JW's Upgrades for 2016 - Tender

[Hurricane]

Upgrades for 2016 - Tender

Following my thread on our Sardinian cruise this summer, we learned a lot of new things. We met lots of new faces and discovered how people run their boats differently to us and each other.

As a result, it opened up a whole new aspect of boating and at the same time highlighted deficiencies in the way that we do things at the moment.

In fact, during the season, we were able to make some subtle improvements to our equipment that meant we could push our skills a little further.

Next season, we want to be prepared and there need to be some changes. The main concept is to make our boating, in general, "more robust". So, a few "Upgrades" are now in the pipeline. We have a few other small things planned, but our upgrades for 2016 fall into two main categories. Anchoring and The Tender

This thread is the Tender Upgrade
Follow this link for the Anchoring Upgrade:-
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?441554-JW-s-Upgrades-for-2016-Anchoring

Out in Sardinia, we saw how MYAG uses his tender and it got me thinking. There is nothing wrong with our Walker Bay but it isn't really big enough if we want to go any distance. It will even comfortably pull water skiers and all our water toys.

After watching the way that MYAG uses his, I didn't realise just how much more we could do in a slightly bigger and better Rib. I've started thinking about it more like a car - something that will take us places in comfort. For example, at Sant Carles, a bigger dinghy could travel to other towns along the coast and at anchor, we could leave the mother ship and get closer into the smaller calas/bays.

Of course, we wouldn't want to compromise our ability to do all the other things that we currently do with our current Walker Bay tender - water skiing - to and from the shore for dinner out and provisions - and the ability to keep it on the flybridge out of the way.

A couple of seasons ago, we bought a Jetski that we have been keeping on the bathing platform. It has been great fun but we have started to realise how nice it was to have a bathing platform as a "bathing platform" - for this kind of thing:-

In that example, it was a bit of a pain lifting the Jetski off the platform to create the space that we wanted.

So, the Jetski is going.
And we will get our platform back again.

With that decision made, I looked again at the dinghy issue. Anything bigger than the Walker Bay won't fit on the bathing platform especially when stern docking when we need to deploy the passerelle. Our current Walker Bay has chocs that can move from the FB to the platform. After a lot of thinking, I gave up the idea of keeping a replacement dinghy on the bathing platform. Maybe we should keep it on the flybridge and tow it behind JW at other times.

So the hunt was now on for something that is as big as I can possibly fit on the FB, light enough for the crane to lift and man enough to go places. Having driven MYAG's Novurania tender in Sardinia, that dinghy was setting my benchmark. Since then, we have been into loads of dinghy shops and looked at all the offerings at SIBS. Any replacement that has to be towed must be self draining. There are some very interesting and extremely light aluminium dinghies out there - very tempting but I'm worried about what they would look like after the paint has knocked off them.

But what about just biting the bullet and looking at the Novurania itself?

As I said above MYAG has one - JFM has one - Bart has one and I think JFM said that he has another friend with one. And there are loads of superyachts out there with them so the quality must be ok.

When I came to research it, the Novurania isn't that expensive either but they are very difficult to get hold of - usually built to order in Florida and there are no European dealers.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I have found a stock Novurania 430DL in the colours that we wanted. The price has been negotiated and agreed. The final sticking point was the size of the engine. I have decided to do the same as Bart and JFM and order it with a 70HP four stroke Yamaha.

This is a brochure photo of the Novurania 430DL dinghy in the colours that we have ordered.

Whilst making the decision, I searched back through these forums and found the other boats (Bart's, JFM's and MYAG's) and the decisions that were made at the time. In doing so, it helped me make decisions on the extras. Ours will be virtually the same spec as Bart's.
This is the spec - cut and pasted from the order.

Novurania 430 Dl W/Yamaha F 70 Hp Outboard
Standard Equipment Includes
* Navigation Lights
* Three (3) Lifting Eyes
* Deck Tie-Down Rings
* Stainless Grab Rail Port Side Of Console
* Fuel/Water Separator
* Led Deck Lights
* Multi-Function Digital Gauges
* Battery, Battery Cut Off Switch
* Bilge Pumps
* Novurania Hypalon Inflatable Tube
* Boarding Step Port & Stbd. Side
* White Tube With Navy Blue Accent Trims
*** Supply Ce Certification Documents
*** No Battery Charger

Extras
Wrap Around Stainless Console Rail 430 Dl
Windshield 430dl
Step, Bow With Cleat & Nav. Light
Smart Tabs
Marine Deck 2000 Installed, Includes Bow And Side Steps, Black Caulking
Towing Eyes Port & Stbd. Bow
Bimini Top Novurania 430, Color Navy Blue
Lifting Bridle Novurania 430 Dl

This is Bart's boat

This is MYAGs boat

And this is JFM's boat

JFM's revised the console on his.
I agree with everything that he has done to the console but I think it is just too much work and in my mind, I can't justify the extra cost of doing the work.
But his is very nice and if I were designing this boat from scratch, I would have set it out like JFM's

An extra worth noting are the towing eyes. Obviously used when towing it but JFM has pointed out that they are very handy for tying the boat down (on our flybridge for example).

I think the reason that this little boat handles so well is due to it's extreme deep V hull.

My thanks to JFM and Bart - both have been PM'ing and emailing me with their advice. Thanks also to MYAG for putting the idea in my mind and for letting SWMBO and I trial his boat.

As I said above, the boat I've ordered is in stock. They recon that it will take a couple of weeks to fit the engine and the extras. It will then be put into a 20 foot container and sent to Portbury where I hope to pick it up. Lots of things to do yet - I believe that Peters and May are handling the freight. I presume that I will need to contact them for customs clearance/VAT and other charges. But I'm hoping to have it here in Devon before Christmas so that I can "shake it down" and add some other extras of my own (VHF, Depth and a small plotter).

 

[Prhperio]

Oh boy... Very interesting post and thanks for taking the time - just a bit afraid here that it's got us thinking. SWMBO doesn't like the jockey seats on ours and I'm with her on that in that if I drive it for more than a few minutes I walk like John Wayne for an hour or two afterwards - so it may be that your post is going to cost us ;-)

Best of luck with the new tender though, I hope that the import goes smoothly for you

 

[jfm]

:encouragement: Like!
The novu 430 is a great tender - you'll love it. MYAG often does 10nm + in his! The import will I hope be incredibly easy - mine was. The spec looks just right. It will sure look big on JW's flybridge but who cares because it will function well and as you say allow you to leave the mothership and explore more by tender

 

[MrB]

Your "write-ups" are second to none, very informative. Thank you for all you effort. :encouragement:

 

[henryf]

That all makes a lot of sense. We often say that it would be nice to have a rib with us whilst cruising. Not sure when a tender becomes a rib, but something you can use as transport and for exploration.

That hull really is a very deep V. You just know it's going to work by looking.

Henry

 

[jfm]

Mike do you want me to make you cardboard templates of my chocks?. I mean, I'll just lay them on heavy paper and draw round with felt pen, then mail to you?

I don't approve of those aluminium chocks in you last picture, of the sunseeker manhattan 70 in Australia (Did you see what I did there? STB!!!). I think the chocks should be fitted/notched perfectly around the spray rails, so as to make it near impossible for the tender to move sideways in the chock in heavy sea. Sure, the V shape alone will normally hold the tender centrally, but you might as well make the spray rails fit snugly into perfectly sized cutouts in the chocks as well, because the extra lateral stability is there for the taking

 

[Nick_H]

Interesting thread Mike.

It seems to me that if you want to go long distances in a small RIB then the trick is to configure the boat so that any occupants can either stand or sit on the tubes. Anyone sitting on the bench seats will feel every bump through their spine.

I've just bought a new tender, much smaller than you're planning of course, and in moving from jockey console to bench seating I've introduced this problem. My plan is to change the fixed steering for tilt steering, so that I can tilt the wheel fully up and I can then comfortably stand, and also fit some extra handles so that the family can safely sit out on the tubes.

 

[Hurricane]

Interesting thread Mike.

It seems to me that if you want to go long distances in a small RIB then the trick is to configure the boat so that any occupants can either stand or sit on the tubes. Anyone sitting on the bench seats will feel every bump through their spine.

I've just bought a new tender, much smaller than you're planning of course, and in moving from jockey console to bench seating I've introduced this problem. My plan is to change the fixed steering for tilt steering, so that I can tilt the wheel fully up and I can then comfortably stand, and also fit some extra handles so that the family can safely sit out on the tubes.

Interesting points - thanks

 

[Hurricane]

Mike do you want me to make you cardboard templates of my chocks?. I mean, I'll just lay them on heavy paper and draw round with felt pen, then mail to you?

I don't approve of those aluminium chocks in you last picture, of the sunseeker manhattan 70 in Australia (Did you see what I did there? STB!!!). I think the chocks should be fitted/notched perfectly around the spray rails, so as to make it near impossible for the tender to move sideways in the chock in heavy sea. Sure, the V shape alone will normally hold the tender centrally, but you might as well make the spray rails fit snugly into perfectly sized cutouts in the chocks as well, because the extra lateral stability is there for the taking

Nautical Ventures emailed me two files yesterday.
They are drawings of the 340DL's hull at specific centers.
So, maybe I can hold a "rain cheque" on your offer until I see where the chocks will go on the FB.
They have also offered to supply chocks as well so I've asked them for a description, materials used and price etc.
I made my own for the Jetski but they were a bit naf - work well though.

 

[benjenbav]

The new tender looks great. Am I right in thinking that you will be storing it at the aft end of the f/b and not on the swim platform? If so, it'll be quite a big undertaking to launch and recover and I just wonder whether that will push you more towards two types of anchorage, one where you just stop for lunch and stay on the mothership and another where you stay for a few days and use JW as a base for exploring in the tender. Perhaps that's the plan when you mention a different type of boat management?

 

[Hurricane]

The new tender looks great. Am I right in thinking that you will be storing it at the aft end of the f/b and not on the swim platform? If so, it'll be quite a big undertaking to launch and recover and I just wonder whether that will push you more towards two types of anchorage, one where you just stop for lunch and stay on the mothership and another where you stay for a few days and use JW as a base for exploring in the tender. Perhaps that's the plan when you mention a different type of boat management?

Yep - don't know how to answer that.
It IS going to be more difficult to launch and recover than the old Walker Bay.
For that reason, I wanted a dinghy that was well equipped for towing and those extra towing eyes should help.
Lunch stops - hmmmmm - I think that will depend on what we are doing.
If we are simply cruising Mallorca (say) the dinghy will stay in the water and we will tow it from place to place.
If we are in a marina, I might try and keep it under the bow so that we can go places from the marina.
In our home marina, we have UK style pontoon berths and I currently keep the Jetski dock alongside the mothership on a floating pontoon.
That pontoon is too small for the Novurania so I was thinking of getting one of these:-

I think that this kind of roller system will be kinder to the hull.

Unless anyone has any better ideas.
I don't like the Versa Dock modular block things.

 

[benjenbav]

I've never used one of those floating docks but I would also be concerned about having the hull ride over it. The rollers look a good idea. Wonder if it would be possible to attach a winch to a ground line and pull the dock downwards until the tender is on and then release the winch to complete the docking?

PS I read the endpiece in the latest MBY and - even though I'd read it on here before - it made me quite cross (again) to think that there are idiots capable of not only running you down in a rib but also reversing back over you. Glad you're ok and, btw, whatever language you used to encourage the driver to cease and desist was, imho, entirely justified.

 

[z1ppy]

The Versadock type systems are pretty popular and some of them now also have a roller system similar to the one you have shown.

i do know of one case where a large chunk of hull came off the bottom of a RIB when being put onto the Versadock. i suspect this was more a symptom or poor lay up in build rather than the sole result of the versadock but its the minority for sure.

love the rib tender, classy looking rib that should allow you to go far..... dont forget there were plenty of people that went round scotland in sub 5 meter ribs a few years back! they are surprisingly capable although i suspect you wont be wearing a dry suit in the med...

 

[Hurricane]

PS I read the endpiece in the latest MBY and - even though I'd read it on here before - it made me quite cross (again) to think that there are idiots capable of not only running you down in a rib but also reversing back over you. Glad you're ok and, btw, whatever language you used to encourage the driver to cease and desist was, imho, entirely justified.

Thanks for your comments
The RIB driver spoke English (he probably was English).
But I chose to shout words at him that are internationally recognised.

 

[petem]

MYAG often does 10nm + in his!

I can vouch for that. On my last night staying onboard with Deleted User - MYAG, MapisM and their respective better halves ribbed half way round Carloforte to join us for dinner (MM was staying at anchor on board MYAG). Despite it being a windy evening the ladies looked immaculate (MYAG and MM were their usual scruffy selves). All in the dark too so top points for effort.

 

[Hurricane]

I can vouch for that. On my last night staying onboard with Deleted User - MYAG, MapisM and their respective better halves ribbed half way round Carloforte to join us for dinner (MM was staying at anchor on board MYAG). Despite it being a windy evening the ladies looked immaculate (MYAG and MM were their usual scruffy selves). All in the dark too so top points for effort.

But they WERE late - if you remember.
We had to drink all that extra Ichnusa (local beer) while we waited!!

 

[BartW]

this post was posted first in another / the wrong thread, sorry for double posting,
here it is where it was intended to be:

good going on the new tender !

yes indeed with that tender you will be able to do some longer distances,
we had occasions that our kids went up to 20nm distance from the main boat,
and 10 nm is very frequent, especially here in and around the islands of south Croatia,
or upstream a few little creeks,
guests are tempted to go in small private bay's and beaches, or go all around a Island....
this tender is in use a lot of the time when we are on ancher.
very often I go shopping with it, even when we're in a marina, or on our home berth

between two anchorages I alway's put it on the platform, and in a marina I alway's put it on the fly,
except last season;
our crane had a broken bearing, so was out of order the best part of the season,
so in a marina, I either had someone (a guest) saling it in separate, and moore it along or in front of the main ship,
or
put it on the platform, and lower the platform level with the sea surface, before deploying the passerel.


Mike, I think you are in for a hi-lo platform upgrade !
Seriously !
You can not imagine how many times me and swmbo said to each other, how pleased we are with that upgrade, its used all the time, even during the night for the skinny dip
This upgarde is almost as good as our "Stabiliser " upgrade
and so much cheaper

 

[Hurricane]

OK so now for some advice.

I've had a price from the Novurania supplier for chocks.
About £750 after shipping and VAT (they will travel in the container with the dinghy)

Here are some pics of the ones that they would supply

They look good but I wonder if they provide the support that JFM was saying earlier in this thread.

Or do I make some of my own - like I did for the Jetski
I'm no woodworker but the Jetski ones were made from Iroko wedges with rubber supports that I got from the trailer supplier.
I am hoping to have the dinghy in Devon so I could do much the same.

Or should I have them professionally made.
Anyone know of somewhere that does a good job of things like this?

 

[petem]

But they WERE late - if you remember.
We had to drink all that extra Ichnusa (local beer) while we waited!!

I'd forgotten about that! Still, as MapisM very kindly insisted on buying us dinner we'll let them off.

Anyhow, despite the restaurant being rather hot it was a brilliant evening and the food / company were superb.

 

[MrB]

OK so now for some advice.

Go the JFM route and have them made.....that price is ridiculous. Any local joinery shop would knock them up on a few hours in Iroko with JFM's paterns