????

[Hobos]

Hi guys, I am looking to buy a RIB. But as you all probly now what one do I go for??
So what one do I go for. I wil be using it to do rescueing with the dingys but I also want to be able to go pretty quick and also be able to go through pretty large swell.

Cheers

[Downhilldai]

Cracking thread title

Welcome to rib.net, by the way.

[Poly]

Welcome to RIBnet, I think you need to define your needs more. E.g. the type of boat you'd want for rescue/support work may be quite different between a fleet of oppies, a small group of wayfarers doing day long cruises and skiffs which can probably do 20 knots in a reasonable breeze.

Also what you need might depend on the number of boat and rescue craft you'll have out. If you're the only boat then you better be totally suitable; if you are one of many then it might be ok to compromise a bit. How far you are from base, and the sort of conditions also matters. So in sheltered waters close to base a 4m boat with a small engine might be great for manouverability, a small engine will be good for fuel ecconomy etc - but if you are likely to tow half a dozen boats a couple of miles back to base if the weather kicks up then you will want something bigger and more powerful.

How many people do you need to accomodate?

What do you count as fast? Some people here will think that means 40 knots + but actually 30+ is pretty fast, and even 20+ will be fast for normal dinghy sailors. Likewise what do you count as big swell.

Then there are questions about how / where you will store it, launch it etc which affect size. Whats an acceptable spend on fuel per day? and will it be you who uses it (and where if you are over enthusiastic with the throttle its your own pocket it costs) or will this be a club boat where lots of people will use it (in which case it may not be driven with fuel ecconomy in mind)


PS - a tip for future, a meaningful thread title will get your more responses.

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Polwart

Likewise what do you count as big swell.

Amongst your many good points Polwart .. this one is a common statement I see often .. about swell ..which is extremely variable ... where I come from this can be in the region of 20 to 40 feet easily & regularly particularly after a sustained NW for 4-6 days .. Yes its large but not frightening .. unless you are going too fast but likewise spotting someone can be a job as they dissapear for ages at a time

[Cookee]

You may want to add some more detail such as length, budget, inboard/outboard, petrol/diesel etc.

We have a 6 metre diesel jet rib in the RIBs for sale section (see the link top right).

Good luck!Direct Link

[9D280]

Hi Hobos, Welcome to the madhouse!

To add to the confusion, if you are at Burnham-on-Crouch, there's an awful lot of shallow water outround that corner of the world, which I'm sure you know turns to mud for a good proportion of the day. A SIB might be a better bet, as I used to sail in the Blackwater & I've never (even in a stonking easterly) experienced anything I would call "big" swell compared to somewhere like Prestwick with the wind in the right (or wrong, depending on your viewpoint!) direction. (That comment based on sailing a Laser)