4mtr Gemini Inflatable

[samt]

Originally Posted by Ed the Duck

Those dimensions sound about right. As for a trailer, look for a zapcat trailer or you could get one made up relatively easily. Where are you in UK?

Ed

I'm in the midlands, so a good distance from the sea in all directions .

Originally Posted by Ed the Duck

Good luck with the exams. PM if you have queries (boat related, not exam related!)

Thanks, and will do

[Tims Osprey]

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F143828/

How about this to put on the back if your budget allows, would be perfect. If its a standard shaft off coarse, looks like.http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F140074/it or this would be even better.
Or on a tighter budget something like this Japanese mariner, had one myself and they are very reliable. http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F132908/

[prairie tuber]

Sam,

I sure hope you'll keep us informed of your experiences once you pick up and use this boat. I'm looking forward to hearing about it.

This August, I'll be picking up a Gemini Dive 470, which is basically a 4.7m version of the surf with larger diameter main tubes (60 cm) and highjackers. I can hardly wait. I had ordered it almost a year ago, production has taken longer than normal because i specified 1670 dtx hypalon.

I had test drove a double skinned PVC version last summer (the dealer did not have a 4.2m surf at the time) and was blown away by the performance and construction quality of the craft. One thing you can see from the picture that you posted, Sam, is the thickness of that transom is far more beefy than that of any other brand of SIB I've seen.

The dealer did not have a 4.2m surf on hand at the time I was there, but told me that it performs more similarly to a zapacat than the 4.7m version. I was very tempted to go with the 4.2m surf since it is lighter and apparently a fair bit faster. Ultimately, I opted for the 4.7m since the extra capacitly would could be very handy for my applications, and I really don't needed to run zapcat racing speeds on the reef strewn rivers and lakes around here. Very fast (which the 4.7m should still provide), is good, but insanely fast like a zapcat, for me, is unnecessary (yet still good ).


Also coincidentally, last week I happened across a fellow who was selling a lightly used 40hp Yamaha short shaft 2 stroke (early 90s, I believe) for dirt cheap ($ 1400 CDN which I believe is about 650-700 British pounds). I had just picked it up yesterday and looks almost identical to the motors that Tims Osprey posted links to above. I am planning to run it later today on my 4.2 meter Zodiac Grand Raid SIB. Will let you know how that goes.



Ed the Duck,

I'm glad you saw this thread as well. You were extremely helpful to me last year in providing sage advice in selecting the particulars on my boat order. I was curious about that neoprene engine cover of yours that you had mentioned in this thread;

Neoprene Engine Cover


Do you find that it provides an appreciable sound dampening effect?

[Ed the Duck]

Originally Posted by prairie tuber

Ed the Duck,

I'm glad you saw this thread as well. You were extremely helpful to me last year in providing sage advice in selecting the particulars on my boat order. I was curious about that neoprene engine cover of yours that you had mentioned in this thread;

Neoprene Engine Cover


Do you find that it provides an appreciable sound dampening effect?

Prairie Tuber,
See above link for reply. Sorry for not replying sooner - work getting in the way of enjoying life.

Look forward to hearing of the 470 - don't think you'll regret waiting for the 1670dtex. It should last a lifetime!

Ed

[Richard B]

You might be interested in a couple of posts about Gemini GRXs....

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1213

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1337

[prairie tuber]

As I mentioned in my previoius post I had just acquired a used yamaha 40 hp 2 stroke. I took it out for the first time yesterday on the back of my 4.2 meter Zodiac SIB and once we got he trim setting sorted out, it worked great. As expected, it moved the boat much faster than the 25hp that I had been using up until now. What I didn't expect, was that with the 40hp, the boat handled much better, even at speeds faster than what the 25hp was capable of.

If you will be trailering the boat anyhow, I'd recommend going with the most powerful engine recommended by the manufacturer (also within weight limits). If you are setting up and taking the boat down with each use, I'd recommend going with the most powerful engine you can comfortably lift from car/truck onto boat & vice versa (within manufacturers limits, of course).

[samt]

Unfortunatly I was unable to complete the purchase.

Also looks like very little boating for me this season

Thanks for the input everyone, it all would have been very useful

[Tims Osprey]

Was the boat not up to scratch then?

[samt]

Originally Posted by Tims Osprey

Was the boat not up to scratch then?

Can't say, as I never saw it. I couldnt complete for other reasons