Farfetched - Sea Trial

[brucehawsker]

Kevin (from Solent) and I took her from Portsmouth out past the forts yesterday. Kevin took her straight up to 49.3 knots on the GPS once in the open water. I did not quite have the bottle for that, but we took off a number of times when I was at the helm doing a much more modest 35 knots. Delightful sea conditions with the mildest of chops, sunny - a thoroughly excellent experience.

She feels safe and secure (and very fast with a half fuel tank and 2 up). The engine sounds delightful - my worries about noise being totally unfounded. The tinted raised windscreen is a delight to shelter behind when running at 30+ knots. Centre throttle feels very comfortable, and enables me to hold a secure throttle position during the bumps.

A few trivial changes still to do, mainly to do with my 6hp 4 stroke auxiliary. We have decided we are going to reverse mount it on the inside of the transom, over the auxilliary fuel tank. It is light enough to reverse and remount 'normally' on the outside of the transom. Lee has rigged a fuel line so I can fuel it from either the auxilliary or main fuel tanks. We ran it in Camber Dock using the main engine as a rudder, and could make good headway and manoevre fine. Only problem is that it slightly crushes one of the horseshoes, but, hey....

Hope to collect her on Wednesday - biggest worry is negotiating the roundabout outside Fairweather marine. She seems huge on her trailer!

Cheers

Bruce

[brucehawsker]

[simmons0]

Congratulations bruce.
I hope you very pleased with her.
Do you think its capable of the big 50 knots?

[Louise]

Wow! Double wow! Triple wow!

She looks luuuurrrrrvvvvvllllyyyyy Bruce. Can't wait to see her 'in the flesh' (or should that be 'in the GRP and hypalon'!).

We won't be able to keep up with you though!

May you and the family have many happy hours and days cruising with Farfetched.

P.S. Don't forget to change your profile now, Bruce!!

[brucehawsker]

May be being superstitious, but am saving changing the profile until after delivery and her maiden voyage - which for me involves my doing a 'successful' launch and recovery (with help from friends). Not sure yet when that will be.....

[The Jackeens]

Looks great. Congrats Bruce.

Give us a shout if you need a hand with the dunking and recovery.

Us

[brucehawsker]

Big 50? Doubt if I will ever take her there! There was some chop outside Portsmouth when Kevin did his speed run, and I don't think we were at full throttle. Also engine needs 120 mins of run in and it had only done about 10 mins at that point! I am finding mid 30s quite demanding enough. Interesting that my focus, even at that speed, is on the sea ahead, landing softly, whether Kevin was hanging on for dear life and looking sick, other boats, and not the speedo or GPS! I expect I will settle in to focussing on rev counter in due course.

[Brian]

Super looking boat Bruce.
Especially love the seating arrangements.

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

Big 50?

Yep, Nice boat, have you got footstraps? Also wind the throttle friction knob right up the first few times you take her out

[Brian]

Can you tell us a bit about those instruments as well?

[swginn]

Agree with Rogue on the throttle friction. The Opti is very capable of scaring the sh*t out of you (even more so when somebody has brushed the throttle to WOT by accident )

Looks good Bruce, Don't scare yourself too much

[brucehawsker]

Thanks, gentlemen for this. Unfortunately, I do not know what you are talking about? I know the concept from my 6hp, but have no idea how to adjust this on the left hand throttle. Without the boat it is hard to visualise where the throttle friction is adjusted. I know (I think I know) that you can push the big circular button opposite the lever to enable you to rev the engine and stay in neutral - although do not know why one might need to do this?

I have rather a large number of manuals to wade through, and no time to do it!

Yes, I scared myself (especially doing an avoidance of a lobster pot at 30 odd knots without trimming down)!

Haven't got footstraps. So far have been bracing myself on throttle and wheel and feel quite secure. Is that false confidence and inexperience speaking??

Instuments, Brian. The big beast is the Lowrance 10.4" 7000C plotter. Little beast is the 330C which is a combo fishfinder / plotter. Logic is that navogator has super clear GPS map in front of him. Helm has uncluttered view of sea ahead, but by a turn to the left has compass visible and on little beast has in largest possible sized letters Speed over Ground, Course over Ground Ground and Depth - or anything else we want to see - without compromising the big map on the 7000C. The 7000C is not easy to see from the helm, but the little beast, being console mounted and very bright, can display a chart view if required.

Navman 7100 radio with external speaker beside the little beast. Mounted low so cable doies not obscure plotter. Twin Smartcraft Opti dials. 12V socket. Electrics switches (I have twin bilges hence the extra set of switches. Ignition, kill cord, a centre space for writnig on in chinagraph as needed.

Plastimo 110 Compass. Radio licence on port side of console out of the way.

Think that is it; please feel free to ask questions....

Cheers & thanks

Bruce

[Phil Chitty]

Looks great Bruce.

Hope to meet up with you in the Solent some time.

Phil

[Richard B]

Bruce, because you've got a quality throttle lever located in a position where it's more controllable, you shouldn't need to worry about this.

[Wayne Rogers]

Hope you have loads of fun,took mine out for the second today,getting use to her they are great Ribs,and you feel very safe in them. Enjoy

[The Jackeens]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

Yes, I scared myself (especially doing an avoidance of a lobster pot at 30 odd knots....)!

Bruce

Respect!!!!

Thanks for all the detailed reviews of Solent RIBS Bruce.
We are studying them very carefully

Us