Ribcraft 5.3 weight

[al40]

Have any of you Ribcraft 5.3 owners out there weighed your boat? Reason I ask is that I suspect my partic config is a bit heavy for the trailer it's on!

I was doing some weight calcs and called Charlie at Ribcraft to ask about the additional weight on a 5.3 from an A-Frame, under deck tank and twin double Jockey consoles. He reconned it was approx 480-500KG (std weight is 325kg). I am waiting for RC to confirm (in case they quoted a 5.8 and not a 5.3) but basically that makes the boat over-weight for the trailer.

Looking at a fairly standard config with suzi DF90 (i have a diff engine but also have an aux and extra fuel / gear so load is much the same) I calculated the following:

Boat 500kg (RC 5.3 single Jockey with twin double jockeys, 90L tank plus std A-Frame)
Engine 189kg (Suzuki DF90)
Fuel 65kg (estimate)
Battery 18kg (standard 85Ah leisure)
Anchor 30kg (7.5kg plough with 6m chain and 40m heavy warp)
Instr 20kg (VHF, Plotter, FFinder, Compass, Nav lights plus cabling and antenna on A-Frame, battery cabling)
General 10kg (Ropes, paddles, fenders, fire extinguisher, flares)
Gear 40kg (tools, spares, personal gear)

Total Weight = 872

I frequently use a dingy as well (40KG) so with that on board it's up at the 900KG mark!

Some of these weights appear at 1st to be quite high like 20kg for instruments but by the time you include everything it adds up! The 10m of 25mm battery cable alone is pretty heavy.

Trailer (R2B49 is rated at 800KG max load).

I guess the only accurate way of knowing is to weigh it on a waybridge but I assume I am not the 1st to ask this question!

[Paul Beaurain]

Hi Al40

I went throgh the guessing/estimating.
Your curent trailer will be market with both the Carying max load (800kg you say) and also the total gross weight ie trailer and boat. so gives you the trailer weight.
If you think you are overweight - before you add back all items (after winter) take the trailer/boat and get it weighed. either fuel full or fuel empty is best.

£5 got me a weighbridge ticket
showing my Humber 6.3 and trailer weighed 1540Kg. plated for 1250Kg!
This was a package supplied! even the most prolific removal of 'our accessories would not have brought it below limit'

Some boat manufacturers, to cut cost, choose a trailer capacity either directly not enough or so close to the bare boat weight that adding fuel, anchor/chain etc takes you over.

I purchased a new trailer and then went back and had it weighed again, with all acessories and full fuel. I then kept a copy of certificate with the tow vehicle insurance docs - and the tow vehicles published max towing capacity.

Feeling comfortable towing and knowing that nothing is at max strain is very worthwhile.
Paul

[Poly]

Al40 - I am guessing there might not be a weighbridge near you - if so read post 9 on this:

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...trailer+weight

[al40]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Al40 - I am guessing there might not be a weighbridge near you - if so read post 9 on this:

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...trailer+weight

That sounds like a great idea for a rough weight calc. I actually recall reading that thread now! Thanks

Edit - correct re the weighbridge. Pleanty of old ones but I think the nearest operational one is Stirling!

[al40]

Originally Posted by Paul Beaurain

Hi Al40

Some boat manufacturers, to cut cost, choose a trailer capacity either directly not enough or so close to the bare boat weight that adding fuel, anchor/chain etc takes you over.

Paul

Yes that's my concern (although to be fair in the case of Ribcraft it's not cost cutting as it's a really good trailer - I think the larger capacity ones are physically bigger and more cumbersome). It would be nice to have a fair bit of reserve capacity so it's possible to load the boat up a bit when towing (epsecially if going on holiday with it :-) )

Will see what Ribcraft say when they get back to me (or hopefully someone with a RC5.3 will have weighed theirs)

[al40]

Got a response from Ribcraft. The config of 5.3 with 2xdouble Jockeys, A-Frame and underfloor tank plus DF90, baattery and cables is 701KG (estimated). This only leaves 100KG for the standard 800KG load capacity on the trailer.

100KG is not a lot when you need to add:

- 90l Fuel (at estimated 700g per litre)
- Anchor, chain and warp (estimated 30KG)

which only leaves a few KG for:
rope, gear, flares, fire extinguisher, oars, tools and spares, toothbrush etc.

So - trailer appears to be a bit under-rated for a normally laden boat Maybe the RC is unusually heavy but it seems you have to go a good bit over size on the trailer to get any more carrying capacity.

I do plan to weigh it using Polwarts clever scheme but I think the estimate is fairly accurate.

(Edit - I have a 50, not 90 but also an aux, extra fuel and a dingy which is same weight as 90 - 90 was for illustrative purposes only as a typical installation)