My new toy - 2021 report

[treerat]

After an interesting Autumn in 2020 looking for a new boat (https://www.rib.net/forum/f8/the-sea...toy-85251.html) it was a very happy helm that picked up the new Highfield Patrol 600 in May 2021. An instant message the beginning of the month alerted me to the hull being in Devon and a couple of trips to Rob Perry Marine to design the deck layout, console electronics etc and (Not Another) Nutkin was collected on the way to one of the OCRDA racing weekends where she was to be used as a safety / marshal boat.

The first launch went without a hitch and the hull was put through its paces with a run to Lyme Regis and looking after the race teams. The off set console gave plenty of room on board when moving fore and aft and the 140l fuel tank means plenty of sea miles before needing to fill up. The A frame has 2 tow cleats and two more are found on the rear of the bench seat. These were superb when towing the smaller race boats home (they do like to break) and with two heavier duty towing eyes on the rear of the transom and a Sampson post in the bow, towing isn’t a hardship.

The front anchor locker has plenty of room for anchor, warp and chain, along with other lengths of rope and line. There’s an internal welded eyelet that is ideal for tying off the anchor warp and securing the anchor when in transit.

The front locker has plenty of room for storage of kit, as does the console locker. Plenty of height in this one too, so much it doubles up as the on board head for the crew and kids! The rear bench seat is another huge storage area that spans all the way back to the rear of the transom, without the fresh water shower tank (yep, really) this locker would be massive. Even with it there’s plenty of room for 4 kit bags and other storage boxes of fishing kit, first aid kit, water etc. The two jockeys also have storage under and we find these great for quick grab things like hats, jumpers, drinks etc.

The console lay out is ideal with all items easily reached and the sound that comes from the fusion unit, even underway is just superb. My only dislike are the blue light up buttons, these look great in the day and early evening but I find them a pain to night navigation, the same with the large tinted windscreen, its great at deflecting wind, spray and shielding from the sun, but makes night navigation a bit more of a challenge.

The dead rise and twin spray rails keeps the help nice and dry, some spray (due to being offset) is felt by those in the crew seat if the seas a bit lively, but most of the time is as dry as the back bench seat. Only once has anyone sitting here got wet, but that journey was so marginal we’d not have gone out, but had to return. That said the hull handled the big seas with easy, lifting through the swell and dropping nicely with the 135hp Honda not missing a beat throughout.

Along with various local cruises in company from Plymouth or Torquay and two very social group weeks (Fowey & Falmouth) we have managed to clock up 120 hours since May and have attended;
4 OCRDA race weekends, safety boat
Cowes – Torquay - Cowes, safety boat
9th annual Pasty Run, lead boat
Independent Lifeboat Bash, lead boat,
Sail GP, safety boat
Yealm Race , safety boat

On each of these Nutkin has been an ideal tool, being all black with the massive front she’s an impressive looking safety boat that works well across all aspects of events, or touring. If I could work out the plotter I’d know how far we’d actually travelled on these trips, how much fuel we’d used and the average speed, as I know the thing captures all this, but user error seems to be stopping that at present, but hopefully that’ll change for 2022, as I now know there’s a thing called a manual………….

Due to Covid we missed out on the World Offshore Circuit Racing which was postponed to 2022 along with a number of other events we were planning to attend, with some cancelled such as the Tall Ships Parade of Sail at Falmouth, the Brownsea Island Swim and the Great River Race. 2022 is starting to look busy with the first OCRDA race weekend booked for Torquay in April with 3 others waiting for confirmation of dates (Cardiff, West Bay and Brixham), the 10th Pasty run is to be planned for the Spring, along with a brand new SW trip (watch this space) to replace the 7 bridges for later in the summer, Sail GP is confirmed for the summer, a run to Alderney pencilled in to align with the Brownsea Island swim and the Great River Race on the Thames in September.

Fingers crossed she continues to perform and we continue to work out how to use her best.

[Takson]

Great write up and a great boat!

We used a 5.4m Highfield on my PBI course in the summer, and was seriously impressed. It is definitely on my wish list.

A question on the towing setup at the back. My RIB spends most of its time providing safety cover for childrens and youth sailing after I picked up the ESO role for the U.K. Cadet class. Could you share any photos of the cleats on the A frame and seat?

That sounds a much better setup than I currently have.

[treerat]

Thank you

I'm not up at the boat to grab a picture but this one shows the location - they tow great for the lighter stuff, which it sounds like your world

The good news is if towing is likely to be hyappening the seat back can be removed to give easy, unrestricted access to teh cleats or the bigger tow eyes.

They can also add a Sampson post at the back, this image is from a Patrol 660 which again could be a better option for you?

[lakelandterrier]

You forgot the floor LED disco lighting and other "Med" features.

I agree you have a great boat in "Twinkleberry"

To log distance & fuel etc could do the old fashioned this and just record, or take photos of trip log / fuel used at the end of each run & drop it into a spreadsheet or something.

We should start thinking about Pasty Run 2023....would be good to hit Looe again, if we get the tides right

[treerat]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

You forgot the floor LED disco lighting and other "Med" features.

If only I'd gone for the fridge, then we'd be a proper med toy

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

I agree you have a great boat in "Twinkleberry"

Thank you - I do like the alternative name, but far too long to spell to CG!! But oddly enough it'll get answered I feel!

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

To log distance & fuel etc could do the old fashioned this and just record, or take photos of trip log / fuel used at the end of each run & drop it into a spreadsheet or something.

I could, but the toy should do it, it ha sthe trips showing, just need to work out how to pull the data behind.

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

We should start thinking about Pasty Run 2023....would be good to hit Looe again, if we get the tides right

We should, and oddly enough we were talking about this yesterday. It's the tenth one this year and Looe was on my mind, but with a twist.

A pasty in Looe, coffee in Fowey and a Gin at the Eddystone then a 2nd day trip East to a river pub / yacht club perhaps?

[lakelandterrier]

Hi Andy,
I think a more logical route would be Eddystone,- Fowey- Looe.
It depends how accessible you want to make it for some smaller / less experienced RIBS
Mey be worth checking tides / dates

[treerat]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

I think a more logical route would be Eddystone,- Fowey- Looe.

It depends how accessible you want to make it for some smaller / less experienced RIBS

I think that way round works nicely - plan b will be a straight to Looe and a plan C of Calstock.

Any smaller ribs should be OK if the weather is kind, plan B will come into force if its too lumpy for them.

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

May be worth checking tides / dates

I'll pick up a tide booklet, never seem to get teh on line ones right!!

Unless you have a date in mind? Will need to avoid Easter.

[RickW]

Hi Andy

Up for Pasty run - the run from Plymouth to Fowey via Eddy/Whitsand is my standard run with or without Eddy depending

A little mix to add would be Lantic Bay for brave swimmers as it’s a nice sheltered spot in most tide states

Will pick up a tide table book in my local shop and drop pics of relevant dates over Whats App if you like [emoji106]

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by Takson

A question on the towing setup at the back. My RIB spends most of its time providing safety cover for childrens and youth sailing after I picked up the ESO role for the U.K. Cadet class. Could you share any photos of the cleats on the A frame and seat?

That sounds a much better setup than I currently have.

Sorry for thread invasion. What is your current set up.

Obvs - buying a new boat is one option! But retrofitting a cleat to an existing a Frame is not always great as they aren't designed to take a load. So what is your current setup? Can it be improved? And what is your preferred tow arrangement? Alongside, aft, aft on their painter or a tow line, aft on a herringbone line or aft on a daisy chain of tow lines?

[lakelandterrier]

Originally Posted by treerat

Unless you have a date in mind? Will need to avoid Easter.

Was thinking of May BH weekend - Sun 1 May dep on tides, or may be the w/e after.

With luck this year at Whitsun I should be in Ypres doing the (postponed) 50th 100km van Ieper walks - a great 3 day event round the WW1 battlefield / countryside, so that weekend at the is out for me.

[treerat]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

Was thinking of May BH weekend - Sun 1 May dep on tides, or may be the w/e after.

With luck this year at Whitsun I should be in Ypres doing the (postponed) 50th 100km van Ieper walks - a great 3 day event round the WW1 battlefield / countryside, so that weekend at the is out for me.

Looks like I'll be Torquay for round one of the OCRDA 30th / 1st. The bank holiday itself could work?

[lakelandterrier]

The late May bank holiday is put back from last weekend in May to Thurs 2 June, with the Jubilee BH Fonri 3 June, so how about Fri 3 June or Sat 4 June?

[treerat]

Originally Posted by lakelandterrier

The late May bank holiday is put back from last weekend in May to Thurs 2 June, with the Jubilee BH Fonri 3 June, so how about Fri 3 June or Sat 4 June?

If the tides line up should be do able for me, nothing booked in there yet

[Takson]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

Sorry for thread invasion. What is your current set up.

Obvs - buying a new boat is one option! But retrofitting a cleat to an existing a Frame is not always great as they aren't designed to take a load. So what is your current setup? Can it be improved? And what is your preferred tow arrangement? Alongside, aft, aft on their painter or a tow line, aft on a herringbone line or aft on a daisy chain of tow lines?

Hi ShinyShoe, the current set up has been a combination of alongside (typically holding the shroud and holding the dinshy off the tubes, with a person in the bow of the RIB with 1 or more painters.) and if 4 need to be towed, 2 secured to the base of the a-Frame.

This has been on club rescue boats, with mine being out of the water for a deck replacement.

With the deck up, I have the opportunity to increase the support on both the frame (It is 2.5" tube, twin frame set up) and also to put a towing post up front in reinforced anchor locker.

I mainly deal with Cadets and RS200s with the youth program, so I am not looking to pull heavy boats but laying out to be able to take 4 is definitely beneficial.

[treerat]

The extra cleats do make life very simple, having plenty of simple tie off options has made towing easy.

The front sampson post is great for towing alongside and I think if I was doing lost more would think about the rear sampson post instead of the a-frame, as in the picture above.

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by Takson

Hi ShinyShoe, the current set up has been a combination of alongside (typically holding the shroud and holding the dinshy off the tubes, with a person in the bow of the RIB with 1 or more painters.) and if 4 need to be towed, 2 secured to the base of the a-Frame.

This has been on club rescue boats, with mine being out of the water for a deck replacement.

With the deck up, I have the opportunity to increase the support on both the frame (It is 2.5" tube, twin frame set up) and also to put a towing post up front in reinforced anchor locker.

I mainly deal with Cadets and RS200s with the youth program, so I am not looking to pull heavy boats but laying out to be able to take 4 is definitely beneficial.

I hate alongside tows for anything but the shortest tow! They seem to be what people like to do. Never sure if it is laziness or some "training" claim that it is better. I just can't believe it is. Maybe I'm missing something with the tow post! Still need to keep the aft of the RIB astern of the vessel being towed. Don't fancy doing 4 200's like that!

A thick (14mm +) transom bridle and a tow line secured with a slipnot has served me well - although I've never towed 4 x 200's like that...