searider in choppy water...

[dodl]

Hello,

I wonder if my Avon searider 4.70 is alright. Everybody told me its a great boat in choppy water and the deep-V will give me a smooth ride.

Well, but when i have waves of 1,50-2m i can only go 15-18 knots, above it gets pretty bumpy and i have to stand up, because sitting on my chair is pretty uncomfortable when driving faster.

Maybe i trimmed it wrong? Don't seems so. Is it simply because the boat is so small? Did i expect too much of the boat?

many thanks
martin

[Nasher]

18 knots in a 2M swell, and staying comfortable in a 4.7M Boat sounds good to me.

Or am I a wimp?

Nasher

[Alan]

Your searider is fine. You are doing 18kts in 2m seas in a 4.7m boat. Thats good. It is also going to be uncomfortable and yes you will need to stand up!
In 2m seas I would stand up in my 7.5m RIB. I would go a bit faster thats true but then it was a bigger boat!

[dodl]

Hello,

OK, thank you guys.

I really was a bit worried. I even could go a little bit faster, when standing up, but then comes a point very soon, where it feels a bit out of control. I even had a real problem with my trim. Around here everybody says, trim it up as much as possible. But no way with the Avon This boat wants to be flat in the water. As soon as i trim it up too much, it goes like a rodeo bronco...

I never drove a big RIB, only bigger GRP only boats. So i have no references.
Still dreaming of a Humber Ocean Pro Offshore

thanks
martin

[Richard B]

Both of the above (Nasher and Alan) have given you good advice

Originally Posted by dodl

Around here everybody says, trim it up as much as possible. But no way with the Avon This boat wants to be flat in the water. As soon as i trim it up too much, it goes like a rodeo bronco...

You should trim up in a following sea (generally with the wind behind you) but trim down (in) in a head sea (generally with the wind in your face) . Hope this helps!

[Phil Davies]

Dodl,

Are you using your Avon on the Neusiedler See near the Hungarian border, because I've never seen anything more than a ripple on it, let alone 2m waves!

[Rogue Wave]

send me a plane ticket and I'll show you how to drive it!

The Sea rider will definitely provide you with an adrelinie filled ride in a rough sea and yes they can definitely seem light at the front, but they are superb boats for the size in the rough.

I always thought that the consoles were too low and this makes for an uncomfortable ride on a long journey.

Does your sea rider have foot straps and a standard console

[dodl]

Hello,

Phil, the Neusiedler See is closed for all kinds of powerboats, like all other lakes in Austria (except for 2)
I only drive on the adriatic sea, don't even have a licence for lakes and rivers.

Rogue, i do not have a console. But i am building one right now. Learned a lot here about DIY Consoles. Currently the boat is more like a car. I don't know how you call that in english. This is the "Cockpit".



BTW, what are footstraps?

cu
martin

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by dodl

BTW, what are footstraps?

Have a look here: http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread....hlight=octopus

[Rogue Wave]

Ahh.

Is that a searider 4.7, I havent seen one with a cockpit before?

The seat looks very far forward, make the console higher than the standard Avon and design it around your arm length. Make sure you have a natural (ish) position for your arm to reach the throttle and steering wheel. likewise make sure you are comfortable with your leg position/Height on the console

[dodl]

Hello,

Well, a big thanks to all of you.

The console i am building is pretty high. With the cockpit it's very difficult to drive the boat when standing, because i nearly can't reach the wheel...

Yes rogue wave this is a Searider. At least, that's what is printed on the boat at the transom. It also has the typical flooding hull.
There are some more pic's here

cu
martin