Help!!! Tremlett 7.4

[Ian Austin]

Good afternoon all
I have been looking for a rib now for a couple of weeks, i was strongly advised against one manufacture, but was recomended to look for a Humber or a Cobra but i also like the pacific 22 although a bit old.

But while looking around i was offered a Tremlett 7.4m so i have been trying to find out anything i can but no joy, so is there any one out there with any info good or bad, the boat is 1999 but was fitted with an inboard turbo diesel engine in 2001.

I was looking for something around 6-7.5 m that will take big seas, as i dont want it for sunny calm days.

I require a rib for work and pleasure as i am a marine engineer, i did some work for a boating charity who had a 4m Avon with a 30 mariner and only really enjoyed it when it was blowing 5's +.

Many thanks in advance

Ian A

[Christopher]

Tremletts built this as a "prototype one off" with a view to putting them into production. We made the tubes and fitted to hull but as far as I am aware no more were built. Contact details for Tremlett are:

Tremlett Powerboats
Tremlett Quay
Topsham
Exeter
Tel 01392 873680

[Pete7]

Ian, the Pacific 22 will be about £10k (boat only), or £12k with trailer or new tubes. Prices are fairly constant and if you want to use it commerically then coding won't be a problem. There is a P24 which has just that extra bit of room and is coded at the moment.

Seen the pic of the Tremlett and although looks interesting not sure how about its re sale value as its a one off.

Not sure about the Cobra, previous posts suggested medium v hull. How about a Delta or Osprey, certainly worth looking for.

Pete

[Ian Austin]

many thanks Christopher & Pete7
I found the address and phone number of Tremlett and spoke to them about the rib.

It was based on there speed boat hull, they have only made two at the moment, this one was origonaly fitted with a volvo penta 150 Diesel, but it realy struggeled to get up on the plane so in 2001 they fitted a Kad 32.

I did not go to look at this rib origonaly, but it was offered at a price i thought was worth considering £20,495 reduced to £16,000, it has only done 180 hrs.

I know that it is not a production rib or made by a reconised rib manufacture, but because it is a diesel inboard and it is a one off (two) will it be nicked.

A Pacific is what i really wanted as i used to work on them, no trailer is fine as it is going into a marina berth, there are a couple around, two in Scotland, a couple in South East, Wales, Northen Ireland and one in Cornwall for £ 20k,(there's hoping), there is also one local but it is a total shed.

I was only wanting ot spend £8-10k, but pushed it up for a newish inboard.

Many thanks

Ian A

[Pete7]

Ian, Seb in South Wales is selling his £10k on ribnet and about £18k somewhere else, there is also another in the Solent for £10k

Agreed the one for £20k is hoping. Think they need to wake up and smell the coffee.

If you want a project, Fill has a jet Halmatic in Northampton for ?

Worth checking with Dave Carwford Marine, Lymington from time to time as he has them in for brokerage.

Pete

[Ian Austin]

hi Pete
i see you have a 200hp in your Pacific, is that 4 or 6 cly and is it Mermaid ???
Ian

[Pete7]

Ian its a four cyl which was rebuilt by Mermaid to 200 hp. there is a rather long thread here about Pacifics which you might want to read
http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1884


Pete

[Paul Knowlson]

I have been down to view this RIB on a couple of occasions - the second was for a sea trial on 6 May 2004. I have travelled some 700 miles by road, stayed two nights in a hotel and undertaken four ferry journeys in the process! Very costly!

Following my first visit Exe Leisure agreed to clean up the boat, repair the engine and have it out of the water ready for me to inspect the hull prior to a sea trial on my next visit.

Our 'Sea Trial' was a disaster. When I arrived, having given Exe Leisure about two weeks notice and a confirmation call the day before (when I was assured that all would be ready), the boat was in the water, filthy and looking very sad indeed - but at least the engine was running.

The trial started with a mechanic filling the engine up with coolant and taking a deck brush, turning it upside down and then stirring and plunging the expansion tank contents! We set out for the trial but had to abort the mission after 20 minutes as the engine was overheating - we didn't even get half way down the river. I did, at least, manage to see the boat on the plane in calm water and I must say that once on the plane it wasn't too bad. However... the trim of the boat was all wrong - the engine seemed much too heavy and at rest the boat sat very bow high. At slow speed the bow rose considerably and it was not possible to see where we were going. When the throttle was opened up the stern sank big time and took an age to come back up as the boat crawled out on to the plane. The engine sounded reasonably sweet and there were no signs of smoke.

The following observations were made : -

The boat was in very poor shape, having been used as a work boat and powerboat trainer for RYA students.

The engine wiring was very tatty and a cause for concern - when I first went to view the boat it was missing it's alternator and the batteries were flat resulting in the bilge being full of water - the engine was up to its knees in water. Originally there were 'elephants trunks' fitted but they didn't work properly and were removed and the holes fibreglassed in. The latest setup relied on bilge pumps to remove the deck water - fine in theory.

The rear of the boat was VERY tatty and much poor quality fibreglass repair had been undertaken in the area of the transom - possibly as a result of the new engine being fitted some two years ago.

There were star cracks in many areas : -
Both sides of platform at stern (three areas)
Hinges of engine cover
Front seat at junction with console face

The fibreglass engine cover was very tatty, having been badly filled on the top and showed signs of impact damage in several places.

I looked under the floor at the tank and there was obvious rusting - surprisingly the tank does not seem to be stainless steel. The filter heads near the tank were badly corroded.

The tubes looked OK but probably as a result of impact damage the securing tapes had come away on both sides at the stern. A very poor attempt had been made to repair this. The rubbing strip was cut in two places on the starboard side and seemed worn through from rope burn at the bow.

There was blistering of the gel coat on the inside both port and starboard near the front.

The starboard nav light was broken and full of water.

A switch membrane on the Volvo console was apparently damaged and wrapped in tape.

The instruments, covers and seat cushions were missing and no longer available - not even a compass was fitted.

I have traced the previous owner and have visited the builder - Tremlett who were helpful but very vague and non committal! They did however tell me that the boat had been back to them for repair following engine mounting problems after the engine change and also the console having come loose.

I have several photos available, if anyone is interested, that clearly show the condition of the boat.

[Keith Hart]

Well Ian, I think Paul has said it all!

I was going to say, why buy something like that RIB when there are hundreds of proper well proven RIBs for sale around the UK. Do a member search on RIB Net and see what actual Ribsters are using.

Keith Hart

[RIVA]

andys rib @ exel nr exeter, with the volvo up grade in it ? if so for that sort of money it aint to bad , as the engine and leg aint that far off the asking cost. but a bigger brand will be a better bet to sell on agian its the old thing you pays for what you gets , and have to compare eggs with eggs

[Pete7]

Paul a lucky escape, just think what that would have cost to try and put that lot right. Dread to think what a boat must be like for Riva to think of it as a bad one !

Talking of Riva he has a Humber for sale with Merc 1.7 TD in it. They have had it for a while why not try an offer for it. suggest 18k and if not then walk away from that one too as there are several humbers with TD for sale at the moment. The coding by the way isn't transferable according to the MCA.


Pete

[Ian Austin]

Paul
I am very sorry you had a wasted couple of journeys, i never saw the rib close up, let alone have a sea trial.
when i went there the tide was out and the guy said it's down there, when do you want it.
I still can't work out how they are still in bussiness with there attuide.
I am so very happy with my Pacific may be a bit slow but £13 worth of fuel Brixham to Plymouth, i ain't swapping for anything.

[Rogue Wave]

Can't you bump up the Hp of the lump to get a bit more speed. To be fair you are unlikely to come acros a better Hull than a Halmatic

[Ian Austin]

Rouge W
Yes i could but it is still my new toy (sory work boat) when the smiles stop i will have a tweek.

[Paul Knowlson]

Hi Ian,

No problem with you - you gave me it straight and I found the boat just as you described.

I was just so disappointed with Exe Leisure! With a lot of TLC - and cash, the boat could be resurrected and they led me to believe that by my second visit the boat would be respectable - if tatty. Not so.....

Anyway I thank you very much for your help - you were nothing less than honest! For the record I did not pay a deposit before sea trial - thank goodness! Who in their right mind would with such a boat?

I am still on the look out for a 7.5m + diesel rib - be sure that I shall call you first when engine work is needed.

Thanks once again for taking the time to talk me through your experience with Exe.

[RIVA]

now now pete i said its ok for the money ? i did not say for what money and seeing its a lot less than the prices quoted i think its a deal spend 2k on it and it wont be a bad buy at all