Which roofrack for 3.5M RIB (Ford Ka)

[Firstrib]

Hi Yabadabadoo. Perhaps you can give me some tips. If you know of any events or opportunities to go out with an experienced user, please let me know. I won't be going out for a while yet until I get licenced and insured (still need a motor) and radio and gear and understand the tides and how to navigate.

[Yabadabadoo]

I think this collective wisdom exceeds mine http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread...e-tidal-Thames have a look at a thread I commented on about Marlow, its Thames but non tidal, very pretty too and easy in/out

[Mikefule]

Consider a RYA powerboat course. I did mine in RIBS and SIBS.

[HDAV]

I'm loving this thread,Good luck to you Firstrib, i suggest you do an RYA PB2 and VHF course (if going coastal) as soon as you can (before you buy the engine if possible).

Where will you keep the motor when not in use? In the garden? Have you read this thread http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/weight-...ard-37030.html

HOw much have you got budgeted for a motor?

[Firstrib]

Hi, thanks HDAV and all who have helped me since my purchase just last Sunday! I have enrolled onto a RYA VHF radio course online (yesterday) and take my exam on 13 December with Sea Training Sussex.


I will do a RYA Powerboat course, it's just one thing at a time as I can afford it. Still looking at the motor and friends and family know what to give me money towards for Christmas now. Then life jackets, then insurance, then licence on Thames. I won't be going on the Thames anytime soon.


I am looking at a budget of around £500 for a motor. I have seen one looks good, very old from 1986 but in great almost new type condition and a Yamaha. Does a motor of this age differ hugely to a more modern 2 stroke? If anyone knows the difference or this age of Yamaha, please let me know.

[Fenlander]

Well it's all about the budget available but nearly 30yr old outboards can be troublesome with seized bolts making some routine tasks a bit of a disaster and perhaps failing elec ign units/coils etc.

However I've had a few outboards of this era and been lucky with very little trouble. In truth it's a real gamble which can be largely avoided if you were able to double that budget and go for a well maintained and little used motor around 1999-2004.

[HDAV]

Course is great fun, get it booked, VHF (unless your used to this sort of thing) isnt easy....... wrong time of year for playing but good time of year for bargains. Are you mechanically minded and know your way round an engine? 2stroke designs have changed a huge amount i don't think, but there will be changes over the years. older engines that have perhaps been laid up for a number of years and perhaps weren't cared for that well in storage may well cost more in parts to fix than they are worth. Yamaha and Mariner (rebadged yamaha for US market) have a very good reputation but that keeps prices up. Less popular makes or less well known brands are cheaper but getting parts can be tricky.

Over budget but this looks like a rather tidy motor and would push the boat along nicely some motors the 15/20/25 are same base motor just different carbs


EDIT: The DT15 is an uprated 9.9 motor but still weighs nearly 40kg!
https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-wate...5hp/1140564992

[Fenlander]

That's a really good call HDAV. Suzukis are little different from Yamaha/Mariner/Mercury but often fetch less so good deals. OK it's a way from London but as an example I'd stretch the extra £250 to get that. Possible even a profit in it if not suitable after a few trips... brought back to the London area and sold next May you could ask more.

[HDAV]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

That's a really good call HDAV. Suzukis are little different from Yamaha/Mariner/Mercury but often fetch less so good deals. OK it's a way from London but as an example I'd stretch the extra £250 to get that. Possible even a profit in it if not suitable after a few trips... brought back to the London area and sold next May you could ask more.

It looks mint and has had plenty of new parts fitted according to advert, still not sure it would fit in a KA boot mind. But as a sib motor looks ideal and has all the bits you need. Bit of negotiation might get price down a touch too

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by 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.

Someone did, albeit briefly:

Originally Posted by Searider

The tidal Thames through London isn't somewhere I would advise a novice takes a small RIB or SIB. Ferocious tides. Speed limit. Lots of commercial traffic.

He's right too. It's not a benign piece of water by any means. It's perfectly doable, but potentially very unforgiving if things go wrong.

Further up on the tidal Thames is less tricky, particularly between Richmond and Teddington which is a great place for SIBing.

Also check regs/docs required with your friendly water police, I'm sure you'll get to meet them one way or another

None required on the Thames below Teddington.

[Firstrib]

Hi John,


Thank you for this advice. Greenwich won't be my first trip for sure. I could head West towards Richmond as you suggest or launch near Teddington when I finally get the outboard motor. Half way through the VHF online course today, I say again, half way through the radio course! Exam 13 Dec.

[Firstrib]

The motor looks good, except, I have my heart set on a more powerful 25HP in case I need it on the Thames or sea if I ever get to island hopping with 4 or 5 people.

[Wozizname]

Firstrib
We had a trip out on the Tidal Thames last weekend launching at Putney Bridge.
It's 'do-able' and yes the currents are strong, water is 'lumpy' the further you head East but the major factors I'd consider are No1 Debris and No2 Traffic.
Keep your eyes on the traffic coming from all around you and at high speed!
Most importantly have a sharp knife onboard and a repair kit!!! as my OB failed 3 times with crap wrapped around the prop and an accompanying boat had the same happen twice.
At one point the accompanying boat was lifted out of the water and the OB nearly torn off
The amount of debris within the water is disgustingly high on all levels, rope, plastic binding, plastic bags, pallets, logs 8ft in length, scaffold boards, lengths of timber with nails in, cans, bottles, oil drums.........the list goes on and on.
Loved the sights of London from the water but I'll never revisit 'Tidal Thames' ever again
A great shame the Thames is in such a mess

[kaman]

Hi Woziznane that sounds horrendous.
I lived in London for 4 years before moving back to my native Scotland.
It has crossed my mind go take my Sib with me to London when I return for a visit.
After that write up I'll stick to sibbing around the shores, seal lochs and lochs of Scotland.
Only crappy I've had to clean off my prop in 10 years was a jelly fish

[jeffstevens763@g]

firstrib

if you have a tow bar you can buy a carrier for it they can handle 100 kg might be an option better than the roof.
25 hp engine 2 or 4 stroke are not so much heavy as awkward to handle a sack barrow is the way to go which would go nicely on a tow bar rack.
i have owned a Johnson engine OK 4 hp what a piece of crap wouldn't trust it as an anchor.
with the boat only weighing 43 kg look at coming down 5 hp significant weight drop in the engine and you will get good performance from a twenty. OMO

cheers

[Poly]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

firstrib

if you have a tow bar you can buy a carrier for it they can handle 100 kg might be an option better than the roof.
25 hp engine 2 or 4 stroke are not so much heavy as awkward to handle a sack barrow is the way to go which would go nicely on a tow bar rack.
i have owned a Johnson engine OK 4 hp what a piece of crap wouldn't trust it as an anchor.
with the boat only weighing 43 kg look at coming down 5 hp significant weight drop in the engine and you will get good performance from a twenty. OMO

cheers

I'd be surprised if the weight on a Ka towbar was rated for 100 kg.

[Firstrib]

Thanks but the Ford Ka isn't rated for a towbar at all, the manufacturer is forbidden from having one, you just can't have a towbar on a Ford Ka. Now, I know there are some great fun comments on this, but ha ha, the Ford Ka is extremely cheap to buy and run and actually, I will be either, putting my Aerotec 380 in the boot (I think it will just about go) and my 25HP outboard (when I get one) in the back seat area or visa versa. Not forgetting anchor etc. So it will all fit inside with my one passenger! Also, for added budget motoring, I hire out my Ford Ka with www.easycarclub.com and make money on it to fund the boat!

[Firstrib]

Hi Woz, that does sound terrible. I will definitely take a sharp knife and be on my guard for the string, ropes and logs when I eventually get out on the Thames and go East.

[Firstrib]

I would love to drive up to the lochs and chop up a jellyfish! I have been down the Caledonian canal on a cruiser, Loch Ness is like being on the sea

[Firstrib]

I had better buy a radio that works well on Channel 16