SIB fiberglass hull protector

[Jimblob]

hi all,

Have enjoyed reading about the dimpled hull designs in another thread....classic.

Has anyone has ever made a fibreglass hull add-on for a zodiac SIB?

I keep a 4m zodiac SIB down in devon for pottering about in summer....the time has come to relocate the boat to london for thames use ...

Issue: Thames is peppered with flotsam and jestam...sometimes huge semi-submerged branches.

Do you think it would be possible to inflate the boat...fibreglass a hull onto the bottom with an overlapping section at the bow and transom?

this could effectively act as a 'clip-on' hull and protect the boat for river use (think mobile phone protector)... When deflated i would have a large fibreglass shell to deal with but thats easilly stored compared to a full boat...
is it a crazy idea?...

many thanks

[Locozodiac]

Welcome to Ribnet.

It's quite possible, will need to make a underneth mold out of fiberglass that includes side and upper tubes, bow, keel till transom end and secure with side belts to upper sib. You can patent it latter...

Cracy ideas is the mother of invention, that's how man flew...

Happy Boating

[willk]

I think that you're trying to reinvent the RIB

[Jimblob]

Originally Posted by Locozodiac

Welcome to Ribnet.

It's quite possible, will need to make a underneth mold out of fiberglass that includes side and upper tubes, bow, keel till transom end and secure with side belts to upper sib. You can patent it latter...

Cracy ideas is the mother of invention, that's how man flew...

Happy Boating

Thanks Locozodiac....im thinking straps are a good idea...probably incorporate them into the glass.

Not sure how thick hull would need to be or how it might be possible to build the hull in separate sections...for easy storage.

Glad to know there are still some likeminded bodgers out there....

[MustRib]

Originally Posted by Jimblob

hi all,
Has anyone has ever made a fibreglass hull add-on for a zodiac SIB?

I keep a 4m zodiac SIB down in devon for pottering about in summer....the time has come to relocate the boat to london for thames use ...

Issue: Thames is peppered with flotsam and jestam...sometimes huge semi-submerged branches.

Do you think it would be possible to inflate the boat...fibreglass a hull onto the bottom with an overlapping section at the bow and transom?

this could effectively act as a 'clip-on' hull and protect the boat for river use (think mobile phone protector)... When deflated i would have a large fibreglass shell to deal with but thats easilly stored compared to a full boat...
is it a crazy idea?...

many thanks

hmmm - sounds like a RIB to me
although for semi submerged branches I think you need something beefier than fibreglass !

[Locozodiac]

Jimblob,

I like to experiment cracy and sometimes out of this world weird ideas. You'll need at least a one piece 5 mm fiberglass snap on hull for rigidity to stand water impact and direct hits. Or even a hard plastic hull, ideal a kevlar or carbon fiber hull.

Was thinking near same for my 380 sib, but have moved already to a 420 rib....

Happy Boating