Newbie teen wants a RIB! - Page 2

lewislikesboats · 16 November 2009, 22:58

Assuming i buy a SR4 with trailer and the standard accessories you would expect from a good second hand boat, what else would i need?

Eg Life jackets
Safety equipment
Spares
Ropes....

How much would i need to set aside or would you expect it all to be included?

Downhilldai · 16 November 2009, 23:13

Nos's guide is a good starting point.

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12892

lewislikesboats · 17 November 2009, 07:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Nos's guide is a good starting point.

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=12892

Perfect, Thanks

Poly · 17 November 2009, 08:15

Lewis, I am guessing you don't have a car. Will you be able to safely get a SR4 up/down the slipway on your own without one - a lot heavier than a laser?

9D280 · 17 November 2009, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

- a lot heavier than a laser?

Laser - 58 Kg
Small Rib - 500 Kg.
I can categorically say from experience a laser is easier to move around!

Lewis,
As has been said, you can get some cheap ribs. One thing to watch is the cheaper they are ther higher chance you'll need to practice your bosunry skills on it! To put it in perspective, I paid £800 for mine. By the time I rebuid the engine & have tarted the hull up, I'll probably have spent £2.5K. Having said that, if you enjoy tinkering with engines and want a "bare boat" to build up to your spec. it's maybe not an issue......

As for the "extras", it will really depend what you plan to do with it. I ran for a year with no "toys" apart form a handheld VHF, simply because I was always cruising in company.

Lifejacket is a must (but that goes for any small boat) If you plan to use it round dinghies a couple of long ropes are always handy for towing or if you cruise to places with high piers you can use them to tie alongside too or anchor with. With the tide on the forth an anchor would be another useful safety thing. Other low cost useful thing is a second fuel tank. Other toys' necessity will become apparent the more you use the boat.

lewislikesboats · 17 November 2009, 16:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

Lewis, I am guessing you don't have a car. Will you be able to safely get a SR4 up/down the slipway on your own without one - a lot heavier than a laser?

Heh, no car, no.

Actually, that's something i hadn't really thought about.

However i can't see it being a problem for me. The Rib park at our club is literally at the top of the slip, and i'm sure i can get some help. If not im sure i could find someone in a car.

Thanks

willfinch36 · 17 November 2009, 16:46

yeah depending how steep/long the slipway is. I managed to launch/recover my old rib (valiant 3.80 that had a 25hp) on road trailor. without the aid of my car and im 19 lol

lewislikesboats · 17 November 2009, 16:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9D280

Laser - 58 Kg
Small Rib - 500 Kg.
I can categorically say from experience a laser is easier to move around!

Lewis,
As has been said, you can get some cheap ribs. One thing to watch is the cheaper they are ther higher chance you'll need to practice your bosunry skills on it! To put it in perspective, I paid £800 for mine. By the time I rebuid the engine & have tarted the hull up, I'll probably have spent £2.5K. Having said that, if you enjoy tinkering with engines and want a "bare boat" to build up to your spec. it's maybe not an issue......

As for the "extras", it will really depend what you plan to do with it. I ran for a year with no "toys" apart form a handheld VHF, simply because I was always cruising in company.

Lifejacket is a must (but that goes for any small boat) If you plan to use it round dinghies a couple of long ropes are always handy for towing or if you cruise to places with high piers you can use them to tie alongside too or anchor with. With the tide on the forth an anchor would be another useful safety thing. Other low cost useful thing is a second fuel tank. Other toys' necessity will become apparent the more you use the boat.

As this is my first rib i would like to buy it in good condition with everything necessary to get out for a maximum of £3000 (preferably less) It was actually SR4 projects on here that really motivated me to do everything i can to start saving for one of my own. I'd love to eventually re-build a rib, but for my first i'm going to get one which requires very little work.

Ah, an anchor! Of course.

It looks like i'll be able to kit out my boat pretty well with what i have left over. I think about £250 will get me the essentials. life jacket(s), ropes, second tank, and a VHF. Most essential extras a fairly cheap. I suppose it will depend on what i get the boat for to how much i can spend on toys.

lewislikesboats · 17 November 2009, 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by willfinch36

yeah depending how steep/long the slipway is. I managed to launch/recover my old rib (valiant 3.80 that had a 25hp) on road trailor. without the aid of my car and im 19 lol

yeah, there's usually plenty people around. It shouldn't be a problem.

Poly · 17 November 2009, 17:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewislikesboats

life jacket(s), ropes, second tank, and a VHF. Most essential extras a fairly cheap. I suppose it will depend on what i get the boat for to how much i can spend on toys.

I would be interested to hear what others think but for cruising in the Forth I would see nothing wrong with using the bouyancy aid you wear on your Dinghy. A second fuel tank is certainly nice - but on a SR4 your range with 25L will be quite far (I made it from Dalgety Bay to Bass Rock and back (just) with a 20HP on a 4m boat; obviously a bigger engine will use more).

You'll not get many people advising you not to buy some flares etc. BUT IF its a choice of where to spend that £100 then good (waterproof) Handheld VHF and waterproof bag for your phone, and water proof torch would be higher up my list...

lewislikesboats · 17 November 2009, 17:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

I would be interested to hear what others think but for cruising in the Forth I would see nothing wrong with using the bouyancy aid you wear on your Dinghy. A second fuel tank is certainly nice - but on a SR4 your range with 25L will be quite far (I made it from Dalgety Bay to Bass Rock and back (just) with a 20HP on a 4m boat; obviously a bigger engine will use more).

You'll not get many people advising you not to buy some flares etc. BUT IF its a choice of where to spend that £100 then good (waterproof) Handheld VHF and waterproof bag for your phone, and water proof torch would be higher up my list...

True, i can't see why not. Life Jackets are a lot less bulky though. How much for a basic but decent life jacket?

I've heard about the problems with extra space for an extra tank on SR4's. I suppose a could buy one with a reserve or something. To be honest, I won't be going too far anyway.

Dalgety Bay to Bass Rock and back on 25l is very impressive. That's a long way!

I hadn't thought about Flares... obviously a boat should carry them. I won't be going out at night so a single orange smoke won't cost a fortune...

lewislikesboats · 17 November 2009, 17:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewislikesboats

I hadn't thought about Flares... obviously a boat should carry them. I won't be going out at night so a single orange smoke won't cost a fortune...

The same goes again though, it depends on how much i get the boat for. £3000 should get me a nice boat with all the essentials. Flares included.

willk · 17 November 2009, 20:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewislikesboats

I've heard about the problems with extra space for an extra tank on SR4's. I suppose a could buy one with a reserve or something. To be honest, I won't be going too far anyway.

I've heard about this problem too. donegaldan (on here) has perfected a solution for it, most recently employed on a return crossing of the North Channel. It involves having a 6.5m Redbay follow him with copious supplies of reserve fuel (and sandwiches). As a system goes, it works very well. I fear he has yet to appreciate the true cost to him however...

lewislikesboats · 17 November 2009, 20:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

I've heard about this problem too. donegaldan (on here) has perfected a solution for it, most recently employed on a return crossing of the North Channel. It involves having a 6.5m Redbay follow him with copious supplies of reserve fuel (and sandwiches). As a system goes, it works very well. I fear he has yet to appreciate the true cost to him however...

lol, nice!

He'd get there quicker and for cheaper being towed?! Or you should just lend him an E-Tec, that would be interesting :P

willk · 17 November 2009, 20:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewislikesboats

Or you should just lend him an E-Tec, that would be interesting :P

Oh, he's a slippy enough client as it is. You wouldn't believe the effort a guy has to make to dump a wave into a determined SR4

Poly · 17 November 2009, 23:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewislikesboats

True, i can't see why not. Life Jackets are a lot less bulky though. How much for a basic but decent life jacket?

depends what you want / want to spend. Roughly £50 gets you an auto with leg straps if you shop around. But if you want something really comfortable that will work well with heavy waterproofs etc and a hood and looks the business then you could be paying 4x that!

Doug Stormforce · 17 November 2009, 23:45

Lewis

Buy yourself a 2 day Powerboat level 2 Course, obviously Port Edgar are on your doorstep, also Sea Skills on here is somewhere near you.

The benefits of an Instructor running through a lot of this stuff with you will pay dividends in the long run. Might not seem as tangible as buying a VHF but some personalised advice given on a course will highlight the things you have not thought of (and some local knowledge).

John Kennett · 18 November 2009, 06:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

Buy yourself a 2 day Powerboat level 2 Course

Do keep up!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewislikesboats

I've been a sailor for a while, and earlier this year took my RYA PB2 course.

9D280 · 18 November 2009, 09:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

depends what you want / want to spend. Roughly £50 gets you an auto with leg straps if you shop around. But if you want something really comfortable that will work well with heavy waterproofs etc and a hood and looks the business then you could be paying 4x that!

I could be a bit controversiaial here and suggest if you've been sailing lasers, presumably you have a bouyancy aid?

As for the fuel, yes you can go miles on a small engine (Rhu - Tignabruach & back with my old SR4 / Sus 25), but if you get swamped & the tank is "poisoned", for the money a second tank will cost .... Even if it;s just a 20L that you park under the seat. Two hulk 30L tanks will sit happily between the transom braces. Granted they wipe out your entire rear deck space......

It depends what you're doing. If it's all rescue boat for dinghies stuff , the deck space will be infinitely more useful than an extra 20L of fuel. Alternatively, if you are cruising, spare fuel has it's advantages but you'll be at the helpm for 99% iof the trip, so the rear deck might as well not be there... and if you are cruising, it's more fun to go "in company" so then you have a second boat as backup...... I didn't have an aux for nearly 2 years, but was always out with another rib or playing rescue boat, so didn't need one.

One thing is for sure. Once you've got the boat, your "needs list" will change as you use it for different things.

lewislikesboats · 18 November 2009, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

Lewis

Buy yourself a 2 day Powerboat level 2 Course, obviously Port Edgar are on your doorstep, also Sea Skills on here is somewhere near you.

The benefits of an Instructor running through a lot of this stuff with you will pay dividends in the long run. Might not seem as tangible as buying a VHF but some personalised advice given on a course will highlight the things you have not thought of (and some local knowledge).

As pointed out by John, i took the Level 2 course earlier this year. I learnt a lot from it, but as i hadn't yet decided to buy, i didn't have many questions at the time.