What's the worst that could happen?

jeffsnox · 12 June 2007, 22:48

You buy your first boat... and it's not an inconsiderable amount of cash... and you take it out to sea...

You successfully avoid slamming your hull into the trailer at launch and by pure luck manage not to crash into another vessel while leaving the slipway... and get yourself started on your first adventure into the unknown...

BUT

You hit a wavefront wrong, you somehow manage to flip your new ship...

What then?

Are you royally screwed?

Even if some kind RNLI (et al) scooner saves your ass... is your new pride and joy written off? Can it cope with a total salt water dousing?

?

Hugh Jardon · 12 June 2007, 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffsnox

You buy your first boat... and it's not an inconsiderable amount of cash... and you take it out to sea...

You successfully avoid slamming your hull into the trailer at launch and by pure luck manage not to crash into another vessel while leaving the slipway... and get yourself started on your first adventure into the unknown...

BUT

You hit a wavefront wrong, you somehow manage to flip your new ship...

What then?

Are you royally screwed?

Even if some kind RNLI (et al) scooner saves your ass... is your new pride and joy written off? Can it cope with a total salt water dousing?

?

i would suggest some training so you dont do yourself or anyone around you any injurys, they can be very dangerous, people have even been killed on the slip by someone losing their boat and or trailer and it running away down the slip

codprawn · 12 June 2007, 23:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffsnox

You buy your first boat... and it's not an inconsiderable amount of cash... and you take it out to sea...

You successfully avoid slamming your hull into the trailer at launch and by pure luck manage not to crash into another vessel while leaving the slipway... and get yourself started on your first adventure into the unknown...

BUT

You hit a wavefront wrong, you somehow manage to flip your new ship...

What then?

Are you royally screwed?

Even if some kind RNLI (et al) scooner saves your ass... is your new pride and joy written off? Can it cope with a total salt water dousing?

?

And back to the question asked......

There are a lot of variables. Unless specially prepared the electronics will be knackered. The engine is the biggest question.

An old 2 stroke will survive a dunking no probs. A newer one with EFI etc will probably be ok but may need a new computer.

4 strokes will suffer much worse. Possibility of bent conrods - knackered valves and even the crank. Water in oil etc etc. All depends on how quick it stops when the kill cord is yanked out.

In other words if at all possible avoid like the plague!!!

Tims Osprey · 13 June 2007, 10:27

There are plenty of good books that you can buy to teach you the basics, a lot of it is common sense, find out who your nearest ribnet member is and ask him nicely to show you how to launch and retrieve safely and perhaps some basic boat handling skills as well, i'm sure somebody will be willing to spend an hour or 2 of there time, then go and bye him a pint, sorted

After that book yourself a RYA power boat level 1 course.

RibinSpain · 13 June 2007, 10:46

I agree absolutely with the training & it should be compulsory!! I bought my first RIB this year & have to confess that I only spent days reading the threads here to get me started. I have sailed all sorts over the years but never a RIB.

So far in 20 engine hours we have had a lot of fun but a few learning points: gosh sounds a bit corporate but here goes....

Launching - fairly shallow slip & nice gradient but boat nearly rolled off trailor last weekend, my mistake, I forgot to secure it. The wobble rollers on the trailer are so smooth.

First sail - we pottered about marina getting our bearings then went out to see what 4k rpm felt like (running in max) - the boat just took off!! I wasn´t expecting such a fast acceleration, neither were the crew.

Petrol usage - as the boat is so tippy the fuel gauge alarmingly shows a lot less than there is, even with half a tank the meter can dip to 1/4.

I could go on but we are still learning, seen some real howlers (not us) & we are going to get some prof tuition soon.

Hope it helps, top fun so far.

three-rex · 13 June 2007, 11:02

I am hoping sincerely that this a theoretical question

Ribs are not easy to flip, and if a novice, then as stated, a minimum of PB2 training should be taken beforehand.

I've been in and out of boats for 40+ years, but still took PB2 this year - just in case I'd forgotten anything obvious. (and to get my ICC)

Cookee · 13 June 2007, 13:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffsnox

You buy your first boat... and it's not an inconsiderable amount of cash... and you take it out to sea...

You successfully avoid slamming your hull into the trailer at launch and by pure luck manage not to crash into another vessel while leaving the slipway... and get yourself started on your first adventure into the unknown...

BUT

You hit a wavefront wrong, you somehow manage to flip your new ship...

What then?

Are you royally screwed?

Even if some kind RNLI (et al) scooner saves your ass... is your new pride and joy written off? Can it cope with a total salt water dousing?

?

The smaller the boat the higher the possibility of turning it over is - luckily the smaller the engine the simpler it is, so the short answer is not totally, for instance at Ribex this year they had Thundercats turning over on purpose and they had them running in 10 - 15 minutes - I raced an XR2 200hp mercury on an 18' phantom, stuffed it in Scotland (I was the navigator) totally and it took us 20 minutes to get it running again once it was ashore.

As far as the rest of the boat is concerned, the hull will be fine and the electronics such as VHF and GPS are concerned will suffer proportionately with the amount of salt water ingested and the length of time the power was left on - hope that helps a bit!

Seaharrier · 13 June 2007, 18:39

2 years ago, we ought our first boat ever (rib 7,5m with 250 HP). I can give you the following peace of advice: take your time, do it slowly. Never rush it while performing manoeuvres!!!

The faster you do while manoeuvring, the bigger the damage when something goes wrong!

Take all your time in order to get to know your boat.