They are good sibs that punch above their weight in terms of stability/performance relative to their weight - just a bit too pricey for what it is in my book.
When I compare it to my Honwave 3.5ae I could literally buy 3 Honwaves brand new for the price of one new Aerotech.

This is where it falls down in my eyes .

[Max...]

Why buy new anyway? It's pointless as you immediately flush £1000 down the toilet. Guaranteed. Madness. At the end of the day it's load of rubber tubes and a bit of wood glued together. As long as all the glued bits are stuck and there is no significant damage/wear then let someone else throw their money away.

[Fenlander]

Sunday evening red rag eh?

Madness... or a very well judged purchase based on a thorough understanding of the SIB market and proper research into the boat's abilities before buying... I wonder which?

At all price points from brand new to tatty £350 examples Aerotecs (as are other SIBs) are good value. Unlike cars the depreciation is far less savage... as I've said above buy new and keep 10yrs... even 5yrs and the cost is peanuts. They cost nothing to keep and fuel costs are minimal.

So the odd foray into new stuff balanced with other used items is nothing in the scheme of life... particularly as buying new doesn't mean you have to pay the new price ;-)

[69cmw]

When I bought a new aerotec in 2011, I paid £1250 delivered from a dealer on the south coast

[Firstrib]

I have just bought an Aerotec 380 but haven't bought an engine yet, any tips on the outboard to buy, I was thinking of a 25HP but am concerned at a) weight b) performance and safety when I am piloting myself. Can you lay an outboard down flat in a boot? Short or long version?

[dave3235]

Hi

2 stroke no real issues as long as it's drained of petrol.4 stroke different matter.

[Stevem]

Firstrib you want a short shaft.
I think engine size is very personal. Ive had a 15hp which was ok but have recently swapped it for a 25hp which i much prefer. I think a 15hp 2 stroke is around 36kg with a 25hp around 52kg, but they are top heavy so you may want to try a few to make sure you are ok with the weight.
If you want or are able to afford new then a 20hp 4 stroke may fit the bill?
The difference for me is i found i was running my 15 flat out too often where the 25 cruises nicely lower down the rev range but the extra grunt is there when needed.
Hope that helps.

[John Kennett]

On the other hand I had a 25hp which I changed for a 15hp (both 2-strokes).

The 25 was too heavy to manhandle easily, and the 15 performs well enough to be a good compromise.

[Firstrib]

Great, I have just bought one too!