What can my rib do ?

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jamesyquick

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Hello All.

I have purchased this rib back in january. I have only used it inside portsmouth harbour starting from priddys hard in gosport. I feel confident using it but now I wish to use it elsewhere. Im wondering if this would be able to make it to the isle of wight or the forts in the solent from gosport. Ive been told that it would make it on a calm day and I shouldnt even consider taking it out of portsmouth harbour. The boat is about 4m long and all inflatable with a 2.5 hp seagull outboard. (tried to upload a picture not sure if its worked),

Thank you for any advice, James.
 

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Is that a rib? Has it got a hard hull? Looks like a fully inflatable to me.

Regardless I'd just stay in the harbour if it were me,or only go further if perfect conditions
 
Even on the calmest day you'll have to deal with wakes from other boats, particularly commercial craft. The Seahawk inflatables are not the most seaworthy, with lightweight vinyl and small diameter tubes, so i'd stick to sheltered water. I think there can also be tidal flows and choppy water at the entrance to the harbour, so i don't think a 2.5hp outboard will be up to it.
 
In a similar sized tender, I have crossed from Sparkes Marina to East Head, inside Chichester Harbour.

"Going to sea" in a similar boat wouldn't generally be sensible, but you could launch from somewhere quiet such as Lee on Solent or the West end of Hayling Island to potter around near the coast on a calm day.

Crossing to the Isle of Wight would be a no-no. Even getting out to the Forts would be difficult, because of traffic and currents.
 
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Hello all

Thank you for your advice.

The only reason I ask about the forts in the solent is because I have seen pictures of a friend of a friend kayaked out there, I thought that an outboard would do it no problem. I have been warned explictitly about portsmouth harbour so havent ventured any where near north of forton lake. If anyone knows gosport well would it be safe to travel from forton or haslar lake to portchester castle ?

Many thanks.
 
Do you think the engine is powerful enough stick to coastal hugging at the most and if you are doubting it you are right
 
jamesyquick said:
would it be safe to travel from forton or haslar lake to portchester castle ?
.
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Should be a pleasant mini-adventure on the right day.
There will be boats/traffic heading out from or back from Port Solent, and don't lurk in the firing range area.
 
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I would go out of Portsmouth Harbour in that, but not with that outboard.

I've crossed the Solent in Cowes week in a Tinker Tramp with a 4hp from Cowes to Calshot and back in 1981, mind you, I did get a proper bollocking for it!
 
burgundyben said:
I would go out of Portsmouth Harbour in that, but not with that outboard.

I've crossed the Solent in Cowes week in a Tinker Tramp with a 4hp from Cowes to Calshot and back in 1981, mind you, I did get a proper bollocking for it!
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that's a good effort, especially in a Tinker Tramp. Let me guess the outboard... popular 4hp in early 80's was the Evinrude or possibly the Johnson variant..?
 
Firefly625 said:
that's a good effort, especially in a Tinker Tramp. Let me guess the outboard... popular 4hp in early 80's was the Evinrude or possibly the Johnson variant..?
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Mariner as it happens.

One of the J Class, Endevour I think, had been ashore at Calshot for years and was on the slip to be launched, that's why we went. We had spare fuel and a camera. No food, water, survival stuff, means of comms or even lifejackets!

I have a photo of my best mate standing with the J class keel as back drop, camera was a Boots 226X!
 
That is best suited to calm rivers.

If your engine fails, at's going to be a pig to row, and it's quite narrow to stability is an issue.

You would need a waterproof VHF and all your stuff in a waterproof bag as well as the usual lifejackets at the very least. It doesn't take much to flip such a low speed flat bottomed inflatable over!! :ambivalence:
 
jamesyquick said:
I have been warned explictitly about portsmouth harbour so havent ventured any where near north of forton lake. If anyone knows gosport well would it be safe to travel from forton or haslar lake to portchester castle ? Many thanks.
Click to expand...

A slightly easier trip would be to launch an hour before a spring high tide at Haslar slipway next to the bridge and go upstream taking the south fork to Little Anglesey, under the old railway bridge, over the weir (hence HW) and up to Alverstoke for lunch.

Then do the Portchester run as a work up to the big trip, Fareham to Chichester under the bridges to the north of Portsmouth and under Hayling Bridge.

Pete
 
Fareham to Chichester under the bridges to the north of Portsmouth and under Hayling Bridge.

I wasn't aware about this. I only thought the harbour was one way in and out. I will look at the route you have suggested.

Thank you for all your advice guys.

James
 
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