Which roofrack for 3.5M RIB (Ford Ka)

[Firstrib]

Red! Yes, with transom wheels. It's almost new looking although 2001, very well looked after. I am so pleased. It's sitting my spare room. Have paddles and manual pump. Thank you for your help. I thought I would go for a 2 stroke, does that mean I add oil to the petrol? Do I need a short or long motor? Any tips on 1. Size and power and 2. Weight? I thought I would go for the full 25HP as this was the basis for buying this substantial boat. They seem quite expensive on ebay.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Firstrib

I thought I would go for a 2 stroke, does that mean I add oil to the petrol?

usually yes - but on slightly more modern 20HP ish engines it might have a tank and automatically add it for you.

Do I need a short or long motor?

measure the transom on your boat 15" or 20"

Any tips on 1. Size and power and 2. Weight? I thought I would go for the full 25HP as this was the basis for buying this substantial boat.

A 25HP is a lot of weight to manipulate on your own. Search for the Gurnard's technique here, but he has a big car with a flat "boot" not a Ka. I wouldn't want to like c.50kg like this regularly - not because of the weight, but because the engine is top heavy and doesn't have great handholds. The perfect SIB engine is the Tohatsu 18HP 2 stroke, unfortunately they are as rare as rocking horse shit, and expensive if you find one. I'd probably look at Yamaha / Mariner / Suzuki / Merc / Tohatsu 15HP engines upto 20 yrs old if I was in your shoes.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Well done... red or grey...

You mean Fast or Slow!


No-one explained that to the OP...

[beerbelly]

well done on finding what is probably the best sib for your needs but i think your seriously over estimating the capability's of your car .once you have folded your back seats down and managed to cram the aerotec into it where are you going to put the outboard plus all the other stuff .fuel tank paddles life jackets pump clothing ropes anchor ect ect .I am impressed with your determination but not sure you have thought this out properly .the other thing to consider with even only the outboard in the back if some muppet pulls out of a junction and you hit them an unsecured 50kg outboard could slice through the front seats and probably through the bulkhead of your car. food for thought

[Firstrib]

Hi Beerbelly, thanks for the post. I am certainly determined. It's get it all in the Ford Ka or I don't go anywhere. Having looked at it, I think the boat will probably go on the backseat all packed up with the paddles and pump and wheels etc, this leaves the boot free for an outboard which I guess will need to not be too tall and would it have to be stored upright? I guess so. What is the optimum weight?

[Firstrib]

Hi Poly, thanks for this. I will think carefully about the weight and yes, will go for an older model as I need a bargain. Do you know which type short or long I need for the Aerotec 380, which way do I measure the transom - so 15" means short and 20" means long?

[Fenlander]

You need a short shaft for the 380, it was only the rare 420 model that took a long shaft. Is your car a 3 or 5dr? I've just been moving my packed Aerotec about in the garage and while it's not too bad to lift up into an estate/hatch loadspace not so easy to hold the package on edge and push into the back seat area. Did yours come with the "bag" it packs into?

No the outboard doesn't go upright, a 2-stroke can lay sideways.

In truth the "safety" of an outboard in the rear loadspace is not so far different in any car... in much the same way a boat on a trailer can tip a nasty wobble into an out of control accident with something very sharp flailing about on the rear of the car.

15 vs 25hp. Well a 25hp is very very heavy... make sure you lift one before buying. 15hp gives good performance 2/3 up but if you were going to 3/4 adults (particularly if not all very light) the extra power of a 20 or 25 might be appreciated. But as Poly says a larger outboard is easier to manage in a larger estate car/SUV.

When you are one-up even a 15hp can be a bit flighty... a 25hp much more so. I find the Aerotec is best with 2 adults so the second person on the seat is perfect "ballast" so you can push on in heavier conditions with little danger of the bow lifting too far.

[Firstrib]

Hi Fenlander, this is very helpful. I would lie down the outboard motor on the side in the boot.


I aim to have a second person and a third sometimes. Helpful to know that two works well for 15 or 25HP. If not, can you sit on the seat with an extension on the motor arm?


I am not worried about lifting a 50 or 60 KG motor, so apart from the set up and size of it, once in the water, it is a little more flighty with one person, but not impossible I guess. I wouldn't use it at full speed on my own I wouldn't have thought.


I am thinking of the power on the sea and the You Tube video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBDZu7Jx3RE

and that if I don't have a 25HP and am on the sea perhaps crossing to an island before bad whether sets in, I would appreciate this power. I would use it on the sea and the river Thames.


What do you think of this: JOHNSON 25HP OUTBOARD ENGINE | eBay

[Firstrib]

55kg is the weight

[Poly]

No tiller? Heavy. Lifting 50kg engine is not the same as lifting 50kg in the gym or bags of cement. 25 yrs old - it will all be about condition, I might be being biased but I'd rather have an old yam than an old Johnson.

[69cmw]

Best thing you can do with that Johnson is use it as a permanent anchor ...

[Firstrib]

Poly - thank you for the advice. I will look for YAM older or the lighter make you suggested or Eventide is it, that is lighter?

[Firstrib]

thanks, I haven't got an anchor, would I need one for a SIB?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Firstrib

Poly - thank you for the advice. I will look for YAM older or the lighter make you suggested or Eventide is it, that is lighter?

It was probably tohatsu I mentioned (marine branch of Nissan). It doesn't need to be a yam, mariner etc are all good too.

Originally Posted by Firstrib

thanks, I haven't got an anchor, would I need one for a SIB?

Yes. In fact let me be clearer about that YES. There is a thread here for what you might want in a sib (written by willk) and a beginners guide (written by nos4r2). I strongly recommend you read both. A sib has no handbrake, so if the engine fails (a not impossible situation with old engines) you will be going wherever the wind / tide decide without an anchor.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Poly

...25 yrs old - it will all be about condition, I might be being biased but I'd rather have an old yam than an old Johnson.

At 25 yrs old, a Johnson is generally in peak condition. Any older and it may be better with four strokes, rather than two.

IMHO.

[Gwozhog]

It makes absolutely no sense to transport a RIB on a roof. You will limit yourself to always needing a second person to load and unload. 180 pounds is to much to handle sure you might do it once or twice but in the end it will most likely end up sitting in the garage collecting dust because it's to much of a PIA to transport. I would buy an SIB with an air floor. Set up time is less than 10 mins with a bravo electric pump. Best part is you can do it all by yourself. Otherwise just bite the bullet on a trailer and rent a storage.

[Gwozhog]

Just saw you bought a bombard. Wise choice congrats. Post some pics when you have a chance. I also really reccomend the launch wheels sold from defender.com

[Firstrib]

Thank I have jut bought the SIB Aerotec 380

[Firstrib]

Hi, thanks will do pictures once I get an outboard and on the water! I have some launch wheels with it for now.

[Yabadabadoo]

Someone with some more experience ought to mention that the Thames happens to have VERY strong currents and loads of traffic , not ideal for a beginner and not ideal for a small SIB/RIB. Doable, but not ideal, perhaps even dangerous.
Also check regs/docs required with your friendly water police, I'm sure you'll get to meet them one way or another