flatacraft

[gtflash]

having spent the evening on a flatacraft f3 yesterday, I enjoyed mysefl so much, im thinking of getting one as a quick to launch, blast about. Trying to workout the difference, between a f3, a f4 and f4gt.

It appears the f3 is the baby, but handles very well for her size yesterday
f4?? which ones the flat fronter, which ones better sea boat?

Any buying tips please?

Seariders are too much money, for what im looking at I think.

[slimtim]

These the old ones or the new ones (haven't heard much recently about the rebirth of flatacraft?).

The old force 3 was a small dinghy with a bench seat and rated to 15hp I think. It would come with a sail kit like a tinker. The force 3gt which is what I used to have is rated to 30hp and has 4 back to back seats and front console with remotes. Fun little boat but very wet! The force 4 is the one with the flat pram bow I guess the force 4gt is an uprated HP version.

[SimonStDavids]

I had/have the Flatacraft F3, when I came by it it didn't have the sails and mast and was purely a rib.

We got a lot of fun from it though and it got me hooked on ribs. Ours was pretty beaten up when we got her but for £100 i thought it was a bargain!

[gtflash]

yep old ones, looking for budget boat........ f3 or f4. F3 I wnt on last night had fordeck, and a 40hp, behaved very well,

[slimtim]

A Force 3 with a 40hp?

[markg]

one here if you are handy with glue http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/50-Hp-Selva-Ou...item2c56f09ea7

[Nasher]

The F3 was the smallest of the Flatacrafts and was able to be set up in many different ways for different uses.

The Force 4 was the @12' RIB set up with 'Proper' seats not jockeys, two facing forward and two back. It had the Flat Fibreglass Nose.

The Force 4 GT was the same as the 4, but had the tubes extending forward to a nose more like we're all used to and could take a larger engine.

My father had a string of Force 4's whilst I was growing up. My first RIB was his last that I inherited when we lost him.

Below is a selection of old images of the Force 4's, the one I inherited was the Orange tubed one which I took the Suzuki 40HP off and dropped a Suzuki 55HP on to, which made it very quick

I really regret selling it when I brought the Ocean 6.5 I have now as I miss it's 'chuckability'.

Nasher.

[Nasher]

This image shows the internal layout, the seats are covered by a home made cover but it is still quite obvious.

I honestly believe that putting a jockey in instead like most do to them would ruin the experiance, as the original layout alowed you to sit down low in the boat and feel very secure.

Nasher.

[gtflash]

it had same 4 back to back seating layout, and a little dash, with NO windscreen, covered foredeck. Sure it was a f3. Went like a scalded cat, but handled all but quartering seas very well. I like dthe fact that a trip to warsash felt like a enduring, real satisfaction, despite dropping the keys in the water, paddling it to collect them, floating round the hamble when the water show stopped and getting soaked through. The F4 looks really shallow V, im sure this little thing wasnt. Going to see a F4 monday, not sur eif its a gt or not.

[gtflash]

:d

[willk]

Nasher - reminds me (oddly) of The Italian Job...

[UkChris-74]

The Flatacraft 3gt what outboard length short or long shaft ?