Hello from Poland

[MatFromPoland]

Hello,

I'm Maciej. Please find below mine current setup.


We have been using it mostly in Greece.



So I'm currently SIB-men not RIB-men but for next vacation I would like to have mine RIB in Greece and use it. Currently I'm focusing on available in Poland BRIG NAVIGATOR 570 plus HONDA BF100 but unfortunately I have discovered this forum and pictures from Southampton motor boat and I'm very curious about HIGHFIELD OM 540 or 590 DL setup (they call it DeLuxe whatever it means).

Hello for everyone

[Ovey]

Hi Maciej, welcome to the forums!

I haven't got experience of either of the boats you mention, but I'm sure someone will be along soon with some advice. Happy boating!

[MatFromPoland]

Where is the best place on forum to describe my needs about new RIB ?
And receive some advice

I will try here:
1. Family 5 persons (2+3) 270 kg this year in total maybe 300 kg next year
2. Boating in Greece (Peloponese, South Creete) Jun/July
3. Wild beaches without any people, without special place for parking boats (pebbles beaches)
4. Long trips along coast (not far than 2 nautical miles from coast). Trips 20,50 or even 100 km in one way.
5. 2 big mesh bags contains snorkeling equipment for 5 persons (fins, pipes, masks, neopren short suits)
6. Two more bags (dry food, water, shoes, change of clothes)
7. Not heavier than 450 kg without engine (DMC rules)
8. We are in Greece every year. I know conditions. So there is windy (thermal winds) but waves are usually below 50cm - occasionally between 50-100cm -> but very rare.
9. We are looking for smooth,comfortable cruising and reasonable petrol consumption
10. HONWAVE T38 is too small for these conditions (waves 50cm on long trips)

Based on items number 5 and 6 I need 2 big storage for bags
RIB between 5m and 6m, engine HONDA BF 100 (I like HONDA company very much - sorry for that)

HONDA Poland does not offer HIGHFIELD. It offers only BRIG RIBs.
So I received good offer from HONDA Poland for BRIG NAVIGATOR 570, HONDA BF 100.
Offer is valid to the end of this month.

I have discovered HIGHFIELD Ocean Master 540 DL (DeLuxe) here on forum.

So currently I have 2 types for my needs. I will be the first one in Poland who order NAVIGATOR 570 so I have no chance to try it on the water (people in Poland do not buy new boats this size - there are too expensive for us).

I have not any chance to try any RIB this size in Poland. So I do really appreciate for help to choice best possible boat fulfill my needs. Many thanks in advance. Maciej

[ShinyShoe]

If I was spending the money you are I'd be booking a sleazyJet flight and doing some testing..

Why a RIB if others aren't using them maybe you don't need a RIB?

Brig have a reputation for leisure boating. Highfield are hoping to be more than that.

Not familiar with the Parker Range. But Parker are based in Poland so if they did something in size and budget I'd be looking there too... What's this DMC rules you mention?

[MatFromPoland]

My mistake. DMC is Polish description of Gross weight rating.
This parameter for car and trailer can not exceed in total 3500 kg or you will have special driving licence plus pay for highway.

My car has this parameter 2535 kg so trailer can not exceed 950 kg (trailer + boat + engine + petrol).

Poland is famous from making many motorboats but not RIB's. We make NORDCAPP OCEANMASTER, STING boats for Norway in Poland. Even Bayliners we make in Augustow ... But I use boat only in Greece so I prefer RIB.

Parker RIB 510 is dedicated for coastal guard mostly. Parker RIB 630 is too heavy and not leisure type (not for long trips, more for near beach activities).

Many thanks for response I made first album on forum so you can check where I use boat.

>>>

You are right. I should go to Southampton and check and "touch" some RIBs on motor boats show ... or visit some dealers and check boats.

HIHFIELD OM DL version have many features good for me:
1. Low weight
2. Alu hull (better for pebbles beaches)
3. Some storage lockers (I think that one on the back and one in console but I'm guessing)

[ShinyShoe]

OK so we have similar rules in the UK about weight. While trailer test is a pain I think 950kg may be tight for size of boat and may be worth the rest, although don't know what that means for road tax for you...

Agree re Highfield weight. My opinion is still out in Ali and pebbles. I think dints will be harder to fix.

Storage... If you are buying new you should be easily able to spec a rear seat with storage and same for console...

[MatFromPoland]

DMC == permissible gross weight
As mentioned above I can not exceed "permissible gross weight" 950 kg for trailer.
I will look for ALU trailer even if it be more expensive.
BRIG NAVIGATOR 570 -> 480 kg
HONDA BF100 -> 165 kg
POLICE always include full petrol weight for calculation -> let's say 100 kg

So trailer weight have to be about 205 kg - it will be real pain but there are some local companies made ALU boat trailers in Poland.


BRIG has not good opinion on RIB forum. I saw one entry about transom problem. And some other entries also.

So you do not see any advantage of ALU over "standard" hull ?

And to be honest prices in Poland are lower than in UK. You can buy NAVIGATOR for 11 000 EUR plus discount. HIGHFIELD will be more expensive for me ...

>>>

Theoretically less kg on boat is equivalent less petrol consumption but if boat be 2000 GBP more expensive I doubt if less petrol consumption will cover difference in price.

[ShinyShoe]

Oh I completely see advantages to aluminium hull. But if I chip gel coat I can fix it in 24 hours. I'd I dent the Ali I'm not sure how I fix it... Filler and paint? Hammer out? Cut out and weld in? Welding means disconnecting electrics removing fuel, protecting toobs. As its Ali welding needs special kit

[Poly]

Originally Posted by MatFromPoland

Parker .... ..... not leisure type (not for long trips, more for near beach activities).

OK so if you are looking for something lower cost / lower perceived quality / less bespoke then I'd give Valiant a look - they have a few different ranges for different tastes and those who have driven them here usually speak positively of them.

[MatFromPoland]

Hello @Poly - many thanks. I will look. I have looked even for RIBEYE A500 but finally I have to focus on weight I suppose. I do not want to change a car or pass special exam for driving licence that allow you to tow set heavier than 3500 kg.
I'm a teacher at Warsaw University of Technology and have not abilities to be truck driver

So I have to focus and try to find trailer weight 200 kg having permissible gross weight 950 kg (not sure if it is possible even for ALU trailer)

Or boat looks like OM 540 lighter than 400 kg.

I have to ask Polish BRIG distributor about real weight of boat (including equipment and BF100 engine).

I have downloaded PDF from ribeye (regarding A500) and it shows below mentioned calculation:

Boat Weight Std Spec 464kg
Boat Weight inc Eng/Rigging 822kg
Boat & Trailer Weight 1222kg
Trailer Weight 340kg

I can not afford Boat Total Weight 822 kg so at the end everything about "dream RIB" focus on total weight

[Poly]

Mat, if you were in the UK everyone would tell you just to take the trailer test rather than try to get in under the limit - what happens if you replace your car with one 30 kg heavier? I've no idea how difficult or expensive it is to sit the equivalent test in Poland, but here its much easier than a truck test.

[Andre]

Originally Posted by MatFromPoland

My mistake. DMC is Polish description of Gross weight rating.
This parameter for car and trailer can not exceed in total 3500 kg or you will have special driving licence plus pay for highway.

My car has this parameter 2535 kg so trailer can not exceed 950 kg (trailer + boat + engine + petrol).

Poland is famous from making many motorboats but not RIB's. We make NORDCAPP OCEANMASTER, STING boats for Norway in Poland. Even Bayliners we make in Augustow ... But I use boat only in Greece so I prefer RIB.

Parker RIB 510 is dedicated for coastal guard mostly. Parker RIB 630 is too heavy and not leisure type (not for long trips, more for near beach activities).

Many thanks for response I made first album on forum so you can check where I use boat.

>>>

You are right. I should go to Southampton and check and "touch" some RIBs on motor boats show ... or visit some dealers and check boats.

HIHFIELD OM DL version have many features good for me:
1. Low weight
2. Alu hull (better for pebbles beaches)
3. Some storage lockers (I think that one on the back and one in console but I'm guessing)

Hello Mat fromPoland

Welcome to the forum. Your comments about ribs made in Poland tell me you have very little or no knowledge at all of rib production in Poland. There are three large producers : Parker, Sportis and Technomarine and believe me all three could teach many how to make a good rib.

The Parker 630 is not as you say but best you shop around and buy what is best for you. For sure ribs are more popular in the UK than in Poland and here you will find lots of good advice

[MatFromPoland]

Hello Andre,

Technomarine have proposed me over 7m RIB as the smallest one and Sportis MC-5600 weight is over 500 kg for empty boat.

I'm looking for RIB >= 5m which can have GVW <= 960 kg (boat, engine, equipment, petrol, trailer).

Any other setup (heavier) required from me to have driving licence the same than truck drivers have to have.

So maybe I'm very limited to HIGHFIELD OM540 only

Many thanks for all advice.

[Nick Hearne]

If you are not going to use this at home then not as fun to own your own but why not hire one once your are out there?
Your kids are small now but will be growing very fast and your needs from the rib could change from year to year!
Or again if you are not using it at home buy one out on Greece and keep it out there, keep hold of the Honda as a tender

[MatFromPoland]

Hello @Nick, those were my thoughts.

But I do like very much Paleochora in Crete and believe me on south part of Crete there is not any service for rent a RIB. The same in Argolid Goulf even in Nafplio (my second favorite place in Greece). I found RIB service near Athens but for delivery to Nafplio (delivery and pickup) they calculate more than for 7 days charter.
I'm heavy man (92 kg and 190 cm) but other members of Family are very slim.

I still do not know if I would like to keep it in Greece or to use it occasionally in Poland. I'm old but I'm beginner for boating . I made my licence 1 year ago plus RYA SRC-DSC certificate. And these vacation were best in our life (even we use HONWAVE only). We would like to make long trips and discover many places.

So I would like to find:

1. Lighter possible boat fit for my family
2. Lighter because of
- GVW
- petrol consumption
- coast type (wild beaches in Greece - occasionally port)

I can go to Greece even for 6 weeks. I have not a problem to cook for family and I prefer very cheap region in Greece (apartament 50 EUR per day, 1kg of Sea Bass 10 EUR in market). They are cheap because there are not any big hotels around, still wild nature around, etc).

I think that in UK you have really serious Sea conditions so bigger RIBs are better.
In Peloponese or South of Creete there are not very big waves in Summer, it is hot weather is very stable. There is every day thermal wind (sometimes strong) but usually it case not bigger waves than 50cm.

Don't you think that OM540 be big enough for my Family ?
Daughter is 15-en now, boys 12. Maybe after few years she will not prefer to spend vacation with family ...

It will be nice to use boat in Poland also I suppose. We have a lot of lakes.

Haha - I was so happy when I have not boat licence - I had not such problems than I currently have

[MatFromPoland]

Every year we go to Greece by car.
There is 2200 km between Athens and Warsaw and even 2500 to Nafplio.
This year we went to Nafplio by ferry (Triest -> Patra). Between Warsaw and Triest there is only 1100 km within EU very good roads. Returning road from Pireus to Warsaw took 2 days including one night in Serbia. So towing boat will not cause any new complication for us.

And please look at pictures - there are not any boats around

[MatFromPoland]

My wife has regular job so she always returns after 3 weeks and I stay alone with 3 kids.
This is my crew (mine kids are these on boat). This is picture from Lissos (South crete). There are only ruins of ancient city here:



This time it was one Greek family also (kids in the Sea)