Hard nose/ soft nose

[Jono]

......what do folks think of "hard nosed" RIBs?

[jwalker]

Dunno about seakeeping but I sometimes put the bow against a ladder in a confined harbour to let folk on or off the boat. Also, I sometimes put the bow against a wall and turn the boat using the bow as a pivot. You'd scratch yer nice fiberglass on a hard nose.

[Alan]

Originally Posted by jwalker

Dunno about seakeeping but I sometimes put the bow against a ladder in a confined harbour to let folk on or off the boat. Also, I sometimes put the bow against a wall and turn the boat using the bow as a pivot. You'd scratch yer nice fiberglass on a hard nose.

OTOH you don't risk puncturing yer tubes on that nasty nail you didn't notice sticking out from the jetty!

[jwalker]

Alan, you're not far wrong...just stopped in time to miss an old jaggedly cut off ladder bolt sticking out of a wall.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by jwalker

Dunno about seakeeping but I sometimes put the bow against a ladder in a confined harbour to let folk on or off the boat. Also, I sometimes put the bow against a wall and turn the boat using the bow as a pivot. You'd scratch yer nice fiberglass on a hard nose.

...not with a nice deep section rubbing strake..

[codprawn]

Depends how hard the nose is I suppose.

The Ocean Dynamics have a big metal battering ram of a nose - mainly used for tube anchoring and to provide a solid towing/lifting point.

The Ospreys look quite nice with their fibreglass nosecones.

Personally I prefer having a soft nose to nudge things with but I do have a 7ft sunbed/raised deck which anchors the tubes nicely.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Jono

......what do folks think of "hard nosed" RIBs?

1. Very secure way of attaching tubes to the bow area of a rib hull.
2. Great storage area for anchor etc.
3. Cheap way of adding tubes to a rib because you don't need expensive nose cone patterns, equally replacement can be one side only.
4. Blow out a complete tube and the nose cone holds the tube up and in place until you get home.
By chance there is a 6.4m project rib advertised here http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F132103/



Pete

[Jono]

Pete,

That's pretty much the list I'd come up with....so why don't you see more about? What are the negatives? 'specially in the smaller sizes?

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Jono

Pete,

That's pretty much the list I'd come up with....so why don't you see more about? What are the negatives? 'specially in the smaller sizes?

The Ospreys were very popular in the early 90s but lost out when the diving market demanded more room so wider ribs like the Viper became popular. However the hardnose ribs were very easily driven, so smaller engines (and less petrol) for a given speed. Having circumnavigated Scotland with a 5.2m, I like them.

Pete

[Seaharrier]

One negative thing about them .... it's not a very dry concept!