First Sib, need advice on which one

[Wayne The Punk]

It looks like I will be having to launch it from a beach. Budleigh Salterton, loads of pebbles quite steep. Will also need to pack it into the rear of the car, with the engine after every trip.

I wont risk launching on the ramp at Exmouth due to the tide rip there (new to this)

Any advice for which one to go for? Will usually only be me, but may have up to 3 in it during holidays

Thank you in advance

[HDAV]

Have a good read of posts by others in similar situations. Plenty of choice, lots of advice. Don’t underestimate the weight and awkwardness of the engine and boat and the ease of a trailer.

Hand launching on a pebble beach is hard work... i’d take the nice concrete ramp any day over a steep pebble beach !

[Fenlander]

Welcome to the forum Wayne (I assume). Standard advice is to have a look through the Which SIB thread...

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/which-s...sib-62208.html

Like HDAV a slip would have to be dreadful before I'd choose a beach launch... pebbles in particular can make it so difficult.

Also what you can manage on your own and what can carry three adults in many ways are different SIBs.

Have you a starting point of size/type and outboard size you'd thought you might need?

Are you looking new or used?

David

[Wayne The Punk]

Thanks for the replies so far gents @Fenlander and @HDAV . The advice I have gleaned so far is, get the best engine you can buy. So I was thinking 9.8 HP Tohatsu. I was also reccomended to buy a package, and maybe sell part of it.

I would love to have a boat in the marina at Exmouth, but for me the fees are just too expensive.

I dont have space to keep a trailer outside my house (Without putting a new gate in, then removing a raised bed and paving over that area) so that was the reason for the boat and motor been able to be accomodated in the boot of the car.

The tidal rip at Exmouth looks horrific, and I did see a rib, or a sib going across the estuary and it looked quite hairy, that was my reason for looking for advice re a launch on the beach

The reason for the craft is fishing, I know some people have boats for the love of the boat, but my reason would be to enhance my fishing (If that makes sense)

[Fenlander]

I'm a daily inflate and carry in the car guy so very familiar with all that entails.

Do you mean the excellent 26kg Tohatsu 9.8 2-stroke? It would be perfect for a SIB just over 3m when you are 1/2 folks and be manageable to carry down a beach. Once you go above that to a 15hp even the lightest of the 2-strokes are around 36kg and that 10kg makes them much more awkward on a sloped pebble beach.

NB Assuming you do mean the light 9.8 2-stroke Tohatsu beware there is a 9.9 model that is far heavier so avoid that.

Just to pick one out of the air I wonder if a Honwave 3.2m air floor would suit you. Put a mat on the floor for protection and I think you'd be fine fishing 1/2 from that. They are good value well made SIBs new or used.

Thinking about adding the third person ideally you need to go up to 3.5m and 15hp plus which will spoil portability on a beach.

[Fenlander]

Have you seen the forum's very own Mr Turtleback?

Spin onto 9m10s and see The Gunrnard's method with his 2.75m Frib. They are rarely seen second hand and expensive new for someone starting out but might give you some ideas...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7evXi3Asq4

[Wayne The Punk]

Thanks for all of the comments lads. Things have just got better, I have found somewhere within 5 miles that will store a boat and trailer in a secure park for about £500 a year

Now my dream can really begin

[SixtyNorth]

Sounds good. Do you still think a SIB is the right type of boat for you, now you have a place to store the boat and trailer?

[Wayne The Punk]

Originally Posted by SixtyNorth

Sounds good. Do you still think a SIB is the right type of boat for you, now you have a place to store the boat and trailer?

Well its still going to be a solo launch, so thought the weight would help make it easier, (I dont have a 4 wheel drive) going to book a level 1 RYA boat handling course at Exmouth, for starters, then a VHF course, then buying the lifejacket radio and finally the boat, then comes the scary bit, launching for the first time

Still lots of stupid questions to come

[HDAV]

forget level 1 go straight for a level 2 great fun and will learn lots.

Get a friend ideally one who knows a bit about boats to help launch first couple of times. But you don’t need a 4 wheel drive just a good length of rope and some knowledge..... plenty of people can’t launch and recover a small boat with a 4x4...

Also if using a storage yard then a sib might not be the best choice most fishermen go for a hard boat or small cuddy type better for sitting out on the water for long periods and more resilient

https://www.orkneyboats.com/range/tr.../coastliner-14

[Wayne The Punk]

Originally Posted by HDAV

forget level 1 go straight for a level 2 great fun and will learn lots.

Get a friend ideally one who knows a bit about boats to help launch first couple of times. But you don’t need a 4 wheel drive just a good length of rope and some knowledge..... plenty of people can’t launch and recover a small boat with a 4x4...

Also if using a storage yard then a sib might not be the best choice most fishermen go for a hard boat or small cuddy type better for sitting out on the water for long periods and more resilient

https://www.orkneyboats.com/range/tr.../coastliner-14

Thanks for that HDAV, I always fancied a hard bodied boat, but the storage situation being difficult led me down the inflatable route, will definitely be looking at hard bodied boats again. Suppose I need to start a seperate thread asking anyone if they would mind a newbie watching them launch locally

[SixtyNorth]

As mentioned, I think a traditional hard boat would be more suitable if storing the boat on a trailer outside. The Coastliner is a nice little boat and seaworthy. If going for something like that I would recommend a folding dodger rather than a cuddy.You would have more space when the weather is nice. But, some form of shelter is great when out for a days fishing.

[HDAV]

Originally Posted by Wayne The Punk

Thanks for that HDAV, I always fancied a hard bodied boat, but the storage situation being difficult led me down the inflatable route, will definitely be looking at hard bodied boats again. Suppose I need to start a seperate thread asking anyone if they would mind a newbie watching them launch locally

Just pack a flask drive to launch ramp with a pair of binos and have a grand day out watching most people make fools of themselves wait till you see someone turn and launch in 2 minutes with zero fuss and have a chat, people like talking about their boats more than using them.

Any warm weekend from now on will yield positive results just check the tide times fishermen tend to launch and stay out all day leisure boaters a couple of hours. So morning high tide is a good time to catch them...


Tip wear wellies and pack spare socks and shoes you will get wet feet!

[Fenlander]

I would agree with others above. Now you are pleased to have found storage and intend to use a trailer you will be using the slipway not beach. So your choice opens up massively to rigid boats which might better suit your use where fishing is the prime objective.

I don't fish but I've owned several trailed open and cuddy day/fishing type boats up to 18ft with motors up to 25HP and they have been a doddle to manage with 2WD cars.

There is a huge choice available on Ebay and other places.

Below are three of the boats we've owned which were light to trail, easy to manage and would suit fishing.

[jeffstevens763@g]

As said light weight solid boats are worth a look


https://www.ribs.co.uk/aluminium-boa...-boat-fishing/

[SixtyNorth]

Just make sure you find a boat designed for sea use. Personally, I'd be looking at a minimum of 14ft long with a decent freeboard and spray dodger.