Is it time to move on

[Andy wheeldon UK]

Hi, I have had a SIB now for 5 years or so. I have thus far done my boating on a strict budget. I have what some would call a retro or classic boat, a 1978 Lomac 350, Hypalon with Plywood Keel and floor. Until recently I have run a succession of period 2 stoke outboards, including Chryslers and Mercs. I have spent many hours messing and resurrecting them. In truth spending many more hours in my workshop than out on the water. This has changed recently when my Dad bought me a new Tohatsu 20 HP EFI, which is truly excellent and a welcome revelation to our boating experience! I did realise shortly after taking delivery of this motor, that at some point I would be keeping the motor and changing the boat, a new experience for me!
This thought has very much come to the fore as last weekend when I used the boat on the local river I noticed that I am leaking air between two of the chambers. The boat is 3 chambers, port and starboard tubes and a bow tube. I am defiantly leaking air between the port tube and the bow. This has to be a dreaded baffle leak and I know it compromises the designed safety of the vessel.
so I now have a few questions.
firstly, in the short term, how likely is it that I can fix this with some tubeseal or something like that? The valves for these two chambers are very handily either side of the suspect baffle and I am going to see if I can borrow some form of endoscope/viewing rig to have a look what is going on in there. I suspect it is the seam coming away, and I do wonder what that indicates for the general integrity of the boat structure; though there are no other signs that it is about to fall apart. Especially given its age it is very good and sound, holds air indefinitely and has never been patched.
If I could fashion a repair to buy some time I could then maybe afford to get another boat... It would be ridiculous to have this shiny new outboard and no boat to put it on!

Looking further ahead I wonder what I should be looking for as a replacement.
We are a family of 5, 2 grown up children and one 12 year old. We rarely all go in the boat together but it has been known. We use it to potter about and explore, look at wild life, a bit of sea fishing and dolphin spotting. We live just about as inland as it is possible to be in England so we also use it to explore local rivers and waterways. We like to noodle about, but it is important to us to be able to plane as we like to cover some ground too. Chances are our Older children are going to spend less and less time with us in these pursuits, but our 12 year old has just taken up sailing. It would therefore be handy if our boat was suitable to be used as a safety boat perhaps?
We have a caravan and this accompanies us to the coast, so towing a boat trailer is out of the question. Our tow car is a LWB VW transporter T5 though with 100kg roof carrying capacity, so roof topping is an option.
So the thing is, I don't want to be changing my motor, 20hp 4 stroke short shaft tiller. I don't want to go smaller than 3.5m maybe a little bigger. What do I go for. I am inclined to go for another SIB, but If there are any RIBs that I could roof top and that would suit my motor I would be interested. The budget restraints mean I could possibly look at a new SIB but I would almost certainly be looking at a second hand RIB.
I believe the motor could easily be converted to R/C and it is something that I would maybe like to do in the future. I would like to be able to use my future boat with the tiller if we were popping it in the river for a quick Sunday afternoon trip to the pub. But if we were taking it down to Cornwall for a week and paying to keep it at the harbour it would be nice to have the options of fitting a steering console and maybe a little more civilised cruising.

I would very much appreciate, views, opinions and experience on all these aspects. I guess the most urgent is what I do with my boat right now! we are booked to go to Cornwall at the end of the month, I can't countenance that without the boat!

many thanks

@ndy

[DaveRolph]

Just a quick one, look at Fribs ! I have one and love love love it (it goes in the caravan although mine is just a 360 but I am sure this is what you need, expensive but cracking boat).

[Andy wheeldon UK]

F-Ribs look really good, but unless I can get a used one at a good price, sadly out of my budget!

@

[ChrisParish]

I can throughly recommend the T38 from Honwave as a good all-rounder. At 3.8m it is big enough for the family and will plane happily with 20hp and four adults. Being an air-floor is it very quick to setup and pack down.
The sea-keeping is pretty good, especially compared to similar sized wooden or aluminium floored boats, with it really showing its chops in a following sea.
They are also inexpensive and fairly readily available.

[harrison]

Hi Andy,

Welcome to the forum.
Sorry to hear about your baffles. For river use perhaps just risk it, on the sea with the family perhaps not such a good idea. Shame as it’s quality hypalon albeit old sib. For a professional repair locally, might be worth contacting Central Marine Services at Ilkeston. Not cheap but a good reputation and they service/repair most of the nearby emergency services boats. DIY probably worth looking at a tubeseal product especially as the valves are in close proximity. Worth a go perhaps for a cheap fix. Unfortunately any professional repair will be far more than the resale value of your boat.

Great new motor by the way. Bang up to date lightweight efi 20 from Tohatsu...one of the best, nice one. Not easy or cheap to convert to remotes, and for a daily set up, keeping it tiller steer would my choice.

If budget allows there are more than a few very lightweight aluminium hulled ribs out there, potentially car toppable for two to lift in the 3.4 to 3.8m range...worth looking at Quicksilver, Zodiac Cadet, Talamex and Highfield to name but a few.

Sib wise for a daily inflate, high performance lightweight v-floor boat also highly recommend the T38 from Honwave. Excels also very popular so worth a look.

Also Midlands based out of season and sometimes launch at Farndon for a gentle cruise down the Trent.

[Limecc]

Elling 350 should be on your short list
https://f-ribsandsibs.com/forum/viewto ... 30&t=4230


I'm a former Excel 390 owner and the weight was simply too much.

[harrison]

Elling 350 should be on your short list

That’ll be a tad lively with a 20 don’t ya think?

Just sayin like.

[Andy W]

Yes, looked at the Elling. Max motor 15hp and 42kg. As my motor is 20hp and 52kg..(having elec start and power tilt trim). I'm sure it would be OK.. But over powering/over weight as a matter of course for a new combo is not really the way I want to go as a start.. I don't think. Insurers may have something to say!
Anyone have experience of Boatworld Range Master 420. Good price coming in at £995?

@

[Limecc]

Elling 350 should be on your short list

That’ll be a tad lively with a 20 don’t ya think?

Just sayin like.

I hadn't realised Andy's motor had electric start. Otherwise within the transom weight and it wouldn't be too fast with more than one onboard. I wonder if it is good advice from an insurance aspect, probably not.

On the flip side I'm poisoned by big SIBs so much and really like the look of that Elling. Would probably do it. I'd look at pairing with the Parsun 15hp/36kg two stroke if Bill Higham would sell me one.

If Andy could store a trailer, would do well to get a used RIB. Who was it on here who had the tiller steer Ocean Runner?

[Andy wheeldon UK]

I would consider a RIB, but would have to be used and cheap to fit my budget. My problem with a trailer is that I also have a caravan, When I go to the coast, I can't take both (not in this country anyway!). I was looking at roof topping, the transporter can take 100Kg on the roof and there are some very ingenious ways of getting a boat/RIB up there. I am coming down on the side of getting a new SIB though. It just makes sense. there is also the question of storage for a Rib, it would have to stay outside at the front of my house. Also, as our youngest is taking up sailing, I can see us having to rooftop a dingy before long.

I won't be going to Higham's for a boat though. I am not going to diss them on here, but I did have a far from pleasant experience when I tried to buy my motor from them. Ended up at Cambridge outboards instead. I'm not in a hurry to go back to Bill Higham's.