I didn’t know Humber made submarines as well as RIB’s

[dangers]

Squirrel, I think trunks are now standard on Prosport. I'm very glad we have them, as they were very useful it getting rid of a lot of water after my inexperienced driving caused a large stuff!

[Squirrel]

Not sure I'd have room on the transom to fit it. Mines a pretty narrow and I guess it has to be a certain distance from the engine mount?

Dangers, I saw that Green Prosport in the marina on Sunday, they called it "Envy"...ha ha .

[Jackwabbit]

I would be surprised if you don’t have enough room to fit one on you transom, our little 5.5M Humber Assault has enough room for the Heffelump trunk. It is actually below the water line with the boat at rest, so you have to pull it up when we stop or the boat will fill up.

[Phil Davies]

On the subject of stuffing, what's the generally best accepted method of driving a RIB in a large following sea? Does the technique vary according to the size of RIB?

I quite often find myself 'surfing' on the wave itself in my Searider which seems to work ok and appears to keep me more in control, although I don't know if that's recommended practice! At other times I end up inadvertently careering down the face of a wave rather more quickly than I intended, which is more disconcerting.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Alan Priddy

Experiance is the only test of time not RYA Exams

The bit of paper isn't important, but the training is.

Whilst there's no substitute for experience there's also no point learning the basic stuff the hard way. A couple of days of training will quickly bring a new boater up to a good basic standard, and I have seen plenty of "experienced" boaters displaying a dismal lack of basic boat handling skills.

Ian Alexander's absolutely right though, it's just a starting point . . .

John

[Nick Hearne]

Trim out, pushes the bow up higher rides over the waves or take the waves at angles.

[dangers]

I found some good articles on Paul Latzel's website http://www.powerboat-training.co.uk/

[MeMe]

Originally Posted by Phil Davies

On the subject of stuffing, what's the generally best accepted method of driving a RIB in a large following sea?

It's rather difficult to run through an emplanation in type (I'm sure someone will attempt it), however, it helps if you have PTT (I appreciate your engine doesn't)which, aids in keeping the nose up as you should trim out (up) slightly with a following sea. Therefore, if you do find yourself surfing down the face of a large crest at least the nose is up or at least being driven up when you come to the bottom.

When you're in Abersoch next I'm sure you'll bring some bad weather so we'll (me and you ) take the opportunity to get some practice in with the added safety of two craft together.

When I did my Level II with Jono and D.M we had 6-12 foot breaking swells which greatly assisted with the tuition and practice in the same. Turning in such conditions is also a well worth while exercise to practice. However, don't whatever you do, ride over the crest at an angle.

[Simon B]

Do you run trimmed out all the time? so the bow is pulled up when you are riding up the wave and is there an angle at which you shouldnt be crossing the wave on?

(Saves me getting it wrong during experimentation!?)

[Phil Davies]

Unfortunately when I did my Level 2 and Intermediate (in Pwllheli!) the sea was flat, so rough weather handling has been a sort of 'suck it and see' technique!

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by MeMe

However, don't whatever you do, ride over the crest at an angle.

OK if the waves are steep & may break but in large rolling waves you are just lessening the angle! are you not?
Nick

[MeMe]

........I had breakers in mind which are the ones which usually cause you to stuff. After all if you want to go East to West and the sea is rolling N to S you've got to cross them at an angle. Under such circumstances (not very often in my case as my nick name in some circles is "Mill Pond MeMe) when I've endured such conditions I've called upon my sailing experience where by I've powered off shore into the waves in order to have an easier and safer ride before tacking back inshore with a following sea, again for a safer more comfortable ride rather than attempting to cut across the breakers. Of course this takes longer and one has to determine weather / whether (covering all the bases for P.D) it's best to stay out longer or shorter depending on conditions and circumstances.

That said if you're Jono Gorton you just point the nose and open the throttle to its max.

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by MeMe

........I had breakers in mind which are the ones which usually cause you to stuff. After all if you want to go East to West and the sea is rolling N to S you've got to cross them at an angle. Under such circumstances (not very often in my case as my nick name in some circles is "Mill Pond MeMe) when I've endured such conditions I've called upon my sailing experience where by I've powered off shore into the waves in order to have an easier and safer ride before tacking back inshore with a following sea, again for a safer more comfortable ride rather than attempting to cut across the breakers. Of course this takes longer and one has to determine weather / whether (covering all the bases for P.D) it's best to stay out longer or shorter depending on conditions and circumstances.

That said if you're Jono Gorton you just point the nose and open the throttle to its max.

Ho I do like it then we agree!
I see Jono is selling the 6.5m Pro sport!
Nick

[Simon Hawkins]

Obviously this person had not done the advanced course as he wouldnt of trimmed the engine in with a large following sea. RYA courses are a foundation on which to go and get the experience required.

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by Jackwabbit

I didn’t know Humber made submarines as well as RIB’s

but if frightens the life out of me sometimes I only feel safe when I’m driving.

You've been on Black Jack too then!

The other bailing systems that use ping pong balls are becoming more popular but I don't like em at all. At least with a trunk you can visually check you've left it down when you look at the boat in the water. with the self bailers it's easy to forget

[Simon Hawkins]

The idea of handling following seas is to trim the bow out up. When going down the wave ease the power off but not too for the wave to come over the back of the boat and possibly make you broach, then at the bottom of the wave put the power on too lift the bow and ride up the back of the nest wave. By doing this you will not drive into the back of the wave and stuff the bow. Always try to avoid large breaking waves though.

[Bilge Rat]

Originally Posted by Simon Hawkins

Obviously this person had not done the advanced course as he wouldnt of trimmed the engine in with a large following sea. RYA courses are a foundation on which to go and get the experience required.

Thats crap and i whole hartedly agree with Alan Priddy on this issue, no amount of courses or qualifications can make up for good experience at sea in rough conditions, knowing the theory is one thing putting it into practice is another, things happen and issues arise that you cant account for, its how you handle and manage them at the time that makes the difference, no course will ever teach you self reliance and the ability to trouble shoot a problem when and if it happens, and things do happen and your actions as skipper can result in someone getting hurt, live with it its a fact of boating ! and if your not willing to take that responsability on then stay home and take up knitting.

I dont have my advanced yet but i go miles out to sea, navigate my way around using both GPS and compass and chart and regualy go out at night, and i've been out when others have been comming back in PD will verify this

[Simon Hawkins]

I totally agree with you bilge rat and thats why the RYA has a stipulation on 5 years experience to become an instructor. Experience is the an essential way of learning, but theory and practice is also important, after all how do you think the RNLI can go into the seas they do.

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Bilge Rat

Thats crap and i whole hartedly agree with Alan Priddy on this issue, no amount of courses or qualifications can make up for good experience at sea in rough conditions, knowing the theory is one thing putting it into practice is another, things happen and issues arise that you cant account for, its how you handle and manage them at the time that makes the difference, no course will ever teach you self reliance and the ability to trouble shoot a problem when and if it happens, and things do happen and your actions as skipper can result in someone getting hurt, live with it its a fact of boating ! and if your not willing to take that responsability on then stay home and take up knitting.

I dont have my advanced yet but i go miles out to sea, navigate my way around using both GPS and compass and chart and regualy go out at night, and i've been out when others have been comming back in PD will verify this

Where's PD when you really need him?.......

[DGR]

Originally Posted by Bilge Rat

Thats crap...

How can doing a course as a foundation/starter for 10 be crap? Are you saying that doing a course doesn't help you at all? I learned how to handle a following sea on my Intermeadiate PB course in a Force 8, and how to maneovre and do close-quarter stuff on my PB1 and 2 along with a load of other useful skills. I realise that the piece of paper I now own doesn't mean that I know everything - and I've a lot more to learn to even begin to consider myself as really competant - but the RYA courses are good as a starter.

The only other reason for not doing them is that you have so much experience already that there is no need to do the courses - which is fine.

Otherwise the people that buy a boat, and just 'suck it and see', could end up in quite unpleasant situations without a scooby of how to get out of it, except by calling out the lifeboat/coastguard (assuming they are in mobile phone range, 'cos the chances of them having a VHF operators certificate is pretty slim...)

I agree that experience is the only way to REALLY know how to handle stuff, but for people new to RIBbing, the RYA courses are very good start. That's all!!

D...