New member from Bedfordshire

[Robmac]

Hi my names Rob and I'm from Wyboston in Bedfordshire - just outside St Neots which is in Cambridgeshire!

I have owned boats for around the last 35 years, 20 in all and all inland cruisers. My present boat is a Viking 20 but I have decided it is time for a change. I am a keen fisherman, boater and campervanner, unfortunately my wife has an illness which prevents her going on boats any more and I simply don't have the time to do all 3 hobbies and spend some time with her as well. So I have decided to combine all 3.

I thought that if I bought myself a Sib, we can carry it in the camper and wherever we end up I can do a bit of fishing from the Sib. This of course will also save me a fortune in mooring fees!

I had thought about various trailable boats but I just wouldn't trust leaving one out on the drive for long periods - a sad reflection on the world we live in I suppose. So a Sib it is. I am considering one of these;

https://www.excel-inflatables.co.uk/...oat-xhd485.php

Most of my boating will be on inland waterways and the lakes and Scottish lochs. I also plan to do a bit of Sib camping when I get the chance to go off on my own.

I have briefly discussed this with another member on here who is also a member on a Motorhoming forum I am on and he directed me here. As it happens I had already looked at this forum recently as well as watching some excellent videos posted by The Gurnard which really convinced me that this is the way to go.

Anyhoo, being new to the world of inflatable boats I have many questions to ask which I will be doing over the next few days/weeks/years? so please bear with me whilst I find my feet.

Well, that's me - I look forward to contributing and perhaps meeting some of you.

[Fenlander]

Hi Rob and welcome to the forum, I'm not too far up the A1 from you in Cambridgeshire.

What stands out is that SIB you link is huge and heavy as would be any outboard to get it moving nicely... just not a back of a camper kind of thing at all.

For a day out assembled from the van situation you should look at 3.6/3.8m and ideally an air floor model. As an example we carry our SIB in the back of our day van and assemble each outing. We have a 3.8m which weighs close to a third of the 116kg the Excel weighs. This makes it manageable in the circumstances you describe and compared to that Excel has the advantage of needing a smaller HP and lighter motor.

Excel as far as it goes are mostly well thought of... consider Honwave too and some of the cheaper Zodiacs. Also give the Boatworld website a look... they have been decent folks to deal with for many forum members.

Best start a thread in the inflatables section headed something like "Thinking of a 4.85m Excel to use from a camper" and you'll get loads of ideas.

David

[Robmac]

Thanks for that David.

Yes it is a big heavy boat and I am considering a 20hp to go with it which will add quite a lot to it. I do like a lot of room though, the thing is I have never seen one of these larger SIB's in the flesh - something I will rectify next week when I have arranged a visit to Excel.

My camper is quite large (Renault Master LWB) and has a double bed with quite a large space underneath it which I think would fit the Excel but not the engine/tank/gear as well so I was thinking of buying a trailer to maybe carry the boat (deflated) and engine etc, but I will ask the question in the SIB's section as you suggest.

Many thanks for your suggestions - I am still looking at different makes.

[69cmw]

If you are thinking of carrying it deflated in a trailer, why not get a proper boat trailer and tow it inflated?
That will save you hours dicking around at campsites trying to inflate and deflate it, plus it will surely be easier to launch and recover.

[Robmac]

Originally Posted by 69cmw

If you are thinking of carrying it deflated in a trailer, why not get a proper boat trailer and tow it inflated?
That will save you hours dicking around at campsites trying to inflate and deflate it, plus it will surely be easier to launch and recover.

A fair suggestion but it's a matter of storage.

I wouldn't leave a trailer on the drive as I suspect it would quickly disappear! and I already have 2 campers, 2 vans and 2 cars on the drive so space is at a premium! (a result of having my eldest son, daughter and son in law and their 2 kids living with us!).

It does appeal though, the thought of being able to inflate the boat at my leisure and be ready to go at the destination.

Again, I will see what is said in the SIB's section - as you can tell, I am a novice for this kind of boating!

Thanks for the reply.

[Steve509926]

Hi Rob and welcome.

I have an Excel SD360 and for my wants and needs it works perfectly. Slightly different circumstances from you in that I have a caravan, but the need for it to be easily transportable still applies. I've put loads of threads, pics and videos on RIBnet which will give you a good idea of size and performance.

XHD485 is not only a very big SIB, it's a 116kg of dead weight. Totally impractical for 1 person to manage. You might manage it with 2, but I can guarantee you will use it less and less because it will be so much hassle to set up. As for the OB, 30hp - 85kg? My OB is 45kg and I can "just" manage it.

Agree with David re: Honwave, it was on my list but the need for a flat floor outweighed the slightly better performance.

Just noticed your comment about SIB storage under the double bed of your camper - not a cat in hells chance of it fitting!

[69cmw]

I have a 4.2M Sib type boat and I would never think of doing what you are suggesting. It stays on a trailer.

[Robmac]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Hi Rob and welcome.

I have an Excel SD360 and for my wants and needs it works perfectly. Slightly different circumstances from you in that I have a caravan, but the need for it to be easily transportable still applies. I've put loads of threads, pics and videos on RIBnet which will give you a good idea of size and performance.

XHD485 is not only a very big SIB, it's a 116kg of dead weight. Totally impractical for 1 person to manage. You might manage it with 2, but I can guarantee you will use it less and less because it will be so much hassle to set up. As for the OB, 30hp - 85kg? My OB is 45kg and I can "just" manage it.

Agree with David re: Honwave, it was on my list but the need for a flat floor outweighed the slightly better performance.

Thanks Steve.

The engine suggested by Excel is 20hp but yes still heavy. To be honest I'm not looking for speed, more economical touring so I would consider a smaller engine, but it would still need to push the boat, myself and all of my gear. I have read that some people get away with as little as 6HP on SIB's but I really need to do more research!

I shall look up your photo's/vids - thanks mate!

[Robmac]

Originally Posted by 69cmw

I have a 4.2M Sib type boat and I would never think of doing what you are suggesting. It stays on a trailer.

Yes I'm getting a wake up call which I kind of expected!

Thanks for your input.

[The Gurnard]

Hi Robmac

IMO The Excel Volaire 480 would be a beast of a boat for an inflatable.

My boat buddy has the 420 size and its massive. He just bought a 30HP for his Volaire 420 at something like 75kg weight as he wanted a bit more performance than his 20HP gave..not that it was slow or anything. ..think he just wanted bigger.

I had a 430 size Quicksilver wooden floor job and it was huge for one. These size boats ..in the right hands .. are capable of going round the inner Hebrides ..never mind a Scottish loch.

I know a guy with a Bison 3.8 for a few years and although not a main brand..its a good boat and he is happy enough with his. You can save a pound or two by buying a lesser known brand ..and then find it was made in the same factory as the better known brand. No idea where the Bison boats are made though.

Have you looked at the Honwave T38 airfloor ..a very popular size for one or even two folks and especially camper van folks setting up and dismantling regularly ..or nowadays the Elling inflatable has a good following but I have never seen one never mind been on one...so others can give their thoughts on it.

Knowing many SIB owners.. I will add that most but not all eventually end up trailing the bigger SIBs with solid floors. Although some air floor owners do too.. many more are happy to pack them up and transport them in the car. Outboards for bigger SIBs tend to be heavy ..hence the trailers.

Out of interest and on the passing ..I can fully understand your thoughts about leaving a boat on a trailer in your driveway. I was the same when I lived in the city and although my house was in a good area.. During the 15 years I had two house burglary incidents ..but no one ever looked twice at the SIB on the trailer.. I kept the outboard hidden in the house ..and in the off season packed the SIB away..that is one of the advantages of having a SIB on a trailer. It was covered in an old dirty tarp..so no one gave it a second glance . They much preferred to break down my shiny PVC backdoor and steal the smart phone and computer.

Good luck with your choice of boat .. availability may assist you decide ..but I would recommend you think more 3.8 to 4.2 size for your requirements . All IMO only though.

[Robmac]

Originally Posted by The Gurnard

Hi Robmac

IMO The Excel Volaire 480 would be a beast of a boat for an inflatable.

My boat buddy has the 420 size and its massive. He just bought a 30HP for his Volaire 420 at something like 75kg weight as he wanted a bit more performance than his 20HP gave..not that it was slow or anything. ..think he just wanted bigger.

I had a 430 size Quicksilver wooden floor job and it was huge for one. These size boats ..in the right hands .. are capable of going round the inner Hebrides ..never mind a Scottish loch.

I know a guy with a Bison 3.8 for a few years and although not a main brand..its a good boat and he is happy enough with his. You can save a pound or two by buying a lesser known brand ..and then find it was made in the same factory as the better known brand. No idea where the Bison boats are made though.

Have you looked at the Honwave T38 airfloor ..a very popular size for one or even two folks and especially camper van folks setting up and dismantling regularly ..or nowadays the Elling inflatable has a good following but I have never seen one never mind been on one...so others can give their thoughts on it.

Knowing many SIB owners.. I will add that most but not all eventually end up trailing the bigger SIBs with solid floors. Although some air floor owners do too.. many more are happy to pack them up and transport them in the car. Outboards for bigger SIBs tend to be heavy ..hence the trailers.

Out of interest and on the passing ..I can fully understand your thoughts about leaving a boat on a trailer in your driveway. I was the same when I lived in the city and although my house was in a good area.. During the 15 years I had two house burglary incidents ..but no one ever looked twice at the SIB on the trailer.. I kept the outboard hidden in the house ..and in the off season packed the SIB away..that is one of the advantages of having a SIB on a trailer. It was covered in an old dirty tarp..so no one gave it a second glance . They much preferred to break down my shiny PVC backdoor and steal the smart phone and computer.

Good luck with your choice of boat .. availability may assist you decide ..but I would recommend you think more 3.8 to 4.2 size for your requirements . All IMO only though.

Thanks for that Gurnard, I have really enjoyed watching your vids in the last couple of weeks - yours and others are what convinced me that this is the way to go

I've spent the day today looking at various SIB's including the Honwave and they look very good as well as carrying what appear to be excellent warranties.

I think you are right about 3.8 - 4.2. I may still err on the 4.2 side as I do like a bit of room. I still have to sell my river cruiser which will go on the market next week but I think that will sell pretty quickly. At least with a SIB and camping gear I will have far less to worry about going wrong!

I have now posted in the SIB section so I'm looking forward to learning from other peoples experiences.

Thanks for the response and please keep the videos coming!