Purchase my 1st boat (I want a rib)

[baixamar]

Hi!
Nice site!!!
I am planning to purchase my first boat and I choose to start with a rib. I have started to look at the well known manufacturer site, Zodiac.
The boat will be used for recreation with the family (I have 3 children) and to fish in the sea (Lisbon - Portugal).
From Zodiac site, after enter the following data:
- All around boat
- Semi-rigid
- 7 or more passengers (at least I want 8)
The output list is the Cherokee 480, the Pro II 479, the Medline.
I liked very much the Cherokee.
Then I have contacted a local vendor and he offered the Mariner 50hp or 40hp engine.
1. Can you please give me your suggestion for an engine to match the Zodiac Cherokee 480?
2. Is 40hp enough or should I use 50hp?
3. Is the 4-stroke engine a good advantage over the 2-stroke?
I prefer to pay a little more and to have a reliable engine.


Thanks in advance for your comments
bye
pedro

[Alan Mckewan]

All the boats you list here would be somwhat underpowered with a 40HP engine, and would certainly not carry the 7-8 people as suggested with less than 70HP. My club uses a 40 on a narrow beam 5 metre rib, but if you try to carry more than 2 people it struggles. You really need 50. The four stroke will be slightly heavier but use little over half the fuel so buy if you can afford the extra cost. If you are in Portugal surely you should consider Valiant ribs, they should be quite cheap there and they are a good boat.

[dimitris]

Hi pedro,

1) I do not know about the Cherokee 480, but for the Medline I which is also 480 the recommended engine by the greek dealers is an outboard of 70 HP.

2) )From my experience, having a 5M RIB my self, I can not see how you can fit 8 people on a 4.8M RIB especially if the weather turns a little bit nasty. Also carrying a 8 people with a 50HP outboard will be a struggle.

Why don't you ask your dealer for a test drive. Add to the boat 8 people and see for yourself ?

3) I use quite often the boat for recreation with my family, I've got two children. When we go cruising for long weekends (camping) my 5M RIB is marginal. I am already in the process of buying a bigger RIB. With 3 kids I think you should look for at least a 6M RIB and make sure that there are proper sittings for them.

4) Having said that, I don't mean to disappoint you. Go for the boat that you can afford. At the end of the day I prefer my 5M RIB than no RIB at all !!!

Regards

Dimitris

[batfalcon]

Can't agree more with Dimitris. I currently use my boat as you will. Have 2 children (age 11) and of course my wife. The boat is a Bat 9 Falcon X (5,3 m) powered by a Merc. 115. 3 years ago we traveled 8 people (4 adults + 4 kids) and things were pretty hard pressed. Having made the same journey with the same people 1 year before that with a Gommorizzo 4,5 + Yamaha 50 I can tell you for sure that you will be able to travel only with force 0 to 3 ONLY CARRYING SWIMING GEAR.
Having in mind that you like the Zodiac I would say go for what you can afford but with a larger engine (min 60 max 75) and forget 6+ people on board.

[baixamar]

Thanks for your valuable comments.
I did not know that Valiant ribs were manufactured in Portugal. I was looking their site and the ribs look very good. I will check the prices!
I am feeling ingenous, thinking that a rib for 7 people in datasheet is for 7 people in the real word
Now, I have a better idea what I have to look for. Thanks again.

bye
pedro

[r.tone]

Like another bloke on your site, I'm also getting into RIBs. We are only 2 grown ups (some of the time) and 2 kids in all so dont need anything really big or too hairy.

There is just too much information around. Can't someone cut thro the proverbial and just offer practical advice on a good outfit for inshore fun use at £15k or thereabouts.

Thanks

[Alan Priddy]

Have a look at the Yam Rib Range. These boats are manufatured by Yamaha Motors and as a complete package are excellent value for money. Telephone 01932 358000 ask for marine dept.

Alan P

[geoff]

We were new to Ribs 3 years ago and picked up a second hand boat to try it out. For £6k I got a 5.5m Humber destroyer with two Johnson 50hp outboards. Very seaworthy and tough boat. We had a great year and sold the boat a bought a new Ribcraft with a much better idea of what we really wanted.
If I was doing this again I would spend a bit more up front, preferably with a 4 stroke engine. We had to spend quite a lot our engines. For £8-10k you can get some nice 2nd hand boats. Check out Rib.net boats for sale.
If you dont like it after a year, sell the boat without losing a fortune in depreciation. If you do like it, I guarentee you will want something bigger so you will want to trade up.
Enjoy,

[Alan]

But a couple of bits of advice are........

If you buy a secondhand RIB, look for one with the newest technology engine you can afford. Either that or buy a boat with an old two stroke engine and budget for upgrading to a new 4 stroke or fuel injected (HPDI, Optimax) engine. Why? Because the fuel consumption on older 2 strokes, particularly the larger ones is frightening! The other reason is that RIBs are essentially simply constructed and can be refurbed & improved relatively easily. Engines can't! We bought a new boat and secondhand engine which was the wrong way to do it as we paid the price in fuel consumption and when the engine failed this year and was beyond economic repair had to buy a new engine anyway!

Buy as bigger boat as you can afford / comfortably handle. It will be much more comfortable in a sea, will have more room for the family and you will much safer in a 6m boat than a 5m one!

IMHO a 6 to 6.5m RIB is a good size. Big enough to be comfortable but not too big to launch and recover behind a normal family saloon. (although it is easier with a 4x4!)

HTH,
Alan