First RIB - Opinions Required - Page 2

9D280 · 25 October 2010, 10:36

Brand Loyalty: emotivve subect!

I don't have any particular brand loyalty - having had (in no particular order) Yam, Suz, Merc, Evenrude, Johnson & Seagull on my transoms. I could pick a few anoying things out about each engine as a standalone unit, and most of them are 'coz I do my own servicing, but as products are developed continuously, and as more of the brand names are owned by the same couple of companies, what may make one brand more appealing than another is more usually your local dealer!

Assuming you haven't had a rib before, it may be worth asking for a test drive. (and Humber et al should be keen to demo the boats to you). One thing that is absolutely certain - Whatever you think you want on your new boat you will quickly find isn't quite what you actually need - Regardless how much you spend.

If you can go for a test spin in a few boats it's going to be worth 1000s of posts here.

There are lots of Ribnet cruises with people always looking for crew, so could post / PM and see if anyone needs a spare pair of hands & get some experience of the various hulls & setups there.

Anchorhandler · 25 October 2010, 11:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9D280

Brand Loyalty: emotivve subect!

I don't have any particular brand loyalty - having had (in no particular order) Yam, Suz, Merc, Evenrude, Johnson & Seagull on my transoms. I could pick a few anoying things out about each engine as a standalone unit, and most of them are 'coz I do my own servicing, but as products are developed continuously, and as more of the brand names are owned by the same couple of companies, what may make one brand more appealing than another is more usually your local dealer!

Assuming you haven't had a rib before, it may be worth asking for a test drive. (and Humber et al should be keen to demo the boats to you). One thing that is absolutely certain - Whatever you think you want on your new boat you will quickly find isn't quite what you actually need - Regardless how much you spend.

If you can go for a test spin in a few boats it's going to be worth 1000s of posts here.

There are lots of Ribnet cruises with people always looking for crew, so could post / PM and see if anyone needs a spare pair of hands & get some experience of the various hulls & setups there.

Good advice!!

Flotsam, this may be of intrest to you.....we very nearly took it back to France but (because of reasons previously mentioned...and the price!) we opted for a Osprey Vipermax 6.5.

http://www.newark-marina.co.uk/index...details&id=257

Our first rib was a Humber destroyer and served us well. We changed it to a Valiant 570 as we wanted a more family orientated boat. We now like the Osprey as it is a solidly built vessel capable of going out in weather that i probably should'nt be going out in!

We have no regrets with any of the ribs we have owned, they all had their pro's and con's although we generally found a way to adapt to the con's.

Simon

Poly · 25 October 2010, 11:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flotsam

but as I see it you tend to be loyal to a brand because it is good?

not necessarily - it means something is good (boat / customer service / value / staff / status of ownership) but not necessarily everything - but most importantly just because its great for me doesn't mean its great for you.

Quote:

With the exception of the Ribcraft there have been no specific suggestions as to what might suit me. Being based in the North an obvious choice would seem to be Humber, especially now that they have embraced the leisure market a little more. Any thoughts?

So you are looking for new then? Humber are highly regarded by many on here - and generally felt to be at the "value" end of the spectrum. However you described your cruising grounds as being effectively Solway Firth to Ireland... that would open up Redbay and Excalibur's new NI agent (Ribventure?) into the possibilities. And you are not that far from Liverpool Powerboats who's Aircraft ribs seem popular in the NW of England/Wales.

If I was towing behind a motor home I might be asking the pro's cons of going for the narrower beam Humber options (I can't remember which models but 9d280 will be along in a minute with the exact mm widths!) - driving a motorhome across europe would be enough fun without worrying about a giant trailer behind. To what extent will toll roads and ferries add cost for towing 6.5 v's 5.85m boat? Does that affect your choice...

Beyond that you need narrow down your spec a bit. Then I think people will be happy to suggest something.

Oh and finally - if skiing etc is what excites you and you are serious about diesel what about the Bannashark Diesel?

9D280 · 25 October 2010, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

If I was towing behind a motor home I might be asking the pro's cons of going for the narrower beam Humber options (I can't remember which models but 9d280 will be along in a minute with the exact mm widths!)

I'll just get my anorak.........

Yeah, as Pol says, the humbers come in three basic beams - 2(ish)m, ideal for parking in a standard single garage. 2.3m, which keeps it road legal without the aid of a police escort & lots of flashy orange lights) and then proper wide, where the solid bit is road legal for width, but you'd need to deflate it every road move. (but chances are it would be o nthe back of an articulated lotrry anyway!) I guess if you are driving a motorhome it's going to be somewhere around the 2.3m width mark (max width), and so the extra beam won't affect you in any great way. More beam = space for side by side jockeys = more family / group friendly.

Most ribs go up in those sort of steps of beam for those reasons.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

- driving a motorhome across europe would be enough fun without worrying about a giant trailer behind. To what extent will toll roads and ferries add cost for towing 6.5 v's 5.85m boat? Does that affect your choice...

I know it's not Europe, but I could motor mine to Arran & back about a dozen times at WOT for the cost of putting the trailer on the ferry one way.

Pikey Dave · 25 October 2010, 16:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flotsam

Interesting stuff. RIBs of the size that I am considering are obviously designed for one engine. I am sure modern four strokes are highly dependable, but I have been in a single engined boat with engine failure an it is a really nasty place to be. Do RIBs of this size have the capacity to mount an auxilliary even if you can find a place to store one? How do people mangae this issue?

Cheers

Main & auxilliary

Flotsam · 25 October 2010, 22:58

That looks nice, what does it weigh?

Thanks everybody, some really useful stuff that I can act upon, good to find such a helpful bunch, it would be nice to think that I might catch up with some of you on the water some time.

I will do some reading and come back with some considered additional questions.

Cheers

Pikey Dave · 26 October 2010, 05:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flotsam

That looks nice, what does it weigh?

Thanks everybody, some really useful stuff that I can act upon, good to find such a helpful bunch, it would be nice to think that I might catch up with some of you on the water some time.

I will do some reading and come back with some considered additional questions.

Cheers

About 1300kg all up + gear & bodies+ 500kg trailer

Chris · 26 October 2010, 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flotsam

with regards to my intended use...

i would like to have skiing weekends with the boys

Fishing trips in coastal waters.

the boat needs to be safe and dry to attract my wife.

Destinations such as the Italian lakes, as well the European coastlines

South West Scotland coast linking with Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man will be manageable, conditions permitting of course.

What I really need is a boat that can be as versatile as possible whilst being easy to live with and manageable out of the water as well as in it.

Cheers

Thats quite a list. With clearly the main one being highlighted in bold

There are numerous ribs that will meet your requirements however if you are buying new then you really have to figure out the layout and seating you want as this will make the boat fit for your purpose.

If you want to try out a few ribs then most people on here are more than happy to have a passenger. If you ever get down to the soutwest you are welcome for a spin in mine if you can brave the cold

Flotsam · 27 October 2010, 20:11

Thanks Chris

I would love to catch a ride on as many boats as possible, my entries here make it clear that I really don't understand enough about RIBS to make a good judgement. As per my original post, the last time I bought a boat I tried to buy something that would do all the things that I wanted, it therefore did none of them very well!

I really want to buy something that gets used, rather than sitting on a trailer for my wife to point at and say 'told you so'. Maybe it doesn't need to be that safe and dry!

Cheers

bradosh · 27 October 2010, 21:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flotsam

Good Evening all

I am sure that many before me have joined this forum to gather as much information and advice prior to buying a RIB as possible, so I am sorry if I am repeating what others have asked... However, here goes...

A couple of years ago I owned a Stingray 240cs which was not my first boat, but was the first boat that I had owned that was worth looking after. It was intended for weekending, general fun and skiing whilst being cheap to own as it could live on a trailer. It ended up getting very little use as it was too small for comfort for a weekend, too big to tow down narrow lanes, too thirsty to ski behind and generally a compromise too far.

I sold the boat and miss the water so its time for another. Long story short, I have concluded that a RIB will satisfy my needs. I am looking for something that weighs less than 1.5 tonnes as I will wish to tow it behind a motorhome on occasion and it is only rated for 1500kg (this will include the trailer etc)

Something in the 6-6.5 bracket seems to be possiblel for this weight, so the question is which type and what engine?

It seems that outboard engines are something that go missing if not adequately secured, so I have read with a little interest of the RIBs that can be had with inboard engines. What are the downsides if any?

I will be buying new or nearly new and my decision will be based more on suitability than cost.

I very much look forward to your views.

Cheers

towing a rib with a motorhome thats ok
but you will be limited to slipway launching only (if the tide is in )
you might consider this also. as beach launching will be out of the question unless you know of a tractor club

just a thought?

Flotsam · 27 October 2010, 22:46

I will have to pick carefully and plan any trips that feature the motorhome. The intention would be to find a suitable base and use the boat as an alternative to the car as a means of getting around. The base would need to feature a suitable launching site.

I see there are RIBS avaialble with their own folding wheels for launching. They are a little odd looking and heavy I would think. A Remote control powered trailer is another possibility I suppose.

Ballistic have a very active e-marketing regime. What are the thoughts on the product?

Also do many RIB manufacturers cater for bespoke seating arrangements. It seems that most boats of the 6M size are built to seat as many people as possible. I dont see myself with more than six people on board very often and I would like a little deck space. For instance with the Humber Leisure Pro 6.5 I would prefer to see a pair of seats at the console allowing some space between it and the rear bench seat.

cheers

Pikey Dave · 28 October 2010, 09:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flotsam

Also do many RIB manufacturers cater for bespoke seating arrangements. It seems that most boats of the 6M size are built to seat as many people as possible. I dont see myself with more than six people on board very often and I would like a little deck space. For instance with the Humber Leisure Pro 6.5 I would prefer to see a pair of seats at the console allowing some space between it and the rear bench seat.

cheers

If you are having a boat built to order, most of the manufacturers will build to your spec, the worlds your lobster. Obviously buying second hand is a different matter. You could change the seating on a second hand boat but it gets messy & expensive.