Buying my Avon Typoon SIB was a big mistake - I now want a RIB!! - HELP!!

[Knot Yet]

Hi All

Well as the title suggests I've been rather badly bitten - so I'm now trying to decide what to do next in this addictive pastime :-)

We already have a Predator 160 fishing boat with a 60hp, - it's a great boat, gets hubby out to his fishing sites quickly but it's a bit boring and rather large to tow and launch.

I recently bought a lovely little 4m Typoon - cracking condition and we've already been out in her a few times - love it - easy to tow, light, planes well (25hp) and just fantastic, really fantastic fun.

So now I'm thinking about getting a RIB and this is where I could do with some help/advice.

I have a budget of 5k and don't really wish to spend more, less in an ideal world

On my list of must haves are the following:

Deep V hull for coastal fun - we aim to use her around the Solent and off Pembrokeshire coast
Hypolon
Ideally Yamaha outboard

Does that sound like a good starting point?

Where I get stuck is the ideal length - having played in the 4m Typoon I have a feeling this might be a bit small - but would I be better off buying a smaller newer RIB or an older longer RIB - more to the point how long is a piece of string!!

Finally I've seen the following RIBS that fit some but not all my wishes:

Avon Searider 4.65m 50hp Merc £3950
Avon Searider 4m 40hp Mariner £1200
Humber Sports Rib 5m £2500 70hp Yamaha -
Quicksilver 450r 50hp £2900
Avon Adventure 1990 with 40hp Yamaha £4700

Any thoughts on how to narrow down my selection - in a nut we would like something for coastal waters, that we can grow into - if that makes sense - and offers a feeling of security but can be pushed for a bit more fun!!

Thanks all

[Nos4r2]

If you've got £5k hold out for a 5.4m Searider with a Yamaha 80-90 on it. You'll get one and it's the best under £5k boat going.

[Jizm]

Originally Posted by Knot Yet

Hi All

Well as the title suggests I've been rather badly bitten - so I'm now trying to decide what to do next in this addictive pastime :-)

We already have a Predator 160 fishing boat with a 60hp, - it's a great boat, gets hubby out to his fishing sites quickly but it's a bit boring and rather large to tow and launch.

I recently bought a lovely little 4m Typoon - cracking condition and we've already been out in her a few times - love it - easy to tow, light, planes well (25hp) and just fantastic, really fantastic fun.

So now I'm thinking about getting a RIB and this is where I could do with some help/advice.

I have a budget of 5k and don't really wish to spend more, less in an ideal world

On my list of must haves are the following:

Deep V hull for coastal fun - we aim to use her around the Solent and off Pembrokeshire coast
Hypolon
Ideally Yamaha outboard

Does that sound like a good starting point?

Where I get stuck is the ideal length - having played in the 4m Typoon I have a feeling this might be a bit small - but would I be better off buying a smaller newer RIB or an older longer RIB - more to the point how long is a piece of string!!

Finally I've seen the following RIBS that fit some but not all my wishes:

Avon Searider 4.65m 50hp Merc £3950
Avon Searider 4m 40hp Mariner £1200
Humber Sports Rib 5m £2500 70hp Yamaha -
Quicksilver 450r 50hp £2900
Avon Adventure 1990 with 40hp Yamaha £4700

Any thoughts on how to narrow down my selection - in a nut we would like something for coastal waters, that we can grow into - if that makes sense - and offers a feeling of security but can be pushed for a bit more fun!!

Thanks all

Humber
Avon
Tornado

are all rugged boats that will suit your needs, a 5k budget should get you a decent package 10-15 years old with a trailer. my own boat may be for sale in the new year depending on job sutuation.

[Rogue Wave]

why don't you get yourself invited to the Avon searider love fest on the 10th October 2009 Solent. the you can have a real good idea what one can do

[doggypaddle]

5.4m Searider, Yamaha 90.

[matt h]

If you've got £5k hold out for a 5.4m Searider with a Yamaha 80-90 on it. You'll get one and it's the best under £5k boat going.

yep

why don't you get yourself invited to the Avon searider love fest on the 10th October 2009 Solent.

ha ha, splendid,

[Downhilldai]

I don't know which Searider you've seen, but if it really is a Searider, then it should be 4.7, not 4.65. Avon also made a 4.65 RIB, which had a shallower hull and consequently nowhere near as good as the Searider 4.7 in ruff seas.

[Knot Yet]

Thanks All - the help very much appreciated

So now searching for a 5.4m Searider - when looking at these RIBSs are there any areas I need to pay particular attention to - I've picked up the following from reading the various "newbie" threads:

Solid transom
Tubes not coming away from hull
Painted Hyperlon and what it might be hiding

Is there anything else that could be a major refit problem or is it just common sense!!

TQ

[chewy]

How the console is fastened down, ie if screwed straight into the deck the deck may be soggy as it has a marine ply core.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Knot Yet

Thanks All - the help very much appreciated

So now searching for a 5.4m Searider - when looking at these RIBSs are there any areas I need to pay particular attention to - I've picked up the following from reading the various "newbie" threads:

Solid transom
Tubes not coming away from hull
Painted Hyperlon and what it might be hiding

Is there anything else that could be a major refit problem or is it just common sense!!

TQ

Have you read this? :-
http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24685

[Knot Yet]

Many thanks chaps - very helpful and no I had missed that thread re buying a used RIB

Okay have now seen one I like the look off but before annoying the seller further thought I'd seek opinion here.

It is a 5.4m Searider, ex customs, Suzuki 65hp with electric trim and tilt and Self righting equipment







Seems a genuine sale - no storage space and family grown up - he's owned it since 2001

I don't think it's anyone from Ribnet - but apologies if you are :-)

Price £3500

Thoughts???

I've seen the discussion re the eBay 5.4m so not sure on the price for this one

Many thanks as ever

Jean

[chewy]

Does it come with the bottles for the self righting gear and are they all tested? The self righting gear if working and in good condition should be worth a few quid.
From what you can see in the photos the tubes aren't bad and hull looks clean and original.
As for price I'm not sure as not many with righting gear come for sale.

[Nos4r2]

Apart from the obvious tube inflation/water ingress to deck/transom questions:-
Looks quite standard and original so not too much possible moronics with console fitment.
Decent trailer.
Could do with a bigger engine-65hp isn't really enough if you want to be an adrenaline junkie.
Self-righting kit is a bonus but don't assume it works unless as chewy said, the bottle is tested and you've seen the bag inflated.
What ar the self-drainers? Pic doesn't look like they are elephants trunks.

Personally-and only personally-I'd be seriously looking at it, but trying to beat them down a bit with a view to selling the engine and using your remaining £1500+engine sale money to put a Yam 90 on it.



The ebay 5.4m is a bit of an unknown and needs treating as such-it could be fantastic, but it could also be a wreck-see Tim M's SR4 for an idea of what can be wrong when people mess...holes in the deck, rotten floors etc etc...

[Knot Yet]

Okay Elephant Trunks - off to do a quick forum search now!!

I'll check how the self drainers work without these

Will the 65hp keep us happy in the short term - hubby and son not so keen on speed as mum!! but at least I guess this allows us to grown into it.

The boat is down in Devon - so need to be fairly sure we will buy it before dragging hubby down there ... moaning and groaning about distance

Thanks again - really appreciate all the advice and suggestions

Jean

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Knot Yet

Okay Elephant Trunks - off to do a quick forum search now!!

I'll check how the self drainers work without these

Will the 65hp keep us happy in the short term - hubby and son not so keen on speed as mum!! but at least I guess this allows us to grown into it.

Probably-Ollyit's 5.4 isn't too bad with a 60hp on it though it'll be a bit underpowered with 3 aboard,

3 up will be a tight squeeze on the standard jockey console btw.

[Knot Yet]

Excellent - I guess we can always add an extra seat at some point - currently we all squeeze on a 4m SIB (no seats!!) with 25hp - that scares the family enough - so I'm guessing this will be as much fun but with the potential to be better when we upgrade the outboard??

As long as we can get on the plane then speed currently is less of an issue - or do you feel planing maybe a challenge with three on board?

Thanks for all the time you are taking to help Nos4r2

J

[JSP]

Looks a good buy. The 65hp could be a bit to under powered with 3 on board as Nos says.
I'd buy the A frame off you
BTW, Nos knows his stuff on all things searider. Great advice.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by Knot Yet

Excellent - I guess we can always add an extra seat at some point - currently we all squeeze on a 4m SIB (no seats!!) with 25hp - that scares the family enough - so I'm guessing this will be as much fun but with the potential to be better when we upgrade the outboard??

As long as we can get on the plane then speed currently is less of an issue - or do you feel planing maybe a challenge with three on board?

Thanks for all the time you are taking to help Nos4r2

J

No prob.

It's a difficult call-It'll plane without any problem with a 65hp and 3 onboard, but the real fun stuff starts when it gets rougher than your sib will take and still plane and for that you really need everyone seated. It's at that point you start to realise that you want as much power as possible for the boat.

Have a look through my stuff on Youtube and you might see what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AvonSearider54

[9D280]

Originally Posted by JSP

The 65hp could be a bit to under powered with 3 on board .....

Remember that people who are used to big engines will think anything with 25% (or 50% in JSP's case!) less power will SEEM slow & lethargic. I did my sportsboat course (at risk of showing my age!) with 60 Hp on an SR5.4, and it planed no problem with 4 or 5 aboard. (the other one planed with half of a twin 30Hp setup 4 up after someone forgot to put oil in one of the tanks- 30Hp on a 5.4 was properly slow, but it still planed - just!) No, a 60 won't be eye wateringly fast, but as you say, your crew may not appreciate 30 Knots on their first trip!

Also most engines around that size band should bolt straight in where the other one came out, so a later upgrade shouln't be too painful......

[Knot Yet]

Good point 9D280 - and worth me remembering

Off to look this afternoon!!! - fingers crossed we come back with a new toy - bit worried that I'm doing the right thing but you've all helped push some of the worries away.

Apparently she has a couple of patches that were fixed during her commercial life - - I guess worse case scenario are new tubes - gulp!!

Take care

J