Recommend me a new tender or small RIB

Sticky Fingers

Sticky Fingers

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Hi folks

Well I now have a tentative date of mid-June for commissioning of my new boat, and I'm going to be after a new tender. The boat is 44' and has a decent size hydraulic swim platform but no garage, so I'll be storing it on chocks on the platform. Max platform weight is 250Kg but I want something that weighs much less than that. Current tender is a 2.9m 3D Superlight Twinair, which is very light but is too narrow for optimum stability, and the tube diameter is smaller than average which doesn't help. We hardly used it as it didn't inspire confidence but its small pack size and low weight were ideal for the yacht.

Ideally then: Fat tubes, about 2.8-3.2m, stable, solid floor (maybe aluminium), under 40Kg. Needs to carry 4. Be good to get one that will plane happily 2-up with say 10-15HP O/b and would also potter happily with the Torqeedo. Wheel steering and a side-by-side or jockey console would be good if that's feasible in a 3m rib.

Also after recommendation for the engine. 2 strokes no longer available IIRC, so probably has to be a reliable 4T with electric start.

I've never bought anything like this before so it's all new....! Ideas and inspiration invited.

Thanks
 
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I think you're spot on with an ali hull RIB and two I have looked at 280 size come in at under 40 kilo without engine (no centre consol / tiller operated). Zodiac Bombard and Waveline.
 
Scala said:
Hi folks

Well I now have a tentative date of mid-June for commissioning of my new boat, and I'm going to be after a new tender. The boat is 44' and has a decent size hydraulic swim platform but no garage, so I'll be storing it on chocks on the platform. Max platform weight is 250Kg but I want something that weighs much less than that. Current tender is a 2.9m 3D Superlight Twinair, which is very light but is too narrow for optimum stability, and the tube diameter is smaller than average which doesn't help. We hardly used it as it didn't inspire confidence but its small pack size and low weight were ideal for the yacht.

Ideally then: Fat tubes, about 2.8-3.2m, stable, solid floor (maybe aluminium), under 40Kg. Needs to carry 4. Be good to get one that will plane happily 2-up with say 10-15HP O/b and would also potter happily with the Torqeedo. Wheel steering and a jockey console would be good if that's feasible in a 3m rib.

Also after recommendation for the engine. 2 strokes no longer available IIRC, so probably has to be a reliable 4T with electric start.

I've never bought anything like this before so it's all new....! Ideas and inspiration invited.

Thanks
Click to expand...
This will take up less apace on your platform and you won’t bash your ankles or trip over the prop.
Cabrio tender
 
We have an AB Ali hulled 3.1m RIB - quality piece of kit with hypalon tubes (so no UV issues) and capable of taking a Jockey seat. Had one as a tender during a sailing holiday in the BVI and was so impressed with it that we ended up buying one. Used it as a tender on our Broom 41 but too big for our S34 and currently languishing in the garage and possibly looking for a new home......
 
Greg2 said:
We have an AB Ali hulled 3.1m RIB - quality piece of kit with hypalon tubes (so no UV issues) and capable of taking a Jockey seat. Had one as a tender during a sailing holiday in the BVI and was so impressed with it that we ended up buying one. Used it as a tender on our Broom 41 but too big for our S34 and currently languishing in the garage and possibly looking for a new home......
Click to expand...
Which model is it Greg?
 
I would recommend an Aluminium Hull Rib. I bought a 2.9m Talamax Silverline rib last summer. Great little boat and very light. I fitted it with a used Tohatsu 9.8hp 2 stroke as it is the lightest outboard in that horsepower bracket. All up weight is 85-90kg including a tank of fuel.
One really nice feature is that the fuel tank fits in the bow locker and I can run the fuel hose under the false floor straight to the engine. Makes it very tidy.
 
Look at waveline 280 then. The Bombard initially was a similar price but has now also become stupid money. It seems ludicrous the prices some ask, almost as if they were competing to see who could sell the least to boast exclusivity. I was in a chandlery a while back they had some inflatable tenders in for 40k I kid you not. Madness.

Waveline 280 Aluminium Hull RIB
 
It really depends on if you want to use the tender for a bit of water sports or not. A alu hull with a 10 or 15 on will plane towing a kneeboard, ski-ing SUP and other low drag toys. If this is not particularly desirable I'd much prefer a inflatable keel aluminium deck as it keeps goods / bags etc on the deck dry with an in effect deep double skin, can take abuse and will plane nicely 2 up with a suitable 8 - 10hp 2 stroke but no toys. Air deck to a lesser extent as it doesn't have a separate deck (wet feet bags etc)

 
No intention for water sports use; it's for anchor/buoy to shore, river exploring, pottering about. I need a compomise between size/weight/safety on the one hand, and performance/cost on the other. Likely to use with the Torqeedo initially unless I can find a used package at a good price. It's been an eye opener seeing how much they can cost....!
 
In that case an ali deck inflatable keel would be your best bet imo, it's what I run with and I ditched my 8hp 2 stroke for a easily manageable 3.3hp 2 stroke. I no longer plane but it's proved the most effective and durable combination as a shuttle and I can man handle a 12 kilo engine far more easily than a 27 kilo one when the swimplatform is bobbing in the chop trying to drag the tender under it. I dropped the 8hp a number of times unbalancing but never the 12 kilo 3.3. Probably not a issue for you with a hydraulic swimplatform and storing the tender with engine mounted. You cant really use chocks though. Hurley davits a better bet then but then the price shoots up again.
 
Um. All a compromise. Inflatable keel not viable with chocks obviously. I might stick with the RIB. Definitely right about the engine weights, that's one of the attractions of the TQ is that it's installed in three bits the heaviest of which is only a few Kg.

EDiT Sorry just seen you said that about the chocks ... have just had a look at the Hurley Davits, about 1400 squids plus fitting costs. :( But an inflatable keel tender may well be cheaper.
 
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