Advice needed on hand launching...

Hawkus · 09 November 2020, 19:18

Having sold our 34ft sports cruiser last year, I'm getting the itch to get back on the water. Time being the enemy means I'll probably only get out a handful of times each season so don't want to tie up too much money in a large rib and storage costs (no driveway at home sadly)

I've found a yard within 10 minutes drive of where we live that can store the boat and a slipway is on site for DIY launching and retrieval but with limited vehicular access. What would be the largest size RIB (or would consider a SIB) for single handed launching and retrieving on a trolley without use of a car? I'm looking at 3.4m Avons coupled with 20 - 25hp engines Would this be unrealistic?

Many thanks in advance
Paul

paulbrown22 · 09 November 2020, 19:32

We have always launched and recovered our 3.5m TomKat RIB with a 30hp mariner 2 stroke by hand, with either 1 or 2 people depending on the angle of the slipway. From the old house we used to manually pull the whole trailer/boat the 300m to and from the marina slipway as well.

The couple of times I've used it this year I very happily recovered it by myself, the main problem is when the slipway starts to get all slimy/weedy and you just can't get enough traction!

If there's no decent vehicle access, is there no winch system, or at least a suitable anchor point to attach a rope/pulley system if needed? I've come across various slipways before that either have permanent winch arrangements, or hard points where you can attach your own tackle.

Fenlander · 09 November 2020, 20:06

All depends on the slip. A shallow one with good foot grip is fine with one... a steep slippery one is a bit tiptoe and two folks a great help. Much over a modern light 20hp and 3.8m can be a struggle on less than ideal slips.

Maximus · 09 November 2020, 22:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkus

Having sold our 34ft sports cruiser last year, I'm getting the itch to get back on the water. Time being the enemy means I'll probably only get out a handful of times each season so don't want to tie up too much money in a large rib and storage costs (no driveway at home sadly)

I've found a yard within 10 minutes drive of where we live that can store the boat and a slipway is on site for DIY launching and retrieval but with limited vehicular access. What would be the largest size RIB (or would consider a SIB) for single handed launching and retrieving on a trolley without use of a car? I'm looking at 3.4m Avons coupled with 20 - 25hp engines Would this be unrealistic?

Many thanks in advance
Paul

Surly the Boat/Storage yard must have means of moving/launching the Boats? ....can't you work a deal to at least expand your choice of RIB?...after all its a big jump (down) from a 34ft Cruiser to a SIB!...
I know Boat yards who use 4x4 Quad Bikes (with front and rear Ball Hitches for tight spots) and easily move surprisingly heavy boats around....as said a lot depends on the slipway ....but where there's a will (and a few Quid) there's usually a way

jeffstevens763@g · 10 November 2020, 10:08

i launch my 435m sib single handed, to slow the boat down if needed i use the jockey wheel to foul the trailer frame stopping it running away or take a turn round something with a long rope.

Hawkus · 10 November 2020, 10:08

Thanks all, that's good information. I will probably end up buying a larger boat and paying for either a mud berth or a yard that offers inclusive launch / retrieval. For the next few months, suffering from the expense of a house move I'm just very much trying to do this on a small budget (and yes, having owned boats for 15+ years I'm very much aware that the words 'boating' and 'small budget' don't really work in the same sentence

)

smallribber · 15 November 2020, 08:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulbrown22

We have always launched and recovered our 3.5m TomKat RIB with a 30hp mariner 2 stroke by hand, with either 1 or 2 people depending on the angle of the slipway. From the old house we used to manually pull the whole trailer/boat the 300m to and from the marina slipway as well.

The couple of times I've used it this year I very happily recovered it by myself, the main problem is when the slipway starts to get all slimy/weedy and you just can't get enough traction!

If there's no decent vehicle access, is there no winch system, or at least a suitable anchor point to attach a rope/pulley system if needed? I've come across various slipways before that either have permanent winch arrangements, or hard points where you can attach your own tackle.

That is a very interesting 'boat/Jet Ski' I have never seen one of those before

paulbrown22 · 15 November 2020, 13:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallribber

That is a very interesting 'boat/Jet Ski' I have never seen one of those before

Without wanting to divert the thread, yes, it's a pretty rare TomKat made by Cowes Marine International (tubes were made by Henshaws), who used to be based in Cowes but ceased trading many years ago. You could get it in yellow/black, or in a silver/black combo to special order. They showed this concept at the 1999 Southampton Boat Show and had two available for demos on the water. My brother and I must have been 14 and 16 at the time, thought it looked amazing, booked in for demo rides that we really enjoyed, and talked about it and studied the brochures all the way home to Berkshire. Completely unexpectedly my parents bought this one for us for Christmas that year, as they had bought a house in Poole and wanted to get us all back into boating again, and we picked it up from the factory in Jan 2000. We've looked after it very carefully ever since, it's always been garage stored when not in use, and still looks practically new!

Sadly Cowes Marine International folded not long thereafter, and seemed to only produce something around 100 of these. There used to be another guy on here with one many many years ago, and there was one we'd see out and about in Poole Harbour as well, but that was back in the early 2000's! I haven't seen another one online or afloat for a very long time now. I still love it as a very fun and easy to launch boat, but you do get a bit wet on it as water shoots up between the tubes and nose/bow as you get on the plane...

Allye · 15 November 2020, 21:01

I put my zapcat in the water every time single handed, granted boat package is only 200kg but the car never goes near the water!

eventgroup · 05 August 2022, 15:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulbrown22

Without wanting to divert the thread, yes, it's a pretty rare TomKat made by Cowes Marine International (tubes were made by Henshaws), who used to be based in Cowes but ceased trading many years ago. You could get it in yellow/black, or in a silver/black combo to special order. They showed this concept at the 1999 Southampton Boat Show and had two available for demos on the water. My brother and I must have been 14 and 16 at the time, thought it looked amazing, booked in for demo rides that we really enjoyed, and talked about it and studied the brochures all the way home to Berkshire. Completely unexpectedly my parents bought this one for us for Christmas that year, as they had bought a house in Poole and wanted to get us all back into boating again, and we picked it up from the factory in Jan 2000. We've looked after it very carefully ever since, it's always been garage stored when not in use, and still looks practically new!

Sadly Cowes Marine International folded not long thereafter, and seemed to only produce something around 100 of these. There used to be another guy on here with one many many years ago, and there was one we'd see out and about in Poole Harbour as well, but that was back in the early 2000's! I haven't seen another one online or afloat for a very long time now. I still love it as a very fun and easy to launch boat, but you do get a bit wet on it as water shoots up between the tubes and nose/bow as you get on the plane...

Hi great info in your post helped my allot many thanks, do you have any video of you using your Tomkat?

eventgroup · 05 August 2022, 15:37

Great info thanks!

fastasfox · 05 August 2022, 22:51

Have you thought about a Sib...less weight so you could go bigger....Maybe 4 meter.....coupled with two stroke outboard shouldn't be too hard to handle.

rik_elliott · 06 August 2022, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastasfox

Have you thought about a Sib...less weight so you could go bigger....Maybe 4 meter.....coupled with two stroke outboard shouldn't be too hard to handle.

I expect the OP sorted a boat some time ago, this is a very old thread!