Is this a sensible setup

weymouth_sib · 26 April 2021, 19:51

Hi all,

A newbie to the forum for only an hour but it's providing great information already (and I wish i'd found it a month ago!), anyway i'm hoping for some guidance.

I've bought a 3.9m SIB along with a 4 stroke 15hp engine, which was advertised as weighing 46kg. The plan is for myself, my wife and out three children to use it for some coastal exploring - as a toe into the water hopefully leading on to something bigger in the future.

The kit all turned up last week and it took til the weekend to get it out an inspect, at which point I discover the enginer in fact weighs 55kg, and doesn't have any good carry handles.

So the question is, for what I want to do is the engine too big or just right? If it's right then is there any sort of equipment i can buy to take the strain out of moving it. 40kg would have been fine !

If it is the right engine and there is no handling equipment then maybe i should pay for mooring for the summer? (already sent off asking for quotes from the local marinas)

Any help / advice appreciated.

thanks

Paul

HDAV · 26 April 2021, 20:25

Hi and welcome, most people set up in carpark and use transom wheels to move boat with engine mounted to water, lugging motor to waters edge is hard work without wheels, from car boot to transom 3ft is doable

2 adults and 3 kids depending on where you are going might be hard work sibs and marinas don’t work but you can buy a trailer and tow it to a slip but most buy a sib to avoid trailering as a rib will perform better in the water

Fenlander · 26 April 2021, 20:26

Hi Paul and welcome to the forum. 55kg is very hefty for a 15hp... what brand is that?

There are two aspects to a heavy outboard... firstly the issue of you handling to and fro car when setting up.... then the heavier the outboard the more lardy it feels on the stern regarding performance and handling.

However I assume your 3.9 is rated above that for an allowable outboard weight??

All sorts of trolleys are available for outboards... retail and DIY... just Google.

Re a mooring... totally not ideal for an inflatable re seagull mess... weed growth... exposure to UV and temperature/pressure changes.

David

jeffstevens763@g · 26 April 2021, 21:31

Yam 51kg? Standard shaft

weymouth_sib · 26 April 2021, 21:39

Hi Dave and HDAV,

Yes the SIB is rated for the engine, the shop even sells them as a package, as for the make it's an "Orca" which apparently is a Yamaha clone. It is really odd that it weighs so much when the spec for it is much lower, so I'll ring them about that tomorrow (maybe it's been posted with some extra lead!)

I've been looking at trolleys and i can see those that get it to the car but what I'd like ideally is a trolley that can then tip into the car and wheel in, I can lift the engine straight up but the idea of loading it sideways into the car is what is concerning me :-)

That's disappointing about the mooring being a bad option, i don't really want to go down the trailer route, mainly because I don't want to end up filling up our drive and spending more money, but perhaps that is the only sensible way - I'll have a look now at what a trailer could set us back, but if we went that route i'm thinking a small one that the boat would sit on uninflated on top of the engine for transport, so at least we could park it in the garage when not in use, is this something people do?

HDAV what did you mean about "Marinas and SIBs don't work" is that the UV thing again? I did notice in Weymouth marina the slipway is quite steep so I'm a bit concerned about that now.

Nothing as ever as easy as I expect, i should have learnt by my age :-)

thanks again

Paul

weymouth_sib · 26 April 2021, 21:40

Jeff, yes I think it's a yamaha clone, electric start too so perhaps that's what's dialled it up?

jeffstevens763@g · 26 April 2021, 21:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by weymouth_sib

Jeff, yes I think it's a yamaha clone, electric start too so perhaps that's what's dialled it up?

Yep that will be it interested to know how you get on with the engine

https://www.billhigham.co.uk/product...utboard-motor/

weymouth_sib · 26 April 2021, 21:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Yep that will be it interested to know how you get on with the engine

I'll let you know when / if i get it to the water ;-)

Tonus · 26 April 2021, 21:48

I’ve got similar intentions to you - doing some coastal boating with my wife and anywhere from 1-4 of my kids. I have a 50kg 20hp 4 stroke and had a 4.35m Sib last year. The problem wasn’t so much the weight of the engine but the combined weight of the engine and a pretty hefty Sib, making the total weight 160kg+.
I now have a slightly smaller Alu Rib which is half the weight and still have the 20hp. For me it was all about manageability of the boat, on transom wheels, and potential to handle it with one or two people. I’m hoping it’s going to work out this season...
The engine (a Merc) has been ok to move short distances and I have an outboard trolley to help. I got used to handling it pretty quick. 20hp with the family onboard was fun - even with six.

The wheels have made a big difference though, on both boats. I have the type that curve under the transom and it makes the boat feel very light as the engine counter balances the whole rig!

Good luck

Tony

weymouth_sib · 26 April 2021, 21:51

thanks for the response Tony, it's good to know that i'm not alone in this approach :-)

On the wheels when you say they "curve under the transom" can you tell me the make / model so i can see what you mean?

thanks

paul

HDAV · 26 April 2021, 22:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by weymouth_sib

Jeff, yes I think it's a yamaha clone, electric start too so perhaps that's what's dialled it up?

Don’t forget the weight of the battery as well then and the fuel tank

Sibs left on the water deteriorate pretty quickly, the engine is the valuable nickable bit and they soon fill with water poop seals etc so need a cover that comes off or rips etc a hard boat is better on a mooring grp clinker style

A camping trailer for a sib is the worst of all worlds........surely all the hassle and you still have to tow but interested in what car can take a 4m sib 15 motor and 3 kids and 2 adults and everything they need for a day out

I fill an suv on my own and I tow......

A road trailer for the summer and deflate and store in winter in garage is what many do and saves the whole inflating and deflating every time but you loose the neppbenefit of a sib, there are some folding trailer ideas on here but none I’m aware for sale yet

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221416874766

How much on the water experience do you have? Have you considered doing a pd2 or are you only going to venture 50m from shore on flat calm summers days in sheltered bays?

weymouth_sib · 26 April 2021, 22:37

HDAV

We only live 20mins from weymouth so will be taking two cars down, me with the gear and the wife with the kids. my thinking on a camping trailer is at least I can lower the engine onto it, as opposed to getting it in the boot of the car which i think would be much more awkward.

I'm starting to wonder if i can get a trolley with wheels on the bottom and on the handles, so it could be wheeled to the boot of the car and then wheeled in.

HDAV · 26 April 2021, 22:39

This engine? https://boatworld.co.uk/orca-15hp-ou...electric-start

The 15hp and 20hp are same displacement so wondering why the 20hp weighs more

if anything the bigger hole in the carb should mean it’s a little lighter?

Also warranty is 2yr for 15hp but the extra 12kg for the 20hp (same displacement ) is 3 yr?

What does it say on the actual paperwork? Also they info on boatworld has 17” and 25” shaft lengths both as standard ..... I think there is something lost in translation.........

Always be aware of a “clone” generally it’s a bad sign.......

chipko · 27 April 2021, 07:37

Hi Paul, welcome to the forum.

Many on here store and move around our motors on cheap modified sack trucks.

If you want something to store motor on, move it around plus the facility to slide into car you could modify a 2 in 1 sack truck. The small castors below the handles allow easy loading into a vehicle. Just need to add a timber board at suitable height to clamp motor on.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/cst4...-1-sack-truck/

Regarding motor weight....unfortunately the quoted weights on the dealers website for the 15hp are an error. The quoted weight for the 20hp looks about right though. Generally manufacturers 4 stroke 15 and 20hp motors are the same block and therefore the same weight. The Orca’s are basically Yamaha clones and a short shaft, pull start, tiller 15/20 Yam Is a lardy 52kg. Add another 3 kilos or so for electric start.

Well within your rights for a refund if wanted, methinks.

For info, the current crop of 15/20 efi motors are considerably lighter. All quoted dry weights are for the lightest model...short shaft, manual start on tiller;
Tohatsu 43kg
Suzuki 44kg
Merc/Mariner 47.5kg (despite quoted 45kg)

Carburettor motors from Honda are 46kg and Yamaha a rather lardy 52kg.

Old seahorse · 27 April 2021, 07:51

Hi Paul. I am fairly new to inflatables too, and still learning, after some years with trailer boating.
As an aside, I see you are in the Weymouth area.
When you are ready to launch, could I suggest you try The sailing academy at Portland ?
It has plenty of space to set up, a good, wide slipway into the marina, and a pontoon, as well as wash down facilities, and parking.
It’s also within Portland Harbour, giving you plenty of protected water to try things out, before venturing out into the bay.
Good luck with it.

Fenlander · 27 April 2021, 08:05

Which inflatable did you get from Boatworld... the V air floor or the alloy floor Fisher Pro? I wonder what age the kids range between? I'm just thinking in terms of if you have help or hinderance at setup time... load carried etc.

weymouth_sib · 27 April 2021, 09:43

thanks all the input / advice is a great help

I just spoke with Boatworld and they were great, offered a refund or exchange - and they're going to update the website. Talked the issue through and I said i'd do more digging on moving it around, as the advice was that I could go for a smaller engine but that's less ideal considering we're a family of five and will be planning day trips.

That 2 in 1 sack truck with the handle with wheels is the sort of thing i'd imagined, so i'm going to mull that over, also talking through with the wife i'm wondering if there is some sort of way of lifting the engine more easily (as there are not enough good hand-holds). Perhaps some sort of strap so that it's easier to 2 person lift.

The kids are 12 year old girl, 6 year old girl and 4 year old boy, so no help otherwise for lifting, apart from the 6 year old doing the "i'll help daddy" routine, which means she makes it more awkward :-)

And seahorse yes the sailing academy is the plan, we won't be leaving the harbour probably for the first excursion so we can learn our lessons in relative safety, also got my PB2 course booked there for next month so that should help too. One bit i'm wary of at the moment after visiting the slipway in weymouth harbour was the steepness of that, are they all the same?

thanks

Paul

So, an evening of youtube / thinking is in front of me

HDAV · 27 April 2021, 10:46

Steep slips are good for trailers flat slips are no good so most slips have a decent angle otherwise no good for launching boats........ slips are built for trailers and vehicles not hand launching

weymouth_sib · 27 April 2021, 12:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDAV

Steep slips are good for trailers flat slips are no good so most slips have a decent angle otherwise no good for launching boats........ slips are built for trailers and vehicles not hand launching

that makes sense, is there a sensible alternative to a slipway? or even use the slipway but lower the boat down using the car and a tie off to the front of the SIB ?

Apologies for the dumb questions!

Paul

Old seahorse · 27 April 2021, 13:22

Hi Paul, have a look at Portland slip set up( if you haven’t already! )
There is a large, flat area at top of the slip, to park and set up. Also has toilets , and hosepipe. I agree with comments on differing gradients( as well as how clean or slippery it is). Portland isn’t too steep( I’ve used it with trailer launch and with sib).
You could pick up family from pontoon, after you have launched, to make it safer.
The slipway at Baiter park in Poole is also gentle gradient. It has a hosepipe and good parking, and launches are straight into the harbour. It can be busier than Portland, but that also means help is at hand if you need it! It gives choice of good sib cruising, with good access to sea, or masses of options within the harbour.
West Bay( Bridport) has good facilities, but is quite steep, and can be slippery at low tides. It has a pontoon to pick up/ drop off passengers( a bit of a trek around on long pontoons for young children though) westBay is not a good place in an Easterly wind though, making launching and recovery hazardous, as I have found out!