Sleeping/camping on your RIB!

[Zagato]

I have not been on this forum for about 4 years after wanting an orange RIB RNLI style I bought a yacht instead but got seasick badly so bought a smaller trailer sailer with a half cabin that I spend most of my time in estuaries and I really enjoy staying on it overnight and waking up in the morning up a quiet estuary or river.

I would really like to travel further however, even around the Solent would be more achievable. I have sailed to Poole and back from Chichester harbour but it was dangerous being single handed and suffering from sea sickness despite being drugged up on Stugeron. I would not risk it again but with a RIB it,s not a major live risking expedition it,s more like a 2 hour drive to get to places. I am presuming here I wouldn,t get sea sick on a RIB as it crashes through waves like being on a reach in a yacht, I have no problem with that.

So I still hanker for an orange RIB, do you guys just stay in B&B,s etc or does anyone camp on their boat. It shouldn,t be hard to get a bespoke tent made! We do it all the time with Drascombe boats.

[Zagato]

I would be heaving in these conditions with a sail boat just wallowing about but the RIB has a different motion.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hI1Oh9V4z9M

[willk]

Originally Posted by Zagato

So I still hanker for an orange RIB, do you guys just stay in B&B,s etc or does anyone camp on their boat. It shouldn,t be hard to get a bespoke tent made!

http://www.rib.net/forum/f21/redbay-...rib-72706.html

[willk]

I did a couple of days on a yacht a few years back - I found it decidedly pukerific. No issues whatsoever on a moving RIB.

[Pikey Dave]

I can puke in the harbour, but put me
at the helm of a moving rib & it can be as lumpy as it likes.

[Poly]

It seems you are in good company with the puking! The only time I have felt at all dodgy on a rib was low speed in the dark.

Once you start following Willk's train of thought (always a dangerous game) you may find yourself looking at proper cabin ribs. I dare say in the wrong conditions if you were not helming etc you could suffer the same effects there.

To go back to your question of tents - some people do. Ribochet is a very nice example. If you search hard anough you should find posts from Alystra with a rather more budget solution on a Humber and for a different approach there are posts somewhere of some guys who rig a 'normal' land tent over the engine bay on a big scorpion.

You'll find plenty of sib stories from people camping on shore either beaching their boat or anchoring it off and that approach works for smaller ribs too.

I have been tempted to add a tent to my boat in the past, but never got round to it. I do like a drascombe but I'm sceptical any rib is going to be quite like that. You have a smelly fuel tank etc, some of which is probably going to be inside the tent. The standing rigging on a Ketch makes for easier headroom than most ribs will achieve, and in a blow you could rig the mizzen as a steadying sail whilst on a rib you may be bouncing around at anchor (which with your predeliction to vomit isn't good). I'd also think it's easier to find a flat hard surface to put a stove, chopping board, mug of tea, etc on a drascombe than most ribs - although there might be clever things to do with a bench seat.

[Maximus]

Whith the removable Matrix seats I fitted it's an easy matter to take out the back two Pods freeing up the deck space..(RC 6.8) a Tarp rigged up on Para- ( Thicker the Better) Cord from Consul to A-frame secured on the RIBs Lifelines with "Bungie Toggles" (which flex when windy)...Anchor up somewhere sheltered...and all's a Good un!

All I use then is a 9" high battery inflated air bed which keeps me well off the deck and 100% dry in case of sudden downpours...(when water from the uncovered Bow will travel towards the Bilge)...and a sleeping Bag.
Waking up on you're own RIb in a Beautiful Location and Lure fishing for Bass as the Sun is coming up...really does take some beating believe me!
Get it all sorted and Rigged/Adjusted/tweaked on Dry land and when you want to use it at Sea it'll be second nature ...and easy to set up.

[SixtyNorth]

You may be better off with a small motorboat with a cabin, like a Merry Fisher, Orkney, Arvor etc. They have fairly good sea keeping, a reasonable turn of speed and basic accommodation for the odd night or two. Cheaper than a big RIB too, both to purchase and fuel.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by SixtyNorth

You may be better off with a small motorboat with a cabin, like a Merry Fisher, Orkney, Arvor etc. They have fairly good sea keeping, a reasonable turn of speed and basic accommodation for the odd night or two. Cheaper than a big RIB too, both to purchase and fuel.

A RIB ( even a relatively small one) gives you so much more choice IMO in terms of Distance/Range Seekeeping and Speed in even adverse conditions ( not to mention safety and comfort ) conditions that would send a Slappy Happy Hardboat heading for Harbour...after just a few NM..And lets face it,with a Maritime climate such as ours how often are conditions perfect!?

I'm happy to Take the Tent and Camp out..but as said with a little ingenuity they can make a decent sleeping platform too.
As too price..some of the Guys on here have made Great and Capable (Progect) RIBs for very reasonable Budgets..all depends how much you want it!...Like most things in Life

[Gobuchul]

I've got an internal tank and underdeck storage. The petrol fumes would be awful if I put a cover over it.

However, if you had enough clear deck space and external tanks, you could put up a small geodesic type free standing tent and it would offer pretty good protection.

[Maximus]

...I've had no problems with Petrol Fumes at all ....under deck SS Fuel tank inside the vented consul why would you??

[SixtyNorth]

If wanting to stay onboard over night regularly, I'd say something like a Channel Islands 22 would be ideal. Basic accommodation and good sea keeping. Having owned one I wouldn't say they are "slappy happy hard boats". Mine had a good range too. And shelter from our maritime climate.

But hey, if camping on a RIB appeals then why not try it. Could be fun.

[willk]

Originally Posted by SixtyNorth

But hey, if camping on a RIB appeals then why not try it. Could be fun.

It has quite a following on here - I can think of several boats equipped for it and the owners seem to keep it up. I have the facility to overnight on mine, but in a cabin so I guess it isn't camping. The cooking is outdoors though and the other, erm, arrangements, are too. Works fine for me.

Being prone to sea sickness, I certainly wouldn't want to be spending time in a happy slappy cabin cruiser. I'd consider an Island 22, but only if the pipe smoking and slippers were optional...

[SixtyNorth]

When I joined the Merchant Navy as a teenager I was prone to sea sickness but, after a few weeks at sea, it passed and never returned. Good excuse to spend more time on your boat!

Would be nice to see some photos of people's camping set ups, it does sound interesting.

[jeffstevens763@g]

I suffer seasickness in a ground swell or as pikey Dave says when not helming I had a job on a catamaran on a wind farm I knew 10 hours on the boat I would be well I'll so I bought a seasick prevention watch best thing ever for £100

[willk]

Originally Posted by SixtyNorth

Good excuse to spend more time on your boat!

Would be nice to see some photos of people's camping set ups, it does sound interesting.

I have to admit - I haven't actually been seasick for years - but I take great care to not put myself in harm's way - so try to avoid looking at details on a heaving boat and staying out of the engine bay!

I'm sure the real campers will be along soon...

[willk]

Moonraker:

[willk]

Ricochet:

[willk]

Fast Forward:

[jamiegolf]

Well this is my set up when away and use the caravan as a base and can go to different sites around the uk and explore the coast with the rib.