RIB Update

• Mr Clifton and I took the executive decision of taking a mooring for the season - this became available at short notice and required a quick decision. It cost less than the price of the seasons launchings and means no hanging about to get the boat launched. - This is more relevant this season than before as the boatyard is busier than ever! The boat must be locked back round the mooring chain with the good padlock left out of the water and on the boat! The keys MUST be LEFT IN THE BOATYARD If you are as tall as me you can pretty much wade out to the boat, even on high tide. Shorties will only make it on low tide. The yard will taxi you out to the boat, the boat can be brought back and loaded on the pontoon.
• The engine is taller than the old unit as its an inline 4 rather than a V4 (which the old one was). This means until I get time to lift the A frame the engine MUST NOT on any account be tilted into the A frame or breakage of the engine cowling occurs. Any breakage will be EXPENSIVE. I suggest any boathandler familiarise themselves with the speed the tilt mechanism works at BEFORE taking the boat out as it picks up speed quickly once moving. For info the engine tilts just enough to clear the keel.
• The radio still does not work, I am waiting for a new one to come in so be aware if you take the boat out there is NO VHF, pls ensure you have at least 1 mobile phone and the flares (and know how to use them).
• The engine requires a running in period of 10 HOURS, (it has done 1 hour so far) please e-mail me after every trip with running times and any observations so I can arrange the 10 hr service, it is important we do not significantly overshoot this service as head bolts etc need tightening as well as the usual oil changes. During the running in period the engine MUST NOT be run at FULL SPEED ( 6-6500 RPM) for MORE THAN 2 MINUTES. Likewise it shouldn't be run at idle for 10 hours, it is best if the engine is run at 2-4000 rpm with occasion forays into higher and lower rev ranges.
• The boat will do nearly 40 mph unladen, please be aware on anything other than a flat sea, considerable skill is required to keep the boat from bouncing about too much to be safe at this sort of speed. I would suggest a max speed of 35 mph is appropriate until a) the engine is run in and b) until the cox has had a reasonable amount of practice handling the boat at speed. The 4 stroke is a lot torquier than the old 2 stroke and will accelerate swiftly, the no feed back helm makes it a lot easier to steer than with the 2 stroke, it also lulls the cox into a false sense of security because it is so easy to drive. PLEASE, PLEASE ensure you drive within your own limits.
• There is no choke, it is automatically choked by the fuel injection system, there is no need to use the throttle control lever. The controls for forward and reverse work the same as way as per the previous until. You pump the fuel the same way, use the kill cord the same way and then just turn the key to start. Once the unit is started it MUST BE RUN FOR 3 MINUTES before driving the boat in order to allow the unit to warm up.
• If the GPS plays up, take the fuse out of the red holder, clean it, put it back and pray!.

Sorry for all the blurb, but it is important, but do remember to have fun out there! Happy diving

Nigel, April 2002