Input from UK for downunder dive club

[JimmySA]

Hi Guys,

Awesome site and forum, thanks or all the info.

I am part of a dive club in Adelaide South Australia.
We are about to buy a second RIB for our club.

We bought our first RIB, a gemini waverider 5.5m 5 years ago and wow, are we converted to the amazing handling and weight carrying capacity of RIB's.

We are in a dillema though, we have the choice from our local dealer of a Waverider 600 (6.0m length, 500kg hull, 2.55 external beam) or a
Waverider 730 (7.3m length, 850kg hull, 2.7 external beam.

Basically the hull are the same price as he has a 730 already in stock.
Looking at single engine (mainly due to money) paired with an auxilary 15hp).
150hp for the 600 and a 200hp for the 730.

BIG issue is tow weight, by our sums the 600 will be around 1600kg and the 730 around 2050kg.

One of the killers if the trailer. To go to a 7m trailer, we have to go to a 600kg trailer that is designed really for a 3 tonne fibreglass or ally boat, not a much lighter RIB.

What have you guys in the UK found works best? Go custom so you can save some weight but stil get the length or is just something we have to deal with for getting a longer trailer?

Any advice or tips on trailers or experience on 7m vs 6m RIBS would be greatly appreciated.

James Manna
Flinders Uni Dive Club
Adelaide, South Australia.

[JimmySA]

Also, do you generally go multi roller or skids style trailers in the UK?

[mitchc]

Here's my Gemini 6.0mtr wave rider. She's got a 150 optimax with 15 hp aux.
Beam is 2.65m, with the last 1/3 of the tubes in the water at rest so plenty of stability.
Set up is more pleasure than dive club, but we have had 6 divers on board with no issues

With regards to the trailer, definitely roller swing beams rather than bunks.

If I had the choice I'd go for the bigger boat every time, gives you many more options....

[JimmySA]

Thanks Mitch, nice ride. We took a 600 for a spin today in 2m seas, it nose light (no divers for weight!) but man, big difference to the 550 with the narrower beam, much drier.

I think we will end up going the bigger one, just to good a deal to turn down. Bummer is our 6 monthly expedition trip we tow abut 600km each way, darn big country

730 with bigger trailer and bigger engine is only costing us $5k Aussie ($2500 pounds) more!

[Bittentobuggery]

Originally Posted by JimmySA

BIG issue is tow weight, by our sums the 600 will be around 1600kg and the 730 around 2050kg.

Hi Jimmy,

You sure about your weights ?

Don't know if it's the same in SA but in WA you need electronic brakes over 2,000 Kgs and they wanted me to install these on a trailer that I brought in from the UK. I insisted that my rig was under 2,000 Kgs and they demanded that I take it to a weighbridge.

If memory serves the all up weight of 7.4m boat, trailer and F225 engine was 1,865 Kgs and so I did not have to change the existing brakes.

HTH

BTB

[mitchc]

Originally Posted by JimmySA

Thanks Mitch, nice ride. We took a 600 for a spin today in 2m seas, it nose light (no divers for weight!) but man, big

730 with bigger trailer and bigger engine is only costing us $5k Aussie ($2500 pounds) more!

When I bought mine it was set up as a charter boat with console right at the back and was VERY light at the front. First thing I did was move it all around to balance the weight up. We're mostly only two up and I think we've now got the perfect set up.
If it was a dive boat, I'd definitely leave the console at the back leaving all the deck space for the divers

Attached is a before and after shot.

[mitchc]

Originally Posted by JimmySA

Bummer is our 6 monthly expedition trip we tow abut 600km each way, darn big country

!

We've taken ours to the south of France, 1200km each way, luckily our rig tows really well..once we're in France on the toll roads, just stick the cruise control on and relax!

By the way i think you are about right with all up weight of the 6mtr. I'm looking at a new twin axle trailer for next season and will putting her on the scales in a few weeks time to double check before buying.

Interesting what bitten2 was saying about the weights, we're coming out to WA next year and plan to bring the cars and RIB too, so looks like i'll need the weigh bridge report to prove the GVM.

[JimmySA]

Hey Mitch, yeah. need weight up for for sure, we normally have at least 200-300kg of dive gear up front and as you said, we put our consoles at the rear with tank rack up the middle, then the drive can see everyone, safer and once loaded, well balanced.

Thanks for the reply Bittentobuggery, here is my sums on the weight, they seemed to add up on the 600, so I am guessing they will be right on the 730. Maybe the ribtec hulls are lighter. Same rules here 2000kg+ has to have electric hydraulic break away breaks.

What trailer have you got yours on? All the Dunbier and Mackay trailers jump from 400kg to 600kg as soon as you go over 6m, but these are designed for 3000kg GMV, not 2200 GMV.

Waverider 600 weight calcs (kg's)
These were nearly spot on with an actual weigh in of other club's boat.

Hull 518
Engine 1 (2 stroke merc opti) 210
Trailer 420
"Fuel full (0.71kg per litre)" 150
"Console+ safety gear" 150
Tank Rack 60
Batteries etc 80
Wet weight 1588
Dry weight 1438


Waverider 730 calcs (kg's)
Engine, trailer etc all from manufacturer specs, rest is bit of guess work.

Hull 850
Engine 1 (2 stroke merc opti) 230
Trailer 580
"Fuel full (0.71kg per litre)" 175
"Console+ safety gear" 150
Tank Rack 60
Batteries etc 80
Wet weight 2125
Dry weight 1950

[Bittentobuggery]

Hi Jimmy,

You seem to have everything pretty organised so I bow to your greater knowledge. If it was me, I'd take it to the weighbridge without any go go juice to bring it in under the 2,000 Kgs.

Mitch C

You will obviously be getting import permits for the cars you are planning to bring, but are you aware that the trailer is classified as a vehicle in it's own right and therefore also requires a permit. I got myself into all kinds of strife for "importing an unauthorised vehicle" and needed some help from a civil servant in Canberra to prevent it getting really ugly. They do like their rules here !

[Bittentobuggery]

Perhaps i should rephrase that...

I brought in an existing trailer and did not want to have the modifications done.

You sound as though you are buying a new trailer and therefore it may make sense for you to go for the uprated version

[Troy]

7.3 Zodiac Hurricane on a Peterson trailer from portsea marine has done about 7000 Km in the last 10 months.
Absolutely electric brakes, I put skids on the trailer to look after the hull on Australian roads, it's a bit harder to launch than rollers but I wanted longevity from my hull.
My boat is 2.2 ton with a Diesel engine and stern drive, the width with the trailer guides comes in at just under 3 meters (2.9) and is legal here in Queensland as it is a boat but can't be transported during peak hour.

[JimmySA]

I can imagine dealing with the government would have been a pain

We are still really unsure on te 6 v 7.3, in the water the 7.3 is awesome, but is friggin big on the trailer!