What stops you taking the sib out?

[Trello]

Originally Posted by Croolis

I am cobbling together in my brain some kind of loading/unloading board thing to pivot it up and slide it into the boot of the car (and out again) with absolute minimal back strain (I need one of those bed trolley things they have in ambulances) . Projects, projects.

There's a thread called "How far do you move your SIB on transom wheels?" which has some really interesting mods done to sack trolleys for that purpose. It's a LONG thread but we'll worth reading.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by Croolis

Things that stop me going out on the SIB is mostly the vast amount of faff vs the amount of pleasure I can get in the time that I have. I'm single parent, and when I'm not with my kid doing it I'm doing it with a m8 from work who can't drive.

So, the amount of time taken getting it in the water, with car loading, travel and set up, plus breaking it down again, return trip and putaway, I get about the same amount of time on the water or even less, than I do getting on it.

With the 2.5hp I'm limited to the Trent for now (I did go to Ullswater for a couple days but only boated on one of them), which is all very pleasant but a bit limited in scope, I find my main things holding me back is - have I got the time, and do I want to make the effort.

I have been out 5 times since I bought the boat at the beginning of April, including my Ullswater trip, so averaging a bit more than once a month. Dunno how that stacks up to everyone else.

Like I keep saying, when possible I'll buy an engine I can take coastal, and things will get a bit more interesting.

I'm actually out on the Trent this Sunday. Looks like no rain until the later afternoon on forecast right now.

Five trips out in that time period is quite good. To be honest a larger motor 9.8 hp or greater will make all the diference to you and your enjoyment once on the water

[Trello]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

I don't think Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire have registration charges and I've never been charged to launch.

Steve (or anyone!), have you ever launched from Aberystwyth? We're thinking of trying it out next weekend, so if you have any pointers, I'd be pleased to hear them.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Trello

Steve (or anyone!), have you ever launched from Aberystwyth? We're thinking of trying it out next weekend, so if you have any pointers, I'd be pleased to hear them.

Sorry Trello, I can't help with Aberystwyth. The nearest I've launched to there is New Quay.

[Jon B]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Sorry Trello, I can't help with Aberystwyth. The nearest I've launched to there is New Quay.

What’s launching from New Quay like Steve? Did you see the dolphins?

[Steve509926]

Hi Jon, hope the holiday is going well.

New Quay harbour slip is OK to launch a sib from. When I was there the council have pedestrianised the road to the harbour between the hours of 11.00 & 6.00 but access to the harbour to launch & recover is allowed.
There's very little space or parking, so with a boat trailer it's easier to set up at the top car park, drive down to the harbour drop the sib off and park the car & trailer back up at the top car park, don't forget anything as its a good walk back up the hill!
If you are a blow and go sibber, it's best to get there early and use the bottom car park. If there's no room to set up in the car park you'll have to use the small amount of space at the top of the slip (have a word with the Yatch club as there's a bit of space outside their place)
I managed to launch/recover at all tides as the sand in the harbour was hard and some kind person had filled in the drop off between the end of the slip and the sand.
Everytime we went out we saw dolphins, mostly 50 or so metres away, but as sods law would have it, the day I ran out of battery in my mobile, they came around and under the SIB. Fantastic to see them so close.

[Croolis]

You know what stops me taking the SIB out? Not having a car. I took my Focus Mk2 in cos power steering fluid dumped out. They changed the rack. It dumped out again. They changed the seals on the new rack. It leaked again. They put in another new rack (at their expense). It leaked again. They said should try changing pump and pipes, but to save me money they said I should get them from a breakers. Did that, they fitted them. Didn't work. Bought some genuine Ford pipes for a fortune. Couldn't get pump from Ford, ordered a Bosch from Autodoc. Evri failed to deliver then "lost" it. Two weeks later, still lost. Had to buy another one just to make progress (refund on first one wil turn up one day), got delivered yesterday. They working on it maybe today, I hope.

A month without my car, bill of around 1200 quid, and if it this lot actually fix it this time, I'll eat my pants. F**k my life.

[Fenlander]

I sympathise. I was somewhat involved in the car business for 20yrs and in that period had just one car that defied all attempts to repair despite by the book procedures being followed and proper parts fitted. We ended up losing loads by feeling unable to pile on the misery of continuing labour charges. And from the 70 or so cars we've personally owned had just one than did this to us. Eventually even the main dealer parts counter guy became best mates saying he'd never known so many things be wrong and so many parts needed. The decision as to when to call a halt is a difficult one but sometimes you just have to get rid.

[Croolis]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

I sympathise. I was somewhat involved in the car business for 20yrs and in that period had just one car that defied all attempts to repair despite by the book procedures being followed and proper parts fitted. We ended up losing loads by feeling unable to pile on the misery of continuing labour charges. And from the 70 or so cars we've personally owned had just one than did this to us. Eventually even the main dealer parts counter guy became best mates saying he'd never known so many things be wrong and so many parts needed. The decision as to when to call a halt is a difficult one but sometimes you just have to get rid.

Cheers. It's only the power steering though (I guess). By the time we've done this pump we'll have replaced everything. If that doesn't work it's either there's something else scragging it somehow or the guy working on it doesn't know what he's doing. '06 Focus petrol, bought it with 52k on it 2 years ago, now has 72k. Reluctant to trade this for another old car, and I'll only be able to afford something with even more miles on it and who knows what imminent problem.

But I'm just whining now .

Another reason to not take the boat out is endless, endless rain .

[Trello]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

from the 70 or so cars we've personally owned...

That...is a LOT of cars!

[Trello]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi Jon, hope the holiday is going well.

New Quay harbour slip is OK to launch a sib from. When I was there the council have pedestrianised the road to the harbour between the hours of 11.00 & 6.00 but access to the harbour to launch & recover is allowed.
There's very little space or parking, so with a boat trailer it's easier to set up at the top car park, drive down to the harbour drop the sib off and park the car & trailer back up at the top car park, don't forget anything as its a good walk back up the hill!
If you are a blow and go sibber, it's best to get there early and use the bottom car park. If there's no room to set up in the car park you'll have to use the small amount of space at the top of the slip (have a word with the Yatch club as there's a bit of space outside their place)
I managed to launch/recover at all tides as the sand in the harbour was hard and some kind person had filled in the drop off between the end of the slip and the sand.
Everytime we went out we saw dolphins, mostly 50 or so metres away, but as sods law would have it, the day I ran out of battery in my mobile, they came around and under the SIB. Fantastic to see them so close.

Apparently you should pay £24.50 per day of use of the slip at New Quay harbour. Were you ever approached for payment?

[Fenlander]

>>That...is a LOT of cars!

Indeed... it's the total of those between self and Mrs F over our driving years. Quite a few would these days be regarded as modern classics but I've no desire to return to daily use of an old days car... now and again think of something older/small/simple as a fair weather fun machine.

[Trello]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

I've never been charged to launch.

Just found the answer to my question!

[Trello]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

>>That...is a LOT of cars!

Indeed... it's the total of those between self and Mrs F over our driving years. Quite a few would these days be regarded as modern classics but I've no desire to return to daily use of an old days car... now and again think of something older/small/simple as a fair weather fun machine.

I think you mentioned once that you used to write for a classic car magazine, so I guess that you have a vast repository of knowledge about cars (as well as boats!), and so changing cars is not a stress. For me, the opposite is the case - I find the process of selling one and buying another so stressful that I do it as seldom as possible. I tend to buy them and then run them into the ground.
The last car I got rid of was 21 years old, and I was given £200 for it part exchange - TBH it was in such a battered old state by then, I was glad even to have got that much.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by Trello

Apparently you should pay £24.50 per day of use of the slip at New Quay harbour. Were you ever approached for payment?

Intrigued Trello, where did you read that?

[Trello]

As mentioned above, I'm planning to go to Aberystwyth. Never having been there, I decided to find out as much as I could beforehand, so I phoned the harbour master. I then had a weird conversation in which he told me about the area generally and the two slipways, but never mentioned anything about payment - so I made the assumption that use of the slip is free. He said that he would send me some more information by email. When that email arrived a few days later, it mentioned ONLY the fact that you have to pay for use of the slip - so a focus completely different from that of the phone call, which I really wasn't expecting.

An excerpt from the email:


There are currently three options for launching in Ceredigion Harbours(Aberystwyth, Aberaeron and New Quay):-
*
Per Day:*£24.50
Per Week:*£88.00
Annual:*£275.00*(01/04/2023 – 31/03/2024)

[Steve509926]

I was never approached for payment and there definitely wasn't any signs up saying you had to pay. Perhaps it's changed since 2021.

[Croolis]

Originally Posted by Trello

I think you mentioned once that you used to write for a classic car magazine, so I guess that you have a vast repository of knowledge about cars (as well as boats!), and so changing cars is not a stress. For me, the opposite is the case - I find the process of selling one and buying another so stressful that I do it as seldom as possible. I tend to buy them and then run them into the ground.
The last car I got rid of was 21 years old, and I was given £200 for it part exchange - TBH it was in such a battered old state by then, I was glad even to have got that much.

Bangernomics for me. It's stressful sometimes and doesn't always work out, but overall I've saved a good chunk of money I think. I can't do £300 a month on something quality anyway so it's a moot point .

Got harder though, like I say, everything seems to be over 2 grand now with high mileage still :/ .

[Trello]

Don't get me wrong - I do buy second-hand. It's just that I find it all so much of a lottery that I don't like it.

Buying new would be less stressful , but I would just beat myself up about how much extra I paid. That kind of peace of mind comes at a significant cost...