XS or Destroyer

[Mr Flibble]

Hi all,
Been window shopping again.

Looking for a good sea boat for diving and cruising.
Total budget for boat/engine/trailer will be roughly £13k

Like the look of the 5.3m Humber Destroyer and the 5.4m XS.
Both are similar in price.
Anyone any views on which is the best sea boat/best build quality/standard extras?
Do you know if either manufacturer accepts trade ins (need to offload the old SIB first)? I know I could ask them but thought I'd ask here first.

Thanks in advance.

[Tim M]

You'd be better off selling your current boat on boatsandoutboards.co.uk

Both are respected brands. I do like XS ribs - they seem very well made, that said, so are Humbers. I would be tempted to go for the XS though.

[Pablo]

I have a friend who is very disappointed with the 540 XS (which is infact 5.6m) that he bought at the end of the summer. He had a 90hp Optimax which is the recommended maximum but the performances were not up to expectations. He's taking it back to have it replaced by a 550 with 115 Opti in the hope that it'll be a more satisfying ride.

For info, he wanted to use it for spearfishing in the rough stuff at the point of Brittany.

You can see it here under "Kornog" on the Brenderup trailer :
http://www.pneuboat.com/frames.php?u...erso/index.php

[Pablo]

Here is the direct link to his site :
http://www.pneuboat.com/frames.php?u...hp&num_pp=1021

[Pete7]

For a dive rib of that length I would be looking for something like this. Superb hull although I think you will find its 5.25 but looks and feels big for its size and lots of room to kit up etc.

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F171203

[Mr Flibble]

Thats a nice boat Pablo, I'd probably also go for the 90 Opti, nice photo of the Basking Shark as well. Kinda moving more towards the XS as the nose seems a bit more raised than that of the Destroyer. Performance wise I'd be content with it planing with 5 people and 4 sets of kit on board. Not too worried about great speed. I'm a bit worried that your friends boat was actually 5.6m and not 5.4m (I'd like to fit this into my garage 5.4m just would make it, no chance with a 5.6m though), but if push came to shove I'd keep it in the driveway.

[Pablo]

You are taking the trailer nose into account aren't you ?

He went out just 2 up without dive sets. We're freedivers.

[K&S]

Hi,

Have used the xs 540 good boat, but would recommend the xs 550 for the extra width which would be useful especially for divers.

We liked xs so much we bought a xs 650.

Hope this helps K & S.

[alystra]

Well, eight seasons of good use, hard at times. No problems at all. Nothing. Moon Raker (I know, I know. It was my son's choice, and it was his boat) is as good as new. Tough. I'll be happy to get another Humber if this one ever wears out.

[BruceB]

I agree, once you can get them from the factory Humbers seem to last for ever even if they aren't as "pretty" as some other makes.
In saying that XS are supposedly the replacement for Tornado (the UK built versions) and I would rate them as well if they are as good as they used to be.
names are funny things, 99.9999% of folk won't understand my choice eitherbut its an old gaelic legendary boat that required neither wind nor oars to travel around......