Rib snobbery

[Nick Hearne]

Why is it that people on here want to slate Ribeye all the time?
I know they had a spell when manufacturing first went out to South Africa of questionable finish & build but that was years ago!
I have owned Osprey & Avon SR ribs & very nice they are too, but my Ribeye I have for quality of finish & attention to detail is way superior, but then it is not intended to be a work boat! If you want to look like a Life boatman or oil rig worker then fine but some of us want something with a bit more style!
If you want orange hull & grey tubes great, but don't knock others that don't, if you have something useful to say great but just to knock for no given reason is very boring!

[Downhilldai]

Someone tell Nick that twim has hacked into his account.

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Someone tell Nick that twim has hacked into his account.

[Aries]

Well I've got a blue stripey Zodiac and a Ribeye...

[Portholme]

Agreed. I use this forum for gathering info but I'm not going to get actively involved because so much of the bias is towards industrial boats. Most of the comments about leisure based boats are just narrow minded.
End of rant I will go back to lurking and learning!!!!!

[Max...]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

...if you want to look like a Life boatman or oil rig worker then fine but some of us want something with a bit more style!

Pulls up chair....

'Style' is very subjective...

[simonnud]

Once bittern twice shy !! if the boat name was no longer around I would publish the survey report from my South African built boat which lasted 54 weeks !! I will point out the manufacture now uses a different factory and I agree the South African’s build standard has gone up alot, but I lost out big time.

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by Aries

Well I've got a blue stripey Zodiac and a Ribeye...

Where is Me Me when you need him, he would have been there for you & the stripes!

[Aries]

And the Zodiac has a toilet on it......

[Polwart]

Nick this debate has arisen before.

Undoubtedly Ribeye are doing something right as they have a strong customer base and repeat customers. This must be a good sign. I don't think I know anyone who has ever driven one who thought they were bad boats either. I don't think we've heard (m)any owners complain about the customer service, after sales etc. Obviously the Yamaha engines are usually well regarded but some people object to being told by the rib maker what outboard to stick on it (because they are creaming off more margin from that supplier). Other engines might be just as good or better value.

I do understand your comments about orange tubes and pretend lifeboatmen etc - but of course Ribeye are not the only builder who offers a range of styles, colours and finishes to their boats - indeed as I recall Ribeye don't offer this - if you get a Ribeye it will look like every other ribeye the same size, with the same seat layout, the same tubes, the same a-frame etc. That might appeal because you don't need to understand what you are speccing and you know a ribeye will work the way the designer intended it to - but if you want something even just a little different from the norm it might be impossible. Personally I think ribeyes look better than a lot of leisure oriented ribs but you could walk into any bespoke rib builder and he can make you something very similar. If I remember correctly the most vocal ribnet critics actually don't have orange tubes at all!

I don't think it is necessarily ribeye bashing for the sake of it - anyone who arrives here saying they have made a definitive decision on a brand of boat but aren't sure about size, engine, or other fairly big detail is likely to get a robust response.

To some up previous ribeye discussions: there is nothing wrong with the boats per se, but you may get better value for money if you bother to look elsewhere. Certainly if I were spending the sort of money ribeye's cost I wouldn't want PVC tubes.