Anyone heard of a Bombad AX 5001

[SpearRib]

Its a 3.1m Model.

Seems to me the transom folds but the hull is glass?

Were they made form hypalon? This thing looks 15 years old.

[John Kennett]

I don't know about the AX5001 specifically, but from what I can see it's very similar (identical?) to the AX500 which is a shallow V RIB with a folding transom. It will be PVC as the Hypalon equivalent was marketed under the Avon brand.

The advantage is that it takes up less storage space than a conventional RIB, but I found it to be very unwieldy ashore. It really needs two people to move it around without dragging it.

It sounds great on paper but I was quite disappointed with mine!

In comparison the 380 Aerotec has substantially more space, is easier to handle ashore, and performs at least as well as the AX.

[Landlockedpirate]

I had the Zodiac version, which was identical in every way but name, there is also an identical Avon version. They are still made today as the Avon 310 Compact Rib.

Dimensions are the same as any of the 3.1m Zodiac/Bombard.Avon boats, its smaller inside than the Honwave 3.2 and the tubes are slightly smaller (but still big enough to feel safe). Maximum engine was a 10hp and it would plane with 2 adults and a 8hp 2 stroke.At the age you are looking at it would still of had the pointy cones, so you lose a little internal space over the newer versions.

Performance wise I was disappointed, although its a rib, its very very shallow (so it will fold up neatly in the bag), it slammed in even small chop and because its single skin water collected in the bottom all the time giving you wet feet and splashing.

TBH it didnt perform any better than the wood floor Zodiac 3.1m I had owned previously and although it folded down and could be carried in the back of an estate car, I just didn't feel it was worth having. I swapped it for an air floor after about 3 months. I'm not sure about the specifications in your neck of the woods, but most of the boats sold over here were PVC, its possible you have found a Hypalon version, but they were very rare (and expensive) in the UK.