Visiting the FALCON factory and shop

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:17

I arrived in Cape Town after a 11 hour flight from the UK. I was picked up by Patric. A driver that did not know the meaning of the words 'SLOW', 'BE CAREFULL' and 'DO NOT OVERTAKE', and luckaly I arrived in Swelledam where I received a very warm wellcome from the Heyneman family

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:23

After the usual hellos and large amounts of coffee I was taken around the shop to have a look.
There I saw the very first racing FALCON that is now dicommissioned

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:25

Pieyter showed me in the workshop (where they also modify engines, repair props, do the electrics of the boats etc) an almost 20 year old FALCON tubes made out of PVC and no wear on this one what so ever (the boat is under the yellow hood).

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:27

an area where they keep the F3, the dicommissioned F3 and some 650SRs. All this is in the shop. Haven't been in the factory yet

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:28

The cockpit of the F3

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:30

Later we took the road to the factory. The factory is located just a few kms west from the shop.

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:34

It was very busy. X-RIB have ordered a huge amount of RIBs. So who ever says that they do not like FALCONs I think they need to re think as most of the RIBs in there were destined for the UK (18 I think).
Some 640 SRs and some 700RSRs. So people if you have ordered the grey (military grey colour 700RSRs and the 650SRs from XRIB here you xcan see your boats been made).
Enjoy

This is where they do the fibre glassing

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:36

These are the 2 military grey 700RSRs ordered by RIB-X just waiting shipment

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:36

A 640SR for RIB-X

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:38

a blue 640SR . who ever ordered a blue 640 from RIB-X this is your boat.
The area at the back is where they do all the gluing of the PVC

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:40

Showing us how they do the lamination. The chap in the red jacket is FALCON's rep in Greece.

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:42

One of my 640s

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:44

some more RIBs

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:45

Couple of my RIBs

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:56

Customising a 640SR.
I have added a sundeck forward. Pieter is setting up the boat to see how it would look like so that they produce it.
You can just see the ply wood forward standing on a crate

Bilge Rat · 09 March 2004, 10:57

Manos - Nice one there has been a lot of talk about Rib-x over the last few months and its now nice to see where and how they are made.

Rat

PS that geeza in the orange beeny looks like the bloke who mugged me and knicked my laptop 2 months ago !!! he was wearing an identicla beeny !!!!

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:57

The inside of an 640

Manos · 09 March 2004, 10:59

Underneath of a deck

Manos · 09 March 2004, 11:01

and some griding work

Manos · 09 March 2004, 11:02

... the fibres they use.

Cheers Mr Rat