Searider in !!!

[vanisle_rib]

Finally !!!

Humidity finally let up a bit so I actually had a few days to finish the tubes. The floor got a new paint job as well. Put a sounder in, siliconed the console, reupholstered the jockey seat, sealed the water ballast (since its going to be moored most of the summer in a tidal area which exposes about a foot of mud on low tide), installed an automatic bilge and, hummmm, lots of running around getting this and that (you know how it goes).

Anyways.

Trailed the rib out, started up the Mariner 60 and brought it out in some good ol Vancouver Island wind swell. Handles GREAT !!!! Way better then my old soft bottom Futura. Got out of the semi rough stuff and opened it up on the calm waters to get a top speed of 40 Mph, not bad considering its a 5.4 being powered by a 60 hp. I’m impressed. Wouldn’t mind maxing out the HP with a 90 one day, mmmmmmmm, one day.

So, enough with the blabbering, here’s some pics of the re-conditioned Searider 5.4

Planning a trip to the west side of the island soon, will post pics later.

[boatster]

Sweet rib,

I use my Searider to hit the surf here in Southern California out at the islands. Mines only a 4 meter though. I want to get another, hopefully a 5.4. Where did you get yours? Looks like you painted yours also.

[vanisle_rib]

Thanks for the comment.

I actually picked the Searider up at a Marine Garage Sale here in Victoria for $500 Canadian. Couldnt believe my luck !!! I've been looking for a decent rib for about a year with no success and then bam, the opportunity hits. She was in pretty rough shape when I picked er up but 30 days later its lookin not to bad.

I did a complete paintjob on it using SRC Tuff-Coat since the tubes were pretty worn out.

[boatster]

WOW!!! $500 I wish I could find a deal like that. How is the Surf up in Canada? I've heard its pretty good. Isolated, which is good. Down here in California even heading out to the islands its crowded but much less so than on the mainland. That and the water is cleaner too! I would love to hear about your surf experience up there.

[vanisle_rib]

The winters are good, summers not so good. Looks like a nice ( rare ) summer time pulse is about to hit this coming Thursday so I'll bring the boat out for that one.

http://facs.scripps.edu/surf/images/pacne60.gif

The crowds are pickin up slowly here, seems everyone is getting the surf bug on the island these days. Thats why I bring the rib with me.

SoCal, I like it down there, I consider Imperial Beach my second home, hehe.

[boatster]

Looks good!! Yeah it seems everyones looking for isolated surf these days. Good deal on ye boat!

[Biggles]

Hi from England,

So what do you guys mean by riding the surf. I've just started to ride the back and the top of what surf I can find. Is that what you do, and if so any chance you can post some pictures. You've got to have some large waves where you are.

Regards Nick R.

[boatster]

Hi Biggles,

Surfing as in standing on a surfboard and riding waves like in Hawaii .
We like to use ribs to get to surf breaks because they are safe, fast, and fuel efficient. The surf breaks are usually only accessible by boat which reduces the crowd and competition for waves. Surfing has become a very trendy thing to do in the United States.

The only time I surf waves in my rib is when I'm in a following sea with big ground swells of 14 seconds or more. Its almost like surfing on surfboard sometimes

Boatster

[Biggles]

Hi Boatster,

Somehow I couldn't imagine me surfing my Sea Rider like a proper surfboard. Might be the start of a new craze though.

Had a bit of a wake up call last Saturday. Went to a beach I normally stop at for refreshements which is always flat calm like a mirror, and saw what I though was a load of seals in the water. Once we got closer I could see that they were surfers. Strange, but then I could see the big swells that were coming in and we were on them. Good fun but can be tiring working the boat over them.

And to cap it all the Cafe was closed.

[jwalker]

Looks a nice wee boat. Well done.