new here

[r3tmac]

Hi everyone, I am new here and am thrilled to be the owner of a nice Highfield OM 540. I live in Ontario, Canada and am surrounded by the Great Lakes! Also an avid scuba diver that loves to dive deep freshwater shipwrecks which we have an abundance of here.

I have one question that perhaps someone can answer for me.
As I am just curious here. I tried to do a search and did not find anything other than info about the actual events.
Who was this MacMillan person that a lot of you are doing a cancer run for?
As it is my last name is also MacMillan, but my family immigrated to Canada in the late 1950's.
great to get to know you all!
Mac

[Daniel]

Macmillan cancer is a uk charity, perhaps founded by the Macmillan family but that's speculation.

Alex will be along shortly to tell you more. He's personally coordinated tens of thousands of fundraising for them.

[Daniel]

PS welcome along !

[willk]

Originally Posted by r3tmac

Who was this MacMillan person that a lot of you are doing a cancer run for?

MacMillan

[r3tmac]

Thanks Willk, It goes a long way back. Quite the history.

[TorontoDiver]

Welcome to the ontario based MacMillan Highfield owners club where abouts are you based?

[r3tmac]

Hii Neil, thanks for getting me in touch with Jamie at CO2. Jamie did not have any of the Pan Am game Highfield 590's left, so I ended up getting a really good deal on a 540 with a new trailer included!
A 540 is just the perfect size for us anyways, and it is ready in a couple of weeks.
We are on the south shore of Lake Simcoe near Sutton in a small town called Willow Beach, but we usually trailer our boat all over to do dives in Georgian Bay ,Huron ,Tobermory and Kingston.
Take care ! Small world, we have the same name! Jamie got a bit confused there for a while!

Every one calls me Mac.

[TorontoDiver]

Hi Mac,

That does seem to be the universal nickname we MacMillans get ! Glad to hear Jamie was able to sort things out, the new trailer is a nice sweetener for the deal. I'm jealous as I have to wait until July 31st for the boat

What type of diving do you do? will be interesting to see what we can come up with for gear configuration / stowage on the boats. My crew is primarily technical diving, so it will be Toronto/Davis, Oakville/Crane, and St Lawrence/Jodrey, Vickery diving for us. What wrecks do you guys normally do?

Let me know any good locations for family boating near your area, as I'm looking for places to day trip with the family to boat/tube. We're in Pickering so heading north to Lake Simcoe is pretty quick run.

Cheers,
Neil

[willk]

Either of you lads know Stoo?

[TorontoDiver]

Originally Posted by willk

Either of you lads know Stoo?

Actually I believe he's a member of my Dive Club (Ontario Underwater Explorers) up in Tobermory area ...

[willk]

Originally Posted by TorontoDiver

Actually I believe he's a member of my Dive Club (Ontario Underwater Explorers) up in Tobermory area ...

There you go - he's kinda old Aristocracy on here. Say hello for me - his missus is 1/4 Irish

[r3tmac]

Originally Posted by TorontoDiver

Hi Mac,

That does seem to be the universal nickname we MacMillans get ! Glad to hear Jamie was able to sort things out, the new trailer is a nice sweetener for the deal. I'm jealous as I have to wait until July 31st for the boat

What type of diving do you do? will be interesting to see what we can come up with for gear configuration / stowage on the boats. My crew is primarily technical diving, so it will be Toronto/Davis, Oakville/Crane, and St Lawrence/Jodrey, Vickery diving for us. What wrecks do you guys normally do?

Let me know any good locations for family boating near your area, as I'm looking for places to day trip with the family to boat/tube. We're in Pickering so heading north to Lake Simcoe is pretty quick run.

Cheers,
Neil

Neil, yes I am still trying to figure out what to do with tanks. will just lay them on a rubber mat on the floor for now with a tie down strap to keep them from rolling around.
We are just recreational divers, been diving now for 12 years, and at 60 years old I am not going to go any further into tech diving.
we enjoy doing Georgian Bay ,Tobermory, Kingston Brockville dives..Nothing over 100 -110 feet on Nitrox.
We go south in the winter to dive the Florida Keys, and have done Cozumel 4 times and Turks & Caicos Liveaboards.
Theres lots of nice places to bring family for boat trips on Simcoe ,we enjoy snorkeling and shallow swimming between the Sand Islands on south shore of Georgina Island. Theres a nice rocky remote beach on the north shore of Georgina Island too.
Also excellent swimming area for boaters is the sandbar area between Snake Islands and the mainland. Theres also a few cabin cruiser wrecks for scuba if you want to do that.
If you need GPS #s for the wrecks let me know.
Mac

[MatFromPoland]

Hello HIGHFIELD owner. Why didn't you buy OM540DL version. Tank is build 100 L in the middle section of boat under floor. Fuel filler is on the bow

[r3tmac]

That is what I have Mat ,I have the 105 L fuel tank under the floor and the bow mounted gas filler.
I will take some pictures of it next weekend when it is all ready.

[MatFromPoland]

Mine it is not ready also. It has been customized by small Polish company (EVINRUDE dealer and small GRP boat maker)

Here it is first time on the water:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KerBKFdw0oQ

[TorontoDiver]

Same here, in theory Still waiting for confirmation on how much more it will be. Unlike Mac, I have to wait until end of July.

@Mat, how do you find the boat with the 115hp? I went with 115 over 90hp, and am interested to see the affect it should have with the 5.9 length boat and divers/gear.

[MatFromPoland]

It works like JET SKI not RIB. RIB is very rigid, low weight (mine is OM540DL)
Engine X shaft length, weight is 180 kg. It is EVINRUDE 115 HO (2 stroke direct i.)
Boat has TELEFLEX steering and it works really nice with this engine.

Full load (3 adults, 2 kids - about 400 kg of people), 4000 RPM, 54 km/h speed.
When you accelerate from this speed to higher shoes slip back (you have to ask all people to keep very tight if you want to accelerate even from this speed).

I know RIB is not for race, but we will use it in Greece for daily trips like 100-200 km
So 30 knots cruise speed is really nice one (of course on calm weather).

19" VIPER prop.
1 person WOT 5900 RPM, 82 km/hr - this test was only to check prop size.

My family is 2+3 (twins 13 y old and daughter 16-een years). We have a lot of gears like snorkel equipment for 5 people. So I do prefer to have some margin of power.

For me left some improvements like handles for people seating in front of console, handle for passenger (on the console). Smart carabiners mount to right side of the console to keep some security gears, synchronize radio (GPS/AIS Standard Horizon GX2200) with Garmin plotter, smart mount of sonar sensor (two shift position out of water and in-water). Within 2 weeks it be ready.

[r3tmac]

Thanks Mat for showing your video. No ice left in Poland! we still have a lot of ice on my local lake but it is melting fast.
I only have a 70 hp 4 stroke, I hope it is enough power.
Mine looks all the same as yours but I also have a T Top.
Will show pictures later!
Mac

[MatFromPoland]

It is lake in Augustow, it is cold part of Poland but I do not remember real Winter this year. Your have to look the same. I have bought boat only (but it contains jockey's, console, rear locker and seats, Garmin plotter, and other things) from SeaSwift (UK dealer). We have not Highfield dealer in Poland.

What is hidden (Teleflex steering, 2 batteries, electronic for batteries, box inside console having 2 lighter sockets (for charge electronics or connect some stuff like electric pump)).

And there be more rails (not sure if I use proper name sorry for my English - INOX pipe for handle it) than in standard (rails for people seat in front of console, rail on the console, rubber handles for passengers on back seat (this one everyone can glue )

I'm very happy for performance with EVINRUDE etec. We will use some water toys, water ski. It is "Family RIB". Of course will give more feedback on real Sea condition during vacation. Shall we make "International RIB.NET Highfield Team" ?

[TorontoDiver]

Originally Posted by MatFromPoland

Shall we make "International RIB.NET Highfield Team" ?

sounds like a plan