Setting up 5m Tornado

[fastasfox]

Evening Ribsters, I'm here to save you from terminal boredom.....you can't go out on your boats and if your boat is in storage....like mine ,then you can't tinker either and forget TV as her indoors will be watching Prancing on ice.....sorry but where I grew up if you wore sequins you got beat up lol.
I purchased a 5m Tornado with a mariner 75hp 2 stroke last autumn and i need to kit it out to put to sea.
I have spent the last 6-7 years pottering about on the Cornish Coast on sibs... Zodiac 2.8 and a Quicksilver 3.8
(Very bad experience with Quicksilver..story for another day). I haven't gone far and have always stayed close to the coastline. My aim is to get kitted out in such a way that I can confidentially take on bigger trips as I have always wanted to go to the Scilly Isles and a few other islands around the UK.
I Have lots of questions and if any of you could offer any advice on what kit type recommendations etc i will be grateful. I will put the list of equipment I require and any questions I have in a numbered list..chip in as you wish
1. Chartplotter/fishfinder.... this could be the biggest expense and it raises most questions for me. Do i needed a dedicated chartplotter or do folks use apps and devices such as C maps nowadays for small craft or will I need to purchase a dedicated unit....also is it best to get separate chartplotter and fishfinder or go for the combined unit?
Pro's and cons please. Also I already have a transducer on the transom (not sure of the make) are they interchangeable between manufacturers?
2. Vhf radio...fixed or portable or both?
3. Flare kit.... i watched a few YouTube clips and the pyro flares did seem much brighter however i can see the practicality of the modern LED flares. Do i need rocket flares and smoke flares too.
4. PLB...which one and ease of use.
5. Automatic life vest...what is your experience and what makes stack up?
6 What Anchor type?
7. I have 12"wheels on my roller trailer but need to replace them...I'm running 4" hubs and my local trailer supplies said i could only run 10" wheels on the new hub's but to be honest The trailers would look daft and will be too low on 10" s ...have you come across this problem and is there a car wheel that will fit the 4 stud 4" hub you know of? Hallmark rollercoaster 1)
8. Do any of you have favourable experience with a training course/school. I was thinking about powerboat 1 and 2 would this be a good start?
9. Anything else you think i should need?

Thanks in advance Paul.

[beamishken]

Re the trailer I've no idea why they would say you cant run 12" rims as many trailers do although you might find 13" are cheaper, larger diameter tyres are actually better because the wheel is spinning slower at a given speed so less heat build up. You may also find that normal car tyres are suitable for carrying the load & you don't need ply rated tyres which might be necessary on smaller diameters. I'd look online for a trailer company selling wheels & tyres & compatible hubs plenty to choose from. Its usually just as cheap to buy the wheels & tyres complete rather than just buying tyres & wheels separately
Re training I'd go straight for pb2 you probably already know everything in pb1 tbh

[fastasfox]

Cheers for that. When we come out of lockdown i will tke the hub down to the scrap yard and get some 13" of a small car if possible 3 matching alloys would be ideal.

[SimonCh]

1. - I’d say get a fixed chart plotter, or ideally a plotter/finder combo if you don’t want to shell out on both. You can pick them up second hand on eBay, it won’t be as dear as you may think.
2. Both - always handy if you put someone ashore, or even if someone is backing your car too far in to the sea to recover the boat!
3. Many folk are opting for a PLB only these days - I think that’s the way I’m going to go this year.
4. As above
5. I’ve got a spin lock deck vest and love it. You can shop around and see what deals are around at the time. I’ve always opted for an auto life jacket on an open boat.
6. I’ll let the professionals answer this one - I normally use a delta type. Remember the chain is the important bit.
7. No idea!
8. I had a fair bit of powerboat experience and did level 2... I can’t imagine there being any value in the level one course unless you’re a complete newbie - others may disagree?
9. Other bits and bobs - a good knife, plenty rope, small tool kit, some decent clothing, a good pair of deck gloves

That’s my tuppence-worth anyway!
Si

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by fastasfox

Cheers for that. When we come out of lockdown i will tke the hub down to the scrap yard and get some 13" of a small car if possible 3 matching alloys would be ideal.

If you want to go down the breakers yard route you'd be better off finding some 4x100 hubs when you replace yours as they are far easier to find and loads of cars use 4x100mm whereas its just old stuff & trailers that run 4x4"

[treerat]

1. Chartplotter/fishfinder.... the combined units are great and you really don't need the all singing all dancing one. The Garmin Echo is a great unit, couple fo hundred quid and wil give you all you need. The Navonics web app is good for planning and their mobile app will provide a good service (according to people with it) but not tried it myself.


2. Vhf radio...fixed or portable or both? I have both, start with fixed (more range) and add a hand held later, can pick both up pretty good 2nd hand.

3. Flare kit....good question, I carry a couple fo smokes and that's it, coded boats 'need' a certain amount and type but for the modern world I think other options (strobes, plb, gmdss) are a better option.

4. PLB...McCurdo has a great reputation and what i carry, annoyingly the batteries are nearly as much as a new one, so beware of 2nd hand battery dates.

5. Automatic life vest...just bought the family new Northern Diver ones, others will swear by their preferred make, mine is a Kru and fits me lovely, and that's the key bit. Fit. Must be comfy or you'll hate it and not wear it.......

6 What Anchor type - depends, I carry a (hated on here) grapnel anchor, a sea anchor (drogue) and when going out where I may need to anchor a CQR. Where are you going, what's the sea bed? I don't anchor often, maybe when throwing out a fishing line so the smaller one works for me.

7. Wheels- Bigger is better to a point, alloy wheels may look good, but really don't like salt water, stick with steel and paint them A good tyre is important as there is limited, if any, suspension on a boat trailer and the tyre takes all the abuse.

8. Level 2 will be a great point to start, loads of training options out there. I can recommend some good ones in Plymouth if you wanted a weekend away. Look at your local adult education, they often do them. Or see who the local sailing centre uses up at HPP


9. Anything else you think i should need? Lots - but lets cover that later

[fastasfox]

Are the transducers for the plotters generic or make specific?
Will you not carry the electronic flare/torch and just the plb?
Thanks for the info.

[fastasfox]

So switch to metric! I was looking at new hubs and stub axles. Cheers.

[fastasfox]

The reason i wanted to switch to 13 inch wheels is the tyres are easier to find and I will be towing the boat 320 miles down to Cornwall and 13's would ride better i think.
Thanks for the input.....ps do the uk chart plotters require different maps on sd cards or would UK waters be installed as standard...I have never owned a chart plotter.
Thanks for your help.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Different types of transducer if buying new you get the options. Navionics charts for me. When you buy look for the deals with charts and transducer without adds £300 easy. Force four chandlers seem OK to deal with and offer advice.