Too powerful?

[CJL]

As I look around the world of RIBs there's a worrying trend that keeps popping up - manufacturers seem to be reducing the amount of Hp they rate their hulls for and/or they are selling them in packages with much smaller engines on.

I mean not many people are spec'ing a 6m boats to take 150hp's anymore. My 6m Ribtec is rated for twin 60s or a 150. In fact many years ago i went to look at 6m Delta with a 225hp on the back!!!! Nobody seems to go near that now. Ribcraft, Tornado, Ribeye appear to be supplying 5.8m to 6m's with 90hp four stokes!

Have ribs become too popular so that manufacturers are now dumbing down their products for fear of getting sued??

Chris

[matt h]

good question!!
reckon its probally due to the fact that years ago, two strokes were the only option ,being lighter you could get away with having a large capacity lump hanging off the back,
nowadays four strokes are heavier, so have to reduce engine size to match transom,!!

[Hangman]

In addition to what the above has said, it's possible that the newer generation hulls are lighter then the preceding models.

[Hightower]

Might have something to do with the credit crunch.....Recession....Whatever

Smaller outboards keep the sale prices lower and might appeal to someone that wanted to keep the running costs lower.

Other than that the above might well be true, however I would have thought the Hull Manufacturers would have built in extra strengh to the transoms to support the heavier engines.

[Maximus]

I cant comment on other manufactures,but if you look at the Ribcraft web site,you will see they do indeed still rate thier 585 up to 150HP for as they say " bistering performance" although 90hp will surfice.
It depends on what you want from your R.I.B.but it IS nice to know however the manufacturers themselfs have the confidence in thier product to give you a choice of a wide power band option.
[and befor anyone asks I do have a R.C and I am very happy with it!]

[willk]

I think it's about money. I've noticed some very underpowered new RIBs for sale, for example a 6.5m Humber with a 90hp Opti. The extra 2k needed to make a decent package can sway a certain type of buyer. Those in the know will buy up.

Redbay make a heavy hull and rate their 6.1m (their baby) to 175hp, the 6.5m to 225hp. So no fear of litigation there then!

[jyasaki]

Personally, I think it's a question of liability; i.e. protecting the manufacturer by protecting the buyer from himself.

Rating a hull for X number of horsepower doesn't mean that is what will be on it going out the door. The buyer can always opt for an adequate engine within his price range.

jky

[Bigmuz7]

I think its a bit about experience as well. A poor marriage of a max HP engine on an imbalanced or poorly fitted hull can lead to all sorts of handling problems, one of the worst being chine walking. Perhaps through shared experiences, peeps opt for being a bit conservative rather than pushing the envelope of what their hull can handle, in order to avert potential problems.

[Cookee]

Our six metre boat will take up to a 150 and the 770, which is eight metres overall is rated to 250, although we would be prepared to build one for the new Verado 300 if someone wanted it! That would cruise at 65 - 70mph with a top speed in the upper 70's

[GRAHAM SOMERS]

The reason behind this is that for the past 10 years all RIBs over 2.5 metres have to comply to a New EU Standard ( RCD ). Based on the length of boat x beam, weight etc and chambers a standard formula will give 1: Max engine 2: Max engine weight, 3: Max persons, 4: Max weight in the boat. This is now displayed on a plate on all boats as well as a serial number which must be fitted on the transom. The serial number will give Country of Manufacturer, Month and Year of Make etc.This Standard covers all types of boats and was brought in to harmonise the Market & make boating safe for all.