7.8 MAKO / Ballistic

Phil Gendron · 23 January 2002, 16:05

I am about to purchase new, a 7.8 Mako / Ballistic RIB and would welcome commentary from anyone whom has experience and / or knowledge pertaining to this model's construction and / or performance traits. A pair of 150 HP two stroke Mercs. will power her.

I live on the New England coast of the USA where I have been running Sutphen performance boats for several years. I have owned inflatables in the past; however, this will be my first experience in owning a RIB.

Negative as well as positive feedback would be usefull.

Thank you.

Alan · 23 January 2002, 17:18

are very fast but are alledged to have a fairly hard ride in rough water. A function of the scalloped chines I'd guess.

There is a review of the model on the www.ribmagazine.com website.

There is also a gentleman by the name of John-Pierre Waroux in Belgium who has been running a 7.8m ballistic with twin OMC Ficht 150's. That boat is actually now up for sale (on the boats for sale page on this site). John-Pierre is a good chap so I'm sure that if you were to contact him he'd be pleased to share his experiences with you.

HTH Alan

Jono Garton · 23 January 2002, 19:59

I will not comment - im just jealous' sorry (twin 150's ow)

Phil Gendron · 23 January 2002, 21:48

Thanks Alan. This will be my first experience with a RIB. We don't see very many RIBs here in the US other than a few Hurricanes used by the Coast Guard and the Secret Service, a few HBIs and an occasional Nautica; hence, my knowledge of them is limited to what I've been able to learn on-line and from reading Dag Pike's excellent book ' Inflatables '. I guess that we've been a bit slow to catch on! - Phil

Alan Priddy · 23 January 2002, 22:43

Phil, mail me you home address and I will send you a REAL book about RIB's.
Have a look at www.offshore-expeditions.com & www.spirit-of-cardiff.com

Alan P

Allen · 24 January 2002, 20:59

Quote:

Originally posted by Alan Priddy
Phil, mail me you home address and I will send you a REAL book about RIB's.
Have a look at www.offshore-expeditions.com & www.spirit-of-cardiff.com

Alan P

you mean ribs like this ?

Alan Priddy · 24 January 2002, 21:17

Ha HA Ha!

Allen · 25 January 2002, 07:37

Gotcha!

fast fred · 13 April 2006, 19:10

hey Phil

codprawn · 13 April 2006, 20:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil Gendron

I am about to purchase new, a 7.8 Mako / Ballistic RIB and would welcome commentary from anyone whom has experience and / or knowledge pertaining to this model's construction and / or performance traits. A pair of 150 HP two stroke Mercs. will power her.

I live on the New England coast of the USA where I have been running Sutphen performance boats for several years. I have owned inflatables in the past; however, this will be my first experience in owning a RIB.

Negative as well as positive feedback would be usefull.

Thank you.

May I ask why you want 2x 150s? Most 150 hp engines share the same block as the 200s so you get more power for the same weight.

Twins are also a lot heavier - you would get more pefromance with an Etec 250 and the weight saving would be quite a lot.

Yes twins offer more reliability but modern engines have improved a lot and you can fit a smaller aux to get you home.

My 8.5m RIB is faster with a single 225 than an identical boat with 2x 150hps.

The Ballistic is well named - it is a very fast hull and corners like it's on rails but it is a hard ride in a short sharp chop.

whatever setup you go for I am sure you will have great fun - just remember RIBs are at their best in the rough - flat calm days soon get boring.

Rogue Wave · 13 April 2006, 22:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

May I ask why you want 2x 150s? Most 150 hp engines share the same block as the 200s so you get more power for the same weight.

tht isn't the case with Opti's

jwalker · 13 April 2006, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by codprawn

May I ask why you want 2x 150s? ..

Cod, am I missing something? Do you realise this thread was started in 2002?

Roy Smith · 13 April 2006, 22:49

da da da Could this be The Twilight Zone

codprawn · 14 April 2006, 03:17

So why the hell did someone reply to it??? I checked date of the last post!!!

fast fred · 14 April 2006, 11:27

Cuz I want talk about MAko/Ballistic the company, and what it's like to do buisness with them, cuz I have, and it was the Sorryest expearance I'v ever had, Dealing with MARK LOW of the BAnKrupt Mako/Ballistic.
put an Order in with them, they said 6mos, they would be done, at the 6mo.
point they called said they was reddy send money, so i did, 18mo later the hulls showed, tryed to cancle the order, they said they would keep 20%
if i canceled, talkin about a 100,000.00 usd order. they are NOT the Poeple to
do Buisness with, SCAMERS, this was just the begining.

fast fred · 15 April 2006, 00:40

some rib action

She got Twins

fast fred · 15 April 2006, 01:03

SHE came out nice, hears one more for yas from over hear

if you click on it it with fill the screen for yas

thanks for lookin
FF

pathalla · 15 April 2006, 03:38

who is the maker on the rib fred? Looks kind of like a Nautica...

fast fred · 15 April 2006, 10:04

it's a Ballistic Made by Mako/ Ballistic- Asis of ?, thay are Bankrupt,but seems Mark low is still sellin boats, or at least he's still takin poeples Money.

the Hull is still made by a more respecable Shop in S.A., thare hulls are far nicer when thay show up, took alot to get that hull to the shape you see it.

that hull style is what it's all about.
Built many ribs, that style is the about the best i've ever seen.

fast fred · 15 April 2006, 10:22

Boating dynamics of South Africa has the contract from the owner of the plans for the hull.
they droped Mako Ballistic-Asis cuz thay wouldn't pay up,

Boating dynamics won't make you pay extra for a solid transom, as if a hull should be sold with a hollow one, Mark low thinks a solid transom is an option
as well as his partner JAmes Fisher.