Is size everthing !!!

[David B]

Now the female members of Rib net might take this the wrong way but is width as important as length ? or are both combined better ( In ribs of course ) I am refering to wide beam craft and the ever increasing sizes in LOA which are appearing on the market. I am interested to hear other viewpoints on the " Big is better" school of thought. or is it simply what you do with it the anwser ?

[powerskiper]

Not done much on ribs, but with cruisers the more weight it has the better for sea keeping,
I would say more how it is used is alway important! Being badly handled it is not good for anything. Width and length always counts, , the bigger [the rib ] the better!

[Searider]

Both are important but it depends on how you want to use the boat.

Longer and thinner for going fast and with a deep V for good seakeeping.

Wider and possibly longer for carrying more weight.

I would also say that heavier is most definately not better unless the weight is in a structure that needs to be as strong as it is heavy.
My boat performs best - seakeeping wise - with two people on board. Much more weight and it's not happy - it starts to behave like a cruiser and has to hammer its way through the waves rather than gracefully flying across the tops!

Duncan

[Sharky]

We run a 48ft rib with tripple 300hp inboards its fantastic in the rough, at 6
tonnes it goes through most seas. SIZE IS !!!!!. The only problam is nobody wan'ts to know in the rib park and it cost a fortune anywere else.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Sharky

We run a 48ft rib with tripple 300hp inboards its fantastic in the rough, at 6
tonnes it goes through most seas. SIZE IS !!!!!. The only problam is nobody wan'ts to know in the rib park and it cost a fortune anywere else.

What RIB is that???

[Richard B]

A noisy one!

[Searider]

Originally Posted by Sharky

We run a 48ft rib with tripple 300hp inboards its fantastic in the rough, at 6
tonnes it goes through most seas. SIZE IS !!!!!. The only problam is nobody wan'ts to know in the rib park and it cost a fortune anywere else.

But it's not a heavy boat.

Being a Cougar hull it is long and thin with a deep V and at 6 tonnes for 48 feet it is a light boat as well!


Duncan

[Mark Halliday]

Originally Posted by Sharky

We run a 48ft rib with tripple 300hp inboards its fantastic in the rough, at 6
tonnes it goes through most seas. SIZE IS !!!!!. The only problam is nobody wan'ts to know in the rib park and it cost a fortune anywere else.

Was that you going up the solent from Yarmouth way to Cowes on Sat 28 Aug (the day of the Round the Island power boat race) around 3:30pm?

[Manos]

Originally Posted by Searider

Being a Cougar hull it is long and thin with a deep V and at 6 tonnes for 48 feet it is a light boat as well! Duncan

Didn't know that Cougar made RIBs

[Searider]

Originally Posted by Manos

Didn't know that Cougar made RIBs

Cougar have recently got into making production RIBs and have one based on their Honda 225hp race boat - looks very nice. They also have some smaller ones based on, I believe, the Coastline hulls.

However the 48' one was probably a one off for a "specialist" application?
The hull looks very much like their US-46 raceboat hull.

Duncan

[Manos]

Thanks Duncan. Do you know of a link when I can see a photo of those beasts?

[Searider]

Originally Posted by Manos

Thanks Duncan. Do you know of a link when I can see a photo of those beasts?

Here

http://www.cougar-powerboats.com

Duncan

[Manos]

Thanks again


Had a look and what is near to what I would consider spending (IN EUROS and not in Pounds) for a big RIB is the 11mtrs cabin thing built in 1996. However, I will never spent that short of money for a near 10year old RIB whatever the make, builder or looks.

Have to say though that one with the cabin looks very nice, the rest look ordinary on deck and in particular that 15mtr is a joke with seat for just 3 and an asking price of GBP 120,000 for a 2001 built boat!!! will anyone ever buy it I wonder.

[Sharky]

Yes that was us coming down from totland to cowes traveling with a blue scorpion 8m rib. There are a few 48m couger hull around, one was at cowes for the race on sunday with 2 1000hp supercharged merc's but this one is the only rib that i know of, built as a special order about 4 years ago and now we keep it at the bottom of the hamble. we also have a 38ft couger hull rib with a cabin and a 450hp cat diesel which also handles very well