Thoughts regarding Skiffs

[ksanders]

When we bought our boat in 2011 transitioning from a traileralbe cruiser we of course upgraded our skiff. Our boat has a 750 pound capable crane so our thought was to use it.

The skiff we bought is a Zodiac Yachtline 340 RIB. Center console, 30 hp honda engine, a pretty nice boat all in itself.

The problem is that the bugger is very heavy, something in the range of 700 lbs. That makes is very unpleasant to deal with during shore landings.

With our old skiff I would just drag it up on shore go for a hike, walk the dogs, etc... Now I cant do that because its too heavy for a guy to drag around. This has left me in a situation a couple of times as the tide went out being almost impossible to re-launch.

How do others deal with this?

I was thinking of possible getting a aluminium fishing boat or something like that. Something lighter.

I like the center console. Thats a nice feature. If I could move my 30HP honda to something lighter that would be great.

I have a max length limitation of about 14' on my boat deck. Shorter would be better though to provide manuvering room.

What ideas are floating out there in a nice, beachable skiff that can still go fast if I want to?

 

[hmason]

Before you give up and spend $$, check this out;

Great Technique for Dinghy Anchoring at the Beach |

Howard

 

[JDCAVE]

We use two anchors, and the the aft anchor has a long polyprop bungie cord. The stern anchor is dropped in sufficient depth and distance for the shore that it holds the skiff away from shore. The forward anchor can wrap around shore vegetation, a log or a rock. When back to the skiff, we pull the skiff to shore and shove off and the aft anchor bungie setup pulls us away again. No need to pull the skiff up the beach.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/greenfield-products--anchor-buddy-mooring-line--P005_151_002_507

There are compromises when it comes to skiffs. I envy the guys with the larger skiff that have the nice fishing setups, but they have to tow them. Our skiff is "tricked out" for fishing but it's marginal for that purpose in any kind of sea. We have an 11' sterling skiff with centre console and electric Scottie downrigger.


Jim
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[IntervaleII]

When cruising in the Bahamas we would anchor the skid off to make sure it wouldn't be grounded during low tide. Ours weight about 1000 pounds. This means wading out after we unloaded to pull it out into deeper water. I would have another line I would tie to shore so I can pull it in as far as possible prior to grounding.
The bigger and faster tender is always better, I would work out other solutions to maintain as a larger skiff as possible.


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Capt. Don

 

[MurrayM]

If I had the 'disposable yacht dollars' just sitting around waiting for something to do, I'd go for a regular everyday aluminum skiff, then bolt on Kapten Boat Collars;

I contacted them about a year ago, and shipping from Australia was huge.

 

[Old deckhand]

Smoker craft makes a skiff in your size range with a 20 inch transom. We have used one for years. Kevin, hope you find your answer.

 

[Scary]

Kevin I had the same problem

I had a Avon sport boat on my 4788. I ended up trading it for a simple Achilles hypalon rib with a 15hp two stroke Mercury tiller steer. About the same speed, much lighter and more versatile. I used snap davits on the boarding platform or the crane depending. That also gave me the option of carrying a jet ski on the cabin top or a mess of kayaks. Much quicker and safer launching from the platform than the crane plus the snap davits made boarding the rib much safer, especially with a dog. A set of wheels mounted on the rib make dragging the rib up the beach easy. Sometimes simpler is better. The tinny is a good option, however I don't think the deck is large enough for a decent sized tinny. It would be better to tow a 16' or 18' aluminum skiff than mess with a 10 or 11 ft aluminum tipalot. I towed my 21' outdrive ski boat at 18kts often behind my 4788.

 

[kolive]

We recently went through the same thought process and decided to buy a 15' Klamath all welded with windshield skiff setup for fishing and will tow it as we do not have the onboard space or crane to lift it. It weighs 625 lbs with the Honda 30. Great boat for our needs.

 

[ksanders]

Before you give up and spend $$, check this out;

Great Technique for Dinghy Anchoring at the Beach |

Howard

Thanks!!!!!

To everyboy for the ideas.

This is now easier than I imagined.

The first thing I am going to try is the remote anchoring methods. I say methods because while I like "larrys remote anchoring" I am a bit concerned that dragging an anchor back to shore might be an issue through rocks. If the anchor gets caught I'm swimming to the skiff in 45 degree water.

I'm going to buy the stretchable anchor line. Then when I'm approaching the shore all I have to do is toss the anchor overboard then drift in. I can use a longer line to secure the skiff to shore and know my skiff will still be floating when I come back to it after a dog potty stop or a hike.

I think this method will work, and avoid trading my very capabable skiff (that I already have) for a more manuverable one.

If in our cruising future I get to a point where we are doing more beach landings in heavy surf say along the pacific coast of Mexico then I'll re-evaluate the skiff situation and at that time I'll probably opt for a lighter weight skiff, but thats far enough in the future that I do not have to worry about it right now.

Thanks again guys. A simple inexpensive solution. Fantastic!!!

 

[JDCAVE]

We recently went through the same thought process and decided to buy a 15' Klamath all welded with windshield skiff setup for fishing and will tow it as we do not have the onboard space or crane to lift it. It weighs 625 lbs with the Honda 30. Great boat for our needs.

Damn! That IS nice! You need something like that for an effective fishing platform. You will be towing that boat, correct?


Jim
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[JDCAVE]

Thanks!!!!!

To everyboy for the ideas.

This is now easier than I imagined.

The first thing I am going to try is the remote anchoring methods. I say methods because while I like "larrys remote anchoring" I am a bit concerned that dragging an anchor back to shore might be an issue through rocks. If the anchor gets caught I'm swimming to the skiff in 45 degree water.

I'm going to buy the stretchable anchor line. Then when I'm approaching the shore all I have to do is toss the anchor overboard then drift in. I can use a longer line to secure the skiff to shore and know my skiff will still be floating when I come back to it after a dog potty stop or a hike.

I think this method will work, and avoid trading my very capabable skiff (that I already have) for a more manuverable one.

If in our cruising future I get to a point where we are doing more beach landings in heavy surf say along the pacific coast of Mexico then I'll re-evaluate the skiff situation and at that time I'll probably opt for a lighter weight skiff, but thats far enough in the future that I do not have to worry about it right now.

Thanks again guys. A simple inexpensive solution. Fantastic!!!

I'm sure you realize that you've still got to be careful about dropping tides and getting stranded. We prefer more deeply sloping beaches with our setup.


Jim
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[kolive]

JDCave, yes we are towing this. Two electric Scotties and room for crab and shrimp pots.

 

[ksanders]

I'm sure you realize that you've still got to be careful about dropping tides and getting stranded. We prefer more deeply sloping beaches with our setup.


Jim
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Yes, sometimes the water can be 1' deep 100' from shore with a 10' tide change.

One issue is that when pull the skiff up it gets the snot beat out of it. This will solve that issue.

Thanks again, great idea!

 

[JDCAVE]

This what we use for the stern anchor




Jim
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[kolive]

Jim,

Could you give some detail to this setup please. Like how long is your chain and is that a stretchable section and how long does it reach too.

Keith

 

[ksanders]

This what we use for the stern anchor

View attachment 39123


Jim
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Yep, thats what I was thinking. The anchor "line" says it stretches to 50' but I'm thinking just out of the surf line would be juust fine for what I want to do.

 

[JDCAVE]

Jim,



Could you give some detail to this setup please. Like how long is your chain and is that a stretchable section and how long does it reach too.



Keith

Keith. I believe the anchor chain is 12' and the blue bungie line is as spec in the link below...
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/greenfield-products--anchor-buddy-mooring-line--P005_151_002_507
14' collapsed and 50' extended. It's worked well for us over 2 seasons. Not sure how long the PO had it, but probably since 2009. I think we will get another season from it, if not more. I like to have it set so the skiff is held in 5-10 feet.


Jim
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[GoldenDawn]

We use the same set up as Jim for the dog shore trips and it works well. But one still has to careful of the barnacles with a RIB in PNW or they will slice the tubes. On our previous boat, we towed a welded aluminum, center console (miss that boat!) w 50 Honda. It could bang around on the shore without a problem. Recently I have been looking at the 16' Lund as a simple alternative with larger capacity than the RIB but not too heavy. There thousands of these in western Alaska where harbors are few and far between.

Our present RIB is a 14' Polaris (aluminum hull), 20 Honda and "uni-helm" steering/seat station. It is lifted with the Krogan mast & boom set up.

 

[hollywood8118]

It can be a pretty simple setup, I have a small danforth that weighs about 3 lbs with 5' of small chain and a 75' or so of 3/8" standard bungie cord. I wind the bungie around one of those plastin things designed for extension cords.
Hollywood

 

[Marin]

Kevin-- Regarding skiffs themselves we have a nine foot Livingston that has served us well. It's too small for your purposes. But they make-- or used to-- larger sizes that might be worth looking into including, I believe, a cernter console version.

Very stable boat, pretty much indestructible, great for dragging up on rocky shores. Don't know how the weight would compare with what you've got now. http://www.livingstonboats.com

 

[Xlantic]

Having a large, powerful tender that you can haul onboard is great advantage.

I have an Avon RIB with a jet that weighs 800 lbs. and anchor it using the "clothesline" system described in this thread.

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s42/anchor-buddy-dinghy-19268.html

I also tend to carry a lightweight 8' Walker Bay which I can manhandle on to the swim platform which I use to row to shore when close by.

 

[ksanders]

Kevin-- Regarding skiffs themselves we have a nine foot Livingston that has served us well. It's too small for your purposes. But they make-- or used to-- larger sizes that might be worth looking into including, I believe, a cernter console version.

Very stable boat, pretty much indestructible, great for dragging up on rocky shores. Don't know how the weight would compare with what you've got now. Livingston Boats

Thanks!

I looked at them but the center console is 19' long.

Another part of the challenge is that for their size RIBS have an amazingly small amount of room.

On the flip side, nothing like a RIB if I have to go across a stretch of open ocean to go fetch a part in an emergency.

 

[Marin]

Does Boston Whaler make what you're looking for? Might not give you any weight advantage, though.

 

[CPseudonym]

We recently went through the same thought process and decided to buy a 15' Klamath all welded with windshield skiff setup for fishing and will tow it as we do not have the onboard space or crane to lift it. It weighs 625 lbs with the Honda 30. Great boat for our needs.

Keith, how fast does that Klamath go with the 30hp Honda with two people aboard? That may be the solution I've been looking for.

 

[Marin]

The 10' Bullfrog has a center steering position available but it's not the same thing as a console. And while it combines the attributes of an RIB with the removal of the detriments of an RIB, mainly the air and the finite life expectancy, they are heavy.

The larger model I believe offers a true center console but it will be very heavy.

 

[ksanders]

Does Boston Whaler make what you're looking for? Might not give you any weight advantage, though.

Not in a Center Console in a boat <=14'

The 10' Bullfrog has a center steering position available but it's not the same thing as a console. And while it combines the attributes of an RIB with the removal of the detriments of an RIB, mainly the air and the finite life expectancy, they are heavy.

The larger model I believe offers a true center console but it will be very heavy.

Weight savings is the key.

The ability to anchor outside the surf line pretty much solves the problem for me.