kit for honwave 3.8

warpa · 28 September 2014, 13:55

When I sell my bowrider ill be looking to complete the set up for my 3.8 airdeck and would like a little advice so I dont buy anything unnecessary.
The not yet run in Honda 5hp will be replaced with a Honda 20 (2nd hand) ill also want it to live on a galvanised trailor that will be used for launching. Is it ok to leave the engine on the boat and boat on the trailor all winter? Having said that the engine can come indoors to avoid having to winterise.

Should I get the seat that is missing and should I get the tiller extension so I can use myself as ballast, there will only ever be one or two of us out, and any pointers on a trailor and could one man push boat and trailor up and down a slipway?

paddlers · 28 September 2014, 14:15

My 3.5 only came with one seat from new. Made another using the clips off eBay for about a tenner. I'd fancy some decent launch wheels for the versatility of beach launching rather than being tied to shoving the trailer up and down the slip/beach plus no issues about getting the bearings wet.
You'll still need to winterise your engine if you're not using it. Personally I'd stick it in the garage/shed. Tiller extensions are good for going flat out solo.

philpot · 28 September 2014, 19:11

I had the 3.8 and as I recall, the manual states that the engine must not be left on the boat. Now I could be totally wrong here but I think it also states the boat should not have the engine on to tow with.
It did not make any difference to me as it all went in the car but perhaps someone has a Honda manual to hand just to check if I am going crazy.

Phil

warpa · 28 September 2014, 19:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by philpot

I had the 3.8 and as I recall, the manual states that the engine must not be left on the boat. Now I could be totally wrong here but I think it also states the boat should not have the engine on to tow with.
It did not make any difference to me as it all went in the car but perhaps someone has a Honda manual to hand just to check if I am going crazy.

Phil

You are right, just checked and engine and people need to be removed. Looks like I may be going the rib route quicker than I thought

MustRib · 28 September 2014, 22:59

on the first 3.8 I owned, I would regularly trail the boat on a bunked Indespension JS09 trailer, with the engine fitted, and a bracket with a roller supporting the transom directly below the engine. It never presented any issues or did any damage to the boat. Undertook several long distance journeys that way. The engine was a Yam 20 2 stroke, lighter than a Honda 4 stroke 20.
I coud easily push the trailer around by hand with the boat on it, when on the level or a slight incline, but not on a proper slipway. The trailer was unbraked, and I wouldnt want to be trying to manouvre it by hand on a slipway by myself.
I almost never used the seat. I got a couple of floating boat cushions - the type that WAFI's often have in their cockpit, and would often perch myself on one of those in the boat. Gave a more secure feeling than sitting on something the height of the tubes when it got a little "bouncy".
When I first got launching wheels and fitted them, I would never take the trailer onto the slipway ...it was easier just to roll the SIB off the trailer and walk it down the slipway on its launching wheels.
Hope that helps.

Fenlander · 29 September 2014, 10:14

I accept you had no issues towing with the outboard on MustRib but yesterday after a day out on our inflatable travelling home with it all packed away in car we followed a trailed outfit of a Quicksilver inflatable with a 10hp outboard on the transom all the way through a large town. Forgetting the weight of the outboard and whether the transom was supported the twist on the top of the transom from the tilted outboard as he bounced over town potholes was quite worrying.

The only way to stop this completely is to have a skeg support that goes back to the trailer.

Having said all that the Honwaves seem to have very substantial transoms compared to others and the attachment of transom to boat seems very secure too.

MustRib · 29 September 2014, 11:20

the key is having the transom supported under the motor,
and some secure attachments - boat to trailer
I can only speak as I found with my Honwave and cant tell you whether
its good practice on other inflatables, not knowing their build quality etc and
the means of support on your trailer.
You dont want to do it ...then dont do it....simples.

Fenlander · 29 September 2014, 12:58

Yep no problem everyone has to do what suits. Just making the point the transom support alone is only fully effective when it is supporting the static weight or a directly downwards force but from what I observed the outboard powerhead was producing a fair backward and forward movement that could accelerate stress on the attachments between transom top and tubes.

It's the first time I've followed a smaller inflatable on a trailer with the outboard mounted and was genuinely surprised by the way the outboard shook about.

warpa · 30 September 2014, 20:07

Would a rachet strap over the engine and around the trailer not fix any issue, on the water the sea will act as a cushion, but the engine still bounces all over the place.