Is this thought process correct?

[Limecc]

Originally Posted by Jon Tallis

I think you'll find anything starting with a 4, way too small for what you want to use it for (4 adults and a big hairy mutt, plus beach kit). I have a 6.0 Humber destroyer which is pretty well loaded for a family beach day so wouldn't want to go below 5.5
I'm not familiar with the launch location but judging by the photos I'd be totally happy launching a 6m boat from there with a good 4x4.

Nearby slipway with plenty of water? Fine. Get a bigger RIB.
No slipway? Bad. Love to see someone beach launching a 6m RIB and not get their car saturated in salt. Worst case, seen many YouTube vids of the car being swamped by an incoming tide.

Bigger boat? Also fine. But forget beach launching. OP states he'd sooner buy a SIB than drive to Penzance. Charliee makes a good point about tidal windows. OP needs to be able to beach launch and not worry about getting back to a ramp with limited water.

The Brig he has his eye on looks quite nice and 70hp will give plenty of reserve with four people onboard.

[paintman]

OP's nearest hard slips are Mullion, Porthleven & Coverack.

But all are drying harbours with the slip being left high & dry so limited window.

I'd rule Coverack out for day trailer launch recovery as nowhere to park car & trailer & swarming with holidaymakers from mid morning.

Think his nearest all stages hard slips are Penzance & Falmouth but they're about the same distance from Lizard & he's already ruled Penzance out.

Might be worth giving Porthkerris Divers a ring as they will launch & recover for you. Charge for that in 2021 was £20 which covers both.

Other alternative is to keep a boat on a mooring. More expense, but you'll have more opportunity to use it as you won't be tide dependent.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Once you get a system all the boats you mention are easy enough to launch you just need to plan for the slips you use and use the tides, all my boats I launched on my own my current boat being the hardest at 4.35m a float off or throw off with winch recover 6 m rib was a doddle roll on and off. It’s all been said but you wish you had the bigger boat, been there. Good look with your purchase.

[Jon Tallis]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Once you get a system all the boats you mention are easy enough to launch you just need to plan for the slips you use and use the tides, all my boats I launched on my own my current boat being the hardest at 4.35m a float off or throw off with winch recover 6 m rib was a doddle roll on and off. It’s all been said but you wish you had the bigger boat, been there. Good look with your purchase.

^^^ What he said..:-)

[deadsquirrel]

Big thanks to everyone for their input. I think that as a starter boat, im just going to have to give up some things and accept that i wont be able to do it all.

So, for the sake of being more comfortable launching from Mullion (even if it is just in my mind), and to be able to store the boat in our standard sized garage, im going to opt for a 4.8m (or check to see if i can get a ribcraft 5.3 to fit in the garage) and give up on Dexter our French mastiff dog joining us on days out on the beach. I will also put the longer trips like to Scilly isles on hold until i get my bearings a bit more and im sure with time i will come up with a better solution. So if anyone knows knows of any decent 4.8 - 5.3 please do shout! Thanks again for all of your advice.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Limecc

Nearby slipway with plenty of water? Fine. Get a bigger RIB.
No slipway? Bad. Love to see someone beach launching a 6m RIB and not get their car saturated in salt. Worst case, seen many YouTube vids of the car being swamped by an incoming tide.

Bigger boat? Also fine. But forget beach launching. OP states he'd sooner buy a SIB than drive to Penzance. Charliee makes a good point about tidal windows. OP needs to be able to beach launch and not worry about getting back to a ramp with limited water.

The Brig he has his eye on looks quite nice and 70hp will give plenty of reserve with four people onboard.

Yep agree with this I'm not frightened to launch big boats, have launched & recovered up to 10m with a 4x4 but certain beaches I wouldnt take a 4m boat on. Big is great but I've been out in ships & wished they were bigger that time will come no mater how big the boat. I've also spent a lot of time with my wife & kids around Cornwall in a 3.8m rib & been completely happy, yes you can fit more beach junk in a bigger boat but do you realy need the kitchen sink? If your going to empty coves there will likely come a time when you find yourself beached whether by accident or intent & smaller boats are easier to deal with in that situation. The other thing to consider is cost, bigger costs more to buy run & maintain & depreciates more.
Big ribs are great but you 100% get more smiles per pound from smaller boats. And I'm not just saying this because i have a small boat, I have a 7.4m rib.
Boats are a personal choice buy what you think will suit you & enjoy it but be aware very few folk buy the "right" boat first time. Try & buy something that you will sell reasonably easily if you do decide to trade up or down, folk do both its not always about progression to bigger & bigger craft

Sent from my SM-G950F using RIB Net mobile app

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by beamishken

Yep agree with this I'm not frightened to launch big boats, have launched & recovered up to 10m with a 4x4 but certain beaches I wouldnt take a 4m boat on. Big is great but I've been out in ships & wished they were bigger that time will come no mater how big the boat. I've also spent a lot of time with my wife & kids around Cornwall in a 3.8m rib & been completely happy, yes you can fit more beach junk in a bigger boat but do you realy need the kitchen sink? If your going to empty coves there will likely come a time when you find yourself beached whether by accident or intent & smaller boats are easier to deal with in that situation. The other thing to consider is cost, bigger costs more to buy run & maintain & depreciates more.
Big ribs are great but you 100% get more smiles per pound from smaller boats. And I'm not just saying this because i have a small boat, I have a 7.4m rib.
Boats are a personal choice buy what you think will suit you & enjoy it but be aware very few folk buy the "right" boat first time. Try & buy something that you will sell reasonably easily if you do decide to trade up or down, folk do both its not always about progression to bigger & bigger craft

Sent from my SM-G950F using RIB Net mobile app

I kind of agree with BK for myself but it’s different with the family my wife came with me most times in the rib but the sib no chance

[Limecc]

Originally Posted by deadsquirrel

give up on Dexter our French mastiff dog joining us on days out on the beach. I will also put the longer trips like to Scilly isles on hold until i get my bearings a bit more and im sure with time i will come up with a better solution

Scillies are only 47 miles from Mullion so easily doable for you when conditions are favourable. I recently went around the Isle of Wight in a 4.6m boat, some 100 miles, under 5 hours at a leisurely pace including stops, used 46L of fuel. You don't need a 6m boat, just a reliable one, maybe fitted with an aux motor.

Best to give Dexter a boating break on all but the calmer of days. Slamming into waves not nice for them especially if they're getting on a bit.

[beerbelly]

never mind launching if your wanting to keep it in your garage at home and have standard garage doors your limited to 5.00 meter anyway anything bigger will more likely have a 2.3 metre beam

[Ferryman]

You’re the local but I personally wouldn’t launch at Church Cove. A bit too hard core for me - steep and narrow and the car park is tiny.
The fishing boats are almost hanging at low tide!
I’ve never launched at Mullion but it looks totally doable with a decent jeep.

[paintman]

Just a thought & they have already been mentioned.
For days when tide times would make Mullion difficult I wonder if Porthkerris might be the best nearest bet.
NOT when there is an Easterly wind though.

The prevailing wind in Mullion is south westerly which can make life awkward but if you read the link you'll note that from Porthkerris you're sheltered.

They use a tractor & a ramp to load diving parties off the shingle beach onto the two dive boats - Celtic Cat & Celtic Kitten - & will launch & recover yours for a fee.

Gives you access into the Manacles, turn left for Helford & Falmouth & right for Coverack & Cadgwith.

AA routefinder says about 12 miles & 30 mins.
https://porthkerris.com/2021-prices/

[davej]

Hi there, I have followed the discussion with interest as I own a 5 mtr tornado with a 60 2S and use a 5,5 m tornado, which is really about 6 mtr regularly so can easily compare. Firstly my boat fits into one side of a double garage so can easily be secured and cosy inside, it also is on an unbraked trailer, which hugely simplified the maintenance of the running gear and hence the costs. It’s small enough to tow really well behind my 4x4 Nissan QQ. I can also launch pretty much most places on my own if need be. So Love it and thinks it’s just right for my personal needs. It comfortably takes 4 adults but not on 4 seats and 3 need to stand or sit on the tubes.

The bigger tornado is great with its v4 115 yam 2 S, powerful and loads of torque but it’s really thirsty but with a modern 4S it would be much better, it needs a braked trailer, it wouldn’t go anywhere Nr a normal garage and it’s probably about 1.2 tons all up. Certainly on the water it’s magic takes 4 divers with all their kit and at a push we have had 6 onboard, it even circumnavigated Mull in a day last June and just eat the miles easily. Used 1,1 ltr a miles at 23 mph. Great boat and I love it but I wouldn’t swop it for mine.
What I will do on mine in the next year or two is swop out the engine for a new 4 stroke yam 70, which will give the rib a power boast and keep the back end still light.

As someone has said costs appear to rise substantially as you up the size. Also ease of handling on the trailer makes using the boat much more likely, I notice.

Just my thoughts.

[hinckley_steve]

I really like the Brigs, they have their critics but seemed nicely constructed and I was very tempted earlier this year. Wolf Rock also seem a decent outfit.

Just a thought though, as I ended up going for an Excel Virago 420, partly due to availability but also because in a small craft they have a particularly wide beam. This lends itself to an interior layout more like the Brigs of ~1m larger.

For me it seemed the ideal compromise, plus fits in garage. I will say, however, that it’s early day and I have only notched up a few hours use so unable to comment on fully on seakeeping. I will say the performance is a world apart from the old 3.6m SIB, and would definitely recommend a rib for your family of 4 adults.

Cheers.

[Pikey Dave]

We launched at Pothleven this summer. There’s a private car park for harbour users directly opposite the slip. It was £20 IIRC for launching & car/trailer parking & was relatively stress free considering the number of tourists.

[deadsquirrel]

Originally Posted by hinckley_steve

I really like the Brigs, they have their critics but seemed nicely constructed and I was very tempted earlier this year. Wolf Rock also seem a decent outfit.

Just a thought though, as I ended up going for an Excel Virago 420, partly due to availability but also because in a small craft they have a particularly wide beam. This lends itself to an interior layout more like the Brigs of ~1m larger.

For me it seemed the ideal compromise, plus fits in garage. I will say, however, that it’s early day and I have only notched up a few hours use so unable to comment on fully on seakeeping. I will say the performance is a world apart from the old 3.6m SIB, and would definitely recommend a rib for your family of 4 adults.

Cheers.

that Excel Virago looks really cool actually. After seeing a few vids of it, i think it may be the one that crosses off the most important tickboxes. Are they a well respected manufacturer? Will give them a call monday i thnk as buying new becomes a possibility which would mean i can then configure it the way i want so its as perfect for us as possible. Again, thanks to everyone for their contributions. I cant tell you how every single post has been so useful at shedding some light on this for me.

[deadsquirrel]

Originally Posted by paintman

But all are drying harbours with the slip being left high & dry so limited window.

@paintman, can you elaborate on this please? When i took the pic of Mullion in the first post it was at low tide. The fisherman said that would be perfect for launching (after checking for soft sand). So i assumed that high tide would also be fine as you would then launch from the actual slip. Am i wrong in thinking that (assuming ill stick to 4.x boat?)

[deadsquirrel]

Arghaaaaa��*♂️ Just seen this.

https://www.excel-inflatables.co.uk/...virago_470.php

Looks almost perfect!

[Steve509926]

Whilst I can't give any advice with regard to Ribs, are you sure about a Dogue de Bordeaux in a RIB! 9 stone of unpredictable, movable ballast!

[Limecc]

Originally Posted by paintman

But all are drying harbours with the slip being left high & dry so limited window.

If you give the time and date of the photo I'll tell you exactly what state the tide was. Using the webcam the other day I saw it out nearly to the mouth of the harbour at 1.8m low tide and it will be as low as 0.5m on 5th Dec with a high of 5.6m at 5.20pm.

I recommend Imray Tide Planner app which has a modest fee, but a good free one is called Tides by David Easton (for Android).

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

Whilst I can't give any advice with regard to Ribs, are you sure about a Dogue de Bordeaux in a RIB! 9 stone of unpredictable, movable ballast!

It’s a french dog Steve it won’t move around much