Seamax Ocean 430 Quick Review :
A new boater of my same boating Club bought this new sib, prior buying it was advised not to do so and opt for a family oriented same size Rib. Made deaf ears to the recommendation. The package came with an engine stand, light trailor and a short shaft Evinrude 4 stroke 25 HP engine. As the engine will be placed and retrieve from transom after each outing how can you recommend an engine which weights 82 kilos, insane to say the least. Managed to return the Evi 25 and recommend a 2 stroke Tohatsu 30 HP which only weights 52 kilos, that's 20 kilo and lots of $$$$ difference. A 30 Hp is the max that model will take nicely without overpowering it.
Right after the sib was assembled, saw a tech flaw that's common to many brand sibs. The side joiner which are rather skinny for this size sib rests very close to tube fabric, if a side edge patch is not glued at both extremes of side joiners, in the very short run will end abrading tube's fabric, bad news. Owner installed 2 part per side joiners facing each other rather than on an X crossed pattern.
Tubes and keel were inflated to 3.0 PSI once on water for overall pressure to stabilize on a sunny summer day, water trial was conducted on ideal non wind flat sea condition. The engine is undergoing its break in period, at slow//fast displacement speeds perform nice as any inflatable would do provided that's well inflated to at least 3.0 PSI minimum in each air chamber. When giving juice at 1/3 throttle the sib starts to plane, when giving 1/2 throttle the sib plows bow down and has a very erratic scary water behaviour, tends to go sideways, chine walking as of the experts. The thin side joiners does not provide a proper support to give proper floor panels their best rigidity, Deck feels like rolling under it.
You can visibly see front bow water splashes at both sides, the quantity will depend entirely on who sits up front for a spot on sib ballance. The more weight up front the more will splash sideways. Water flow passes 2 cm under ideal small upper water def plate as of my likeness, with more passengers engine should go deeper and reduce the height gap. Engine is locked at second hole out transom which gives a parallel boat and cav plate when on plane.
Excessive water is entering deck, not known from where, assume is the water drain valve which has a floodgate in middle, prefer traditional plug ones, works spot on for me. This sib seems to have the keel placed to near to bow as for the lateral excessive splash it produces.
Wednesday is Happy Day or Waterloo time for this sib and owner, flooring will be dismantled to have a look at water drain valve which probably has sealing issues, side joiners will be assembled at an X pattern, will flood entire lower fabric with soapy water, assemble all alum panels & side joiners previously soaked in soapy water, proceed to fully inflate sib to max 3.5 PSI for tubes, 5-6 PSI for keel. Soapy water will let side joiners snap easily on floor panel boards, keel to slip and find its best middle resting position along floorboards best alignment.
This sib bears a Canadian Certificate plate, would like to know what's involved in its certification, meantime has 0 seaworthiness certification to me. If sib fails the rigorous examination on next and finale sea trial, owner will have thrown at least + 3 grand into the blue....(that to be discovered soon, stay tuned)
Happy Boating