Hello from Aberdeen.

[Hoppydrysuit]

Hi, what a great website and the forums are very busy. I'm a scuba diver and one of the clubs I dive with are looking for a new boat. They sold their last one a number of years ago and i'm putting a proposal forward to get their appetites wetted again.
I'm thinking a smaller rib that can be deflated to fit into the boot of a car. Capable of taking 1 boat operator + 4 divers wearing kit. Transport of engine isn't an issue. Any thoughts?
Thanks folks.

[Steve509926]

Hi and welcome to the forum, you've joined at a busier time as it's the start of the season, it does get a lot quieter over the winter. What you are describing is a sib (soft inflatable boat) not a rib.
Helm, 4 divers with kit would need a very large and therefore very heavy sib. IMO 4.2 mtr + will be needed, a heavy OB 30hp+ and a large vehicle (probably pick-up) to transport it or a box trailer. Also a minimum of 2 people to pack/unpack, inflate and carry the outboard to and from the car/truck, I'm not trying to put you off just making you aware of the realities of a "big" untrailered sib. Where will you store the bottles? On a rib it would usually have a bottle rack, can't really do that on a sib.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Hoppydrysuit

Hi, what a great website and the forums are very busy. I'm a scuba diver and one of the clubs I dive with are looking for a new boat. They sold their last one a number of years ago and i'm putting a proposal forward to get their appetites wetted again.
I'm thinking a smaller rib that can be deflated to fit into the boot of a car. Capable of taking 1 boat operator + 4 divers wearing kit. Transport of engine isn't an issue. Any thoughts?
Thanks folks.

4 kitted divers + cox = minimum 5m RIB. A roll up blow & go is a non-starter.

[spartacus]

Welcome to the forum Hoppy.

I think Pikey has hit the nail in the head, a SIB isn't the way forward with 5 people plus diving kit, given you're adding at least an hour to build and another hour to dismantle, in all weathers. You want rock up, launch, park the trailer, do your safety checks and head to your dive point.

I've boated as far south as Abroath to as far north west as Buckie, and know the Noth Sea/Moray Firth is unforgiving, even from April to September. F4-6 is normal. If you're in search of wrecks, there's plenty, but that said you're at the mercy of weather and tides, and the coastline is pretty unforgiving if you need to pull in for shelter.

In my experience you're looking at 5 to 5.5m with 100hp with helm and stainless bottle cage.

Whoever is manning the rib/radio during dives needs confidence in the boat, so a reliable engine and probably auxilliary is an absolute given.

Aberdeenshire Council do annual launch and retrieve season tickets. Stonehaven is very good, followed by Portsoy and Rosehearty. Banff slip although relatively new is too shallow. All dry out at low tide, so miss the tide and you're high and dry like Donald Sutherland in The Eagle has Landed!

[Hoppydrysuit]

Hi Steve, thanks for the info. I've dived using a smaller boat before with the kit on our back and not on a rack. No mean feat getting in. I'm trying to build up a 'this option or that option' proposal to the club. In any case we're looking at a trailer with boat!

[Steve509926]

I think PD has "this option" and spartacus has "that option"

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by Steve509926

I think PD has "this option" and spartacus has "that option"

It's all cash Steve, if it was a private individual, then you'd spec what you wanted and buy the boat. Clubs are led by committee with a TSB Squirrel account that needs two signatures. Hey, we supply all the information and everyone weighs up the pros and cons. Storage, who tows, tow vehicle, budget, the list is longer than a Brexit road map.

[Steve509926]

Originally Posted by spartacus

It's all cash Steve, if it was a private individual, then you'd spec what you wanted and buy the boat. Clubs are led by committee with a TSB Squirrel account that needs two signatures.

Very true, never had the pleasure of a democratic committee, more of a democratic dictator man myself

I suppose if the sib route is the way cash dictates I would lean towards a big Excel, something along the lines of a Vangaurd 485.

https://excel-leisure.co.uk/products...86c68e4c&_ss=c

[Brinormeg]

No idea on the diving side, but I can tell you Spartacus is spot on about the North Sea conditions and lack of shelter if things change.

I've been out in a 3.9m sib from both Stonehaven and Crudenbay, and you do need to pick you days very carefully. Although we do tend to err on the side of caution.

Inflatable/outboard wise I can say is that the likes of my Volaire with an airfloor, is it really starts to struggle with a 20hp with only 4 adults. In the time you hit 6....forget it for power and space in all but perfect conditions.

So I would guess if you really went down the sib route you would be looking at having to trailer for ob and sib size and weight anyway.
Then as the guys say a larger rib/ob combo with aux would be the best options outwith cost of course.

Anyway we plan to get out much more this season, so will maybe bump into you at some point as we are Aberdeen area too.

[Pikey Dave]

Yup agree 100%. I started out my diving career with a BSAC club. They owned a decent size SIB when I joined. Within 5 years it was gone. No-one wanted to maintain/pay the costs/store/transport it, it became a white elephant & gradually composted away in the corner of someone’s yard. IMHO clubs are better sticking to charter boats, even then it’s like herding cats.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Yup agree 100%. I started out my diving career with a BSAC club. They owned a decent size SIB when I joined. Within 5 years it was gone. No-one wanted to maintain/pay the costs/store/transport it, it became a white elephant & gradually composted away in the corner of someone’s yard. IMHO clubs are better sticking to charter boats, even then it’s like herding cats.

Getting involved with the purchase & upkeep of a club boat is a thankless task imho.
Boats actually syndicate quite well & 4 likemided pals together saving their club fees & scotsac subs could easily afford a decent used rib, a watsap group is all you need to organise things & avoid the club politics etc unless you want or need extra training etc & enjoy babysitting new divers that might be a better option imho

[Hoppydrysuit]

Hi, thanks for the advice and POVs. It was decided in principle that the committee preferred a RIB. So my next task is to get the rest of the club on board (pardon the pun) and see who would be interested in getting the idea made a reality. I understand there may not be many folk wanting to do this but nothing ventured nothing gained. That's plan A.. Plan B is to work on my OH and certain others for a syndicate.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Hoppydrysuit

Hi, thanks for the advice and POVs. It was decided in principle that the committee preferred a RIB. So my next task is to get the rest of the club on board (pardon the pun) and see who would be interested in getting the idea made a reality. I understand there may not be many folk wanting to do this but nothing ventured nothing gained. That's plan A.. Plan B is to work on my OH and certain others for a syndicate.

Plan B everytime

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

4 kitted divers + cox = minimum 5m RIB. A roll up blow & go is a non-starter.

Agree to a point but a 5m plus sib will work depending on distance from experience.