Min Horse Power for Honwave t32 or t38 airdeck?

[MBC123]

Hello All, new to the forum and the world of SIBs...

Brief background: I sailed dinghies on east coast estuaries growing up and have recenty returned to doing that in middle age with my 2 boys. Well, i did for 3 summers before it got too time-consuming (we're in north london and we had to drive 1 hr 30 each way adn then set up / pack away). my older son (nearly 15) is very into his fishing though, and we have fished a partiular non tidal stretch of the Thames around sunbury / Kingstom from electric hire boats quite a few times. hiring is expensive and I'd like to have my own boat. Want someting tough, safe, roomy, stable, light-weight and not too expensive. Needs to be something I can put in and out of the water without too much strain on the muscles. My son is pretty strong now, so we can call this a 2 (1.5) man job. In the SIB world Honwave air deck SIBs seem to fit that brief. So, main purpose is 2 people, plus fishing gear on non -tidal, non choppy (compared to estuaries / the sea) water.

i'd also like as a secondary purpose to be able to take my wife and other son as well as me and the older one on pleasrure trips / picnics. it's a beautiful stretch.

How wd these 2 models measure up against that brief?

And - most diffiult question - re outboard: waht is the minimum power I woud need to ferry all these people / gear about? I am not looking to speed abbout planing or anything like that. Not sure I'm allowed to anyway on the river. But I do want to make sure I can have a reasonable speed and obviously have sufficient power so I can control the boat / direction. a friend is offfering me an electric motor (e-propulsion sprit 1.0, 'comparable to 3 hp according to website) at a very good pricce. It's short shaft so I think (need to check) that works. Assuming it does - will this be enough, or am I risking being underpowered? I'd prefer an electric motor ideally as less to go wrong....


also storage tips for sibs ; I want to leave it at the sailing club. Best to leave it inlfated / semi inflated? Packed away? Covered - against weather / rodents?

Sorry - long post - any advice / tips much appreciated.

[chipko]

Hi and welcome to this mad house.

Good choice of sib and won’t go far wrong with either. My personal preference, if the extra weight is no problem, then go for the T38. Much roomier and might even be slightly quicker at displacement speeds due to extra wetted length.

Electric motor wise have look at this thread on our Spirit 1 Evo;
https://www.rib.net/forum/f36/epropu...evo-89685.html

It’ll not be fast but not really underpowered either for river use. With such high torque they’re not really affected too much with boat weight/load. Just be aware they’re not equal to a 3hp petrol motor but in a way not a fair comparison as the benefit of electric is to run at low to mid power to take advantage of motors torque and maximise run time. As a comparison our 3.5hp petrol would push a T38 along at 10 knots full chat one up.
If going non electric then a 6hp petrol would be my choice for river use.
Storage wise at the sailing club I’d be looking to store covered, inflated and sitting on a launch trolley all ready to go.

PS: Extra short shaft Spirit ideal for a sib but the short will still be ok, just remember you’ll need a bit more draft.

[MBC123]

Thanks very much indeed for that; yes, I was leaning towards the t38 for space. Very helpful and reassuring all round, am feeling good about this choice. re launch trolley vs transom wheels - any thoughts? I'm guessing a launch trolley also gives you a better storage option by keeping it off the ground?

[Easedalenovice]

Yes T38 all the way. and I would say 10hp is minimum, 15 is lovely and 20 hp is good if on a trailer.

There is a lovely set up on Facebook Market place at the moment

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...type=top_picks

[chipko]

Originally Posted by MBC123

re launch trolley vs transom wheels - any thoughts? I'm guessing a launch trolley also gives you a better storage option by keeping it off the ground?

Either or both really, not much in it so down to personal choice. Just thought a bunked launch trolley good support for boat whilst stored in the dinghy park and a doddle on the slip.
Transom wheels still good and fairly easy to raise bow off ground with a dolly or just blocks. Transom wheels on board also useful for stops en route.

[Fenlander]

Hi and welcome to the forum. A T38 is a good choice and you also might consider alternatives from Boatworld who have a good reputation on here.

Yep as Chipko says you must cover during storage and on a launch trolley will probably suit your situation best.

Re outboard power on non-tidal inland rivers 4hp will move you fine, 6hp give a bit better feel when 4-up against wind or flow. If you never take it to sea or in a situation where you plane then 6hp is plenty. If you were to do so though a jump to 15hp would be needed ideally for your max number of folks.

The only curved ball I'd throw in... If you are going to be 100% river use kept at and launched from a sailing club slipway might a hard boat be better?

[MBC123]

Thanks again eveyone, really is much appreciated.

From the sound of it re outboard, I could get away with the Spirit 1 Evo, though a little more power would be better when loaded with 4 people(non-tidal river only)? The price I'm being offered for this motor is hard to turn down.

Another thought occurs to me (sorry bit of stream of consciousness her) What are these boats like to row? Is it a serious back-up option if my motor fails or is it really only for small manoevres?

I actually have an old 3.5 HP petrol outboard. I can't imagine the transom is big enough to allow me to have 2 outboards on it, is it? (Am thinking back up options. i've often seen this on boats where I sail).

Fenlander - not at all against a hard boat. But the weight off the SIB I find apealing, as well as the option of deflating and moving (though as you say most likely I will be keeping it in one place only). Are there hard boats out there for similar size / weight (seems unlikey??) / price etc?

[Easedalenovice]

Originally Posted by MBC123

Thanks again eveyone, really is much appreciated.

From the sound of it re outboard, I could get away with the Spirit 1 Evo, though a little more power would be better when loaded with 4 people(non-tidal river only)? The price I'm being offered for this motor is hard to turn down.

Another thought occurs to me (sorry bit of stream of consciousness her) What are these boats like to row? Is it a serious back-up option if my motor fails or is it really only for small manoevres?

I actually have an old 3.5 HP petrol outboard. I can't imagine the transom is big enough to allow me to have 2 outboards on it, is it? (Am thinking back up options. i've often seen this on boats where I sail).

Fenlander - not at all against a hard boat. But the weight off the SIB I find apealing, as well as the option of deflating and moving (though as you say most likely I will be keeping it in one place only). Are there hard boats out there for similar size / weight (seems unlikey??) / price etc?

My Honwave T38 ie 2 and other sibs including the Honwave T35 row quite well. Either sitting forwards or sitting in the convential position.

[MBC123]

Originally Posted by Easedalenovice

My Honwave T38 ie 2 and other sibs including the Honwave T35 row quite well. Either sitting forwards or sitting in the convential position.

very good to know, thanks very much.

[tinker]

It's OK rowing an inflatable in good weather,.Once the wind gets up your up against it big time,.IMHO.

[Brinormeg]

Originally Posted by MBC123

Thanks again eveyone, really is much appreciated.

From the sound of it re outboard, I could get away with the Spirit 1 Evo, though a little more power would be better when loaded with 4 people(non-tidal river only)? The price I'm being offered for this motor is hard to turn down.

Another thought occurs to me (sorry bit of stream of consciousness her) What are these boats like to row? Is it a serious back-up option if my motor fails or is it really only for small manoevres?

I actually have an old 3.5 HP petrol outboard. I can't imagine the transom is big enough to allow me to have 2 outboards on it, is it? (Am thinking back up options. i've often seen this on boats where I sail).

Fenlander - not at all against a hard boat. But the weight off the SIB I find apealing, as well as the option of deflating and moving (though as you say most likely I will be keeping it in one place only). Are there hard boats out there for similar size / weight (seems unlikey??) / price etc?

A f-rib is another option and a mix between a rib and sib.
Still manageable, fits in a car if need be and quite usable at sea if usage changes.

[Tommy c]

I have a t32 and my son has a t38
If you are going to use it 2 up for fishing then t38 all day long.
The t38 though, IMO (and both me and my son are piecework bricklayers), is a 2 man lift.
My son has put my 6hp on his t38 and has achieved 14mph solo.
He's also used my Suzuki 2.5hp 4 stroke that is on my 22' sailboat and on both boats it happily achieves 5mph

[Fenlander]

>>What are these boats like to row? Is it a serious back-up option if my motor fails or is it really only for small manoevres?

Ahh that depends on your benchmark. They are probably worse than any boat that's actually designed to row. Fine lightly loaded in a river flow and wind free scenario or with the wind behind you but if it's a gusty headwind it's two forward with the oar stroke and one back with the wind. They present a very blunt face to the water and don't carry way.

Re hard boats all I can say is we as a family we lived by the river for decades and always had hard boats for nipping up and down with small outboards and oars. There are often more hazards to an inflatable on the river than open sea thinking of puncture/damage risk. You are right of course... the moment you want to try a different area then the SIB goes in the back of the car in a way no other boat will easily match.

[Easedalenovice]

They row just fine. Unfortunately some people just over complicate that which is very simple