Feel the need for speed..

[capnsensible]

My good friend has just taken delivery of this,:

 

[capnsensible]

It's a bit exciting, will do over 40 knots. Jetski donk in a rib, kinda.

Delivery from mainland Spain was a bit of a saga, it had to go to Gran Canaria first for customs to pat it. The pallette got stuck in the lorry too.... However all is well now, lads in the boatyard all over it like a rash, checking everything in order and getting promised trips out!

The brief outing today ended with a good drenching for my friend and his wife....I laughed. Anyway, windy again tomorrow so sea trial postponed until flatter sea forecast for next week.

So tomorrow we're gonna figure out how to get it into the garage on his Fairline 47 targa. Was originally gonna go over to reception pontoon to sort it but it is forecast really gusty tomorrow. Plan B is we will warp the boat forward about 10 or 12 feet (plenty of friends ready for rope evolution) so we got time to work out how the winch copes and how much deflation is needed, yadda yadda.

Next week yippee, blast away!

 

[Bajansailor]

It does look like a very impressive beast - and with that 90 hp inboard engine in a RHIB with an overall length of 'only' 9'6", she must fairly fly!
TurboJet | TurboJet Tenders for Yachts | Small Yacht Tenders

 

[SC35]

That is what Mrs SC35 wants.
It's not happening ... an SC35 is already a bit stern-heavy and is too small for it.

 

[Bouba]

Where is the room for the dog ?

 

[capnsensible]

Well kinda as expected...mostly successful but a few mods required.
The roping party worked perfectly, bow anscstern thrusters countering a strongly gusting beam wind. Touch of engine and hey presto. Reverse process afterwards, smooth.

Re pocket rocket. Getting on board quite straitforward with winch power. Also needed to fully deflate. Getting out was the problem. The aft set of rollers are too low. The v of the aft end of the rib Hull is metal and part of the jet drive. This catches on the centre rollers and the rib is extremely very heavy to lift over with manpower. So my friends project is to make some plywood spacers to trial and error the correct height. Will eventually manufacture in stainless. Should solve snag and make it easy to do solo.

Also tested 12v inflator pump. I've always skimped on these for yacht tenders....now found out a proper job works ten times or more better!

Checked through engine flush routine....lots of aluminium parts that need routine care.

So once the deployment issues are solved and with mid week weather forecast going flat next will be sea trial.

 

[Bouba]

Rather than spacers…could you just fit larger diameter rollers ?

 

[capnsensible]

Rather than spacers…could you just fit larger diameter rollers ?

That's what I said! I've a good idea where they could be made up in Arecife too. However, the other 4 on the committee decided spacer plates!!

 

[Bouba]

That's what I said! I've a good idea where they could be made up in Arecife too. However, the other 4 on the committee decided spacer plates!!

People like us are never appreciated in our own lifetime

 

[Fr J Hackett]

If you are prepared to take the plunge into the afterworld I will start an appreciation society in your memory

 

[Bajansailor]

Where is the room for the dog ?

The William TurboRib is probably a bit more sexy re pose value, but your tender looks infinitely more sensible and practical (and I am sure that your dog will agree with me on this!)

 

[Lodestone]

Watch out for things ingested into the drive - particularly floating weed dislodged with stones attached.
A mask is handy in case you need to get under the boat to pull things out.
When flushing... engine on, then water/ water off, then engine.
The ride is hard
If looked after it will serve you well. Do flush the engine for manifold life and service the throttle and steering cables.

Unable to get our boat down to the West Country because of engineering issues we took our 385 down on a trailer in August. It was surprisingly versatile.

 

[Parabolica]

My boat came with a Williams 325. The first time i went out on it i was gob smacked just how fast these things are. I do need to replace the steering cable as that’s quite tight now but aside of that all seems well with it. Amazing things and far easier to garage in the stern than a dingy and outboard i expect but i suspect a normal dingy and outboard combination is eminently more practical and far easier to manoeuvre at close quarters, especially when there’s a bit of chop.

 

[PalmaTarga]

My boat came with a Williams 325. The first time i went out on it i was gob smacked just how fast these things are. I do need to replace the steering cable as that’s quite tight now but aside of that all seems well with it. Amazing things and far easier to garage in the stern than a dingy and outboard i expect but i suspect a normal dingy and outboard combination is eminently more practical and far easier to manoeuvre at close quarters, especially when there’s a bit of chop.

Do it sooner rather than later. Ours started to go stiff, and it wasn't long before it completely seized.

 

[Zing]

My boat came with a Williams 325. The first time i went out on it i was gob smacked just how fast these things are. I do need to replace the steering cable as that’s quite tight now but aside of that all seems well with it. Amazing things and far easier to garage in the stern than a dingy and outboard i expect but i suspect a normal dingy and outboard combination is eminently more practical and far easier to manoeuvre at close quarters, especially when there’s a bit of chop.

I was wondering about getting one in this size. How does the 325 ride? For me that’s the biggest problem with smaller dinghies as they are often fairly flat bottomed. Can you stay seated in chop or does it jar?

 

[Lodestone]

For passengers, particularly in the bow, the ride on our 2016 vintage TJ385 is very hard on the plane in any sort of chop - even thought the conditions are still reasonable to consider just being on the plane (not too fast). Beats the cr*p out of you would be more descriptive. The ride for the helm is fine .

They are exceptionally manouverable, and althought there is thrust when ever the engine is running it is actually quite useful.

 

[Parabolica]

I was wondering about getting one in this size. How does the 325 ride? For me that’s the biggest problem with smaller dinghies as they are often fairly flat bottomed. Can you stay seated in chop or does it jar?

My answer is based on very limited experience but with a common sense approach in that, if you drive according to the conditions then its pretty fantastic all the time. However, if you persist on trying to go too fast in inappropriate conditions, such as with a fair chop, then you are going to just get lots of cavitation as engine revs rise when the jet drive is out of the water and then the thrust slam you forward again when it goes back in. None of that is fun so if you drive appropriately to the conditions then it’ll go through anything.

It is a decent size and vary stable overall at 3.25m loa