BIBOA -Should I join?

[250kts]

Ok, so I think I am about to put my head in the lion's mouth so to speak.

I very much enjoy cruising in company and the social side of Ribbing. My wife and I have had some great trips out with others through Ribnet.

I have had a look at the BIBOA web site and to be honest it has a strong appeal. But, for some reason and it may be because of some of the comments I have read on various threads here, I feel uncomfortable.

I dont have a 7m+ wonder Rib with an engine the size of a house, I have a boat that for the moment suits what we want to do and gets us for A to B (5.7m & 115 Opti). Given the right conditions it'll do 40+ kts and even got us safely back from Ventnor to Southampton in a Force 5/6.

So what I'm trying to say in a very clumsy way is, if I do join, will I feel like "tail end Charlie", with the inferior boat?? Comments please if anyone has any experience

[chewy]

Only one way to find out, join for the year and if you don't like it you've only lost £50 or so.

[PeterM]

What does BIBOA give you that RIBnet doesn't ? I've looked & my feeling was I would feel under a degree of 'pressure' to do stuff. I looked at previous BIBOA events & I felt the same , maybe also as a result of comments on here, that it wasn't for me at the moment - but ,,,,,,,both sides were able to make comment/ post views on here & I came down on the side of not joining.

OH - and I think your boat/ engine is far from tail end charlie / inferior ! Is BIBOA making you think that already ?

[Hightower]

Can I suggest that if it's company and cruises you enjoy then I'm of the opinion that you can post your plans on RIBnet and see what develops.

Something that RIBnet members around the Solent area missed this year was the weather and someone to help organise decent cruises. If you're a person that enjoyed the organisation side of things then this would be a dream job.

I for one enjoy tagging along, but often can't make a decision to go untill the last minuit. Because of this reson it makes it difficult to organise things myself.

So come on, who's up for a trip to Alderney?

[Chris]

I've just joined as they do seem to organise some good cruises. Can't really comment as to whether it was worth it yet however for £50 it's not too much of a risk..

I think you would be able to pick and choose the sort of trips that you felt confident with.

[Roy Smith]

I think that if you want to go further a feild than the Solent
Join BIBOA
If its a jolly over to Cowes on a flat summers day then mybe its not for you
One thing BIBOA will give you is a wealth of long range crusing knowledge
from people who have been there and done it.
it has to be looked at in context, Hot Lemon dose not get onto the plain untill
she hits 28 kts, that makes it diffult to follow her in any thing but a smouth sea state so boats of a simular size go at the same pace. that said for £50 its a cheep club to join and Juilan Lyas dose organise a great trip.
Just because you are a BIBOA member dosant mean you cant follow Rib.net
Dose it

[Trevor G]

I'm a beginner to ribing having only got our Rib last May - I joined Biboa and have found the company great when out on trips & at social meetings. I know they come across as mostly having bigger faster boats - but there are still those of us with smaller ribs. As posted in an earlier reply by someone if you are looking for company for some longer cruises then Biboa is definitely worth a go for a year - after all - it is a self fulfilling prophecy that if only bigger boat owners join, then smaller boats will feel left out. I'm intending to do as meny of the Biboa cruises as I can this year so the more smaller boats that come along the better! Oh - Ribnet is good as well - of course - but it's not expensive to get the best of both! Trevor