Which SIB, which SIB, which SIB!

[neiladamson]

Why has no one mentioned F-ribs in this thread?

[Fenlander]

Perhaps as they aren't a SIB?

Although they are somewhat a crossover SIB to small RIB.

[Paul_Warren]

Hi all,

After posting a few weeks ago about us looking to buy our 1st Rib I’ve had a change of heart. Ive done a fair bit of research and looking for a Rib and during that time I’m now thinking that a Sib will suit us for the time being at least. As previously pointed out if we manage to get away with the caravan this year a SIb can come with us.

So from reading all these posts, the following are in my notes:

3.8m Bombard Aerotech
Airfloor Honwave
Excel Volair
Tohatsu 18hp two stroke engine
Bravo hip pump
Pneumatic launching wheels essential

We are a family of four with two young children aged nearly 3 and 4 and a half.
We are looking for something to potter around the coastline of Dartmouth and possibly do a bit of mackerel fishing from. We would like to be able to beach the boat if the conditions are suitable.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated (again).

Paul

[Max...]

Hi Paul, most PVC SIB's are not the best thing to beach depending on the beach of course (ie gently shelving sand is one thing, steep shingle/stones/rocks another). And it is not always easy to re-launch depending on waves/tides/manpower/rig size etc.

Even light waves can turn a SIB super quick and catch you out. We avoid it whenever possible unless really calm.

Do you want/have to buy new (not sure as you mentioned the older 18hp Twat)? The same old advice always applies - if new to boating buy a big name well looked after pre-owned outfit similar to what you think you need and try it out - let the other fellow take the initial big depreciation hit on what may in many (most?) cases not turn out quite the way you thought!

For the majority of users the sweet spot is generally a 3.4 to 3.8m airfloor with a 15hp.

The Tohatsu 18 is a pretty scarce engine to find used now.

Throw in some rubber matting or similar if fishing.

[Paul_Warren]

Hi Max, thanks for your reply.
Fair point about beaching, I suppose I meant creeping in close to a beach then dropping family and baggage off then anchoring up if practicable.

My budget is about £5,000, as you say I would probably be best looking at a second hand one.

Paul

[Max...]

Yes, definitely - £1800 to a bit over £2000 depending on age should get you a nice Zodiac/Bombard/Honwave/Quicksilver/Yam/Suzumar etc with a 15 and often trailer/pump/LJ's etc. Ask on here if you spot something and people will be happy to chime in with advice.

Check the eBay SIB topic for past outfits/sales/prices.

[Fenlander]

Like Max I'd say don't plan your SIB choice/outings around beaching because it would only be on exceptionally calm days in sheltered locations where you'd want to do that with two young kids who I'd assume your partner would be taking care of so not easily able to help you.

We regard visiting beaches as good luck if we find the right conditions and for this because transom wheels can be useless in soft sand or stones we don't have the wheels on the boat when on the water but carry a pair of beach rollers which stow down to nothing yet will easily move the boat over most surfaces. Pics below of them under the boat and deflated how we carry them in the anchor bag.

Re your purchase thoughts...

Aerotec a superb SIB but perhaps being narrow with a V angled floor not ideal for the family?? Also getting hard to find now as few were made after 2014 and mostly it is the older ones needing repairs that come on the market and with your budget I'd expect you'd avoid that.

Honwave 380 air floor. For many years the go-to air floor SIB with a new price the same as many Zodiacs fetch used a good few years old. Some reports of quality issues recently with misaligned floors/keels but mostly dealers will resolve. Also have the potential for annoying floor flex but this is very much down to individual loads/outboards/setups etc.... some folks never notice/experience it.

Excel Volaire has minimal feedback on the forum but when comments can be found they seem largely positive. Said to skid in turns. The model interests me and I hope soon more reports appear from members.

Tohatsu 18hp 2-stroke. When the 4-stroke 20hp models weighed 50kg or so the Tohatsu at 41kg was the go-to OB for someone who wanted more than 15hp at a sensible weight. Now the newer efi 20hp models have got down to around 44kg in truth they have stolen its advantage and if I were you I'd be going for one of them. The Tohatsu is quite "basic" and reliable if a bit noisy.

Bravo 12v pump... yes particularly with an air floor. I have just replaced my Bravo after many years and happily chosen Bravo again.

Launch wheels. Yes even if they are not ideal on mid trip beach stops still needed to get to the water in the first place.

As Max says if you can then find a used outfit. What could easily cost £4500+ new should come for £2000 or so in decent condition. Even if it isn't 100% what you want worth buying a complete outfit for the SIB and kit then changing the outboard for new if it suited you. Or vice versa buy the outfit for the outboard and kit then sell off the SIB if a bit old/tatty and get a new one.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Like Max I'd say don't plan your SIB choice/outings around beaching because it would only be on exceptionally calm days in sheltered locations where you'd want to do that with two young kids who I'd assume your partner would be taking care of so not easily able to help you.

We regard visiting beaches as good luck if we find the right conditions and for this because transom wheels can be useless in soft sand or stones we don't have the wheels on the boat when on the water but carry a pair of beach rollers which stow down to nothing yet will easily move the boat over most surfaces. Pics below of them under the boat and deflated how we carry them in the anchor bag.

Re your purchase thoughts...

Aerotec a superb SIB but perhaps being narrow with a V angled floor not ideal for the family?? Also getting hard to find now as few were made after 2014 and mostly it is the older ones needing repairs that come on the market and with your budget I'd expect you'd avoid that.

Honwave 380 air floor. For many years the go-to air floor SIB with a new price the same as many Zodiacs fetch used a good few years old. Some reports of quality issues recently with misaligned floors/keels but mostly dealers will resolve. Also have the potential for annoying floor flex but this is very much down to individual loads/outboards/setups etc.... some folks never notice/experience it.

Excel Volaire has minimal feedback on the forum but when comments can be found they seem largely positive. Said to skid in turns. The model interests me and I hope soon more reports appear from members.

Tohatsu 18hp 2-stroke. When the 4-stroke 20hp models weighed 50kg or so the Tohatsu at 41kg was the go-to OB for someone who wanted more than 15hp at a sensible weight. Now the newer efi 20hp models have got down to around 44kg in truth they have stolen its advantage and if I were you I'd be going for one of them. The Tohatsu is quite "basic" and reliable if a bit noisy.

Bravo 12v pump... yes particularly with an air floor. I have just replaced my Bravo after many years and happily chosen Bravo again.

Launch wheels. Yes even if they are not ideal on mid trip beach stops still needed to get to the water in the first place.

As Max says if you can then find a used outfit. What could easily cost £4500+ new should come for £2000 or so in decent condition. Even if it isn't 100% what you want worth buying a complete outfit for the SIB and kit then changing the outboard for new if it suited you. Or vice versa buy the outfit for the outboard and kit then sell off the SIB if a bit old/tatty and get a new one.

Where did you get the rollers from please?

[jeffstevens763@g]

Force four sell um Dave £40 a pair last I looked

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Force four sell um Dave £40 a pair last I looked

Cheers Jeff. I’ve found some of the 400kg ones at £15/each at Marine superstore. But I wondered if there was a difference in quality.

https://www.marinesuperstore.com/ten...le-boat-roller

[Fenlander]

Mine are exactly those 400kg Trems in your MarineSuperstore link PD.

Obviously the wrong impact point could puncture one but the material feels quite durable... thicker than SIB tube material and more pliable I'd say.

I'd happily buy the same brand again.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Mine are exactly those 400kg Trems in your MarineSuperstore link PD.

Obviously the wrong impact point could puncture one but the material feels quite durable... thicker than SIB tube material and more pliable I'd say.

I'd happily buy the same brand again.

Thanks for the feedback, I’ll order 3.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Cheers Jeff. I’ve found some of the 400kg ones at £15/each at Marine superstore. But I wondered if there was a difference in quality.

https://www.marinesuperstore.com/ten...le-boat-roller

Same ones Dave porta I personnely would go 600 kg more heavy duty and longer at 1.2m

[Paul_Warren]

Thanks for your detailed reply Fenlander, love the beach rollers!!

I think I would like to by a complete set up for my 1st boat, having read lots of posts it looks like you can get the setup wrong quite easily, and the detailed post about positioning the engine on the transom and getting the angle correct was a bit too much to take in.

Anyway if anyone sees something that they might think suitable for me to get going with please give me a shout. My searching has been limited to eBay and Facebook marketplace at the moment.

Paul

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Same ones Dave porta I personnely would go 600 kg more heavy duty and longer at 1.2m

I was undecided which ones to go for. But the HD ones (600kg) are shorter[emoji848] 1200mm v 1600mm. I wondered if the higher rating just came from the larger diameter/shorter length, rather than a different material.

[Max...]

Originally Posted by Paul_Warren

Anyway if anyone sees something that they might think suitable for me to get going with please give me a shout. My searching has been limited to eBay and Facebook marketplace at the moment.

Paul

Check the ebay SIBs topic regularly but eBay is generally the place to go or the classifieds in here of course.

[Paul_Warren]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324181032505

Seen this but would it be a beast to carry around because of the floor??

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I was undecided which ones to go for. But the HD ones (600kg) are shorter[emoji848] 1200mm v 1600mm. I wondered if the higher rating just came from the larger diameter/shorter length, rather than a different material.

i wrote that wrong i ment the 600 are larger DIA Dave better on the rough stuff , material wise i would say its thicker because an 200kg increase is a lot for 400mm less length but 50 mm increase in DIA might be wrong

[Fenlander]

https://go.skimresources.com/?id=218...lick%20%5B2%5D

That's a great trailed outfit Paul but yes the SIB is heavy and a harder setup for you than the air floors and the elec start motor will be a heavier version. So if you intend to carry in the caravan I'd say not the right outfit.

[Paul_Warren]

Thanks Fenlander, I suspected as much. We tow the caravan with a ford transit custom van where we carry most of our stuff, including kids bikes etc.

I’ll keep looking, so glad to have found this forum, where people are happy to give honest helpful advice.