what are seaswifts like?

henryfreston · 30 April 2013, 20:31

may have an opportunity to buy a 3.8m 2010 seaswift. The owner states it is a fiberglass hull and not the aluminium one.

It is rated to only 25hp which I was surprised about?

So, anybody had any experience with them?

Bloke bought it a year or two back in mint condition and has not used it once since, so it still in pretty much new condition, having only be used a couple of times by the previous owner. He has given me a base price of around £1000.

the picture is kinda crappy quality but I have spoken to him and may be going to view it tomorrow so I know it is genuine. He is only a few miles down the road- I feel a nice summer cycle coming on

henryfreston · 01 May 2013, 07:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryfreston

may have an opportunity to buy a 3.8m 2010 seaswift. The owner states it is a fiberglass hull and not the aluminium one.

It is rated to only 25hp which I was surprised about?

So, anybody had any experience with them?

Bloke bought it a year or two back in mint condition and has not used it once since, so it still in pretty much new condition, having only be used a couple of times by the previous owner. He has given me a base price of around £1000.

the picture is kinda crappy quality but I have spoken to him and may be going to view it tomorrow so I know it is genuine. He is only a few miles down the road- I feel a nice summer cycle coming on

Bumpyy

henryfreston · 01 May 2013, 17:18

no one?

Nos4r2 · 01 May 2013, 17:35

I guess no-one's owned one, so I'll give you a generic reply.

3.8m rated to 25hp suggests a really light layup to me.

From the website they appear to be Chinese. Yacht tendr, maybe but I'd be frightened of breaking it if it was used for much else.

henryfreston · 01 May 2013, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I guess no-one's owned one, so I'll give you a generic reply.

3.8m rated to 25hp suggests a really light layup to me.

From the website they appear to be Chinese. Yacht tendr, maybe but I'd be frightened of breaking it if it was used for much else.

So with a 25hp, do you think it would still push it well? It is a 2 stroke motor I have. Apparently I can uprate to 30 for peanuts.

treerat · 01 May 2013, 17:57

It'll be flighty - I had a yam 3.83 with a 25 on the back, went well and had to move the fuel tank to the front to keep the nose down!!

You may not have this issue with teh hull though - it'll be ok for poddling around in but doubt I'd take it too far off shore.

Nos4r2 · 01 May 2013, 17:58

25hp would push it, but I think you're missing the point.

3.8m, rated at 25hp would suggest to me that if you gave it a good battering, it'd break.

Boats&Outboards · 01 May 2013, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

25hp would push it, but I think you're missing the point.

3.8m, rated at 25hp would suggest to me that if you gave it a good battering, it'd break.

I think most of the leisure manufactures have a max rating of 25hp do they not ?

QS 380 rated to 25
Bombard Areotec 25 ?
Honwave T38 rated to 25

So I'd say to suggest they are not up to scratch due to this alone may be a bit misleading. It may fall short on build quality (no idea never seen one) but its spec'd the same as the leading brands

Nick Hearne · 01 May 2013, 18:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boats&Outboards

I think most of the leisure manufactures have a max rating of 25hp do they not ?

QS 380 rated to 25
Bombard Areotec 25 ?
Honwave T38 rated to 25

So I'd say to suggest they are not up to scratch due to this alone may be a bit misleading. It may fall short on build quality (no idea never seen one) but its spec'd the same as the leading brands

I would agree if it was a sib but this is a rib & I think this is what Nors was getting at!
For a small rib to only be ratted to 25hp is pretty low on the horses!

Nos4r2 · 01 May 2013, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

I would agree if it was a sib but this is a rib & I think this is what Nors was getting at!
For a small rib to only be ratted to 25hp is pretty low on the horses!

Yep. I'd expect it to be rated to about 40hp.

Boats&Outboards · 01 May 2013, 19:02

Well that's ok then

to be honest I assumed it was a SIB so my bad.

Peter @ Boatsandoutboards4sale ~ www.BoatsandOutboards4Sale.co.uk ~ 07930 421007

martini · 01 May 2013, 21:20

Not the most stylish A-frame I've ever seen

Daniel · 01 May 2013, 22:31

Seaswift boats are indeed Chinese but don't tar them all with one brush, from what I have seen at the boatshow and the one I have here they are very well laid up, thought out and put together (see build thread coming soon).

This isn't a biased opinion as I've no connection or Hidden agenda and have owned a good cross section of UK built ribs over the years (tornado, BWM, osprey, ribtec...)

Seaswift seam to brand the Ali ones as highfield and Grp ones as x-pro I don't know if they share all or none of the manufacturing in china or if they are totally separate.

Generally PVC tubes but hypalon is an option.

Worth noting, my experience and observations are based on the 5m+ boats.

Nos4r2 · 01 May 2013, 23:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel

Seaswift boats are indeed Chinese but don't tar them all with one brush, from what I have seen at the boatshow and the one I have here they are very well laid up, thought out and put together (see build thread coming soon).

This isn't a biased opinion as I've no connection or Hidden agenda and have owned a good cross section of UK built ribs over the years (tornado, BWM, osprey, ribtec...)

Seaswift seam to brand the Ali ones as highfield and Grp ones as x-pro I don't know if they share all or none of the manufacturing in china or if they are totally separate.

Generally PVC tubes but hypalon is an option.

Worth noting, my experience and observations are based on the 5m+ boats.

I can't see a 3.8m in the current range, and the posted pic looks....well...very cheap Chinese. I wonder if the one in question isn't a different factory's rebrand as it's a few years old.

Daniel · 01 May 2013, 23:33

Yes, agreed. A "seaswift" is misleading, they are the dealer not the brand.

An x-pro or a highfield I have seen, and can independently say I liked what I saw.

We don't know what "brand" this is, only that seaswift sold it...

They posted on here a few times, would be good to hear their I put on this early boat and any features or manufacturing it shares with the current two ranges.

henryfreston · 02 May 2013, 07:25

How do I check for build quality?
Shall I take some better pics when I see it next week as it is only 7 miles away?
What would you expect to pay for it for the boat and a satisfactory road trailer?

Daniel · 02 May 2013, 07:57

Where are you? Chatting a fellow ribnetter into viewing with you might work...

If it is built lightly but cheap enough it might still be a good first boat. Just understand the limitations this might bring, and once you've got the bug you can buy a sea rider or small ribcraft ;-)

I think there is a buyers guide FAQ on here...

henryfreston · 02 May 2013, 08:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel

Where are you? Chatting a fellow ribnetter into viewing with you might work...

If it is built lightly but cheap enough it might still be a good first boat. Just understand the limitations this might bring, and once you've got the bug you can buy a sea rider or small ribcraft ;-)

I think there is a buyers guide FAQ on here...

yeh maybe

Trust me I already have the bug. I have owned SIBs since sept 2011. Right now I own a honwave t40.

I don't think I want anything with a long shafted engine because I am launching at a beach which is really flat. Launching a boat with a deep V hull is going to be too much of a hassle. Which is why I have decided to keep things light by buying a small shallow rib to stick my 25hp 2 stroke on. Looking mainly at the avon 3.4m to be honest.

Cheers

Nos4r2 · 02 May 2013, 08:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryfreston

How do I check for build quality?

Probably by not buying something with an A-frame that looks like it's been made from a 1970s climbing frame. It's fairly telling-eithr it's been built cheaply or modified by a muppet. Either doesn't bode well.

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryfreston

Shall I take some better pics when I see it next week as it is only 7 miles away?
What would you expect to pay for it for the boat and a satisfactory road trailer?

Depends exactly what the boat is like and what the trailer is really. Don't fall into the 'it's close so I must buy it' trap.

You may be better off sticking with the Honwave.

Budgie1 · 02 May 2013, 08:15

I had a Valiant 3.8M RIB that was rated 25hp, fantastic fun for all the family, we used it for costal hoping, wake/kneeboarding for teenagers ringos for big kids, used to do about 24 knots WOT one up wind behind etc as I recal :-)

Researching my next boat and have to say haven't ruled out seaswift expro, yeh has Chinese stigma but shared emails with company and they are very passionate about the build quality of there boats.