Tender for Rib?

[phoenixpete]

Originally Posted by Phil and Jane

We had to buy a tender to land on a remote Scottish Island nature reserve, where boats with locker space and therefore possibly rats could not land otherwise the ecological balance of the island would be disturbed, so a good reason for having a tender on a rib Mike.
We got a 3D Superlight, the lightest tender on the market at 10kgs. It carries four people and we've also had 150 litres of fuel in plastic containers with two people (no smoking). We got a Suzuki DF2.5 which is ultra light too. The tender can be strapped down on the front of the rib but you lose that space. It takes five mins to inflate from flat using a small cheap electric pump which goes in the 12v socket then firm it up with the foot pump. Best thing we've ever purchased. We use it all the time on Scotland to get to our rib which is on a mooring when we holiday there. Good luck in choosing.

Thanks Phil & Jane. I don't mind who I am talking too
3D inflatables don't seem to sell them any more, they link back to their latest website and now sell Aquafax tenders, not sure why they stopped but the Aquafax one's look similar . Need to take a good look at them to decide. Not sure if the roundtail one's or one's with a transom are better/easier.? Some with slats can be left in just rolled up which seems like a good idea, but would an air floor be better?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by phoenixpete

Thanks Phil & Jane. I don't mind who I am talking too

3D inflatables don't seem to sell them any more, they link back to their latest website and now sell Aquafax tenders, not sure why they stopped but the Aquafax one's look similar . Need to take a good look at them to decide. Not sure if the roundtail one's or one's with a transom are better/easier.? Some with slats can be left in just rolled up which seems like a good idea, but would an air floor be better?

I have the aforementioned Wetline 180. I binned the slats to keep the weight & bulk down. Just sit or kneel in the bottom & row ashore. It's all you need. Cheap, cheerful & does the job.

[Metz Antenna Man]

Originally Posted by GuyC

St Kilda is one that I know of and co-incidentally it is the same neck of the woods (Monach Isles) that I am basing my thoughts on.

Guy, it was St Kilda Mike, although Pikey Dave went the week before us in June 2016 and they weren't as strict with him. We rang the National Trust for Scotland who run the island and they stated they would refuse landing to any craft with locker space. There was an article about our trip in Powerboat and Rib Magazine last month.If you search St Kildas on Ribnet, you will see Pikey Dave's posting which is very informative.
By the way, to Mick who asked if it is Jane or Phil speaking, it was Phil typing with Jane sitting alongside, if that makes any difference to you.

[phoenixpete]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I have the aforementioned Wetline 180. I binned the slats to keep the weight & bulk down. Just sit or kneel in the bottom & row ashore. It's all you need. Cheap, cheerful & does the job.

[Metz Antenna Man]

Originally Posted by phoenixpete

Thanks Phil & Jane. I don't mind who I am talking too
3D inflatables don't seem to sell them any more, they link back to their latest website and now sell Aquafax tenders, not sure why they stopped but the Aquafax one's look similar . Need to take a good look at them to decide. Not sure if the roundtail one's or one's with a transom are better/easier.? Some with slats can be left in just rolled up which seems like a good idea, but would an air floor be better?

3D Tenders are still going, they are a huge firm. Try FOLDABLE TENDERS - 3D Tender - Inflatable boats - Semi rigid - A wide large of pleasure boats for an unbeatable price-quality ratio.
There are plenty of Chandlers selling them still for around £500 new

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by Phil and Jane

Guy, it was St Kilda Mike, although Pikey Dave went the week before us in June 2016 and they weren't as strict with him.

Its a brave rat that camps out on Pikey's boat!

Originally Posted by GuyC

Beaching on a rising tide means you either have to keep re-beaching it or accept that you may need to wade / swim to it when you return.

Not strictly true.
Beach, with a tripping line on your anchor, anchor set up on the bow. Bring tripping line ashore. Once Pax off loaded push boat off (no good if wind and tide pushing boat hard ashore)
When boat clear of potential hazards, tug hard on tripping line - anchor drops. Boat sits on the anchor.

When ready to return you pull it back in using the tripping line.

SUP - I can't SUP for a start and carrying the family, BBQ, tent, water and all the other bits that make staying on a little, uninhabited island more pleasant is potentially quite difficult on a SUP.

I was going to say a 1 man infatable kayak might be easier than a "rubber dinghy" to row ashore, but if you aren't able to but the Pax and the kitchen sink ashore first I'd agree... you need a tender.

[WhiteShark]

I likewise think they are essential for getting maximum utility out of the big boat. In fact, we carry two. The tiny 3d tender for the quick trip solo back to the beach if anchoring somewhere that we can nose the big boat up on the beach to drop pax and kit off first, and a larger inflatable with 20hp which we set up if we're having a full day in one location and want something a bit fun to knock about in, go crabbing and fishing in, waterski etc.

[paulbrown22]

We bought an Avon RedStart with inflatable floor 18 years ago when we had our Avon Adventure 620, which was a brilliant tender for the RIB - very easy to inflate with either bellows or an LVM inflator, and can row or motor it with a small outboard. We don't have the 620 anymore, but the RedStart is our cruising tender on the sailing yacht when we're off on longer trips and still going strong, despite being kept deflated in it's bag for most of the year.

I can't dry out the Ribtec given it's outdrive, so would definitely be taking the RedStart with me if doing longer trips where I knew alongside access may not be possible.

[phoenixpete]

After a lot of looking around trying to decide on slatted floor, Air floor or whatever, l gave up the idea of the extra light weight one,s as the weight saving is mostly due to thinner tube material. I would rather have one that is fairly robust and well made so after talking to Dave at kingfisher marine Weymouth l came away with a Mercury Air floor and air keel weighing 31kgs at 2.2 mts. It was on display set up so l got a good look over it. Surprisingly spacious for a 2.2 as the tubes don't stick out as much as some past the transom.
No trouble lifting it in the bag, can,t wait to try it out now.

[willk]

Originally Posted by phoenixpete

l came away with a Mercury Air floor and air keel weighing 31kgs at 2.2 mts.

I was staying out of this debate as it seemed to be going the right direction.

I have a Mercury/Quicksilver 2.7 airdeck and use it as my shore tender. I have taken it aboard for trips as well. They are reasonably tough and mine is still very "solid" after seven seasons. I've rowed mine recently and found it surprisingly well behaved over distance - surprising as inflatables aren't supposed to be easy to row and I'd never rowed anything before! I would strongly suggest you enhance the repair kit - I included some MEK and sandpaper and some of that excellent "Tear Aid A" repair tape.

[phoenixpete]

Originally Posted by willk

I was staying out of this debate as it seemed to be going the right direction.

I have a Mercury/Quicksilver 2.7 airdeck and use it as my shore tender. I have taken it aboard for trips as well. They are reasonably tough and mine is still very "solid" after seven seasons. I've rowed mine recently and found it surprisingly well behaved over distance - surprising as inflatables aren't supposed to be easy to row and I'd never rowed anything before! I would strongly suggest you enhance the repair kit - I included some MEK and sandpaper and some of that excellent "Tear Aid A" repair tape.

Dave at Kingfisher recommended the air deck/keel as it would row much better with a bit of a vee bottom compared to the flat bottom one's. He reckoned the flat bottom one's were a bit like hovercraft with a mind of their own
Good point on adding to the repair kit, especially the Tear Aid tape.
Glad I bought the Mercury now and not a real cheapy.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by mikew4

A tender for a rib? Pretty ridiculous if you ask me. What's wrong with beaching the boat? I use an inflatable SUP when I need to leave it on a mooring.

You answered your own question really. There are obviously some times you want to leave a boat afloat - on the W of Scot that could be because the "beach" is rocky, the pub / hotel you are visiting has moorings but no pontoon*, or you don't want to be stuck to tide times - at 4m I reckon my boat is just on the limit of what you can drag across the sand to get back afloat, plenty of much bigger ribs around.

However if it's for 1 person and you don't have space for an inflated sib aboard then an inflatable SUP seems like a perfectly sensible approach.

*or you are lucky enough to have a rib too big for the scale of the dinghy pontoon...