Just how good are SR4s ??

kingfisher69 · 11 June 2007, 21:18

Hi guys just in process of total refurb on recently aquired Searider 4 ( first RIB )
so i have not put it through sea trials yet I have read so much on ribnet about the sr4 being one of the best 4m ribs in its class, comments please Regards Gary

Nos4r2 · 11 June 2007, 21:27

Absolutely bloody wonderful. There's no better 4m rib. I went out in mine in conditions that far bigger stuff went home in and loved it.

kingfisher69 · 11 June 2007, 21:30

thanks for the info looks like im gonna enjoy some good times in it then regards Gary

Nos4r2 · 11 June 2007, 21:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingfisher69

thanks for the info looks like im gonna enjoy some good times in it then regards Gary

You'll love it. I almost wish I hadn't sold mine. At high speeds they are a wild ride (see here-doing over 40mph) but as long as you're sensible about it you'll be worn out way before the boat is out of its depth.

ADS · 11 June 2007, 21:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Absolutely bloody wonderful. There's no better 4m rib.

LOL, no need to keep up the sales pitch Matt! Im sold on her! Fixed the tell tale there was a bit of crap in the pipe between the outlet and the powerhead, the tell tale could now compete with the bilge pump on output!
Heres mine photo taken this weekend (GPS/ Fisherfinder and VHF DSC removed in case of IOW Chavs over night!).

Tims Osprey · 11 June 2007, 21:48

Yer probably the best 4 meter rib ever made, well built and workmanlike. Funny when i had one 6 or 7 years ago i thought it was massive when i first bought it because my rib before that was a flatacraft force 3 (3 meters) but then you quickly get used to the size, even now my 5.25 doesn't seem very big but again when i first had a 5 meter + rib it seemed big, its what you get used to and the bigger the rib you get the smaller it seems to become in time.

Nos4r2 · 11 June 2007, 21:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADS

LOL, no need to keep up the sales pitch Matt! Im sold on her! Fixed the tell tale there was a bit of crap in the pipe between the outlet and the powerhead, the tell tale could now compete with the bilge pump on output!

Sales pitch? I'd still have that boat if I had space...

I'm pleased about the telltale. Was it a bit of black rubbery stuff by any chance?

I'm toying with the idea of a Searider only meet just to see how many we can get in one place. Does it sound like a good idea?

Sixy_the_red · 12 June 2007, 06:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tims Osprey

Yer probably the best 4 meter rib ever made, well built and workmanlike. Funny when i had one 6 or 7 years ago i thought it was massive when i first bought it because my rib before that was a flatacraft force 3 (3 meters) but then you quickly get used to the size, even now my 5.25 doesn't seem very big but again when i first had a 5 meter + rib it seemed big, its what you get used to and the bigger the rib you get the smaller it seems to become in time.

Tims - you're absolutely right about them feeling huge so start off with - we went all over the place in ours and it never felt unsafe or out of its depth. The 5.4 felt (still does really) massive in comparrison, and seeing our old 4 again on Saturday made us both go 'Oh my god, we did all that on THAT?!'

ADS - so glad to hear you're enjoying her. I think Nos and I both felt a bit nostalgic when we saw you, but then seeing the size comparrison when you came alongside us was quite a shock!

Gary - you'll love it. I always found it very easy to handle and pretty forgiving, but watch out for chine-walking at about 42mph+

..

Nos - judging by what we saw over the weekend, you'll probably end up with half the south coast turning out to a SR only meet!

ADS · 12 June 2007, 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Sales pitch? I'd still have that boat if I had space...

I'm pleased about the telltale. Was it a bit of black rubbery stuff by any chance?

I'm toying with the idea of a Searider only meet just to see how many we can get in one place. Does it sound like a good idea?

Im glad you don't have the space then!
Im not sure what it was in there, sometimes it was a stream sometimes it was a dribble but it never ran hot, I just took that pipe off under the cowling, blew through it and then reattached it now seem spot on now.

Im definately up for that, I fancy taking it round the island too, Christchurch - Cowes was no problem at all, 30mph the whole way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sixy_the_red

Tims - you're absolutely right about them feeling huge so start off with - we went all over the place in ours and it never felt unsafe or out of its depth. The 5.4 felt (still does really) massive in comparrison, and seeing our old 4 again on Saturday made us both go 'Oh my god, we did all that on THAT?!'

ADS - so glad to hear you're enjoying her. I think Nos and I both felt a bit nostalgic when we saw you, but then seeing the size comparrison when you came alongside us was quite a shock!

It looked massive in our garage, but coming into Cowes with all the traffic it felt small, I like the size though due to its usability, goes in the corner of the garage, can be launched by hand, ideal for me. I was very impressed by your 5.4 though, love the all grey stealth look, it did look big though. Hope you get your grab handle sorted, I have used Scott Braye at rib repair in the past and he is excellent,he is based on the way to Brockenhurst near Lymington, all his details are here: www.ribrepair.com
Sorry we didn't chat for longer I was starving!

chris123 · 12 June 2007, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADS

I have used Scott Braye at rib repair in the past and he is excellent,he is based on the way to Brockenhurst near Lymington, all his details are here: www.ribrepair.com

Not quite all his details - the address on his website is wrong- that address is / was his office, as I found out the hard way. His works is tucked in behind a vineyard on the Brockenhurst to Lymington road.

He did do an excellent job for me though.

Chris

ADS · 12 June 2007, 22:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris123

Not quite all his details - the address on his website is wrong- that address is / was his office, as I found out the hard way. His works is tucked in behind a vineyard on the Brockenhurst to Lymington road.

He did do an excellent job for me though.

Chris

You are right, its best to get him on his mobile. The address is his office and is where I dropped the cheque in and collected the invoice, the works as you say is on the Brock -Lym road but I think he keeps the address to himself from a security aspect as there are lots of valuable ribs there at any one time.

Alex

Nos4r2 · 12 June 2007, 22:31

Thanks guys. It's kinda irrelevant though as mine's going to the only place I know that supplies matching handles once the cheque arrives.

Maybe I should stop hijacking