bombard ribs ok?

columbiachop · 01 January 2006, 01:47

i'm going to look at a 15 1/2 ft bombard rib tommorow. 1995 with aluminum hull, 55hp suzuki, center console, new transom, trailer. the guy says he needs cash bad as he just had surgery. he didn't even know what a RIB was. he's never ran it. says it holds air and runs great according to his friend he bought it from.

i'll try and attach the only photo he has of it.

ok, i need the advice of the big brains on this site to tell me if these boats are any good and if...get this....$2200 dollars for everything is a good deal. seems really cheap to me.

thanks a ton,
andy

OceanEco · 01 January 2006, 03:10

generally they are not bad ribs. usually their tubes are pvc although from the picture it look like the tubes on this one are hypalon. seems like a good deal. this is the first alum. hull bombard i have seen. do you know what year it was built?

simon

columbiachop · 01 January 2006, 03:19

he says 95 but he doesn't sound like he knows anything about ribs. i hope i don't drive down there and find out it's not a rib. he says it looks like a V to him.

columbiachop · 01 January 2006, 04:06

it might be a commando model. found it on their website. they use 1100 decitex fabric (whatever that is)

this was just cut and paste below:

Rigid keel in 3 sections - (Bombard exclusivity)
- Assembles without any tooling
Monobloc floorboard system
- In anodised aluminium
- Rust and rot-proof
- Handles shocks with ease
- Built-in track for attaching accessories and equipment
- Fitting for rigid foredeck
- Large spray deflecting rubbing strake

if that's the case is it a rib? will it be good in choppy conditions, or kind of harsh riding? might have been too good to be true.

andy

OceanEco · 01 January 2006, 04:28

I would say it is not a true rigid hull, what I mean is it is not a fibreglass bottom. It has a fabric bottom with a keel stringer in it. The keel stringer is in three sections. It has alum floor boards these gives it most of it's structural strength. It is a foldable boat(maybe a little hard with the consol in the pic). Decitex is a type of pvc tube material. Pvc is notr as good as hypalon and detoriates faster in the sun. Nice on flat days or a little bit of chop but not so much fun in the bigger stuff. I think the suggested max hp is a 40. still looks like a good deal if the motor runs well and the tubes and bottom are in good shape.

Simon

Hightower · 01 January 2006, 08:25

Can't you get the guy that's selling to take a few more photo's of it (from a wider angle and from the transom).

From the description of the comando model it does sound like what OceanEco says, but you are guessing that's what model it is. Arn't you? Sounds like a very keen price if it really is a RIB.

Get some more photo's!

columbiachop · 01 January 2006, 10:15

yeah, i'm just guessing. i went to the bombard website and it's the only one with aluminum. the guy's kinda slow i think. i'll know tommorow morning when i see it. even if it's not a rib i think i'll pick it up since it's so cheap. who knows, maybe i'll get lucky. i'll post picks tommorow for sure.

i won't actually pay for it until monday when the banks open so you guys can critique it for me before hand i hope.

i'll get shots of the hull, tubes, and motor as well. i'm bringing a compression tester too.

andy

jwalker · 01 January 2006, 11:00

columbiachop, that picture you posted is not a Commando.

Kernow Buoy · 01 January 2006, 15:52

Hi Columbiachop
This was my old Bombard, it was a 4.9m rated for 10 people and max engine up to 65hp (

)
The floor looks very similar but the tube fittings different, it wasn't a Rib but had a 3 section wooden keel/stringer under a hypalon type covering. It was marked 'Bombard C5'
Regards
Kernow

columbiachop · 01 January 2006, 22:48

ok, here it is.

the good...engine runs nicely
holds air
tubes appear to be in good condition with just a couple patches
and one torn off d-ring.

the bad... only one baffle seems to be working in the tubes. 4 of the
chambers inflate and deflate togather.

it's not a rib.

trailer is pretty much worthless

so, are the baffles fixable/replaceable or should i just walk away from this one? i need this boat to be safe for my family as the waters in front of my house are notoriously unforgiving.

and lastly, what model is this anyway?

thanks everyone for the input,
andy

columbiachop · 01 January 2006, 22:50

oh, the last photo i shrunk on accident so the quality is poor. it says "C5" on the side there.

columbiachop · 01 January 2006, 22:58

sorry, one more thing. it's a 1985, not 1995 model.

jwalker · 01 January 2006, 23:01

Oops, sorry. Gave you a bum steer. It's a bit different to my C5.

Hightower · 01 January 2006, 23:27

Baffles

. Are these between the chambers internaly?

I guess that if you haven't a leak on the tubes then it'll probably be OK but it is preferable to have indipendant chambers (safety resons).

$2200 is very cheap....What's the outboard like? It's an older Suzuki but the outside looks very clean.

If it was me, I'd buy the boat subject to engine and boat state. Use it as experience for close shore type cruising, keeping an eye on the RIB market. I'm sure that with a little effort DIY you could increase your investment and if the worst happened and the boat let you down you'd get pretty much what you paid for the outfit from just selling the outboard.

Make him an offer, he seems desparate to sell it! Offer him $1500...

It's your choice though!

columbiachop · 02 January 2006, 00:32

actually i kinda threw "baffles" out there. it's problably not even the right word. i'm pretty sure it's suppose to have some barrier between the chambers though. not really sure how they do it.

i'm thinking i might just buy it. i just wish i knew if i could fix the chambers to be safe again.

andy

OceanEco · 02 January 2006, 03:30

Yes, you can fix the chambers. It is a fair amount of work. I dont know how much it would cost you to get someone to fix them. There is a good company up here that I deal with for any repair to our boats tubes. You could give him a call and at least get a quote to give you an idea on time and materials to repair them. The name of the company is Open Ocean Inflatables they are located in Sidney on Vancouver Island B.C. Keith is the person you want to talk to the phone number is 1 250 655 1104. It still seems like a good deal. Hope that helps. I agree with hightower make him an offer.

Simon

columbiachop · 02 January 2006, 03:49

great. that's exactly what i wanted to hear.

i'll call him tommorow morning with an offer.

kernow, jwalker...did you like your C5?

thanks for all the replies

andy

jwalker · 02 January 2006, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by columbiachop

...kernow, jwalker...did you like your C5?

Very much, but it gives an extremely hard ride and I cut off the hull and made one with a deeper V which transformed it. However, a RIB is a different beast altogether.

Kernow Buoy · 02 January 2006, 13:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by columbiachop

kernow, jwalker...did you like your C5?

Yes! Really easy to launch/recover, mine had a 40 Mariner on it would do 25kts (felt like 125) and accelerated so hard we would all fall off the seats

Hightower · 02 January 2006, 16:03

Mr Walker, what shaft lengh is the Outboard in the pic, looks really long.