Hi, just starting my Safe boat journey. Purchased a new to me 05 RB-S that I’m planning on fully retrofitting. It’s getting bottom paint as we speak. The Aluminum on the boat is in perfect shape.
I will be painting the collar next weekend with Raptor Liner which I’m hoping will hold up well, I’ve had really good luck with it for other marine applications. The collar has some repairs needed which I was planning on using 3M 540 on.
I’m doing some additional upgrades in the next two weeks but prioritizing getting it in the water as soon as possible. The engines are mismatched, one from 2007 one from 2012 so planning on replacing with Honda iST 250s this winter.
It looks like many of you are running without the front protector/cover, has anyone had any luck having one remade? I need something as I’ll likely use the RBS as a tender from time to time.
Any advice on early things to do/fix would be greatly appreciated.
Will split time between Orcas and Anacortes in the San Juan’s. I’m hoping I can get the current engines good enough for this summer then do the swap this winter.
The RBSs are so bomber that you can probably have a lot of fun with it this summer without doing anything major to it - and like a new house, might be good to ‘live in it’ before you decide what to remodel
For PNW boating some things to prioritize would be:
bottom paint - especially if you’ve leaving it in the water.
getting motors serviced and doing compression test.
pull out and service the webasto heater (new glow plug and diffuser) as you’ll want that running in the fall
improve your ground tackle. more chain and better anchor - i went with a rocna vs the one that came with RBS - and added a lot more chain (30’) - it’s more of a pain to pull, but gives you more options for less scope out.
4b. possibly think about stern-tie line (floating poly) on your tow reel - especially if you’re heading up to desolation sound
think about your landing craft options. i’m sure you know already - but so many of the good islands don’t have docks - or will have full docks… our solution is a paddle board rack on the roof and a Alpacka Explorer42 packraft when we need to shuttle gear / more people to shore.
For electronics - if you don’t have the the budget/time to tear out and add all new per your mention above, you might find the old gear that’s in there (assuming it’s stock) - actually works just fine. I have the old NavNet2 with PG500 compass that gives me decent radar/map overlay for fog. I added AIS (receive only) and wired the radio to the NavNet for DSC. I did a small Furuno display and Honda (rebadged Simrad) fuel display. Meets my needs pretty well. I find I use my phone/ipad in for Waze-style “where am I going” nav with navionics and the plotter for “whats around me right now”. Haven’t felt the need to upgrade to the touch units - they feel more outdated to me than navionics. Bonus is that if shit breaks - it’s dirt cheap get a new one off fleabay.
Thanks! Bottom paint is in the works, the yard has the barrier coat on now. Engines will hopefully get a full work over this week.
You bring up a good point on ground tackle, I was planing on just using an old danforth I have off a 30 ft sailboat, or could use the rocna 25kg that was my old stern anchor on the trawler but that is likely overkill. We won’t be doing any overnights in it so will likely start with the danforth.
Getting to shore is one I just started thinking about, most likely use cases are Doe Bay Cafe for dinner or some of the spits. I was wondering about using the brackets for the tow guide bar to make a rack of some kind for a small Livingston?
I admittedly and going way overboard on electronics and it was bare other than a vhf. But also wanted them to be as close to the same as in the trawler. After planning it all out I’ve ended up with:
Furuno TZT2 12” in the dash (TZT3 won’t fit)
Furuno TZT3 12” next to the dash on a mount
RPM Gauges in the dash (same size as new n2k Honda gauges)
Extended the starboard to the right of the dash to hold the old fuel usage and trim gauges which will go away once I get new engines.
Vesper Cortex AIS/VHF (Class B+)
Furuno SX20 sat compass
Furuno DRS2DNXT 19” Radar
Fusion Audio N2k RA70
Standard Horizon GX2000 standalone vhf
Standard Horizon VLH-3000A Hailer
3 Morad Hotrod VHF Antennas
1 Morad AIS Antenna
Unfortunately transducers are super backordered right now, was interested in the bottom mapping tech but likely just need to go with a simple non-chirp model, whatever I can get quickly.
I’m swapping the batteries with Optimas and likely doing the charge controller upgrade you mentioned. I need to work out my resting amp draw with the cortex on and n2k backbone but hoping to install enough solar it can hang out without power. The Cortex allows remote monitoring of things like battery voltage so worth it to leave on.
Two upgrades I’m not sold on and am curious if anyone has done is an Auto Pilot and Flir Camera, likely the M300 as I think stabilization is likely a must. Since this is a ferry replacement i will likely run at night often during the non summer months. Those won’t happen until later anyways so any opinions welcome.
Happy to post picts/learnings as the install progresses. Over the weekend i cut out the dash and overhead holes and painted the dash. I spent last night ripping out the old wiring and cleaning stuff up so hope to start installs later this week.
Has anyone pulled any cables through the forward side chases? Seems a bit tight for an N2K cable.
I ran a single n2k cable easily along starboard helm / rear locker tube. Hardest part was digging out the spray foam in the rear tube opening - there is a half way pull spot under the rear starboard seat.
