Andy135 Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 I'm toying with the idea of a small rib or takacat that can be packed away and transported in a roof box. Anyone have any experience of these types of craft? Intended use would be sheltered waters in the south-west; River Dart, Camel estuary, Plymouth Sound etc. Would be fun for the kids and great for an afternoon's fishing without any of the hassle of trailing a boat, launch & recovery, boat storage fees etc. Any downsides to be aware of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 4 hours ago, Andy135 said: I'm toying with the idea of a small rib or takacat that can be packed away and transported in a roof box. Anyone have any experience of these types of craft? Intended use would be sheltered waters in the south-west; River Dart, Camel estuary, Plymouth Sound etc. Would be fun for the kids and great for an afternoon's fishing without any of the hassle of trailing a boat, launch & recovery, boat storage fees etc. Any downsides to be aware of? You should buy a trailerable boat, something like a predator would do!! oh...... hang on..... suzook12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Andy135 said: I'm toying with the idea of a small rib or takacat that can be packed away and transported in a roof box. Anyone have any experience of these types of craft? Intended use would be sheltered waters in the south-west; River Dart, Camel estuary, Plymouth Sound etc. Would be fun for the kids and great for an afternoon's fishing without any of the hassle of trailing a boat, launch & recovery, boat storage fees etc. Any downsides to be aware of? Loads down this way mainly Honwave and Excel. My son’s experience suggests that for one or two adults and 2 kids, you will need at least 3.8m and at least a 9.8hp engine, preferably a 15, both of which a heavy and become a chore. Once you have the packed boat on the roof (I doubt it would fit in a roof box) and 10hp of finest merc in the boot, there is not a lot of room for much else. He used to leave his company astra est at home and borrow my V70 ! most of the places you mention have hire boats at reasonable rates. Edited June 1, 2021 by GPSguru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 1, 2021 Author Share Posted June 1, 2021 14 minutes ago, GPSguru said: most of the places you mention have hire boats at reasonable rates. I've only seen the hire boats on the Dart and they're all 4m-ish GRP cuddy boats. What attracts me to a rib is the ease of entry/exit for the kids swimming and snorkelling in an estuary or sheltered bay. Based on the (little) research I've done a 3.8m would indeed be a minimum along with a 10hp o/b, and probably with a pair of launching wheels so that I could wheel the boat back to the car and avoid having to carry the o/b any great distance. Just noodling on the idea at present, but I know the kids would love it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 43 minutes ago, Andy135 said: I've only seen the hire boats on the Dart and they're all 4m-ish GRP cuddy boats. What attracts me to a rib is the ease of entry/exit for the kids swimming and snorkelling in an estuary or sheltered bay. Based on the (little) research I've done a 3.8m would indeed be a minimum along with a 10hp o/b, and probably with a pair of launching wheels so that I could wheel the boat back to the car and avoid having to carry the o/b any great distance. Just noodling on the idea at present, but I know the kids would love it... I had a 2.3m the bag and engine (was 4hp 2S) filled my boot and more. I had to have the back seats down in an Audi A3. It wasn’t the lightest.... Was too small for me, 2.8m min or as Ian says, 3.2m and it’s nearly a trailer boat.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 How about one of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 17 minutes ago, JonC said: How about one of these? I just bought one of these... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 Just now, Saintly Fish said: I just bought one of these... Fing hard work against the tide with one of the crew rowing against you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 Just now, JonC said: Fing hard work against the tide with one of the crew rowing against you That’s why we will go with the tide and I will sit at the back poking the front person to paddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 38 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said: That’s why we will go with the tide and I will sit at the back poking the front person to paddle. My mrs wanted us (my daughter and me) to try it out yesterday. My mrs doesn’t accept the concept of tide or wind, so after paddling for about 20 minutes we got out and walked back to where we started, which was about 100 yards backwards from where we started. Another thing to clog up the shed, or in your case summer house. jonnyswamp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyO Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 I have seen a few brackets for an outboard to go on the inflatable kayaks, we had a couple last summer and it was bloody hard work 💪 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyO Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 This seems to be a decent little setup for the car boot JDP and Andy135 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 3 hours ago, Andy135 said: I've only seen the hire boats on the Dart and they're all 4m-ish GRP cuddy boats. What attracts me to a rib is the ease of entry/exit for the kids swimming and snorkelling in an estuary or sheltered bay. Based on the (little) research I've done a 3.8m would indeed be a minimum along with a 10hp o/b, and probably with a pair of launching wheels so that I could wheel the boat back to the car and avoid having to carry the o/b any great distance. Just noodling on the idea at present, but I know the kids would love it... I would avoid the ali floor option, just make sure you inflate the keel to the correct pressure. The ali floor just adds extra weight. Also get an electric pump to make life easier. My tubes are only 2psi, and I use an electric Bravo pump. I lose a lot of air as all my chambres have over pressure valves, so warm days and cold nights can see a big pressure difference. At 11pm the night before a trip (or 6am on the day of a trip) I bring them up to pressure which slowly gets leaked out as the temp rises during the day 👍 During the summer when temps are more stable the rubes are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 (edited) Alternatively.... get a sit on top kayak, loadsa fun and easy to paddle 🙂 not cheap or you can hire for the day 🙂 Edited June 1, 2021 by Odyssey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 1, 2021 Author Share Posted June 1, 2021 Kayaks do nothing for me if I'm honest. They seem like the worst of all worlds with no discernible advantages over a SIB. 🤷♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 @Andy135 it is worth a look here https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/ Some very knowledgable folk on there who use them for journeys that you wouldn't even dream about, sometimes 100's of miles a day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDP Posted June 1, 2021 Share Posted June 1, 2021 I do like the inflatable boats but in the bigger sizes. Messing about with pumping them up and carrying engines and fuel inside a car would put me off, ok in the back tray of a 4x4. I won one which has been under our house for about 8yrs, pretty certain it can only take 4hp, I gave up trying to sell it as nobody was interested. Still in its box never been out!!! Had another one given to my kids which could take 10hp but after pumping it manually and walking to the lake with a 3hp they decided never again again bought a proper boat!!!...well that's not quite true, they were given another boat which is left at the lake edge, all they need to do is get the engine to it (use it once a year after the initial flurry of use!!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordmac Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 A small trailer may be a better idea than trying to put it in the boot for that sort of length. Good luck with being able to lift it into a roof box! To be a rib does it need to have a rigid hull or are the ones with an inflatable keel classed as a rib? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzook12 Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 As kid I spent many hours on the rivers with a SIB and a seagull pushing it..... Was pretty easy to get set up, packing away was a ball ache from memory, trying to squeeze the last of the air out so it packed up nice and small. Think it was an avon..... We used a small trailer to carry it, and the tent and all the camping gear...... Have a chat with Bruce, he uses one a lot as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyO Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 41 minutes ago, Gordmac said: A small trailer may be a better idea than trying to put it in the boot for that sort of length. Good luck with being able to lift it into a roof box! To be a rib does it need to have a rigid hull or are the ones with an inflatable keel classed as a rib? I'm pretty sure a rib is Rigid inflatable boat and the sib is a small inflatable boat (without rigid hull) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 2, 2021 Author Share Posted June 2, 2021 Trailering is out of the question... it's a pack-away boat or nowt. Looking at the Tarkacats, they seem very packable into two separate bags. Biggest of the two bags is 120cmx35x35 for the 3.8m version IIRC. Easily get that in a roof box, then engine in the boot with fuel tank and fishing gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 1 hour ago, Andy135 said: Trailering is out of the question... it's a pack-away boat or nowt. Looking at the Tarkacats, they seem very packable into two separate bags. Biggest of the two bags is 120cmx35x35 for the 3.8m version IIRC. Easily get that in a roof box, then engine in the boot with fuel tank and fishing gear. It would seem that you have asked a question and ignored all the good advice that these knowledgeable people have given. Just saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted June 2, 2021 Author Share Posted June 2, 2021 1 minute ago, JonC said: It would seem that you have asked a question and ignored all the good advice that these knowledgeable people have given. Just saying. I asked about boats that can be packed away. Instead I got people telling me I should get a kayak or a trailer boat. Tell me Jon, why exactly I should take heed of "good advice" that doesn't answer the question. Just saying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 Just now, Andy135 said: I asked about boats that can be packed away. Instead I got people telling me I should get a kayak or a trailer boat. Tell me Jon, why exactly I should take heed of "good advice" that doesn't answer the question. Just saying. No, you are in fact ‘just asking’🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted June 2, 2021 Share Posted June 2, 2021 But, to drag this back on topic as I always do a couple of guys who are at the sailing club this week (it’s cadet week) have fairly inexpensive rigid deck inflatables which they run 9.9s on, they seem to be ok. I’ll ask this evening about how easy they are in real life to use out of a car boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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