New to all this

[SteveEBoy]

Hi - I've just registered for this forum, been reading for a while without realising I had to register.

I'm new to RIBS, have been trying to get some experience and passed my level 2 powerboat 2 weeks ago.

I'm keen to take the next step and get a boat but not sure which way to go and wondered if anyone with more experience could offer any advice. I want to get the whole family involved (and they're keen) but the youngest is 4 years. My wife is unhappy getting a RIB because of the age of the youngest (I can see her point) and prefers something more like the Regal bowrider etc - tried them out, nice enough, though not sure how they are for coastal use.

Anyone else using a RIB in similar circumstances - are RIBS best avoided with youngesters in this age group ?

Thanks for any advice, it's getting quite frustrating as we're all keen to start getting out on a boat and build up experience.

Thanks for any advice

Steve

[geoff]

RIBs are great for young children, lots of soft bouncy rubber to protect them from injury. However young children (and many adults) are easily frightened. Stick to sheltered waters and a good rule of thumb is to only venture out into conditions that your most timid crew members feels comfortable with. Its alway better to be in sheltered waters wishing you were offshore than the other way around.

[Daniel TD5]

steve

welcome to rib net firstly

i have a two little ones the four year old won,t go any were near my rib
unless its in the garage. but the 6 year old loves it to bits and comes on all my trips when we tryed to go around the IOW this month she got in my mates boat just because it went faster than my one
i would say a rib is one of the safest boat you can buy as for the wife
they like fair weather which is not on offer much in yhe uk so she won,t come out that much

i don,t know what your buget is like but try a smaller one first up to 5m
buy a good make vailant zodiac avon ribcraft so on get a kid set up bench seat not jockey with lot of seats

allso try before you buy make sure you have a go some ribs are very crap and handel very bad

this mt rig
dan

[Wayne Rogers]

Hi Steve welcome aboard,I've got a Rib and a Chaparral sports boat,the Rib wins hands down,I only got the Chaparral so I could get the wife out on the water,she likes her home comforts.I would sell the Chaparral tomorrow without loosing to much sleep,but the Rib,nothing comes anywhere near the pleasure I get from it.

[MeMe]

.....you've come to the right place for advice not only on Ribbing but an pretty much everything and anything to do with the sea / water / boats.

I'd mirror much of the above and add the fact that my daughter started ribbing at 4 and as an eight year old is as competent and cheery on a RIB as most adults I come into contact with.

It's all a state of mind, if you're comfortable giving of positive vibes whilst navigating yourself and family through the whole boating experience, you'll all enjoy it together.

As mentioned above, I'd start of nice and slow in a decent size craft, close in shore and on a lovely day. Don't as a pal of mine did, hit the high seas in a force 6 on his first ever foray in a 380 with 3 kids and his wife thinking they were in Orlando !

The picture above looks ideal......... Go For It !

In the meantime I'd hope one or two of my fellow ribsters will reply with invites aboard their rides to enable some test driving, so to speak. Good Luck.

[Wayne Rogers]

Wecome to a blast in mine if you don't mind a trip up to suffolk.

[TQBoater]

Welcome to the forum Steve

Like you I was reading all the posts for about 6 months before I registered.

I have a Bayliner bowrider as my partner wanted something to chill out in and catch some sun rather than bash through the waves. If it was up to me I would have gone for a rib but anything to get out on the water.

We do go out of the shelter of Torbay but only in the best of weather as to much of a swell and it's no fun, as she comes down hard without the deep vee hull.

Whatever you decide I hope you have lost of fun.

[David Hickman]

Hi SteveEboy,
My daughter is 22mths old. She loves the RIB. OK we do not go very fast and not far from Brixham Harbour. She normally fall asleep from the motion!!
Here a Pic of her out when we a 1 day of summer a few weeks ago!!

[Colin F]

i've taken my 4yr old nephew out a few times on my (just sold) avon. It is a similar set up to daniels above. we sat him between 2 adults on the bench seat so he was sure he wasn't going anywhere!! He's 5 now and loves going quick even when its choppy (more than his mother!!!), still sat in the middle though. The secret i found is to introduce them gradually, starting with a glass calm day. they change a lot at this age and their confidence will grow quickly. i'm sure your 4yr old will love it, just pick your first time carefully.

[Rogue Wave]

Welcome to the forum.

I guess the important thing is to scratch the itch to get on the water. How you do it is up to you and I guess your wife. Hello Missus

I drive both Ribs and hardboats and in general prefer ribs. I have been out for about 15 of the last twenty days and to be honest I am pretty tired of getting wet whilst driving the open rib in the rain. The comfort of the Fast fisher I drive is far superior to that of the Ribs. (ooh did I just say that! I've been friends with that Johnny Fuller for too long!)

Ribs are far more fun to drive in my opinion but hardboats seem to be smoother ride in the water having said that I'd buy a rib every time unless I was looking for shelter in which case it would have to be a harboat as cabin ribs are very expensive.

some kwestions for you
Are you buying new or secondhand
What size boat are you thinking of getting
Will you be a trailer sailor or leave it in a Marina
What are your boating aims
What boat did you train in.

regarding the nippers penchant for ribs or hardboats get her/him out on a rib and see what they have to say about it.