I have a 2015 Tiara 44 Coupe and would like to put a hard bottom inflatable on my hydraulic swim
platform and need your advise. Most of these are in the 500 -600lb range. My concern is that by doing this it will require me to change the factory props and potentially reduce our top cruising speed.
What have other owners done?
I doubt the addition of a RIB will force you into new props. tiara does a good job of specing props so that the engines are able to achieve manufacturers rated WOT rpm (plus a couple percent) at max weight. 600 pounds is about the equivalent of carrying an extra 80 gallons of fuel which isn't much for a boat that size. If you tend to run with a lot of gear/fuel/passengers on board you may need to tune the props a little.
(11-19-2017, 04:45 PM)Water Gate Wrote: [Only registered and activated users can see links Click here to register]
We bought our Tiara last Fall, then went to FTL boat show to research lifts and RIB's. We looked at about everything on the market. The Freedom Lift folks were at the show and helped us determine weight and size that was right for our boat...a few brands fit the bill...for us it ended up being between Walker Bay and Capelli, and we liked the uniqueness and reputation of the Capelli. We liked also liked it because it was narrow for access to swim platform (with the Freedom Lift, we have about 40" of walking space between dinghy and transom), just the right length for our boat, and 441 lb with motor (we bought a 20 horse to save even a little more weight). We boat on Lake Michigan...in 1-2's she planes out well...perhaps another 4-5 seconds than usual, and it is usually just two of us. We were in 5-6's across the lake this summer with the two of us, and she was stable and firm. I'd think with your added length and the quality of a Tiara hull you'd be just fine with something similar, and see minimal impact to performance. PS. The Freedom Lift folks helped us test the ballast up front to guage impact...it's always an inexpensive option to help adjust performance if you need it, especially if usually just the two of you. Good luck!
I installed a freedom lift on our 42 open last season. Although the unit is rated for 800+lbs, I tried a zodiac that was just shy of that and felt it was too heavy for the boat. I believe we are going to go with the new Walker Bay generation light that is just under 600LB wet. I see you're in Naples, a friend (Nathan) runs Inflatable Boats of Florida located there and I believe he still has one in stock. May be worth a look.
I would think that with a hydraulic swim platform, there would be no need for a Freedom Lift, just a set of cradles. I have the FL on my 43 Sovran and feel that because it is mounted so far aft, performance is affected, however, it is hard to tell since i bought the boat with the lift....which happens to be terrific. I have a 11'2" Achilles HB with a 20 HP motor and I believe it weighs in at around 240 lbs..
Good Luck
(11-21-2017, 02:54 PM)mobil1 Wrote: I would think that with a hydraulic swim platform, there would be no need for a Freedom Lift, just a set of cradles. I have the FL on my 43 Sovran and feel that because it is mounted so far aft, performance is affected, however, it is hard to tell since i bought the boat with the lift....which happens to be terrific. I have a 11'2" Achilles HB with a 20 HP motor and I believe it weighs in at around 240 lbs..
Good Luck
you are correct. I was replying based on the load limits and recommendations for different size boats. The FL folks are good about advising on weight vs. performance...didn't mean to confuse.
Author's Statistic:
Posts: 80
Threads: 1
Likes Given: 14
Likes Received: 6 in 5 posts
Joined: Mar 2016
Home Port: Newport Beach,CA
Vessel Info: I work for the Westcoast Tiara dealer Silver Seas Yachts. I'm one on the lucky few who gets to try all the models and engine combos.
Posts: 80
Threads: 1
Likes Given: 14
Likes Received: 6 in 5 posts
Joined: Mar 2016
Home Port: Newport Beach,CA
Vessel Info: I work for the Westcoast Tiara dealer Silver Seas Yachts. I'm one on the lucky few who gets to try all the models and engine combos.
(11-17-2017, 06:06 PM)Water Gate Wrote: I have a 2015 Tiara 44 Coupe and would like to put a hard bottom inflatable on my hydraulic swim
platform and need your advise. Most of these are in the 500 -600lb range. My concern is that by doing this it will require me to change the factory props and potentially reduce our top cruising speed.
What have other owners done?
Hi Water Gate, the platform is good for 1000LBS. The largest size that fits properly is an 11.5’ with a 40hp. Tiara says the C44 is good for 30.5 knots but I see 33 knots out of them all the time without a tender, full fuel and fresh propspeed. It’s important to use the proper chocks. best to get the factory set up from nautical structures. You can talk to Bob Blue there and he will take care of you. The chocks used need to get the tender as low to the deck as possible. The NS system will do this for you. The nautical structures kit also lifts out with without having to be unbolted. Launch the boat, pull the chocks, throw them in the trunk and you can hang out and grill without stubbing a toe. Another consideration is dead rise of the tender. You don’t need to go with a flat bottomed tender but you also don’t want a super deep V tender on the C44. Issues arise when loading the tender in choppy conditions with a super deep V tender especially if you have the teak deak option. Find the middle ground on dead rise. If you want a sure fire fit go with the AB Mares 10’6” VSX. Refresh the propspeed on your props every year (make sure your diver knows how to care for propspeed) and if the boat is riding rough in chop try giving it more throttle before trying less. Just for fun I’ve attached pictures of the some C44s I’ve either had built or sold in the last year or so. Let me know if you need any further help! See you on the water!