Beaching a SIB?

[canuckjgc]

I'm looking at a 15' SIB with 1.2mm PVC and inflatable keel. It has a thick rubber strake down the center of the boat.

Has anyone added more protection to the bottom of a SIB for beaching? I won't be folding the boat up ever.

My concern is beaching, then having the waves grind the bottom of the boat on sand and rocks.

Can't afford a big enough RIB, but I don't want to be constantly repairing leaks either.

Thoughts?

 

[azzurro]

Re: Beaching a SIB?

I do beach with my SIB.

- Most of the trouble is waves, you may get a lot of water inside the boat while beaching. Get a water pump.
- Of course you must tilt the engine up.
- You should know the beach before: stones? wood? whatever?
- I bet it is more like tearing the floor rather than damaging the floats.
- An alternative is anchoring at 1,5 meters depth. Beware of wind and waves.
- What about getting off at 1,5-1 meter depth and then pull the SIB? Better if 2 people.
- Anyways I do prefer beaching a SIB rather than RIB, and beaching a SIB rather than river SIBbing.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Beaching a SIB?

If you make constat beaching cycles will abrade the tube's underneath fabric at lower end tubes, will need to glue same middle bottom rubstrake at both lower tubes ends for extra fabric protection. Thicker fabric will last longer, but eventually abrade with continued beaching abuse.

Happy Boating

 

[canuckjgc]

Re: Beaching a SIB?

Thanks. I'm looking at a Seamax with a 1.5mm PVC bottom of the tubes.

What thickness was the tube in that pic? Just curious.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Beaching a SIB?

Thanks. I'm looking at a Seamax with a 1.5mm PVC bottom of the tubes.

What thickness was the tube in that pic? Just curious.

That's 1.2 mm fabric, sib constantly trailer beached with a 30 HP at the back, crew are light guys to carry properly on/out trailer, that's why constant under tubes shore rubbing.

Happy Boating

 

[wrbea]

Re: Beaching a SIB?

you will find seamax is the only inflatable that has a double layer protection on the back of the pontoons

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Beaching a SIB?

Double layering does not provide much in the way of additional protection....At least not without penalties. Think in terms of your foot and a pair of shoes. Your foot is the air inside the boat and your tube material is the leather sole. There is a reason shoe manufacturer's don't use double soles...And those reasons are the same ones that inflatable boat manufacturer's use.