What can you learn in one day

[Top banana]

Well, boat went to henshaws yesterday for some non slip wear patches and
a few other bits and pieces, droped the boat off early so work could be competed in the day.
After a breakfast at the local morrisons, we descided to have a browse round the huge henshaw factory, 50+ workers hard at it tubing everthing from 13m
ring ribs, revenger 29s and all types of millitary tubes from around the world and the tubes for goldfish ribs, it was fascinating watching the different processes from pattern making to cutting and makeing of the finnished project. it took eight guys to lift and fit the rubbing strake to a 13m ring rib
everone had a set job to make the process look effortless as they worked around the boat.

Then after lunch we had a trip to ribcraft, and were given the full guided tour of rib building, with tea in hand we were shown each stage from gelcoat to
laminating of the hulls and final fit out. after seeing the attention to detail
ribcraft offer its easy to see how they are still building on a great reputation.

So all in all i had a great job done on the rib and in the process learned loads
about tubing and rib building process. All in all top day

[codprawn]

They should run special tours.

I remember going around the Avon factory a few years ago - it was great to see them all working so hard - it's all done in house. There were plenty of products being worked on that never make it into brochures or onto the net!!!

[Top banana]

[QUOTE=codprawn;225532] They should run special tours.

Couldnt agree more. When you read all the posts asking for advice on tube repairs and glassing etc. a tour of these worshops would answre allot of questions.

[paul tilley]

most people in the trade will let you look around as long as you take no notice of health and safety.because if you did a tour acording to the book just the safety kit you would have to wear makes a mockery of an interesting look around .i was lucky enough to look around the nearly completed ray sims factory today as my daughter has just bought a nearly new single scull ,only 3 months old but still cost £4500 all carbon fibre and kevlar makes a rib look cheap .

[codprawn]

You should start doing tours Paul - there's loads of little gits who would happily pay a fiver to get a head on from the glue!!!

[Biggles]

What this does show you is why a RIB can be so expensive compared to a hard boat. Seems like the tube work is very labour intensive.
Mind you remember that cool girl making those toobs all on her own in one of Pauls videos. That was HARD WORK very well done.

[codprawn]

Sadly for people like Paul Tilley and Chris at Henshaws the price of the tubes is pretty small compared to the overall cost. Probably about 10%.

It's similar with hard boats - you would think the hull and superstructure would cost quite a bit but they don't. I was admiring a nice 10M fast fishing catermaran the other day - the owner built it himself. The mouldings were about £20K - but by the time the boat was on the water it had cost him nearer £100k!!!

[paul tilley]

right again codders ,on bigger ribs the tube value is even less than 10%. ps hopefully complete purchase of new building on 1 acre site next week will invite any that are interested when it is up and running as my new factory