New 5m RIB for Family trips, advice needed!

[bernithebiker]

Hi - I'm fairly new to RIB's and this forum and am looking to buy a small RIB to explore coastal waters around Brittany and Cornwall. Nothing too adventurous, longest cruise will probably be about an hour.

I have seen a Capelli Tempest 470, which can be seen here:

http://www.yamaha-motor.fr/produits/...empest_470.jsp

with a 60hp Yamaha 4 stroke engine. All in package price is 14400Euros which includes trailer, safety kit, everything basically.

I have looked at the Zodiac range, but the Capelli seems superior in most areas and is laid out ideally for our small family.

So I'm just looking for some opinions really on a) Capelli - do they have a good reputation? and b) is this a good size RIB for a beginner?

Thanks!!

[Nick Hearne]

Hi, how many people in your family & what ages?

[bernithebiker]

2 adults 2 girls, almost 4 and 7.5 years old.

Although, having said that, it would be nice to be able to bring along another couple + kid occassionally, even though I realise that is pushing it for space.

(Rated for 7 people, although looking at the boat, not sure where the 7 would go!!)

Thanks!

[jlanng]

I would aim for 6m+ for a family boat

[bernithebiker]

Trouble is that kind of doubles the price........

Does it double the fun?!

Is 4.7m not enough to take the four of us from beach to beach?

And also, ease of launching is important as we will be taking it out of the water each time, and it will just be me and my wife....so I figured the smaller the better......no?

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by bernithebiker

Trouble is that kind of doubles the price........

If you buy new then yes - but there is the 2nd hand option.

Does it double the fun?!

Not necessarily - there are plenty of us here who have loads of fun with silly little boats. Many of us do aspire to something bigger though.

Is 4.7m not enough to take the four of us from beach to beach?

I would say it is. I have a 3.9m boat which can easily take 4 people in reasonable weather on the sort of journey you were discussing. Its CE rated (means very little) for 6 people - but it would be a bit of a squash and not much fun except on flat calm days.

And also, ease of launching is important as we will be taking it out of the water each time, and it will just be me and my wife....so I figured the smaller the better......no?

I think you might be worrying about nothing on this point. Two people can ealiy launch and recover a 6.5m boat. Might make a difference for storage and for the type of car you need to tow it (and potentially your licence depending on when it was issued - search here for "1997 towing" and be prepared to be confused!.

I think my main concern with taking 4 people of the boat you proposed (is that a dining table???) is that there is nowhere for the kids to sit except the tubes. It depends on the type of weather/waves you are likely to be out in - but its not the most secure place for a 4 year old.

[Nick Hearne]

I recon you will have a lot of fun & do every thing you are saying in a 4.7m, but I would definitely go for something that you all can sit down in rather than on the tubes!
My 5.75m is rated up to 12 people & will take 4 adults & 6 kids over to the IOW, but people have to sit on the tubes then. I can also launch & recover no problems on my own!

[wavelength]

Two people can ealiy launch and recover a 6.5m boat

only at an easy venue !
Bit of a wind and a tide running over an exposed slip with a slope that is too shallow to leave the trailer attached to the car and you have a handful there. Particularly if the other 'arf is trying to look after the kids at the same time. Plus you have gotta store it somewhere and tow it (the boat not the other 'arf ) .

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by wavelength

only at an easy venue !
Bit of a wind and a tide running over an exposed slip with a slope that is too shallow to leave the trailer attached to the car and you have a handful there. Particularly if the other 'arf is trying to look after the kids at the same time. Plus you have gotta store it somewhere and tow it (the boat not the other 'arf ) .

Yes but is a 4.7m going to be any easier?
I chose where I put the boat in so I can cope on my own, works for me!

[wavelength]

Yes but is a 4.7m going to be any easier

yes loads.
We use boats all around the uk (and the world for that matter) and some of the places I wanna (or have to) go means I have to accept whatever the launch facilities are. If I was always launching from our yacht club slip I could manage any rib on m'own. My wife and i launched a 10m twin 225hp commercial spec cabin rib there with not too much difficulty at all. But they are not all that easy! You get what suits yourself and for a newbie a 6.5 is a big and heavy boat at some venues if you are gonna launch and retrieve every trip.