Rib Virgin

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

Hi Sarah,

Good luck with the test drive.
Can I ask what you are trying out?

And please feel free to drop me a line or call anytime re the electronics.

All the best

Hi Jon

We are test driving a Porters Renegade 6.5 with a Tohatsu 140 2-stroke engine. It is a 1998 boat but looks in good nick - hopefully I will know more on Thursday (weather permitting).

[GuyP]

Sarah, you might find this site useful:

http://www.porters.org.uk/rescue.htm

It lists the Porters RIB prices, so you can work out what the new price of that boat would be. Which, should help you work out it's used value and whether the asking price is reasonable.

It certainly helped when I bought mine.

[brucehawsker]

Take some photos and post them if you get a momnent. Then many of us will be able to add (in my case questionably valuable) input!

[brucehawsker]

And do check you have hydraulic steering.....

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

And do check you have hydraulic steering.....

Why ?

[Hightower]

Wahh, you do know the right word to use, Pete!!

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by GuyP

Sarah, you might find this site useful:

http://www.porters.org.uk/rescue.htm

It lists the Porters RIB prices, so you can work out what the new price of that boat would be. Which, should help you work out it's used value and whether the asking price is reasonable.

It certainly helped when I bought mine.

Hi Guy

Thanks for this. This is really useful. I've looked at the new costs which makes interesting reading but of course these boats don't have all the bits (trailer, engine, etc.) but very interesting non-the-less. Also, it means I have somewhere I can go - if this is the boat for us - to get the odd bit done, like a new windshield. I have checked out the threads and think that this is a job for the patient not for me...

Thanks again.

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

Take some photos and post them if you get a momnent. Then many of us will be able to add (in my case questionably valuable) input!

Hi Bruce

Good plan. I think Thursday has been called off due to the weather but hopefully next Tuesday is looking better.

I'll take you up on your idea.

Many thanks

Sarah

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Why ?

What is the the pro/con of having hydraulic steering? Sorry if this is a numpty questions...

[Hightower]

I must admitt that my preferance is Hydrualic steering.

From a safety angle if you let go of the helm in a cable steered boat it will always go around in circles, if you've fallen in the water and the engine hasn't cut it will run you over.

With Hydraulic steering the boat will carry on at what ever the steering position was when you let go. So generally will not run you over unless you fell out doing a tight turn.

The other advantage to hydraulic is that it is generally easier to steer and might well benefit youngters if you wanted then to have a go.

The Disadvantage is the cost, £350 ish for a sub 150hp and upward of £500ish for anything over 150hp. But if you're using anything over 115 you won't get an option on the cable steering.

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Hightower

I must admitt that my preferance is Hydrualic steering.

From a safety angle if you let go of the helm in a cable steered boat it will always go around in circles, if you've fallen in the water and the engine hasn't cut it will run you over.

With Hydraulic steering the boat will carry on at what ever the steering position was when you let go. So generally will not run you over unless you fell out doing a tight turn.

The other advantage to hydraulic is that it is generally easier to steer and might well benefit youngters if you wanted then to have a go.

The Disadvantage is the cost, £350 ish for a sub 150hp and upward of £500ish for anything over 150hp. But if you're using anything over 115 you won't get an option on the cable steering.

The other disadvantage is that often, Hydraulic steering requires more turns lock to lock than cable steering (ack. Nasher). This obviously affects your low speed maneuvering.

I have to say I'm a fan of Hydraulic Steering these days. I've got a rib that used to belong to Pete7, and how he kept that 150hp Opti under control with cable steering I will never know! Kathleen "The Jackeens" was very pleased to learn I had replaced it with hydraulics

If the Rib doesn't have Hydraulic Steering, I can offer about 5% off Aquafax retail prices - www.aquafax.co.uk - which doesn't work out as bad as you might think!

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by Hightower

From a safety angle if you let go of the helm in a cable steered boat it will always go around in circles, if you've fallen in the water and the engine hasn't cut it will run you over.

With Hydraulic steering the boat will carry on at what ever the steering position was when you let go. So generally will not run you over unless you fell out doing a tight turn.

The other advantage to hydraulic is that it is generally easier to steer and might well benefit youngters if you wanted then to have a go.

The Disadvantage is the cost, £350 ish for a sub 150hp and upward of £500ish for anything over 150hp. But if you're using anything over 115 you won't get an option on the cable steering.

So does that mean that because it is a 140 it would be standard is that a daft question.

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Sarah G

So does that mean that because it is a 140 it would be standard is that a daft question.

Very possibly, as Jimbo stated, he used to have cable steering for a 150hp outboard.

I would go for the hydrualic just for peace of mind.

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

The other disadvantage is that often, Hydraulic steering requires more turns lock to lock than cable steering (ack. Nasher). This obviously affects your low speed maneuvering.

Not nessesarily!

I custom chose mine to go lock to lock in 3-3.5 turns, but this will be a more costly option as you'll need a higher capacity helm unit. It will also be harder to turn than a standard 1.7 cu" one, but by how much, I'll let you know in 8 weeks time

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

The other disadvantage is that often, Hydraulic steering requires more turns lock to lock than cable steering (ack. Nasher). This obviously affects your low speed maneuvering.

I have to say I'm a fan of Hydraulic Steering these days. I've got a rib that used to belong to Pete7, and how he kept that 150hp Opti under control with cable steering I will never know! Kathleen "The Jackeens" was very pleased to learn I had replaced it with hydraulics

If the Rib doesn't have Hydraulic Steering, I can offer about 5% off Aquafax retail prices - www.aquafax.co.uk - which doesn't work out as bad as you might think!

So it could really depend on the boat and its handling to decide whether you need to change from cable to Hydraulic Steering.

I'll ask the owner to see whether it has hydraulic steering and thanks for the offer - we might well need it.

[Nasher]

Originally Posted by Hightower

Not nessesarily!

I custom chose mine to go lock to lock in 3-3.5 turns, but this will be a more costly option as you'll need a higher capacity helm unit. It will also be harder to turn than a standard 1.7 cu" one, but by how much, I'll let you know in 8 weeks time

Good choice Andy.

I am also a huge fan of Hydraulic steering.
I recently changed my helm unit as it was giving me 10 turns lock to lock. I opted for one that gave me 3.5turns lock to lock and although its OK for me, the smaller Nashers have complained its much stiffer than before. They did get used to it very quickly though.

I'd suggest that hydraulics should be used on anything above 140HP.

Nasher

[Jimbo]

Originally Posted by Sarah G

So it could really depend on the boat and its handling to decide whether you need to change from cable to Hydraulic Steering.

I'll ask the owner to see whether it has hydraulic steering and thanks for the offer - we might well need it.

Absolutely. A lot of it will depend on the age of the cable, how the engine is rigged (Greyhound, my old Ribtec 585, used to have an enormous amount of Prop Torque trying to twist the engine), the size of the engine, and even the position of the steering wheel in relation to where you are sitting. The route of a cable steering system in terms of the number of corners and turns will also affect it.

There was an argument I heard aaages ago that Hydraulic Steering also offers a small benefit on fuel economy, as you don't have to make lots of minor corrections to keep in a straight line, as you might with cable steering. I haven't really delved into this though.

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Absolutely. A lot of it will depend on the age of the cable, how the engine is rigged (Greyhound, my old Ribtec 585, used to have an enormous amount of Prop Torque trying to twist the engine), the size of the engine, and even the position of the steering wheel in relation to where you are sitting. The route of a cable steering system in terms of the number of corners and turns will also affect it.

There was an argument I heard aaages ago that Hydraulic Steering also offers a small benefit on fuel economy, as you don't have to make lots of minor corrections to keep in a straight line, as you might with cable steering. I haven't really delved into this though.

Good news - the boat does have hydraulic steering. Also interested in the argument about fuel economy - let's face it, even it makes an insy winsey difference, with the cost of fuel at the moment - that's great.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Hightower

So generally will not run you over unless you fell out doing a tight turn.

But that is exactly when you are most likely to get thrown out - so it reduces the argument somewhat...

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by Polwart

But that is exactly when you are most likely to get thrown out - so it reduces the argument somewhat...

Surely a killcord should sort this problem out anyway - or am I being niave?