New to RIB's

[klyttle]

Hello all,
I am new to boating and am keen to purchase a RIB. I am currently organising, through a friend who is a member of a yacht club, to do a course in power boating.
I will have a budget of £10k and am going to start hunting during the winter months for one.
I will be using the RIB mostly in the sea, Atlantic and Irish sea as I'm from Northern Ireland. I want to use it to maybe toe a rubber ring, ski and fish off. Not worried about high speeds. Would like to be able to take 5 or 6 men comfortably on it. Reliability is the most important aspect for me.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Keith

[Courageous]

Hello Keith and welcome to the forum. You will get polar opinions on this matter from the different contributors. I favour Valiant and there's a reasonable likelihood you'll find a 6m one within your price bracket. Alternatively the Osprey are a great sea boat. Enjoy your search!

Ian

[Portnahaven]

Hi Keith
and welcome. Just joined myself.
Have a look at Red Bay Boats web, they have a few around that price.

[Channel Ribs]

Welcome Keith

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by klyttle

Hello all,
I am new to boating and am keen to purchase a RIB. I am currently organising, through a friend who is a member of a yacht club, to do a course in power boating.
I will have a budget of £10k and am going to start hunting during the winter months for one.
I will be using the RIB mostly in the sea, Atlantic and Irish sea as I'm from Northern Ireland. I want to use it to maybe toe a rubber ring, ski and fish off. Not worried about high speeds. Would like to be able to take 5 or 6 men comfortably on it. Reliability is the most important aspect for me.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Keith

Welcome to the forum. Firstly whilst you'll get a perfectly acceptable power boat course through a local yacht club, and possibly cheaply, I'd consider spending a few more £ on the course and going to a specialist power boat school. Why would I suggest such a thing when they all operate under the RYA to the same standard? Well many clubs operate their powerboat training principally to train their dinghy instructors and safety boat crews. IMHO this means you get a PB2 course which is a bit biased towards that sort of activity (usually operating in a relatively defined area) whereas if you get taught by a professional powerboat school it is likely to be more suited to longer range trips etc.

In terms of reliability then the primary factor is going to be the engine. Most modern well maintained engines are pretty reliable these days. Your budget isn't massive for the size of boat which would fit 6 men comfortably. But if you are looking right now then Doug posted a boat yesterday which would seem to tick a lot of boxes - and would at least be a good benchmark to compare alternatives to.

[Polwart]

Originally Posted by Portnahaven

Hi Keith
and welcome. Just joined myself.
Have a look at Red Bay Boats web, they have a few around that price.

mmm,,, don't see anything that meets the spec at the budget?

[klyttle]

Thanks for all the replies. I will keep looking...

[Zagato]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Your budget isn't massive for the size of boat which would fit 6 men comfortably. But if you are looking right now then Doug posted a boat yesterday which would seem to tick a lot of boxes - and would at least be a good benchmark to compare alternatives to.

As a novice that does look to be a good deal and a very nice boat

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Originally Posted by Zagato

As a novice that does look to be a good deal and a very nice boat

Perhaps, and it may well be. However it has been used as a training boat. How many hours are on it and how has it been treated during those hours?

Worst case is it is like buying a thrashed hire car, best case is like buying a well serviced lease car.

[Zagato]

Yes, I expect the majority of private boats and engines do hardly any hours annually at all. I go down to Chichester Harbour at all times of the week and the majority of boats seem to be hardly used - maybe 10-15 times a year.