Newbie Advice needed

[superdags]

Hi there all.

I am looking for a spot of advice before leaping into my first rib purchase.
I currently have a small zodiac 11ft with 6hp o/b and am looking to upgrade to ~5m rib with modest size engine.
We will mostly use to run about west coast of Scotland for fishing, exploring etc.
Questions
- what size trailer can I go up to without a licence upgrade?
- does anyone know any good storage facilities near Edinburgh for a rib?
- how big a car is needed to comfortably tow the boat?
- any recommendations for courses in rib handling around Edinburgh?

Cheers in advance for the help

[9D280]

Welcome to ribnet!

Assuming you have a "modern" licence, in round numbers the absolute max is 3tons for the whole rig, max for the trailer will depend o nthe car. Unbraked max is usually half the Kerbweight or 750Kg, whichever is smaller.

Storage in Edinburgh area I'll leave to the locals....

Car size? - Much debate, but FWIW, I tow a 5m rib on a braked trailer with a Focus. (I could get away with an unbraked, but I decided to "future proof" the boat against my next car(s) being lighter kerbweight. At that sort of length the Fiesta / Corsa sized cars are likel not going to be much use, but a Focus / Astra sizze will probably be OK.

I would guess a generic 5m rib will be somewhere between 500 - 750KG + trailer. Mine is "only" 430Kg, because it is so old the transom can only hack a 60Hp /110KG of engine, so I have a nice light Clamshell on the transom. If you are buying new(er) , the hulls are generlaly built heavier to take heavier 4- stroke engines. Bottom line is - check your data before purchase!

As for courses, I think SPR on here does courses on the Forth, also Port Edgar I think run them. Have a google - there are others out there, and if you can be bothered driving to the Clyde or the Tay there are lots to choose from.

[superdags]

Thanks a lot 9D280

Much appreciated. Soudns like I need to be careful about total weight to keep it under 750kg.

Will head down to Port Edgar this Saturday.

[9D280]

I guess from that you want to keep it unbraked & save yourself doing a test?

Remember that although you can legally tow 750Kg unbraked, will your car? (Mine will, as I have the big diesel estate version. Had I bought the 1.6 petrol it's down around the 600KG max unbraked ballpark.... the new model version of mine is down to something like 710Kg as Ford have obviously made some weight savings...)
Like I say, never assume anything!


Empty trailer will clock in somewhere between 150- 250KG. Other thing if you are "building the package from scratch" is that almost all boat trailers are "sized" for a solid hulled boat. Ribs have boot toob cones hangng out the back & 1/2 a toob diameter out the front. - you can usually easily go a size down for a rib. (weight notwithstanding)

My 5m is sitting on a trailer spec'ed to carry a 4m boat - it's the solid bit underneath you need to worry about. If in doubt - measure it! A trailer rated for smaller boat -> lighter constructed trailer, and even if not lighter constructed, a metre less of chassis....

Also don't be too conservative about estimating the weight of "stuff" you can actually fit under a seat!

[ssobol]

Be careful about getting too small a trailer. If it is small you may not be able to get it far enough into the water to float a larger boat without getting your vehicle wet.

In the states there are "long tongue" trailers for this situation. I would expect that there is something similar in the UK.

[lump1066]

Elo - Port Edgar offer storage options, but just got to be careful which spot they give you, as some parts of the site are a bit more dark and dingy than others - i.e. some seem lot more vulnerable than others. Can leave inside sheds there too, but thats very expensive.

cheers

[clydeoutboards]

Hi

Scott is your man for the training unless you are down our way. oh and what is am modest size engine?

Dave

[9D280]

Originally Posted by ssobol

Be careful about getting too small a trailer. If it is small you may not be able to get it far enough into the water to float a larger boat without getting your vehicle wet.

In the states there are "long tongue" trailers for this situation. I would expect that there is something similar in the UK.

= more space required for storage......

If you get a swing beam roller trailer launch should be no problem. - I've even recovered mine off the end of the lifeboat slip under the bridge when the water was about 6" down form the end of the pier.

Also smaller trailer will likely be on smaller (10" instead of 12 or 13") wheels, thuis bringing it closeer to floating. - I've only had to "rope recover" once since I got the roller trailer - and then only because I wasn't convinced I'd not end up in up to my axles in sand - my old bunked trailer under the old boat it was rope recovery pretty much every time as the whole thing needed to be submerged before it floated off.