The Adventures of Thumper

    Thumper was born in Dafen near the town of Llanelli in South Wales. The former was a mining town in the 1800's....a fitting place for a tough Black Avon to have her keel laid. She is formally referred to as a CRRC or Combat Rubber Raiding Craft or Combat Rubber Reconnaissance Craft.
    These rapid deployment craft are designed for military and commercial operations where ease and speed of assembly are essential. The compact size when packed facilitates stowage and easy launch for submarines, air dropping from fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, or deployment from small vehicles.
    The craft can be inflated in water or on land, and made ready for operation within two minutes by means of the high pressure inflation system.


    More later....


    Cheers, Don

    Quote from Dan

    Amazing. Is the one in the pic supposed to carry 15?


    What is the significance of the desert pic?


    No the 15 man Assault Boat Tech manual is just something use for maintenance opps. Thumper is a 10 man boat.


    The desert pic will be covered in post # 2... but I'm getting very close to Martini time.:bottomup:


    Cheers, Don

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Quote from ladvr

    How hot do those black boats get sitting in the sun?


    At sea here in Cali they are perfect even in the summer, I'm usually cold after 9 hrs in the water and moving spot to spot with a wet wet suit.
    The CRRC boats have separate over pressure valves in each chamber (5 with out speed tubes) that vent any over pressure inside the hull.


    I'll put out more data as the thread builds.


    Cheers, Don

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    I saw one of these at a local inflatable shop, they are built like a tank, how they get those motors to run after being submerged?

    Quote from japsw

    I saw one of these at a local inflatable shop, they are built like a tank, how they get those motors to run after being submerged?


    They are special;) I've been told you open a valve to drain the exhaust, pull the rope start 3 times to clear the seawater, close the valve. Turn on the fuel and the next pull starts the motor.
    The new ones will run on diesel, gas or whiskey...I'd be a rowing before I wasted any whiskey. :@


    Cheers, Don
    This CRRC is a Zodi F-470. (4.7meter). These are shallow water draft propulsion drives.( no open prop).
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74DLsTAUT8s

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Edited 3 times, last by Don Paul ().

    Very interesting Don, thanks for posting. I wonder what the projected lifespan of those outboards is, saltwater in the block is no joke. They certainly had no problem getting it started in the video, I wonder how many dumps it can take. I'd imagine that they're extremely reliable if the military is using them.

    hummmmm that would be a bad little dive boat for around here.... seriously though the military has the convenience of using those on a mission or two and replacing motors so who knows what long term effect is. Nothing like the reliability of the 70hp 2 stroke yammi commercial engines

    Quote from japsw

    hummmmm that would be a bad little dive boat for around here.... seriously though the military has the convenience of using those on a mission or two and replacing motors so who knows what long term effect is. Nothing like the reliability of the 70hp 2 stroke yammi commercial engines


    Many different motors have been used over the years, Merc's ,Evinrude's and Mariner's.
    I have a 50 merc with a prop on this boat.


    Cheers, Don

    "Great mother ocean brought forth all life, it is my eternal home'' Don Berry from Blue Water Hunters.


    Spearfishing Store the freediving and spearfishing equipment specialists.

    Now wait just a cotton pick'n second here... you can put MOTORS on Zodiacs??? WTF, over? I dare anyone to find a pic of Rangers using a motor. I've wasted a lotta time and effort with one leg out, getting soaked, rowing, uncomfortably crouched another Ranger's ass. ...MOTORS... all this time... bastards!

    Quote from 75th

    Now wait just a cotton pick'n second here... you can put MOTORS on Zodiacs??? WTF, over? I dare anyone to find a pic of Rangers using a motor. I've wasted a lotta time and effort with one leg out, getting soaked, rowing, uncomfortably crouched another Ranger's ass. ...MOTORS... all this time... bastards!


    Hahahaha bummer buddy. Think of it as super extreme white water rafting

    i like to spear fish

    Extremely slow! I checked, btw. There is a pic of Rangers using a motor... could be photoshopped... could be that there's a couple high speed privates in the back rowing their asses off while the rest look good for the recruitment poster. :laughing: I'm just joking. It's just that we didn't use the motors much, though. A lot of rowing. Quiet rowing. A lot of quiet rowing. No talking, just row and watch your sector. ...and don't fart! Oar handles are quiet, surprising and painful.

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