Newbie: advice please!

[Dave R]

Hi,
I’m considering purchasing a used RIB. I am thinking I’d use the boat as follows:
- Occasional use on the Solent (from Lymington area)
- I will take the powerboat level 2 course
- Likely to use for 2 adults and / children (8 & 10 yrs old) Possibly 4 adults and 2 children Occasionally.
- I don’t have a lot of space but could store on drive or find a mooring.

I was hoping to get some advice on what the best options would be for me for around 10-12k budget. Thinking around 5-5.5m. What size engine would’ve the minimum you’d recommend?
Another question: how feasible is it to use the boat to get to swanage from lymington ?

Many thanks
Dave

[brucehawsker]

Hi Dave. I am from Lymington. Happy to answer all your questions. (And more). PM'ed you with number.

[Simonh66]

Originally Posted by Dave R

Hi,
I’m considering purchasing a used RIB. I am thinking I’d use the boat as follows:
- Occasional use on the Solent (from Lymington area)
- I will take the powerboat level 2 course
- Likely to use for 2 adults and / children (8 & 10 yrs old) Possibly 4 adults and 2 children Occasionally.
- I don’t have a lot of space but could store on drive or find a mooring.

I was hoping to get some advice on what the best options would be for me for around 10-12k budget. Thinking around 5-5.5m. What size engine would’ve the minimum you’d recommend?
Another question: how feasible is it to use the boat to get to swanage from lymington ?

Many thanks
Dave

I use a V570 5.7mtr Valiant with a 115Optimax on the Solent (out of Hamble) which works well for us. Can hit around 31,32 kts

[CGFR]

Originally Posted by Dave R

Hi,
I’m considering purchasing a used RIB. I am thinking I’d use the boat as follows:
- Occasional use on the Solent (from Lymington area)
- I will take the powerboat level 2 course
- Likely to use for 2 adults and / children (8 & 10 yrs old) Possibly 4 adults and 2 children Occasionally.
- I don’t have a lot of space but could store on drive or find a mooring.

I was hoping to get some advice on what the best options would be for me for around 10-12k budget. Thinking around 5-5.5m. What size engine would’ve the minimum you’d recommend?
Another question: how feasible is it to use the boat to get to swanage from lymington ?

Many thanks
Dave

Hi Dave - if there is flex in your budget, I would try to get something a little larger, for two reasons: (1) 5 / 5.5m will struggle on the Solent in anything other than calm conditions. Once the chop builds up, the hull length isn’t sufficient to cope with the wave length and it quickly gets very bumpy (and wet), (2) if you want to get 4 adults and 2 kids on board, I think you need 6.5m+. I started with a 5.5m / 100hp set up, and then within a year switched to 8m with a bigger engine, which is much more capable and allows me to get out in a wider range of conditions without scaring the wits out of my wife and kids! Not saying you need to go that big but I would recommend trialing a few different size boats to see what works for you. Hope that helps.

[Pikey Dave]

Oh aye! The infamous solent chop. I’d forgotten the Solent was the most dangerous stretch of water in the uk. Maybe the reason boats struggle in the “solent chop” is because people buy boats aimed at the errrr ummmm “solent crowd”
Just sayin’

[CGFR]

You are almost certainly right Dave (certainly in my case you are) but fact remains that however capable the hull I’d always rather be in a 6.5m boat than a 5m boat in anything more than 2 feet of waves

[Fender]

Originally Posted by CGFR

Hi Dave - if there is flex in your budget, I would try to get something a little larger, for two reasons: (1) 5 / 5.5m will struggle on the Solent in anything other than calm conditions. Once the chop builds up, the hull length isn’t sufficient to cope with the wave length and it quickly gets very bumpy (and wet), (2) if you want to get 4 adults and 2 kids on board, I think you need 6.5m+. I started with a 5.5m / 100hp set up, and then within a year switched to 8m with a bigger engine, which is much more capable and allows me to get out in a wider range of conditions without scaring the wits out of my wife and kids! Not saying you need to go that big but I would recommend trialing a few different size boats to see what works for you. Hope that helps.

Wise words - we nipped over to poole with another smaller RIB a couple of seasons ago - weather picked up for the journey back into the solent, our only concerns in a 7.8 RIB was what music to listen too and anyone want a brew, however our friends on a 5ish metre where getting hammered and very, very wet..............big is good!

[Dave R]

This is all great advice, thanks! I really want to do my research and try some boats out. It sounds as if it doesn’t make sense to look at the smaller boats and I may need to revisit my budget! One other question: if I go for the larger sizes, what do you think the best options are for storing / mooring it? (My drive will not be big enough!)
Brucehawsker - thanks! I’ll be in touch.

[Last Tango]

Just something worthy of note....going from 5m to 6m will probably put you into "braked trailer territory".
Might be a consideration if your driving licence is post 1997.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Oh aye! The infamous solent chop. I’d forgotten the Solent was the most dangerous stretch of water in the uk.

It’s not dangerous, just uncomfortable.

The waves are small but unusually short and steep so a smaller boat tends to hit every single one while a longer boat can stay on top and reach over them.

[Dave R]

Got it, thanks. Not post 1997 on the license unfortunately! (But sounds like fortunate for towing!)

[Fender]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

It’s not dangerous, just uncomfortable.

The waves are small but unusually short and steep so a smaller boat tends to hit every single one while a longer boat can stay on top and reach over them.

Indeed, you get mixed / confused seas, I guess due to wave refraction, fast tides and the heavy amount of traffic churning it all up, you can go from a mirror calm bay, round a headland and get pummelled! All good fun

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Oh aye! The infamous solent chop. I’d forgotten the Solent was the most dangerous stretch of water in the uk. Maybe the reason boats struggle in the “solent chop” is because people buy boats aimed at the errrr ummmm “solent crowd”
Just sayin’

"Solent Chop " , i knew there was an ice cream boat out there but did,nt know there was takeaway chinese out there as well !!!

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

...... did,nt know there was takeaway chinese out there as well !!!

Yeah, she’s called “The Rubbery Chicken”

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

It’s not dangerous, just uncomfortable.

The waves are small but unusually short and steep so a smaller boat tends to hit every single one while a longer boat can stay on top and reach over them.

And there’s the Paradox John, the ideal boat for the conditions would be of generous length, deep V, with an appropriate power unit (6.5-7m+ /150-200hp+) with good secure jockey seats for all. But that isn’t your typical Solent boat. How long before someone says that his 6m Ribeye/Brig/Highfield/ with a 100hp Yammie c/w suicide seat/bow sunpad/rear bench seat is the perfect solent boat? The first recommendation from an owner (and no disrespect to him) is a 5.7 Valliant with 115 on the back. Probably not the first boat you’d choose to deal with the “confused short seas”.

[lakelandterrier]

I'm not sure the "Solent Chop" is worse than sea conditions found elsewhere in more exposed / strong tidal areas.

I agree there can be a huge amount of confused water thrown up by 40-50ft Princesses etc, powering around the Solent with no regard for other water users- these boats seen to cluster around the Solent more than in other places.

The larger / longer the boat, the better it will ride through any sort of sea / chop. But the longer / larger the boat, the more expensive it will be to buy maintain, less able to be handled by 1 person, trailering becomes trickier / more costly etc...

I would work out
What I want to use the boat for - local trips around the Solent longer cruising, watersports etc...
How many people i will regularly want to carry I'd want to be able to seat them all safely (not sitting on tubes)
Budget
Then look for something that fits the above.
Test drive a range of boats to get a feel for what brands / formats you do / don't like.

If you are going to going out with 6 pax, I'd think you'll be driven to a 6m+ boat more than a 5m in any case.

[Searider]

These were built for the "Solent Chop".

https://www.gumtree.com/p/boats-kaya...on-/1342052001

I've had one of these for 15 years and never felt the NEED to go bigger.

Many will say that 115hp isn't enough on a 6.5 - but it's a relatively light boat with a narrow hull that is easily driven.

With newish tubes and engine it's worth a look.

[Simonh66]

The first recommendation from an owner (and no disrespect to him) is a 5.7 Valliant with 115 on the back. Probably not the first boat you’d choose to deal with the “confused short seas”


And it does very well thanks

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Simonh66

The first recommendation from an owner (and no disrespect to him) is a 5.7 Valliant with 115 on the back. Probably not the first boat you’d choose to deal with the “confused short seas”


And it does very well thanks

Exactly my point, the Solent is no different from any other stretch of tidal water. Any reasonable boat will handle it as long as the person at the helm knows his/her stuff. But to hear the “locals” you’d think it was the Pentland Firth. Some of the Solent boys need to get out more, try the Corryveckan, Minch, Grey Dogs, Portland Bill, Alderney race, Raz de Barfleur, the Irish Sea. None of these require a special boat, they just need respect & a well founded, well handled boat.
Rant over, I’ll get Mi coat.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Portland the worsted I've been in wow wind against tide