Yet another "which boat" thread ....

jimbo747 · 31 October 2013, 13:35

Hi all,

I'm looking for a sib that will _mostly_ be used by myself, on my own, for fishing, but will occasionally include a second angler, or no rods but two kids for general messing about.

I think my budget would be around 1000-1400.

I've seen plenty of cheaper boat and engine packages (zodiac zoom, honwave, seago, wavelike) in that price range.

Is 2.6-2.7m too small? Are bigger boats handleable (as in getting into and out of car boot - i'd use transom wheels) by a single person?

My stomping ground is the Weymouth area, so tidal considerations are no so important, although i can see it being taken on holiday.
I've done lots of sailing in the past and have a cautious nature, so i wouldn't be planning on using it in anything over F3-4.

James.

John Kennett · 31 October 2013, 15:05

If you could stretch a bit more you could have my Aerotec 380 with a 15hp Yamaha 2 stroke. It's easily manageable single handed and will give you loads more space and performance than a 2.7

http://www.rib.net/forum/f21/bombard...0-a-58610.html

stray · 31 October 2013, 15:13

From personnel experience I've found the 3.4m Zodiac air deck with a 15hp 2 stroke to be ideal for me. I can launch and retrieve single handed, I can even haul it up the slip by myself, plus there's enough room for 2 and tackle for fishing. It planes with 4 adults and zips along with just me, or me and my mate.
The boat fits in my garage inflated with all my other stuff (mainly junk) and the outboard is about as much as I'd want to lift.
Anything much bigger I'd struggle with, anything much smaller would be a squeeze 2 up fishing.
As for getting it in and out of a car, 2 could do it easily but it would be a struggle, but doable, by myself.

I'm reasonably fit and in my mid fifties.

The Gurnard · 31 October 2013, 15:14

Hi Jimbo.. welcome to the forum
To help you answer your own question.. I will describe two of my SIBS
The first is my 2.7 seago inflatable shown in the photo below. Its a slat bottom SIB ..ie planks of wood which I like for fishing. I personally wouldn’t go to sea without an auxiliary engine in case one breaks down.. but I know many people do. However be aware that you wont be able to row a 2.7 inflatable far because the wind pushes them across the water. If you have a breakdown and the wind is offshore..you need assistance to get you home. The SIB is also a category D boat... which is really only for sea lochs and such as it doesn’t like waves above a foot in height. When the first white cap wave appears..I know its time to head for shore.
Mine is powered by a 2.5 cc main outboard and I have gone to sea in it for years. It only goes at displacement speed with that size of engine..but it means I can have two on the transom and its under the weight limit for the SIB. Obviously I keep out of strong tides but with careful planning and weather watching..I have gone to many places larger SIBS go
You can see from my photo..its fine for one person..but little room for many more. I have taken another adult on short trips..but you have to know them very well. Its easy to load it all into the boot of a car..and also to inflate and launch anywhere.

My other SIB is a 4.2m job with a main engine of 25hP ...it planes quickly and travels very fast. Its a category C boat so can handle white crested waves in coastal waters with no problem. It can carry several people with plenty room. But even when I empty it of all the bling.. llike fishfinder consoles and storage boxes ..it is still very heavy so needs a trailer. This set up ..with trailer, engine and boat..second hand.. if you are lucky.. can be got for around £1500

jimbo747 · 31 October 2013, 15:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

If you could stretch a bit more you could have my Aerotec 380 with a 15hp Yamaha 2 stroke. It's easily manageable single handed and will give you loads more space and performance than a 2.7

http://www.rib.net/forum/f21/bombard...0-a-58610.html

Thanks John - i was looking at your outfit earlier actually. Unfortunately, though, i'm getting married in about a month's time and money will be tight until next spring (which kind of makes sense with the weather). I wish you luck with selling it though - there don't appear to be many outfits around at present so i'm sure it won't hang around for long.

jimbo747 · 31 October 2013, 15:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gurnard

Hi Jimbo.. welcome to the forum
To help you answer your own question.. I will describe two of my SIBS
The first is my 2.7 seago inflatable shown in the photo below. Its a slat bottom SIB ..ie planks of wood which I like for fishing. I personally wouldn’t go to sea without an auxiliary engine in case one breaks down.. but I know many people do. However be aware that you wont be able to row a 2.7 inflatable far because the wind pushes them across the water. If you have a breakdown and the wind is offshore..you need assistance to get you home. The SIB is also a category D boat... which is really only for sea lochs and such as it doesn’t like waves above a foot in height. When the first white cap wave appears..I know its time to head for shore.
Mine is powered by a 2.5 cc main outboard and I have gone to sea in it for years. It only goes at displacement speed with that size of engine..but it means I can have two on the transom and its under the weight limit for the SIB. Obviously I keep out of strong tides but with careful planning and weather watching..I have gone to many places larger SIBS go
You can see from my photo..its fine for one person..but little room for many more. I have taken another adult on short trips..but you have to know them very well. Its easy to load it all into the boot of a car..and also to inflate and launch anywhere.

My other SIB is a 4.2m job with a main engine of 25hP ...it planes quickly and travels very fast. Its a category C boat so can handle white crested waves in coastal waters with no problem. It can carry several people with plenty room. But even when I empty it of all the bling.. llike fishfinder consoles and storage boxes ..it is still very heavy so needs a trailer. This set up ..with trailer, engine and boat..second hand.. if you are lucky.. can be got for around £1500

Many thanks for that. I'm sort of aware of the limitations of inflatables as i had a little 2.3m one when i owned a sailing boat - rowing it hard into a Force 4/5 after my little Suzy 2hp overheated - and realising my only hope of landfall was if i managed to crab for long enough. I tend to fish with the LRF style, as well as some bass fishing, so in all likelihood i'll be within a few hundred yards of shore in light winds only, in a relatively sheltered bay. Much as i love the idea of a bigger boat (particularly since you seem to get far more for your money with the bigger engines) i really want to avoid a trailer. After my divorce, i've rented and i can never be sure the next place will have a driveway!

thomas · 31 October 2013, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimbo747

Thanks John - i was looking at your outfit earlier actually. Unfortunately, though, i'm getting married in about a month's time and money will be tight until next spring (which kind of makes sense with the weather). I wish you luck with selling it though - there don't appear to be many outfits around at present so i'm sure it won't hang around for long.

Buy it, great deal on a fantastic set up - go out and stock up on toys now because things will be very different in a couple of months

Maximus · 31 October 2013, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kennett

If you could stretch a bit more you could have my Aerotec 380 with a 15hp Yamaha 2 stroke. It's easily manageable single handed and will give you loads more space and performance than a 2.7

http://www.rib.net/forum/f21/bombard...0-a-58610.html

A little can make ALOT of difference!

SpearRib · 31 October 2013, 22:41

My personal experience with a 2.85m is its just not big enough for 2 with an 8hp on it. The engine can plane us, but its squirrelly. I plan to upgrade to 3.4m and keep the 8 and distribute weight to get it on the plane. Also I have found a wood floor to be a pain in the ****. If I didnt have to set it up often it would be great. So am leaning toward air floor. When we finally move out of the apartment into a house Ill get a 3.8m RIB on a trailer with a 30hp :-)

Nick Hearne · 01 November 2013, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomas

Buy it, great deal on a fantastic set up - go out and stock up on toys now because things will be very different in a couple of months

+1 get it, money well spent on a great setup you will get your money back should you need to in the future too

Light and easy to handle on your own but will cope with 4+ adults no problem too

rik_elliott · 01 November 2013, 14:34

Yeah the bombard is a cracking boat - use mine out of a boot and can do so single handed. I got mine (and the 18hp tohatsu) for 1300 all in, bought separately though and I had to patch the air floor (easy to do!). If you keep an eye open there should be something like that at some point over the winter.

You really, really should get an air deck for out of car use. It's just a million times easier. And under 3m is probably too small - why not keep an eye on eBay etc for a nice honwave 3.4 or similar, they are nice boats that would do what you want. Shop around, should be ok to get something for your budget.