A few newb questions

[polvoson]

Hey guys

I'll be ready to buy in a few months and really want to buy the right boat for our family. It's our first.

Originally I was attracted to RIBS for their look. I started looking into it and found that a RIB should fulfill all of my boating needs. Water access camping, off shore fishing and recreational daily hops.

I thought I had decided on a Hurricane in 20-22' size. But now I am second guessing myself.

I have a friend that has operated many boats and I do value his opinion. He currently has a 24' trophy He expressed a concern about the RIBS. Fluctuating pressure in tubes always having to be adjusted(his words). Ability to beach and not damage hull/tubes. No real protection from the weather (cuddy) for the kids. Significant cost compared to "regular" boats. He feels you get more boat for your $$ if its not a rib.

Any thoughts and opinions appreciated.

Paul in Vancouver

[Nos4r2]

Is he really telling you that you'll do more damage beaching a rib than a hardboat? Given the crap that Binliners are made of I find that impossible to believe.

No, you don't have to constantly adjust tube pressure.



I'd go and talk to someone who knows more about the subject than a Trophy owner!

[csjukes]

Beaching a rib should never damage the tubes or hull unless you are beaching onto a very jagid surface which only an idiot would do and it would damage any boat. A rib is lighter and therefore will be much easier to beach. Also it's safer in my opinion because the tubes act as a back up if anything goes wrong with hull and vice versa. Also a cubby is not necessarily a must for me because I go out on dry days. A ribs air tubes just needs to be pumped up and then you are off, there is no fuss about it. A rib is more fun going fast, safer and the tubes act as a giant fender. It's an easy decision!

[JamesF]

Tube pressures tend to drop a little when you launch if the air's warm and the water's cold. As long as they're properly inflated beforehand, it makes little if any difference. They don't fluctuate noticeably, if at all; I've never once adjusted them.

Our RIBs have extra protection along the bottom of the hull for landing on a shingle beach, but that's because we occasionally come through heaps of surf. Visiting RIBs without that protection have managed perfectly well in normal conditions without any damage whatsoever.

If you're pulling the boat up the beach, it's worth having somebody holding it upright to keep the tubes off the ground. It makes it easier to pull as well.

In the interests of telling the whole truth, etc... we did once leave some gelcoat behind when we came in. That was just after we'd acquired another boat second-hand". We later uncovered a large, very badly repaired hole near the transom — glass fibre you could flex by pressing it with your hand, covered up with equally dubious gelcoat that never stood a chance of staying attached. The boat's still called "Scruffy", despite its refurbishment.

[ssobol]

If a RIB is on a trailer the tube pressure can fluctuate a lot due to changes in ambient temperature and air pressure. Keeping the tubes at 1/2 normal pressure when on the trailer usually works fine.

Once the boat is on the water, the water itself becomes a big heat sink that keeps the tube temperature fairly constant. On my Zodiac RIB I pump the tubes up to the correct pressure on the trailer at the boat launch. Very rarely do I have to adjust the tube pressure while operating the boat. I release some of the air pressure when I recover the boat and take it home.

A RIB can be beached. However, a large RIB will weigh more than you think. My 16ft. Zodiac weighs somewhat more than 900# when in use (hull, tubes, motor, battery, fuel, equipment) not counting passengers. I find it is better to anchor it just off the beach where it remains floating (~12 inches of water).

[wavelength]

the only bit of sense in there is the lack of protection for kids. depending on the age and temprament of the kids (outdoors types or couch potatoes) - a rib can be a cold and sometimes wet place with nowhere to hide from the elements/have a lay down/ etc. Also the tubes present low sides which do not secure the kids inside. A Binliner usually has a ***** awful ride in the smallest of seas.Been there and done that with kids from babies thru to adulthood when daughter became lifeboat crew at 17, all weather l/b navigator at 18, commercial offshore yachtmaster at 19 and crew on a KNRM (dutch lifeboat) 60ft rib. A year out after uni turned into a full time job and she was skippering a 15metre jet drive catamaran in Holland and now back here in the UK as skipper/manager. The kids were in fast fishing boats with cuddies when small and then we moved to ribs only as they got older, could cope with the conditions and had gained a bit of sense as regards low sides.

[polvoson]

Thanks for all the replies.
Rib it is. Now if I can just find one with an aluminium hull I'd be ecstatic.

Paul