new boat

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

That sounds familiar [emoji57]

going to get the full SP when i pick it up dave then drop suzuki a shi--y mail 5 year warranty is a joke especially when they dont know what to send to keep the thing serviced or build/ PDI the engine before you get it

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Up date on performance up at loch sween last week cracking conditions at the beginning of the week so did some test runs on a surface like glass.
43 ltrs of fuel
Me one up = to 1.5 big lad
40-50 kg of kit
Max GPS speed 22 knots @ 5640 rpm.
Starts planing at 9-10 knots very quickly
Stays on the plane in the chop at 12 knots.
Crusing at 15 knots 3600 rpm.
Prop 101/4 x 11
I didn't look at fuel consumption as 43 ltrs will take me anywhere I need to go
I might come down a pitch on a spare prop undecided as yet.
Overall performance is a lot better regarding the bow twitch with a lot more weight up front and eliminated when I sit starboard side compensation for prop torque I guess.
The new trailer has made life very easy being so low I can launch knee deep now well worth the change.

UP DATE
So bought a 10.1/4 x 12 second prop used it for the week up at ERR now doing 21.5 knots at 5250 - 5280 RPM perfect conditions no difference on performance getting on the plane or planing speed.
Fuel consumption wise with mixed conditions winds force 5 some flat out and a lot of displacement speed 49.1 miles 18 ltrs full tank to full tank.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

UP DATE
So bought a 10.1/4 x 12 second prop used it for the week up at ERR now doing 21.5 knots at 5250 - 5280 RPM perfect conditions no difference on performance getting on the plane or planing speed.
Fuel consumption wise with mixed conditions winds force 5 some flat out and a lot of displacement speed 49.1 miles 18 ltrs full tank to full tank.

UP DATE
picked the boat up yesterday from central marine services they have renewed all the slew bushes on the engine they only found a small discrepancy between old and new bushes but that might just have been the problem time will tell, all the old parts have gone back to suzuki for analysis which is a positive step in case they have others with problems.

also i noticed that my trim pin was in the third hole not the second as i usually have it so i guess i might get the the same speed but at lower revs from the 12 inch pitch prop when i move it back

[jeffstevens763@g]

up date

after only a few hours on the scottish sib outing my engine started to shake on tickover the slew/steering bushes which were all renewed had the same problem top of the engine rocking around 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch i compared it with another df 25 [highland haggis] which was new and sure enough mine has a problem.
so went back to central marine services straight away they asked for the suzuki rep to have a look i was present when he took video of it, there was no bullsh11g video sent to HQ and JAPAN a week later they are sending all new castings for replacement so hopefully this will get it sorted, glad i kept the warranty up now as did contemplate doing my own servicing.

[jeffstevens763@g]

update engine & new bow dodger.
got the engine back at long last hopefully its sorted with all new castings & bushes hopefully i can get away again to test it and the new 10 1/4 x 10 prop for my last test figures for optimum RPM.
i had a winter project but since not having the engine it's become an autumn one its my final layout now i have done a few trips ironing out a few problems and getting my rough weather seating sorted i needed to streamline the bow dodger and make access to the storage more accessible & quick to get at a few pics to show it finished.
i made this one really light by using 5 mm marine ply and biaxial cloth flow coated giving a texture similar to the wear patches & seat.

[Highland Haggis]

Hi Jeff glad to hear that you have your wee problem sorted with your engine let me know how you get on with it

[Stevie Bill]

Looks like another professional job Jeff. The tinkering quality is superb! Hope the engine issues are finally sorted.?

[jeffstevens763@g]

thanks lads very pleased with the new dash/bow dodger when i saw the video of my boat gurnard took i thought it looked naff so it had to go.
it does make me wonder if the warranty is worth it though it cost me £500 in time off and three trips down to get it sorted plus when down cornwall for a week great cottage beside the sea slipway 100 m flat calm conditions with good weather and me with
no boat sods law.
you got your new boat yet Ali & stevie you got your trim all sorted?

[kaman]

Looking very good Jeff.
I thought the set up you had at Oban looked excellent.
That floor looks very comfortable for having a good kip on!

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by kaman

Looking very good Jeff.
I thought the set up you had at Oban looked excellent.
That floor looks very comfortable for having a good kip on!

thanks gordon its the old bones that drives the spec for the floor, in the rough i fit the small cushion to the tube side and sit on the big one with my feet on the transom with no issues to my back and knees so bit unorthodox but it works for me and as you say good to kip on as highland haggis will vouch for on the sib outing.

[kaman]

Hi Jeff, I'm also motivated by my old / dodgy bones.
I'm working on a wee project just now with my air floor sib.
As you know I took my Ali floor 3.5m Honwave to the Oban outing this year.

I much prefer the softer ride of my 3.8m air floor Honwave as it is a bit more forgiving on my neck / shoulder injury in a chop.

Ended up taking the Ali floor though purely as it had the fixed VHF and auxiliary engine .

As both Sibs use the same sized seat I've modified the seat to be interchangeable between the 2 Sibs.

I've mounted the VHF set and aerial, fish finder, chart plotter, battery, charging points and volt meter to the seat.

Just working on a mount for carrying my wee 2.5hp auxiliary on.




I was also inspired by your antenna attachment and ensuite facilities [emoji106]

I wouldn't be without my ensuite now[emoji1]

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by kaman

Hi Jeff, I'm also motivated by my old / dodgy bones.
I'm working on a wee project just now with my air floor sib.
As you know I took my Ali floor 3.5m Honwave to the Oban outing this year.

I much prefer the softer ride of my 3.8m air floor Honwave as it is a bit more forgiving on my neck / shoulder injury in a chop.

Ended up taking the Ali floor though purely as it had the fixed VHF and auxiliary engine .

As both Sibs use the same sized seat I've modified the seat to be interchangeable between the 2 Sibs.

I've mounted the VHF set and aerial, fish finder, chart plotter, battery, charging points and volt meter to the seat.

Just working on a mount for carrying my wee 2.5hp auxiliary on.

Attachment 122251Attachment 122252Attachment 122253


I was also inspired by your antenna attachment and ensuite facilities [emoji106]

I wouldn't be without my ensuite now[emoji1]

that all sits nice on the seat there i did wonder about doing that myself but i might be a bit clumsy and stick my feet through it we are showing our age a bit re ensuite but if you're gonna go then it has to be right
to be honest i was impressed with the aretec of al's the way it took the rough stuff i guess the honwave will be similar also that 300 mm more makes a difference.

[kaman]

Yup there's no doubt the ensuite is the way forward. Wouldn't set afloat without it now.
I was rather sore after the lumpy crossing from Lismore Lighthouse to Ganavan.
I had intended going back out but the crossing knocked the wind out of my sails so I was happy to call it a day .
I might have been a bit fresher in the airfloor?????
I think the air floor does definitely help in some seas as there is a bit of give in it and the floor kinda acts like a shock absorber.
The extra 300mm also helps as it pretty much 1ft longer and it does help bridge the gap between some wave crests better, some of these waves would see the 3.5m plough into the troughs.

[jeffstevens763@g]

final update

on a recent trip round mull with a 10 1/4 x 10 prop carrying 70 ltrs of fuel & camping kit i guess weight wise two men up conditions calm achieved 20 knots at 5560 rpm so i guess speed wise about the same as the 11 inch prop but from a response perspective a much crisper and quicker result in the chop and rough being able to stay on the plane for much longer up and down significant waves which is what i wanted fuel consumption for the 138 km was around 30 lt average speed 10-11 knots

[Fenlander]

>>> from a response perspective a much crisper and quicker result in the chop and rough being able to stay on the plane for much longer up and down significant waves which is what i wanted

Good result Jeff. That's exactly where you need the outboard to perform when working a difficult sea. So much more important than theoretical high speeds that are mostly impossible to maintain if you take your SIB to sea.

[jeffstevens763@g]

We expearianced some difficult wave formations on the south side of Iona that's when it came into its own David as you say maintaining the plane more important than speed so should be sorted for all conditions with the three props

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

We expearianced some difficult wave formations on the south side of Iona that's when it came into its own David as you say maintaining the plane more important than speed so should be sorted for all conditions with the three props

I’ve always tended towards the underpropped end of things for the very same reasons. I’m more than happy to sacrifice a few knots of top end, in exchange for lower down grunt & throttle response. The times you can run flat out are few & far between.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I’ve always tended towards the underpropped end of things for the very same reasons. I’m more than happy to sacrifice a few knots of top end, in exchange for lower down grunt & throttle response. The times you can run flat out are few & far between.

[jeffstevens763@g]

after trying this before on the bench seat not very successfully i thought i would make a base plate so i could set the strapps where they work and support. on the mull trip i could have done with a backrest which prompted me to fix a seat on to the bench seat it will have a single bolt through the seat base and bench which allows it to swivel slightly for best position.
the seat is a canoe seat and the base is 25mm HDPE cost about £70 all up.
a few pics to show it

[jeffstevens763@g]

using the seat on the recent skye trip proved to be a worthwhile addition for me especially for the long days afloat it was never intended for on the plane just for displacement speeds and sightseeing which was spectacular even better with back support.
one problem that occured was the front straps pull down at 45 degrees which tends to pull the backrest down and allows it to go too far back, i had a large HDPE bach support hinged at the bottom to help the backrest but it proved not to stop the backrest sliding down a quick fix was to weld a web on the back preventing the HDPE support from going further back than i need it to be it still all folds down and can be removed with one bolt and two straps off the hogging rail.