Greetings from the Highlands

BusmansHoliday · 13 August 2021, 15:03

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum, dont even have a boat yet (other than a blow up canoe), but had fun with a friend around the coastline with some fishing and island hopping. Just thought, this is for me, and the wife says the same, we both loved it. All of the worries and cares dropped away.

So I'm on here to read a bit about RIBS and help inform me what to purchase.

I'm wanting a boat with enough room for 4 to 6 people plus gear for exploring around the coastline of Scotland, camping trips and a wee bit of fishing.
No experience as such of ribs but I'm thinking me and my wife will do RYA courses before getting the boat ready for next spring. I'm guessing at something around 6 meters would fit the bill but dont know what make or anything. My pal has a 5.5 with outboard diesel, I think something similar is the way to do it.

I look forward to 'meeting' you in due course.

Best wishes
Neil

vitalspark · 13 August 2021, 18:02

Welcome BH. I'm a newbie too but am lucky to own a 6m RIB. I've found the forum to be a wealth of info and without the BS that you typically find on many forums. Goes without saying powerboat level 2 is a must. However I don't think I'd have been happy to leave the pontoon without also having done the RYA Day Skipper theory course. Did it online over 6 weeks with Navathome.com and worth every penny.
All the best

GAVMAC321 · 13 August 2021, 19:39

Welcome�� i'm also fairly new and from Inverness ��
Loads of good advice and knowledge in here ��

BusmansHoliday · 14 August 2021, 06:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by vitalspark

Welcome BH. I'm a newbie too but am lucky to own a 6m RIB. I've found the forum to be a wealth of info and without the BS that you typically find on many forums. Goes without saying powerboat level 2 is a must. However I don't think I'd have been happy to leave the pontoon without also having done the RYA Day Skipper theory course. Did it online over 6 weeks with Navathome.com and worth every penny.
All the best

Great advice, I'll look into that, thank you!
Hopefully, if everything works out, might be ready for a boat in the spring.

Davie · 15 August 2021, 15:20

Hey Busman, what diesel outboard does your pal have on a 5.5?

BusmansHoliday · 15 August 2021, 15:23

I'll ask him

BusmansHoliday · 16 August 2021, 16:24

Its a Suzuki DF140

Pikey Dave · 16 August 2021, 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by BusmansHoliday

Its a Suzuki DF140

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davie

Hey Busman, what diesel outboard does your pal have on a 5.5?

Go on, someone has to say it…..

beerbelly · 16 August 2021, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Go on, someone has to say it…..

not really a diesel well not at all actually. but if your not mechanicly minded an easy mistake im sure

ShinyShoe · 16 August 2021, 18:07

How does it run on the diesel?

I had a car once the used the same combustion process as the DF140. It didn't run well on deisel but was happier on petrol...

BusmansHoliday · 17 August 2021, 10:28

No, it's deffo a petrol. I made the assumption that the big yellow fuel can with diesel written on it contained diesel.....apparently not

vitalspark · 17 August 2021, 11:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by BusmansHoliday

No, it's deffo a petrol. I made the assumption that the big yellow fuel can with diesel written on it contained diesel.....apparently not

Does the same guy keep his old Paraquat in lemonade bottles?

ATB

Pikey Dave · 17 August 2021, 12:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by vitalspark

Does the same guy keep his old Paraquat in lemonade bottles?

ATB

I thought lemonade bottles were for petrol[emoji6]

vitalspark · 17 August 2021, 15:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

I thought lemonade bottles were for petrol[emoji6]

No, that's white wine bottles (guilty as charged)!

BusmansHoliday · 30 August 2021, 08:35

Got my powerboat handling course booked for early October for me and the Mrs, really looking forward to that. We have started looking at boat options. Gonna go new and British. Looking at Humber or XS and maybe Ribcraft. It's looking like a Humber Ocean Pro or an XS650, is there much to choose between them ?

Orwell boy · 30 August 2021, 10:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by BusmansHoliday

Got my powerboat handling course booked for early October for me and the Mrs, really looking forward to that. We have started looking at boat options. Gonna go new and British. Looking at Humber or XS and maybe Ribcraft. It's looking like a Humber Ocean Pro or an XS650, is there much to choose between them ?

Southampton boat show sept 10 -19 ,long way but might be worth it ,i suspect xs and ribcraft will be there ? and some other posher brands ,not to mention the chinese offerings ,be a good fact finder !

BusmansHoliday · 30 August 2021, 10:39

Yeah, it would be ace, but too far for this lad. Thanks for the suggestion Orwell !

BusmansHoliday · 12 October 2021, 18:22

My wife and I both completed our first powerboat level 2 course this weekend out of Inverness marina with Compass Sea School. Had a great time. Kath, the instructor was really good and very patient with us novices and she had a good sense of humour.

The boat was a 6m Humber Ocean Pro with a 115 four-stroke on the back. Lovely boat but I think a 150 would be more like it, but it was a school boat so it was ample for what we were doing.
We'll be signing up to the VHF and navigation courses next.