New here! Am I in the right forum?

Velorum · 28 March 2005, 14:23

Hi all! Im not sure whether Im in the right place but this seems the nearest - I would be grateful if someone can advise me as to whether there is a more suitable forum.
My main interest at the moment is with SIB's (is it OK to talk about them here?) - I have owned a number of motor cruisers over the years and am on the point of selling my current one and want to stay on the water with something I can put in the back of the Volvo and keep in the shed. A RIB would have been great but I have no driveway and dont want to pay storage! I like the look of the Zodiac classic 4m SIB and I guess that this would be OK for inland work on rivers/lakes with a 10hp 4 stroke. Not sure whether it would be up to some inshore work though?
Any advice on the above would be most appreciated!

Andy · 28 March 2005, 16:21

Hi there ... you are in the right place. Your SIB will be fine inshore, providing its in good shape, you go out correctly equiped with safety gear etc and you have the right weather window.

Some people on here with SIBs have done some serious trips.

Velorum · 28 March 2005, 16:39

Thanks for that Andy. As soon as my MB sells - Im off to the Zodiac dealer!

Andy · 28 March 2005, 18:46

When you said "work" ... what did that mean.

Velorum · 28 March 2005, 20:09

Pottering really - we have done a number of short coastal hops in our motor cruisers and would like to do the same with an inflatable. We have safety equipment - lifejackets, coastal flares - vhf etc. I realise that a 13ft sib is going to be a little different to a 30ft MB with 2ltr engine! Would only be considering good weather and I realise that in the right kind of weather you could be OK in an old bathtub but just like to know a sib would have a little something in reserve in case we were caught out.

Velorum · 28 March 2005, 20:16

Oh, forgot to say I was thinking of the Zodiac HD type with an alluminium floor.

Andy · 28 March 2005, 20:20

I used to pop across to the Isle of Wight from Portsmouth in a small SIB, but it did have a 25hp engine.

Keith Hart crossed the Pentland Firth to Scapa Flow in one, however he did take some friends in other boats as support in case of problems. It's a horrible stretch of water. Good performance from Keith though!

Velorum · 28 March 2005, 20:34

Its seems as though the Zodiac will be fine. I used to own a 1 ton f/glass cabin cruiser - it came with a 20hp 2 stroke outboard which I replaced due to poor performance at low revs (due to River Thames speed limit). I fitted a Yamaha 9.9 4 stroke and was suprised to find that the performance was just as good! I wonder whether this was due to the increased torque or the fact that the new engine was set up professionaly. I like the idea of fitting a 10 - 15hp 4 stroke to a sib as they are small enough to manhandle (just about) and economic. I do realise that 10hp is quoted by Zodiac as the minimum size that can be fitted - as I really want a 4 stroke I would be worried about the increased weight of a larger model and getting it in/out of the car etc!

Ian

jwalker · 28 March 2005, 20:58

I used a Bombard (now Zodiac) C5 (5mtr) and went offshore in it regularly over a 2 year period. It had an alloy floor and wooden keel. Needs a minimum of 30hp unless you are just pootling about. Very good but hard, hard landings. Prior to that I used a 4mtr SIB made from hypalon. A bendier boat you never saw. Sold it after a few weeks. Knees used to hit chin in rough stuff!

Edit: Forgot to say, I used twin 30's.