Leaving a RIB on a mooring all year.

chewy · 26 August 2007, 09:29

Hi all,

I've been looking at various types of boats for a while and the one that keeps popping up is a RIB, the only problem been that I want to leave it in the water all year.
I realise I'll have to antifoul the hull and tubes, but how good is the antifouling for the tubes and will they be any downsides to this, also how will sun light affect the tubes?

Thank

Phill

walruz · 26 August 2007, 11:31

My Sr5.4 sits in the open all year and on it's mooring from Feb until Oct/Nov.

Sunlight will affect tubes depending on material and colour (blue especially). Antifouling should be reapplied about once a year if you are leaving it in. Be VERY careful what type you use as some will affect the sacrificial annodes on your engine.

Ian

chewy · 26 August 2007, 11:55

What antifoul do you use on the tubes?
I'm looking at a Searider after seeing a crazy bloke in a camo drysuit on here giving it some, I thin it may have been your self!
All advice is appreciated!

Thanks

Phill

Tomas · 26 August 2007, 15:43

I've got a SeaRider in the tropics with ten year old Hypalon. The amount of UV we get here in a year probably equals ten in the UK. As the tubes will sit close to the water and the undersides get sloshed while on a mooring you might want to hit that portion with a brush once in a while. As far as UV protection, they manufacture fitted tube covers that could be used while the boat is on a mooring.

My boat is exposed to direct sunlight about 50% of the time and my tubes are in fine condition. I use a cleaner and UV protectant once in a while on them but that's about it. I don't know about the prefered hull anti foul cause I haul mine after each use.

How much of a problem is it having boats nicked off a mooring there? I would be scared sh1tless leaving mine moored here, unattended.

T

chewy · 26 August 2007, 16:44

Cheers for that, theft isn't a problem where I am. I don't have locks on any of my lockers and nothing goes missing. Everyone knows everyone elses business down here so it should be fine.

Phill

Bigmuz7 · 26 August 2007, 20:25

Good point though .. I have been worried about this before.. Its all too easy for someone to lift your anchored craft, and unlike motors, they dont need a key !!

chewy · 26 August 2007, 21:28

You struggle to launch and recover in the harbour I use, the easiest way to pinch it would be to tow it out to sea.
I know what you mean though, if it was in a busy harbour no one would notice and its all to easy to jump aboard and off you go!

Phill

walruz · 26 August 2007, 23:16

Chewy.

I don't antifoul!

Instead I use acid about 3 times a season. I left it too long last time and lost 10 knots.

It is totally up to you what system you use. I didn't want to take the thread in a different direction but there are choices.

If you want to discuss it PM to get my phone number so you can call me to discuss.

Walruz

Tim M · 27 August 2007, 09:48

I don't antifoul and my rib lives in the water all year round. As she is used a lot the hull stays quite clean. When it does get a bit dirty I take it out and scrub it which takes about an hour. I probably do this every 8 weeks or so at the moment.....

chewy · 27 August 2007, 10:37

I'm open to all ideas Walruz.
I work away alot so ideally want to jump on and go!
My Dad used coppercoat on his boat and this has worked real well, last time he lifted out someone commented that it had pressure washed off nicely, when in fact it had only just been lifted out.
What would this be like on a RIB?

Phill

Rogue Wave · 28 August 2007, 11:17

you can buy sunblock for the toobs.

Also be aware tha water mooring a searider has a special problemcaused by the flooding hull (which I think is good by the way) and that is the boat sits very low in the water when at rest. This makes the cutout very prone to wash coming over the transom.

You can reduce this by sticking hypalon behind the cutout and fit some sort of sloar trickle charger so the Bilge pump won't flatten the battery

walruz · 28 August 2007, 18:02

Hmmmm.

Solar powered bilge pump - starts thinking!

Dangerous I know BUT..

Ian

chewy · 29 August 2007, 12:29

Off topic, but I've got a solar oanel and battery for my bilge pump at the moment, works a treat!

Any one got some pics of the transom of the searider?
Where about do you get the sunblock for tubes from?

Thanks

Phill

codprawn · 29 August 2007, 22:03

The problem with solar panels and bilge pumps is the fact that when it's raining the sun usually isn't shining. Solar panels are great in sunny weather but in the winter when you really need the bilge pump it's useless!!!

stubbie · 29 August 2007, 22:32

When I was at Brighton Marina recently, I saw a rib that was sitting on a contraption that kept the rib out of the water but still in its mooring - I am assuming that this kind of kit is extremely expensive but would probably mean that no antifouling required and also could have a full rib cover......

Bigmuz7 · 29 August 2007, 23:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

The problem with solar panels and bilge pumps is the fact that when it's raining the sun usually isn't shining. Solar panels are great in sunny weather but in the winter when you really need the bilge pump it's useless!!!

I thought they didnt need sunlight to still function?

Bigmuz7 · 29 August 2007, 23:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by stubbie

When I was at Brighton Marina recently, I saw a rib that was sitting on a contraption that kept the rib out of the water but still in its mooring - I am assuming that this kind of kit is extremely expensive but would probably mean that no antifouling required and also could have a full rib cover......

A Versadock.. Ok Nauti wheres my fiver

Nos4r2 · 29 August 2007, 23:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

A Versadock.. Ok Nauti wheres my fiver

Good timing too-he's got an offer on at the mo.

You might want to check out if there'll be any electrolytic corrosion issues before using Copperbot.

Jelly · 30 August 2007, 08:51

Mine lives on the mooring all year round, its a fore and aft and she has copper bot on her, I also tried some international test anti foul for the tubes.
The result is that after 3 years on the hull the copper bot needs abrading to expose some more copper first year or so was great, the tube anti foul has kept the weed off nicely but the barnicales, which are growing on everything round here indiscriminate to the anti foul.
We have a full cover with tie downs onto the handles.
Hope it helps
James

chewy · 30 August 2007, 10:04

Its going on Pile moorings so the versadock is of no use I'm afraid, plus it would cost more than the boat!
Will have to look into the coppercoat, I know it can't go closer than 2" to the outdrive or outboard.

As for solar panels my boat has a 55amp hour battery fitted just to run the bilge pump.
The pump has a 2.5amp fuse fitted so will run for 10 hrs with out charge.
The solar panel, will charge the battery from flat in 52hrs of sunshine, no chance in the UK.
It will still charge the battery in overcast conditions, so is use in winter as it keeps it topped up.
You just have to do the maths to see that it'll work without maintenance.

Phill