New Boat

[Bilge Rat]

Hi All

Hey every one i bought my first boat on Saturday and towed it back home 150 miles and thankfully the wheels stayed on the trailer (despite the fact i took out Sea Start trailer rescue), now i have the task of fitting the boat out with everything i need to go boating, so far all i have is boat engine and trailer.

Boats an orange Avon Searider 4.7 metres with a 2 stroke 50HP Evinrude outboard, and was used until about two years ago as a dingy club safety boat, two years ago they upgraded to a bigger boat and since then she's been layed up undercover and only used a few times, although the tubes are a bit faded she's generally in very good condition for her age, there's no patches and only a slight leek in one tube which i believe is leeking from either the valve or the seam, the inside baffles are still intact and dont leek any air between sections. Boat and engine are going to go in for a good service ASAP and i've a whole raft if kit to buy before i'm going anywhere near the sea with it, weekend after next i'm doing my RYA level 2 power boat although i've a bit of experience it will be nice to have the badge too, any advise is most welcomed.

Ok i'll apologise for the silly questions now.... can anyone advise me what to clean the tubes with, although the colours never going to come back can i scrub the tubes with a house hold cleaner like cif to take the dirt, oil and every thing else out, or should i buy a special marine cleaner.

Once again thanks to everyone and big thanks to the trailer wheel bearing Gods for there blessing on Saturday.

Richard

[Keith Hart]

Ok i'll apologise for the silly questions now

Hey, don't worry about that, I've been on here for 2 years and I'm STILL asking daft questions.

It might be an idea to try the 'search' facility to look up things as often your answers will be in earlier threads.

Congrats on joining the throng. Best of luck. Hey, how about a trip to Orkney in August:

Keith Hart

[Bilge Rat]

Hi Keith

Thanks for the advise, yes the search facility is very good and so far to date i've found al the info i was looking for so i'll continue to use this as well and of course ask daft questions too.

Orkney sounds great, if i've got the boat sorted by then i might come up, so long as your providing the bacon sarnies.

Richard

[DM]

Welcome to the Searider club, Bilge Rat. My first rib was an SR with a 50hp evinrude. Tough as old boot and never let me down. I've since had bigger and better boats, but I think I had more enjoyment out of that boat than any of them.

David

[Bilge Rat]

Thanks David

I've used a friends 5.4 searider in the solent, he has a 90HP on the back and it absolutely flew even when it got a bit choppy, plus of course that really deep v hull, they really do turn on a sixpence and you can get away with steep turns too, i'm looking forward to getting her out soon and seeing just what she'll do once my mechanical genius has made sure the engines ok and it wont sink.

Best Regards

Richard

[LURCHER]

Welcome to the club ! My first RIB was a4m Searider and it was the best one we have had really . Claen it with Polymarine RIB cleaner and thenb treat with their RIB finish > I did mine on Saturday and used the green nylon scrubbers(thats the nylon thing not my wife) I am told my wife uses in the kitchen for cleaning! Did an excellent job and brought the colour back very well . Have fun you will get orange hands .

[whitingiom]

It does very well on grey tubes too..........

I got my 15 year old to do it for a tenner.....saves the grubby hands!