Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
 
Old 07 December 2009, 06:44   #81
Member
 
Knot Yet's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Horsham
Boat name: Knot a RIB
Make: Avon Typhoon
Length: 4m +
Engine: Yamaha 25hp
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 868
Thanks Malthouse - will take a look

Have uploaded a couple of pictures from my phone (so a bit grey and blurry) of our little RIB once we got back - Malthouse the Gecko's were fantastic - thank you - probably the most useful bit of kit to date other than the dry suit, we need to find a better way to communicate when wearing them - what do others do??





Having a play with the video we took at the moment - if I can pull anything together worth watching will upload it for fun - sadly Darren being sick, the Hawaii five 0 entrance to Chi and the tow home all failed to record (phew)

J
__________________
Sometimes my mind not only wanders ..... it leaves completely

Member of the ebay Blue RIB cover club.
Knot Yet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 07:49   #82
RIBnet supporter
 
bedajim's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Rutland
Length: no boat
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 2,500
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knot Yet View Post
Malthouse the Gecko's were fantastic - thank you - probably the most useful bit of kit to date other than the dry suit, we need to find a better way to communicate when wearing them - what do others do??
J
Shout and point
__________________
bedajim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 07:53   #83
Member
 
Knot Yet's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Horsham
Boat name: Knot a RIB
Make: Avon Typhoon
Length: 4m +
Engine: Yamaha 25hp
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 868
Thanks Bedajim - there was a lot of shouting going on - not that constructive - so thinking about it probably best I couldn't hear that well!!
__________________
Sometimes my mind not only wanders ..... it leaves completely

Member of the ebay Blue RIB cover club.
Knot Yet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 07:59   #84
RIBnet supporter
 
C2 RIBS's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Hants
Length: 8m +
Engine: 300hp plus
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 3,072
KY - Gecko do offer a mike system for their helmets, covers radio connections and also person to person, With all your electrics you must have room for some more
__________________
C2 RIBS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 08:01   #85
Member
 
chewy's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Up Norf
Make: Avon SR4,Tremlett 23
Length: 4m +
Engine: Yam 55, Volvo 200
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,217
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knot Yet View Post
Thanks Bedajim - there was a lot of shouting going on - not that constructive - so thinking about it probably best I couldn't hear that well!!
Yep, just shout.
__________________
chewy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 08:30   #86
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: Wildheart
Make: Humber/Delta Seasafe
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60 Clamshell
MMSI: 235068449
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,667
The best thing to come out of this is the experience, which by posting hopefully not only you will have learned from. Out of curiosity, do you have an aux?


Trunks down is not usually a problem unless the resulting flood gets into your fuel or shorts electrics. An yes, we've all done it........

One thought on your fuel tank(s) - I'd stick with 2 - and assuming Sod's law doesn't reapply itself (i.e. both break simultaneously) , you at least have a spare in case one gets damaged. (holed, water ingress etc)
__________________
9D280 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 08:34   #87
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Mighty Penryn
Boat name: Little Joe.
Make: Avon Searider
Length: 4m +
Engine: Honda BF50
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 8,872
Quote:
Originally Posted by bedajim View Post
Shout and point
Like a Tourette's sufferer.
__________________
Mollers is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 08:41   #88
Member
 
Channel Ribs's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Channel Islands
Town: Alderney
Length: no boat
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,047
Quote:
Originally Posted by 9D280 View Post
... do you have an aux?

One thought on your fuel tank(s) - I'd stick with 2...
I am not sure the size of boat is going to suit a spare engine, having reason to be confident in the main one should be enough?

Even if you do go for a single tank KY, it is definitely worth having a second albeit small second tank for all the reasons above.

As you have discovered, a great many engine problems are fuel related!

I am really glad the Geckos came in handy.
__________________
Channel Ribs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 09:17   #89
Member
 
Knot Yet's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Horsham
Boat name: Knot a RIB
Make: Avon Typhoon
Length: 4m +
Engine: Yamaha 25hp
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 868
Put a bit of video on Youtube - it seems a bit small but that might be because its in HD or I've no idea what I'm doing

It's very boring (unless you were there in which case it is nowhere near exciting enough) and the music is terrible - so I hope you really enjoy it



J
__________________
Sometimes my mind not only wanders ..... it leaves completely

Member of the ebay Blue RIB cover club.
Knot Yet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 09:54   #90
Member
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: Wildheart
Make: Humber/Delta Seasafe
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60 Clamshell
MMSI: 235068449
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,667
Quote:
Originally Posted by malthouse View Post
I am not sure the size of boat is going to suit a spare engine,
It's a 5.4 SR! I got an aux on the back of an SR4, Polwart has an aux on his Fun Yak, And even with my agricultural A- frame I can get one on a 2m beam Humber - it shouldn't be an issue......

Quote:
Originally Posted by malthouse View Post
having reason to be confident in the main one should be enough?
but as KY has since found out, the engine is probably fine - she suffered simultaneous failure of 2 fuel tanks! It's a risk management thing
__________________
9D280 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 10:23   #91
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: West Sussex
Length: no boat
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 3,872
Hi Jean

What a day! Pleased however that you were all OK and lessons to be leant from your experience
A pity you went from Haslar to Hayling Island making the distance to Cowes even further. Perhaps if you had headed for Southampton Dry Stack who knows you may have caught up with us.
__________________
Andre
Andre is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 11:08   #92
Member
 
spartacus's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Town: Aberdeenshire
Boat name: Sula
Make: Ribcraft 4.8m
Length: 4m +
Engine: Tohatsu 70hp + aux
MMSI: 235087213
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,521
RIBase
Quote:
Originally Posted by 9D280 View Post
It's a 5.4 SR! I got an aux on the back of an SR4, Polwart has an aux on his Fun Yak, And even with my agricultural A- frame I can get one on a 2m beam Humber - it shouldn't be an issue......
Agreed, even managed to squeeze a Tohatsu 3.5hp on a Pro 7. Where there's a will there's a way.
__________________
spartacus is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 11:59   #93
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Dorset & Hants
Boat name: Streaker/Orange
Make: Avon/Ribcraft
Length: 4m +
Engine: 50Yam/25 Mariner
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,551
One point about an Aux - I'd not want to come into Chichester harbour with anything smaller than 20 HP on the back of a RIB of that size !
__________________
PeterM is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 12:08   #94
Member
 
HUMBER P4VWL's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Wales
Town: N Wales Chester
Boat name: Mr Smith
Make: Humber
Length: 6m +
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,238
we had a 6.6 aux on a 5.4. Rattled like hell on the bracket if you are in a proper rough sea at speed and also meant a permanent imbalance to the ride. Just a pain really so we took it off.

Hardly pushed the boat anyway. Get you to shore, but still got to get someone to take you home really unless it is flat calm...in which case there is doubtfully much to panic about.

I have seen aux's strapped to the deck or back of jockeys etc but on less than about 7m it takes a shed load of room up percentage wise.

Get your engine running well and check your equipment, radio etc is up to spec, enough i reckon.

Have you got a glass external fuel filter with drain? Found these were brilliant if you get water/fuel problems due to tanks on the deck of the infamously wet SR deck!!
__________________
HUMBER P4VWL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 12:24   #95
Member
 
Channel Ribs's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Channel Islands
Town: Alderney
Length: no boat
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,047
Quote:
Originally Posted by 9D280 View Post
It's a 5.4 SR! I got an aux on the back of an SR4, Polwart has an aux on his Fun Yak, And even with my agricultural A- frame I can get one on a 2m beam Humber - it shouldn't be an issue......
I am not suggesting it cant be done, just that there might be a better compromise. It all comes down to personal tastes I guess.

Imagine if Mr & Mrs KY had been coming into Chi and the main engine had faltered at just the wrong moment, there is the moment of indecision - try and restart the main or get the aux fired up. By the time it is running would the aux be able to put the situation right? Maybe, maybe not.

Personally the list of lessons learnt does not need "do not go to sea without a spare engine" adding to it. IMHO.
__________________
Channel Ribs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 13:24   #96
RIBnet admin team
 
Poly's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,622
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blackroady View Post
One point about an Aux - I'd not want to come into Chichester harbour with anything smaller than 20 HP on the back of a RIB of that size !
Ah but with no aux there is no option. If the engine dies at a truely critical moment your in the shit. With an Aux you can:
- try it (e.g. if the current conditions are ok)
- control it / keep out of harms way whilst waiting for some muscle to get you home properly
- choose to go somewhere else or wait somewhere better whilst the tide changes etc.

Quote:
Originally Posted by malthouse
Imagine if Mr & Mrs KY had been coming into Chi and the main engine had faltered at just the wrong moment, there is the moment of indecision - try and restart the main or get the aux fired up. By the time it is running would the aux be able to put the situation right? Maybe, maybe not.
except that KY had been having an ongoing issue with the engine all day - so the prudent thing would have been to had the aux in place, or even running - ensuring that no time was wasted.

Quote:
Personally the list of lessons learnt does not need "do not go to sea without a spare engine" adding to it. IMHO.
maybe not - but these posts: http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32760 and http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32878 suggests KY does have an aux but hadn't got round to finding a way of mounting it?

Quote:
Originally Posted by humberpaul
we had a 6.6 aux on a 5.4. Rattled like hell on the bracket if you are in a proper rough sea at speed and also meant a permanent imbalance to the ride. Just a pain really so we took it off.
of course the day you need it you'll regret that decision and realise it would have been better to find a better way of mounting - and move a spare fuel can, or anchor/chain, to the other side to correct the imballance.
Quote:
Hardly pushed the boat anyway. Get you to shore, but still got to get someone to take you home really unless it is flat calm...in which case there is doubtfully much to panic about.
I'd much rather be safely ashore trying to work out how to get back to my car than at sea waiting for a tow.
Quote:
I have seen aux's strapped to the deck or back of jockeys etc but on less than about 7m it takes a shed load of room up percentage wise.
that's odd - as until I get round to a better solution that's what I've done with mine on a sub 4m boat! A bit of bracket modification will see it mounted on the transom though.

I'm not suggesting that an aux is essential for every boat - mine did without for a long time, and my engine has never played up - but I think most people would put it higher up the list than AIS or active radar - and KY recently invested in those, with advice from the forum (who believed she had the aux covered).
__________________
Poly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 13:29   #97
JSP
Member
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Southport
Boat name: Qudos
Make: 5.4 Searider
Length: 5m +
Engine: Yam 115 V4
MMSI: 235068784
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,930
Hi Jean, see you've been having fun. Glad it turned ok for you in the end.
__________________
JSP is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 14:00   #98
Member
 
Channel Ribs's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Channel Islands
Town: Alderney
Length: no boat
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,047
Quote:
Originally Posted by Polwart View Post
I'd much rather be safely ashore trying to work out how to get back to my car than at sea waiting for a tow.
I am with you on that one

A quick question for KY... Had you taken the decision to anchor in sheltered water, do you think you would have found one or both of the fuel supply problems? Would you have felt better if you did or would your other half have lost both portions of breakfast in the process?
__________________
Channel Ribs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 14:16   #99
Member
 
Knot Yet's Avatar
 
Country: UK - England
Town: Horsham
Boat name: Knot a RIB
Make: Avon Typhoon
Length: 4m +
Engine: Yamaha 25hp
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 868
Help I feel like I'm in the RIBnet Court for not having fitted my aux engine

Let me put my side of the story to the bench:

Your learned Clerk we did indeed try to fit an aux engine - however having rung a few local chandlers the responses we got were along the lines of: it's not possible on your transom due to the shape of the a frame, it won't push your boat along (we already have a 4hp or thereabouts and of course the 25hp from the SIB), it will cause massive vibration and unbalance the boat.

We have therefore not progressed a solution - having it inside the RIB, apart from the risk of it coming loose, didn't seem sensible as with three adults and two large fuel cans rooms is limited.

However the fundamental mistake we made was to try and come into Chi Harbour in bad weather, in poor sea conditions with a buggered engine, we were very lucky it didn't fail on the way in.

What are my thoughts in hindsight...

1. I still don't think an aux engine is the answer for us - regardless of wether you can fit them to our RIB - why .... because it would'nt have helped at all - how do I know that, when we conked out the third time (!!) we managed to get the engine running at throttle forward to a gentle 6hp (the idea to conserve fuel and hand pumping) - we went no where - in fact according to the GPS slightly backwards - I personally think an aux engine (again on reflection) offers a comfort zone that when needed will fail.

2. Could we have started an aux on the way into the harbour if it had been tied to the inside of the boat or raised on a bracket - I doubt it - we couldn't stand up let alone move around - so it would have been utterly useless.

3. We could have had an aux running and on standby ready to take over - but then that raises another issue. Our current engine has a separate oil tank - so mixes for you - our aux needs a pre mixed fuel, so we would have needed a separate fuel tank so yet another item to carry, how much extra pre mixed fuel should we take when out, and of course the need to change in the event of an emergency.

In an ideal world we should have:

1. Not left via Chichester Harbour - I knew it could be grotty but lack of preparation meant I had no idea how grotty
2. Radioed the coastguard at the first sign of trouble
3. Made for the nearest safe haven and asked Darren's Dad to collect us, returned to the trailer and then collected the RIB. - So angry at myself for this oversight!!
4. Been members of Sea Start - allowing us to moor up and wait for the breakdown service whilst not placing other people or ourselves a risk.

Malthouse - just seen your comment - no we could not have fixed the fuel tanks without unscrewing the top plates - I doubt we could have done this on Saturday - however Darren did have a very large tool kit in the boat - weighs the same as a small person - so it is a possibility - he was so unwell though!!!!!

If we had found the issues with the tanks then yes that would have solved the worry over the engine but we should never have attempted coming back through the Harbour entrance when a lift from Portsmouth would have solved the problem but just taken slightly longer.

A few days after the event and I can't believe how much I've learnt through the experience, I'm obviously slightly nervous about the next time out - will be posting on here for a few friendly faces to join us - but I also feel so much more prepared and confident of better choices if it ever happened again - and that can only have been gained through the experience of Saturday

Once again thank you so much to everyone on here for sharing their advice and asking further questions - it is genuinely very much appreciated

J
__________________
Sometimes my mind not only wanders ..... it leaves completely

Member of the ebay Blue RIB cover club.
Knot Yet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07 December 2009, 14:31   #100
Member
 
Channel Ribs's Avatar
 
Country: UK - Channel Islands
Town: Alderney
Length: no boat
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,047
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knot Yet View Post
Once again thank you so much to everyone on here for sharing their advice and asking further questions
For what it is worth, I reckon that by not being fair weather boaters you have gained a big chunk of experience and will be all the better for it.

That which does not kill us.... yada yada yada

Do not feel bad about the aux engine thing, to some people you are daft not to have one and to others they are a waste of space. Getting the two groups together over beer is always lively!
__________________
Channel Ribs is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT. The time now is 18:18.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.