Rib mainly for fishing?

phoenixpete · 27 August 2009, 10:07

Hi Guy's
If your main priority when thinking about buying a boat is fishing as main function with cruising obviously as well, safety in all viable conditions and ease of use for a beginner (Will take RYA powerboat 2 soon) would you still choose a RIB over a hard boat? (slight concern with hooks and tubes)

Really like the look of the Ballistic 5.5mt looks easy to tow and hopefully launch single handed, nice size.
Your thoughts and reccomendations gratefully received.

Pete.

chewy · 27 August 2009, 10:25

Depends how far you go?
My Dads Aquabell is great for fishing because it has all the creature comforts.
Redbay do a RIB with a small wheel house which would do the job.

After trying to cut Hypalon with my wifes best scissors I'm pretty sure a hook won't go through, unless its a shark hook!

boristhebold · 27 August 2009, 11:03

try cobra ribs they do a special fishung version of their ribs whicj looks very cool indeed

incentive · 27 August 2009, 12:39

Got a 5m Humber this year for fishing and trust me you wont get a better boat!Had a special rod holder/rod rest bracket made for the back of the boat instead of an a-frame.Lots of room and no problem with hooks going in the tubes though a landing net is always used for landing bass due to the spikes.Wouldnt go back to a "hard" boat now ive had a rib,i leave everybody standing when the weather and sea conditions change,nice to have the safety and speed factor to fall back on.

Pablo · 27 August 2009, 15:23

All depends on where you plan going with it. I would even say the type of fishing you're planning on doing is also important.

Examples :
1) You're planning on going out to deep wrecks half way across the channel and coming back on the same day
2) You want to drift fish for bass in the race off Portland
3) You want to drift fish for bass in the Fowey river
4) You want to take you kids out feathering mackerel
5) You want to plod around trolling all day in the hope that a suicidal fish might just manage to foul hook itself

I would describe a different boat for each of these !

phoenixpete · 27 August 2009, 17:17

Thanks for the quick replies

Will have a look at the Cobra fishing spec. rib Cheers.
Friend of mine had a 6.3 Humber before changing to an 8.4 Redbay, both great rides.
Pablo, no.2 is probably the nearest but maybe not the Portland race.

Not planning on crossing the channel or any "way off" shore trips (not untill a lot more experienced anyway) Which is why I think 5.5mt is big enough for now and probably forever as I will be trailering every where.
Oh. and there are only 2 of us, no kids

Pete.

Hightower · 27 August 2009, 20:32

Having owned both I would suggest that if you're a hard core fisherman then buy a proper fishing boat. They will sit better in the water at anchor and will offer you much more protection from the elements than any RIB, because of the higher freeboard. There will also be much more room in the boat too.

I really enjoy my fishing, but at my age it doesn't take much to lose my enjoyment either though the weather or by bumping into you're fishing partner when both playing fish. I also hate my mates knocking their rods into the outboard cowling and using tubes as a cutting board.

Why not buy both types?

JSP · 27 August 2009, 20:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by incentive

Got a 5m Humber this year for fishing and trust me you wont get a better boat!Had a special rod holder/rod rest bracket made for the back of the boat instead of an a-frame.Lots of room and no problem with hooks going in the tubes though a landing net is always used for landing bass due to the spikes.Wouldnt go back to a "hard" boat now ive had a rib,i leave everybody standing when the weather and sea conditions change,nice to have the safety and speed factor to fall back on.

When I read the first post I thought of your boat.
There's some photos' on here somewhere isn't there?

woot · 27 August 2009, 22:40

I use my Ribcraft 5.85 for fishing and find it a great platform but not without limitations, because of consoles seats etc there is not a massive amount of spare deckspace
I have had some great days out this year trolling and drifting for bass and pollack. I had two rodholders made that are attached to the A frame that are perfect for the job of securing the rods during transit and holding the rods for trolling.
You would need to try really hard with a hook to cause decent tubes a problem.
Hightower's point is I think correct if you are a serious fisherman and want a boat for fishing only, maybe a fishing boat is better. On the other hand I love the RIB because it is easy to launch/recover will go anywhere with a fun and enjoyable ride and I also use it for cruising/wildlife spotting and waterskiing/wakeboarding.
My recommendation is have a think about what you really want from the boat and choose accordingly. When I bought my first boat I was told "don't buy anything that when you think about having a day out your first though is how much of a pain it is to launch". For me that is the key, make it easy and you will do it more often.
Forums like this are fantastic for advice and to get to meet people. In your shoes I would see if I could get to try the full day out experience of both a RIB and a custom fishing boat before I committed to a purchase.
I guess that you are a long way from Pembrokeshire but I would gladly show you a typical RIB day, keep an eye out for a Ribnet meet nearer to home and maybe you can get to see a few options up close.
As you can see from the photo I do have fun even on the journey to the fishing mark.

phoenixpete · 28 August 2009, 16:19

Thanks for all the help and advice, very much appreciated

Spent lots of time on my friends ribs and was surprised at the hammering they can take in rough seas that I think a hard boat would not be happy in.
I think as safety at sea is my no.1 priority closely followed by easy as possible launch and recovery a rib has to be first choice.
Will be going to the Southampton boat show in September, get a couple of rides hopefully and lots of advice.

Pete.

Pablo · 28 August 2009, 16:40

In that case a rib seems about right. I would recommend you go for one where the tubes are well in contact with the water at rest (Humber Destroyer and Assault both have these characteristics).

Being a freediver/spearfisherman I am in a privileged position to observe the fishes behaviour, much more so than a bottle diver. I can safely say that under the water the Suzuki 4-strokes are the quietest engines about. For fishing this is an important consideration. At displacement speeds one of those engines could go over my head and I wouldn't notice (which is very scary !). I have seen very confident fish flee because someone somewhere has turned on an engine within a 200m radius. I'm not a fan of 4-strokes but the noise factor is an undeniable fact and yes I can compare to e-tec, Yamaha 4/, Mercury Optimax + 4/ plus others.

walruz · 29 August 2009, 15:02

I've got to say I thoroughly enjoy fishing from my SR. With the flooding hull it is very stable. The only -ve to that (before you all jump all over me) is water lapping over the stern. To overcome this I have moved the fuel tank (50ish lt) forward of the consol which has also helped when landing off waves as it is not as stern heavy now. I am also trying to work out how to fit some kind of gaiter around the cutout to reduce the amount getting in. I'll experiment in the winter as it is currently on it's mooring.

Ian

wavelength · 29 August 2009, 16:13

I've seen some coded small ribs with a stainless splash well built around the cut out to give the req transom height in the centre. Just a horizontal tray bent up round the edges and extending far enough inboard to allow the engine to tilt. Seemed crude but it did the trick. As for fishing from ribs as incentive knows thats what we did before the EU nicked our cod! But I do fish occasionally from them but still miss the sitting at anchor comfort of the little hard boats we used with the shelter from the cuddy keeping the wind of the cockpit in winter. However when I do have a run in one of those seahogs or similar I keep asking myself did we really do all that winter fishing in one of these?
Compared to a rib you really do feel vulnerable

Bulligmore · 30 August 2009, 17:31

I fished with a plaice net this summer, caught a lot of ray more than 150 (all wet back alive) and much to my suprise I have two small holes in the tube were I pulled the net over from ray thorns

Not sure how I fix the holes.

John

willk · 30 August 2009, 23:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavelength

Compared to a rib you really do feel vulnerable

Almost completely OT, but I recall early years and fishing well offshore in a pissy little 17' Shetland with a 40 merc pullstart and a 3.5 yammie auxie, three flares and fcuk all else. No mobies in those days! At the time I was very content (being a kid and all) but looking back at it,

! Still, we survived it!

It's odd, I was back there this season, fishing the same mark, but with a 21' rib, twin 90s, twin plotters, twin VHF, PLB, cuddly toy, etc. And I was looking over my shoulder all day. Go figure! I guess it was my Watch this time...

Limey Linda · 31 August 2009, 02:43

I have a 7 m. RIB that I use for serious fishing. The only concern is when boating a 30lb. + fish when I need to use a gaff. So the rule is gaff facing away from the boat. I have 5 rod holders and release clips to match each station for trolling, so I can get quite a good spread. Bottom fishing is normally done from the foredeck as there is more room. I max. out at a boat driver and 3 anglers.

incentive · 02 September 2009, 15:41

Couple of photos of my rod rest/holder i have instead of an A-frame,works a treat!