Is size important!!!!

scratch-boy · 10 December 2010, 05:43

Hi Guys,

Posted a little while ago re the leaky tubes on a 4m Narwhal I managed to buy (without doing any research). After much pondering the boat either needs a retube, or Sherlock Holmes to find the bloody leak.

The admirable Paul Tilley has given me a good quote for the tubes, but I am wondering, if I would be better keeping the trailer/controls/old but good Mercury 40hp Thunderbolt and just finding another boat to put it with.

I spotted this on B & O http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/PAA17770 and wondered (knowing that the trailer will just about take it) if this is the direction to go.

The boat will mostly be used on the Thames Estuary so questions that come to mind are:

Are 40 horses enough? (at least initially) Will it plane, what sort out speed could I expect?
What are the advantage/disadvantages of the extra 1.4 metres over something like an SR4
How much heavier/hassle to launch is the larger boat.

Having learnt the lesson with the Narwhal (do you research 1st) all opinions are welcome, so lets hear them

chewy · 10 December 2010, 07:41

An SR4 will handle better than Narwhal 4m, my mate has a 4.5m Narwhal and my SR4 gives a smoother ride.
The SR5.4 will be like chalk and cheese,the 40hp will push it along but most on here use 90hp 2 strokes.

walruz · 10 December 2010, 07:57

40hp is way underpowered for a 5.4. 60 at a minimum and that's what I got rid of to put the 90 on as if you had more than a couple of people on you started feeling it very quickly (or should that be slowly).

Ian

Channel Ribs · 10 December 2010, 07:58

I think he is asking a lot of money for a dinged hull with leaky tubes.

Your 40HP will do fine, but it wont be long before your looking for something bigger.

Chris · 10 December 2010, 08:19

"one chamberr leaks air but very slowley there are a few patches that i put on so dont look great but do the job"

Sounds like frying pan into the fire. If you can stretch your budget then the 5.4 that DM is selling on here will be a peach however it is a lot more money. Also you will need at least a 60 to make it any fun to helm.

9D280 · 10 December 2010, 10:25

If it's an 5.4, I once used a twin 30 setup with one engine dead. It worked, but as said above, not spectacularly.

Having said that, if you have one 40, all you need is the ability to live with the lethargy until you find a twin for it and you have a variation on what Kev had before he sold his.