Ribex 2004

[scm]

My thoughts for what its worth!!

On entering i thought i was the only one there!! and then not a lot to see or do.
Seemed to be a few boats on the water but nothing that made me think wow. Did seem to be a few missing.
Very funny watching a MOD Police boat trying to reverse a rib into a slot!!

Please don't judge all the Army the same as that display!!!

I am not sure about Cowes, i think, it is not the right place.

Where are Ribtec these days? After producing such a good hull why aren't they selling them?

Regards
Stuart

[Petrov]

There was a big commercial RIB from Holland (name anyone?)

Was`nt at RIBEX but i guess it was a No Limit RIB

[timboli]

I agree about the shoreside stands being a bit thin on the ground,I wanted to buy a new lifejacket for my seven year old son and ended up buying it in Cowes,I did have a good time though,I went out in the RIB rides Humber and on the Solent 6.5 (terrific boat and great driver Kevin),really for a comparison to my current boat.
I was looking forward to seeing over a cabin Rib,(outboard powered) but there didnt seem to be anything there.
I enjoyed watching the Demos and meeting other Ribnetters and I think for us that the Ribnet side of things made the weekend(thanks to Kevin and Daniel).
The treasure hunt was great fun (thanks again Richard and Louise) and we enjoyed the bar-b-que and Alans talk.

[Manos]

Originally Posted by Petrov

Was`nt at RIBEX but i guess it was a No Limit RIB

I really like that 'No Limit Too' look alike RIB from Hermanus.
Next time I'm in South Africa will pay a visit in Hermanus to have a closer look ....... and who knows may be I'll get one too. I need a bigger boat for next year!!!

[Nick West]

Thanks to all who posted on Friday & Saturday about the show.....I intended to go at some point over the weekend and was looking forward to catching up with Tim G and other Ribnet people. Iv'e recently bought a new boat and really wanted to have a trawl through the on-shore displays, and rib-related chandlers etc. As my first purchase has been an Avon 560, I would have also been oggling the next step up in toy on the seaward side (£££££...I wish)

Anyway, my point is that because of the negative response, I didn't bother and took the kids to the circus (the clowns were not half as good as on the threads here!) so I reiterate my thanks to those who did express an opinion and swayed my decision, whilst also I'm left a little sad that the event that I have been looking forward to for the last 6 months, has received such poor feedback! Has anyone thought about having a splinter event as say, part of the Southampton or London boat show? I'm attending the Seawork conference and exhibition later this month and there is a tag-on Ribwork exhibition.......food for thought?

It is good to see that it was not all negative though and I hope to meet up with some of you in the future.

Nick

[jackeen]

I had a great time on the test drives

the best was the k4 plus 6.5 went like the clappers smooth as silk- (saving the pennies now

by far the worst was the falcon (rib-x)7 mtr the only rib i have ever felt in danger on ( and manos I am not having a go)


all IMHO
Paul

[Manos]

It doesn't sound good. I will definately have a re-check tomorrow. I'll take a friend of mine too who races boats for a living see what he thinks and believe me I will be 100% trouthfull about the situation. But as I said so far I'm happy with it.

< Follow up posts moved to RIB-X/Falcon 700 thread JK >

[Jon Brooks]

Hi all

Was really great to meet those of you that I did.

Firstly a huge thank you to Kevin and Peter.
For those of you that don't know I ask Kevin if he could find a couple of seats on the round the island run.
They were for Mark Thredgold and his guide.

Peter offered the space and took the guy's round.
Not only that but let Mark loose at the control's.
He was made up and did not stop talking about it.
Especially as he got to take the bout out of the marina!

Thank you both.

Form our point of veiw, although there were not huge numbers visiting it was a good show.
As they say its not the quantity but the quality!
There were no "tyre kickers" that we spoke to.
People either had a genuine enquiry or were looking to buy.

I agree there needed to be more trade stand, more to buy for you guy's.

The on water display's were great with what they had to play with.

I was very involved with 2 of them, Mark Thredgolds and the Army display.
I hope you all caught Mark's, I think it was well worth watching, just to show what you can do with a disabilty with the right frame of mind and the right people helping.

As for the Army display, we know it had a few floors but was the best we could do with the constraints laid upon us.
We are alway's looking for new idea's so feel free to mail me any.

As someone said it is very easy to pass judgement as a spectator but these kinds of events are a nightmare to setup and run.

I do think that Ribex do need to do something to keep the show alive.
We here have been a huge supporter of the event, this year and before.
There is good competition for this show from others.
It is not good when some of the big names in the industry say they are not showing.

As for Rib's, my fav of those I took out has to be the 6.5m twin 90 Redbay.
was a pleasure to drive.
Of those I went out in it was the one from JBT marine, very fast, very stable.
All IMHO and I am no expert!

Oh and a big thank you to the guy from Suzuki Marine for loosing, from one of the Humber's, my flashing blue light!!! it had stayed on all weekend and was fixed fast so god alone only knows what he did to make it come off!!!!

From my point of view a good weekend.

Regards

[gingercoastie]

The display by Mark was amazing. I was discharged from the military on medical grounds myself, and I think I do okay. But when you see people like Mark it certainly makes you take a second look at yourself.


The Army display was good if you managed to find an upwind position to view from.

Mind you some people got a better view of all the displays than most. I hope he paid for his ticket

[TIM]

I think RIBEX was great........

It is very easy to stand there and criticize 'there wasnt enough stands' and 'this is crap , and that is crap' for those people who are shooting it down, Be happy that you had a RIBEX to go to and criticize.........

Everything needs to be improved........

I do believe that RIBNET added a lot to the event...... I chatted to lots of people and I bought a new Icom radio.......

When its on again, I will go , if I can....... As far as Ribs are concerned I think it was better than Southampton, what other exibition can you get out on a rib so easly..... talk directly to the builders.... compare one to another, see the most engines in the one place... try different seats.... go out in a racing rib ... walkaround 'sprit' ..... watch how self righting rib, actualy works ..... look a cutting edge Ribs been built .. and talk to the builders..... get to look at and walk on ribs you will never able to affored... etc ..etc

I say to all of the moaning people.... you should all gather together and do it yourselves...... then the rest of us can go to your first class and perfect Rib show !

[Jon Brooks]

I say to all of the moaning people.... you should all gather together and do it yourselves...... then the rest of us can go to your first class and perfect Rib show !

Now there is a great idea Tim!
Its not as easy as it looks

Regards

[Richard B]

Enjoyed it immensely.

Didn't get time to see/try as much as I would have liked.

Good demos and activities (OK the robbery/chase thing was a bit naff, but it was amusing, and can you suggest something better?) and having now seen Mark Threadgold in action, he's amazing.

Suspect that any exhibitor moaning about it being a waste of time and money are the same exhibitors who were absent from their stands when genuine customers wanted to find out about their RIBs...

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by Richard B

and having now seen Mark Threadgold in action, he's amazing.

He is a top man, great fun to spend time with and a great sense of humour.
My lasting memory of him this weekend was having to describe in graphic detail the ladies from Mark Pasco and Aquarius!!!
He asked if he could get them in a brail verson!

Regards

[Cookee]

Had a couple of chats with Mark at the weekend - he asked if I needed a blind driver when I mentioned we might be going to Windermere!

Top bloke and he's got some cool gadgets as well!

[Ribald]

Originally Posted by Jon Brooks

Oh and a big thank you to the guy from Suzuki Marine for loosing, from one of the Humber's, my flashing blue light!!! it had stayed on all weekend and was fixed fast so god alone only knows what he did to make it come off!!!!

Before anyone suggests it (SC) It wasn't me I didn't know it came off. Just out of interest, Jon, where did you get it?

Hope you can scource a HH VHF holder in due course.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Richard B

) and having now seen Mark Threadgold in action, he's amazing

Having given him a rough course to steer on the treasure hunt, not only was he accurate but also guessed the compass course from feeling the sunshine on his face and the boats speed from the wind.

Great guy, down to earth and easy to talk to. He is off doing mixed gas diving with a rebreather shortly as he is really into scuba diving loads of bottle!

Pete

[RIVA]

are they still in the throat jon , sorry but we would have been late for the curry , have to say a fantastic show , better to have quality than quantaty any day.a very well laid out show. that had a lot of effort put into it well done ribex

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by Ribald

Before anyone suggests it (SC) It wasn't me I didn't know it came off. Just out of interest, Jon, where did you get it?

Hope you can scource a HH VHF holder in due course.

Ribald

It came out of the boot of my car as did the one on the front


Regards

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by RIVA

are they still in the throat jon , sorry but we would have been late for the curry , have to say a fantastic show , better to have quality than quantaty any day.a very well laid out show. that had a lot of effort put into it well done ribex

And we did not want to be late for the curry!!
Sorry I could not help yesterday with the radio.
We were about to get on the ferry.

Hope DB is ok!!!

They have just about worked there way back down!!!!
I need longer legs!!!

[scm]

Originally Posted by TIM

I say to all of the moaning people.... you should all gather together and do it yourselves...... then the rest of us can go to your first class and perfect Rib show !

So Tim, when you add a personal view on the show you are moaning? I would also like the England football team to win the world cup and will have my own personal point of view on how they should do it, but that doesn't mean i know better. The same with Ribex, i gave my thoughts, i did not moan and i did not, nor did anyone else for that matter slag anyone off. You will no doubt notice that different people have different views on the boats, who is right and what makes them right? you me anyone? Same with the show.

On the issue of the show why do they have this show? Is it for all the members of this forum who mostly have there own boats or is it to sell there products to the public? or perhaps they do it out of the kindness of there hearts? Am i missing something here, but did the sellers pay for the space in the show? Did someone make money out of this event? I would suspect someone did. So yes i will have my view on the show and that does not mean i can do it better.
Regards
Stuart