Which SIB?

lockieboi · 17 May 2011, 19:03

Which is best, Aliminium deck with inflatable keel i.e SEAPRO 340 HD or high pressure air deck i.e Honwave/bombard aerotec.

Only want advice about performance and comfort really not worried about weight or looks.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks

Popeye1 · 17 May 2011, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by lockieboi

Which is best, Aliminium deck with inflatable keel i.e SEAPRO 340 HD or high pressure air deck i.e Honwave/bombard aerotec.

Only want advice about performance and comfort really not worried about weight or looks.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks

lockieboi,

I'm going to take mine out on Saturday and test it, I will let you know how I get on, not that I can compare it against anything else I've been on, because this will be the first SIB I've ever been on!!!!! It all depends what you want to use it for, my sole purpose is for fishing so in my case an aliminium floor was essential.

On the other hand if the wife kicked me out then perhaps I may regret it, because an inflatable floor would be a lot more comfortable to sleep in with a duvet pulled over you !!!!!!

Popeye

thornbackflound · 17 May 2011, 20:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by lockieboi

Which is best, Aliminium deck with inflatable keel i.e SEAPRO 340 HD or high pressure air deck i.e Honwave/bombard aerotec.

Only want advice about performance and comfort really not worried about weight or looks.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks

As said by Popeye,If you wan t it for fishing ,Hard deck the one to go for.

lockieboi · 17 May 2011, 20:40

Thanks for the replies.

The only problem i have with the air deck is how much it moves when planning.

Am i right in saying the ali floor wouldnt do that?

Where you off to saturday popeye, Minnus bay? keep meaning to try that place sounds good.

rik_elliott · 17 May 2011, 20:57

Most air decks flex on the plane. Bombard aerotecs don't. They are at least as good as a hard floor in terms of performance and as they weigh less the advantages keep pouring in. Less ideal for fishing though, be a shame to puncture the floor!

I had a wood floor Avon was good v little flex as long as you keep the tubes at correct pressure. Let the tubes go a little soft and the nose of even a hard floor sib can start to flex up with loss of performance.

I'd personally go for the aerotec every time. Can't easily fit a console though if that's important to you?

Oh and if it's performance you want and money is plentiful I'd suggest contacting prairie tuber - he has probably one of the most solid high performance rigs I've seen on here.

Nick Hearne · 17 May 2011, 21:15

Bombard aerotec gets my vote, not as wide as some,but the bow is much deeper than most & so gives a dry ride

Nice & light,gose realy well with a 15hp 2st.

Popeye1 · 17 May 2011, 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by lockieboi

Thanks for the replies.

The only problem i have with the air deck is how much it moves when planning.

Am i right in saying the ali floor wouldnt do that?

Where you off to saturday popeye, Minnus bay? keep meaning to try that place sounds good.

lockieboi

Probably will go to Minnis Bay, or may possibly try Sandwich Bay. If I catch anything I will let you know.

Popeye

lockieboi · 21 May 2011, 22:32

Thanks for the replies.

The bombard is slightly out of my price range.

Anyone know how the more budget end of these compare to ali decks?

The ones i am looking at are the honwave V hull and the Europe V hull from mes-marine.com

Anyone know if these are good/bad better/worse than ali decks

Sorry for all the questions just dont wanna buy a SIB thats no better than what i already have.

surferbill · 22 May 2011, 03:47

I do quite a lot of fishing with my Honwave airfloor 3.8m up here in Thurso. It is comfortable for 3 guys fishing . Handles a rough sea no bad for a wee boat. For the price it has been a decent boat, big tubes, feels safe and stay pritty dry
Was worried about hooks bursting the floor to start with but more relaxed now after a couple of years with no problems.

even if you have the floor up to the correct pressure it still flexes and i think hinders performance, i would love to try the ali floor for a day just to see if i made the right choice as i hummed and hawed about it for a while. i use a trailer and very rarely deflate the boat so the extra weight or hassle inflateing it would have been no bother.

A flat floor would be a lot better i reckon for fish boxes and stuff so it does not all slide into the V

The thing i have been most impressed about is the how little fuel the 20 hp Honda fourstroke i have uses i go fishing trips 2 or 3 times a week buzz about pulling creels etc and can go for weeks not topping up

thornbackflound · 22 May 2011, 15:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by surferbill

I do quite a lot of fishing with my Honwave airfloor 3.8m up here in Thurso. It is comfortable for 3 guys fishing . Handles a rough sea no bad for a wee boat. For the price it has been a decent boat, big tubes, feels safe and stay pritty dry
Was worried about hooks bursting the floor to start with but more relaxed now after a couple of years with no problems.

even if you have the floor up to the correct pressure it still flexes and i think hinders performance, i would love to try the ali floor for a day just to see if i made the right choice as i hummed and hawed about it for a while. i use a trailer and very rarely deflate the boat so the extra weight or hassle inflateing it would have been no bother.

A flat floor would be a lot better i reckon for fish boxes and stuff so it does not all slide into the V

The thing i have been most impressed about is the how little fuel the 20 hp Honda fourstroke i have uses i go fishing trips 2 or 3 times a week buzz about pulling creels etc and can go for weeks not topping up

Nice to see a fellow sib fisherman,nice bit of kit

thornbackflound · 22 May 2011, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Popeye1

lockieboi

Probably will go to Minnis Bay, or may possibly try Sandwich Bay. If I catch anything I will let you know.

Popeye

Did you get out mate,bloody windy where we were ,fished off dungy as well 1 small Bass,still was nice to try the engine out.

Popeye1 · 22 May 2011, 20:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by thornbackflound

Did you get out mate,bloody windy where we were ,fished off dungy as well 1 small Bass,still was nice to try the engine out.

Hi Thorny

Yes got out on Saturday, it was absolutely brilliant!!! I love sibbing. The boat out perfomed all my expectations I could not fault it in anyway. Launched about 9AM, that was a mistake! As it was a big tide, and I launched right at bottom of the ebb! pushed and heaved it accross 300 metres of sand! I will be picking my tides better next time.

When we launched it was fairly calm, with little or no wind, but as the tide started to flood the wind picked up and it was fairly rough out there, with a lot of white horses. The boat remained completely dry at all times. It sits at anchor beautifully, and is very comfortable to fish from. It doesn't take to kindly to pottering along in a swell, but when you open it up and get on the plane it just skips over the waves with no slamming. I was extremely impressed.

Now onto the fishing! Anchored at first spot, forgot to release the sleeve from the grapnel, so I had slung it over still retracted!! Moved to another spot where there was a Warrior fishing, and anchored about 50 metres abreast of him. I was using peeler crab as bait, straight away a doggy of about 2LB, rebaited with a massive peeler leaving all his legs and claws on and just removing the shell of his back. Suddenly bang, the rod is bent over, reel in, and it's a bass of about 6LB plus. I had 8 smooth hounds biggest probably 5lb, but plenty of small ones!!

We had the Bass for lunch today, four of us! There was so much there. I am aching all over today, but what a lovely feeling it is. I so enjoyed it. I absolutely love sibbing.

Hopefully we can meet up soon.

Regards

Popeye

thornbackflound · 23 May 2011, 17:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Popeye1

Hi Thorny

Yes got out on Saturday, it was absolutely brilliant!!! I love sibbing. The boat out perfomed all my expectations I could not fault it in anyway. Launched about 9AM, that was a mistake! As it was a big tide, and I launched right at bottom of the ebb! pushed and heaved it accross 300 metres of sand! I will be picking my tides better next time.

When we launched it was fairly calm, with little or no wind, but as the tide started to flood the wind picked up and it was fairly rough out there, with a lot of white horses. The boat remained completely dry at all times. It sits at anchor beautifully, and is very comfortable to fish from. It doesn't take to kindly to pottering along in a swell, but when you open it up and get on the plane it just skips over the waves with no slamming. I was extremely impressed.

Now onto the fishing! Anchored at first spot, forgot to release the sleeve from the grapnel, so I had slung it over still retracted!! Moved to another spot where there was a Warrior fishing, and anchored about 50 metres abreast of him. I was using peeler crab as bait, straight away a doggy of about 2LB, rebaited with a massive peeler leaving all his legs and claws on and just removing the shell of his back. Suddenly bang, the rod is bent over, reel in, and it's a bass of about 6LB plus. I had 8 smooth hounds biggest probably 5lb, but plenty of small ones!!

We had the Bass for lunch today, four of us! There was so much there. I am aching all over today, but what a lovely feeling it is. I so enjoyed it. I absolutely love sibbing.

Hopefully we can meet up soon.

Regards

Popeye

Excellent catch,where did you go in the end?

Popeye1 · 23 May 2011, 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by thornbackflound

Excellent catch,where did you go in the end?

Hi Thorny,

I went to Minnis Bay. I went out to the green Margate bouy and then motored down towards Margate about half a mile. Where do you catch your Thornie's Thorny.

Popeye

thornbackflound · 24 May 2011, 00:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Popeye1

Hi Thorny,

I went to Minnis Bay. I went out to the green Margate bouy and then motored down towards Margate about half a mile. Where do you catch your Thornie's Thorny.

Popeye

Nice one ,told ya Minnis bay rocks,i catch the spikey one's around the red bouy,and Grenham Bay i have had smuts over 10lb,great fun on the sib,hook up soon mate,get a set of launching wheels it will be easier getting the boat down to the water,or have you got some?