Humber Assault or Ribcraft 4.8

chewy · 01 September 2007, 08:09

Hi,

Did a bit of surfing last night and found the above two boats. Ribcraft are doing a package for £7495 that the 4.8 boat trailer and 60hp two stroke mariner.
Looks like the Humber will come in at a similar price.
Which is the better boat for out and out rough weather fun?
My heart says Ribcraft but Humber are just down the road from me.
Also some thing like grab handles are standard on the Humber and not on the Ribcraft!
Any one own either of these boats?

Thanks

Phill

Jizm · 01 September 2007, 08:32

I would say Ribcraft aswell but what about second hand?

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F156004

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk/view/F116609

chewy · 01 September 2007, 08:53

Am after something more commercial with no fancy seats, it just needs a centre console with one or two seats and do 40kts.

Phill

Slomofo · 01 September 2007, 09:58

I recently bought a 5.0m Assault with a 50hp 4st, my previous RIB being a 4.8 Ribcraft with a 40hp 2st.

I'm liking the Assault a lot - quick to plane and well mannered in a chop, it gets the nod from me!

Hope that helps....

apinspo · 01 September 2007, 10:25

There's for and against both ribcraft and humber

My mate recently bought a new 6.5m ribcraft and there is alot of small problems with it. There is nothing wrong with the boat it self but the finishing off is very poor from what i've seen. For instance the vhf is built in to the console and there was no sealant behind the radio so every time he washes the boat the console fills up with water, we were out diving last week and it was dark when we were coming in and we discovered that ribcraft hadn't connected the tacho or fuel managment to the lights so we were using a torch to see what rpm we were doing. there just an example of a few of the problem which as i said aren't major but he's abit dissapointed as ribcraft have such a good rep for there standard of finish

The other guys i dive with got a new 6.5 humber about six months ago. there very happy with the boat but the trailer is totally wrecked. after eight months all the welds started cracking to the point that they couldn't use it. when they contacted humber they blamed the irish roads (which are bad) and told them to sort it out them selfs wiith the trailer manafracture even though they bought the boat and trailer as a package from humber. so needless to say there not very happy with the customer service they are getting and were going seeking advice from the consumer right.

psychopic · 01 September 2007, 10:46

I would say that the ribcraft would be the one to go for, and i own a Humber 5.3 ocean pro hull is much better than the assault. The ribcraft hull and the assault hull can not be compared. The ribraft is deep v, the assault is shallow v. I bought a shallow v hull once and regreted it.

If it were me i would either buy a non assault humber like the ocean pro, or go for the Ribraft. I know that humber do some great deals direct and as you are just down the road from them......

Also, if you are on a budget, why not consider the tohatsu TLDI engines. They are very very good and a lot cheaper

chewy · 01 September 2007, 10:48

Arrrrgggghhhhh!

Looks like Humber for now then, had a go in a Humber assault with a 50hp Johnson on and it did shift, managed to stuff the bow coming into Poole Harbour mind.
As for the trailer it was bought from Humber they fore the contract is with Humber not the trailer manufacturer.
How much better are the Destroyers than the Assaults?
Think I'll look for a used Assault with a decent sized engine....

Phill

Tim M · 01 September 2007, 10:51

I have owed a Ribcraft 4.8, as well as looking after the 4.8 that Portsmouth uni owns. Both boats have been very well put together, and bearing the amount of abuse that the uni one gets it really has lasted very well. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend these boats, they are incredible in rough water, and are very safe. Last weekend we had 8 adults, and a load of gear in the uni one, towing another boat behind after it broken down. At no point we did we feel unsafe or vunerable.

They seem to hold their value very well so I would personally look at a newish used one.

chewy · 01 September 2007, 11:03

Back to Ribcraft then!
I like the 4.8 and the fact they kept dropping at it Ribex from 40 odd foot and it was still ok.
Read a horror story of a Humbers bow tube parting company from the hull on one less than a year old....

Phill

MustRib · 01 September 2007, 11:18

are Ribcraft really doing an offer at that price !!!!
Can you post the link to that one please?
Its a great deal if its all new kit...esp if it includes a trailer...

chewy · 01 September 2007, 11:48

This is the link http://www.ribcraft.co.uk/ribcraft4.8.html click on Rib International Test, it was tested last year and that was the stated package price.
Thats what caught my eye, would be nice if they honoured that price?

Phill

MustRib · 01 September 2007, 11:58

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20375

Phil....check out this thread above...
Its a more realistic price I think from Ribcraft for this year.
BUT ..I would call them if I was you...does no harm to ask...let us know how you get on?

Andy

chewy · 01 September 2007, 12:03

That price is for a Honda 4 stroke, the cheap price is for a Mariner 2 stroke.
I emailed em for some prices so will let you know what happens?

Phill

Jizm · 01 September 2007, 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by chewy

Am after something more commercial with no fancy seats, it just needs a centre console with one or two seats and do 40kts.

Phill

Do they really do 40 knots with a 60hp? Pretty impressive if they do.

Jimbo · 01 September 2007, 13:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jizm

Do they really do 40 knots with a 60hp? Pretty impressive if they do.

Best I ever got was 37.8kts out of the University 4.8 Ribcraft. Mind, that is a 60hp Bigfoot 4 stroke, so bit of a heavy lump.

Charlie, the Ribcraft engineer, certainly used to have a 4.8m with a 75hp Etec on it, and if I recall correctly, he got around 46kts out of it. It was over plated though, and given how twitchy our 4.8 gets at high speed lightly loaded, not sure I'd want to try it!

chewy · 01 September 2007, 14:42

37.8kts, close enough to 40 for me, should do 40 though with a 60hp 2 stroke and one person on trimmed out...

purdster · 01 September 2007, 16:48

I bought a ribcraft a couple of months ago and haven't regretted it - mine's 2 years old but it looks like new - if you can ge the £7.5k price then that sounds good as I paid more for mine second hand (better spec though - lots of extras!! and no wait time) - the new price from ribcraft at the time was more like £10.5k+.....

The used prices seem to hold up really well

I'm really happy with both the build quality and the way the boat performs - even when it really rough

Amber1 · 01 September 2007, 17:01

We own a Ribcraft 4.8m. Best small rib you can buy by a mile!

Looked at a Humber, and various others, but all had compromises to do with either build quality or sea keeping.

If you go for the Ribcraft, you'll get a proper sea boat.

Check our our thread on the boat on this site, and also our thread on the RNLI fundraiser last weekend, in (Upcoming trips) section of this site.

105m in the boat, the trip was about 8hrs, 2m seas at some points.

We are running a yam 60hp 4 stroke. Super efficient, and the ideal power to weight for this boat.

Have been running the boat all year, and have done 125hrs so far.

Anything else you want to ask about, just let us know

Cheers

chewy · 01 September 2007, 17:03

Am keeping an eyeout to see whats going for what price, decided my current boats going to be for sale in spring once I've repainted and antifouled it all.

Amber1 · 01 September 2007, 17:06

What is the significance of 40knots?

It'll be burning a lot of fuel at that speed.....