New rib for the summer, advice... - Page 2

Fix3d_ · 14 January 2006, 18:40

Luckily where we are were near exmouth and they have a harbour and couple of launch ramps, i need to investigate the camber of the ramp and see how difficult it's going to be to lauch the boat and if the weights going to have a huge impact or not, as for storage it would either be in a garage on under a marquey under a cover..

I'm looking for something that im going to be able to have fun with basiclly, like i say fairly quick, light would be a bonus and the lighter i guess the more agile and no bigger than 4m..

xpertski · 14 January 2006, 18:42

hello and welcome! i always think that if your going for that size of craft and your new to boats, an inflatable is a good point to start at, for example a bombard aerotec, with say a 15-20 hp on it, you can also get steering systems for these which makes life easier than using a tiller, have a look on boatsandoutboards.com for them, say a 380 (12.6ft) would fit the bill, it has a high pressure inflatable floor which is quite rigid and gives the hull its vee shape, its also lighter than any comparable rib, which means its quicker! there are similar boats, but i speak from experience with this one! have a look see what you can find! jonathan

Poly · 14 January 2006, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fix3d_

Polwart: Thanks for the response, in regards to what application im looking to use the rib for it's aimed towards the region of as i said summer fun.. So close to shore, ripping about and possibility some activitys involving a ringo,

Budget is going to be another decider for me as well, it is only going to be used during the summer months and stored away in the winter.. It would be slightly silly me paying loads of money for something that will only be used 1 season a year, as i've said i am fairly new to ribs and the reason i took to the rhino rider so quickly is most likely down to the way it looks.. I've been looking at the Quicksilver 370's as well, i'm still a little undecided which way i want to head.. Want something fairly quick, fun, light, agile and with a steering rig,

This might be a stupid question - but does a PWC not fulfill those criteria?

Fix3d_ · 14 January 2006, 18:50

Sorry... PWC?

ADS · 14 January 2006, 18:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

Sorry took so long writing my original email I missed ADS comments... ...most of what he says I would agree with but here are some more thoughts...

PWC is Personal Watercraft, Jetski etc

I can't comment specifically on the rhino - but my plastic boat is considerably lighter than I would expect for an equivalent grp boat. I can just lift it off one side of the trailer to ajust the bunks etc - and I'm a weaking!

That's all relative - they're not as fast as a PWC, or a rib with a much bigger engine. But as someone recently observed to me - its very like being in a go-kart on water. Even if its "relatively slow" it feels fast as f**k.

The alternative I am suggesting is slightly bigger so you will get more people on it. Comfortably 3 - no problems, and RCD rated for 6 (in class D water - or 3 in class C) - whicyou can't really fit more than two people on there,

I think I would be inclined to agree with that (but no worse than any other 3m boat?). And I would think they are also better than a 3m SIB in the same conditions. My boat is certainly wet in a following sea with waves over ~0.5m. But I have had it out in worse and survived to tell the tale.

I don't know what your budget is or what these cost, but as a guide, with a trailer, 20HP engine etc my 3.9m boat cost just under £4k new. I can't remember how much the 3.6m mac-attack was working out at but it was certainly more than this - possible closer to 7k all in?

Cheers,

NEIL

Agree with what your saying, sort of. I have very little experience of the boats you mention probably totalling a couple of days spent in one of those orange commando jobbies, so cannot really comment.
Mercury did at one stage market the rhino rider as an alternative to a PWC, and they are like comparing Paris Hilton and Margaret Thatcher. The rhino I drove was gutless taking an age to crawl onto the plane and you spend the whole time pressing as hard as you can on the throttle, im surprised the control box didnt come off in my hand. Probably topped out at 25mph, on the flat and in the rough you had to come off the plane, whilst they are good as a fun run about they do not compare to a 4m rib. Im sure they are over 5k new and you can get a much more capable boat for the money.

Alex

ADS · 14 January 2006, 18:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fix3d_

Sorry... PWC?

PWC, Personal Water Craft, Jetski etc

Fix3d_ · 14 January 2006, 19:12

Would prefer a inflatable over a pwc for the storage space, can't really carry fishing gear on a jetski

Poly · 14 January 2006, 19:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fix3d_

Would prefer a inflatable over a pwc for the storage space, can't really carry fishing gear on a jetski

Fair enough - it will also save you having to have your brain removed!

ADS · 14 January 2006, 19:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

Fair enough - it will also save you having to have your brain removed!

Careful you will upset xpertski, but I agree the only qualification you need to operate a jetski is an ASBO.

Fix3d_ · 14 January 2006, 19:20

lol

Poly · 14 January 2006, 19:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADS

Mercury did at one stage market the rhino rider as an alternative to a PWC, and they are like comparing Paris Hilton and Margaret Thatcher.

I agree they are like chalk and cheese. I wondered if a PWC was more suited to his needs. But not if he want's to fish from it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADS

The rhino I drove was gutless taking an age to crawl onto the plane and you spend the whole time pressing as hard as you can on the throttle, im surprised the control box didnt come off in my hand.

No experience of a rhino - but my boat is slightly lighter, and almost a meter longer, and has no problems getting onto the plane. In fact she still planes easily even with huge amounts of water on board (hit a very big wave).

I guess it also depends a little on your expectations and what you are used to. I used to think I was accelerating fast in my 1.8L C5 until I drove my friends RX8 recently!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADS

Probably topped out at 25mph, on the flat

That sounds "about right" but thats more down to the relatively small engine rather than the boat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADS

and in the rough you had to come off the plane, whilst they are good as a fun run about

I admit that my boat is wet in the rough but I don't have to come off the plane. Might not be an issue for the type of boating he seems to be interested in though...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADS

they do not compare to a 4m rib. Im sure they are over 5k new and you can get a much more capable boat for the money.

I have just done a google search and a new rhino looks like it is about £2.6k (ish) so you are probably right that with a new engine, and trailer you are looking well over £5k... ...but then you would be looking at that for a new rib too... so you have to compare like with like.

I would agree - he can almost certainly save significantly by either going second hand or looking at the all plastic boats I mentioned (theres an ex demo MacAttack available for 4.5k just now!), or one of the inflatables xpertski was suggesting. Its worth bearing in mind that second hand boats (especially ones that "look" cheap) can often cost a lot in the long term though...

I think what are both suggesting to Fix3d_ is that there might be other boats around which are equally if not more suitable than the Rhino.

Cheers

NEIL

xpertski · 14 January 2006, 21:07

oy, what was that ADS? lol, ohhh another option may be a zodiac futura, not sure if that woould fit criteria also, but its a quick boat, bigger than the mentioned, and will easily plane and tow inflatable tows, maybe worth a look?

Nos4r2 · 14 January 2006, 22:02

If there's more than just you and you want to fish, get a 4m rib. Me and the g/f fish from the sr4 and any smaller would be a struggle.

It's useful having the ballast chamber on the searider too-it's nice and stable at rest so we can fish in far worse swells/chop than most hardboats of a comparable size

Fix3d_ · 15 January 2006, 12:51

Thanks for the advice everyone

, duely appreciated! I'm going to steer clear of the rhino and possibilly try more towards a searider, im going to keep my eyes open up till summer and take my time in purchasing, i'll post piccies when i've brought one

ADS · 15 January 2006, 13:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fix3d_

Thanks for the advice everyone

, duely appreciated! I'm going to steer clear of the rhino and possibilly try more towards a searider, im going to keep my eyes open up till summer and take my time in purchasing, i'll post piccies when i've brought one

Good luck, don't buy the first one you see, there are loads of Seariders about. Boatsand outboards is up and running again, theres a selection of seariders on there:

SR4 and 2002 40HP 4stroke

1998 SR4 40HP Mariner, expensive but mint!

Alex