Short listing

[watersidemat]

Hi

I'm looking into getting a Rib

Main use is for exploring the bay
Fishing (pulling out mackrel basically)
Towing toys/wake boards etc.

Needs to be easy to launch so were looking sub 5m ribs
Needs to be seaworthy as we cross a bar that can just kick up some big waves with no warning also the bay nrmaly has lots of ground swell so its not often we get flat calm conditions. were not planning to go out in very heavy conditions.
I have an advanced powerboat cert. and everyone using it is experienced PBL2

We have a boat so were experienced boaters and drive saftey cover for the sailing club so we dont want a 1st timers rib.

So far our shortlist is

Avon 4.7
Ribcraft 4.8
XS 460/500
Humber Assault 4.7

Any oppinions on the above would help also any other ribs worth researching.

Engines is another thing but thats for another time!

1st post by the way so be nice =P

thanks in advance

[Razorbill RIBs]

Originally Posted by watersidemat

Hi

So far our shortlist is

Avon 4.7
Ribcraft 4.8
XS 460/500
Humber Assault 4.7

Any oppinions on the above would help also any other ribs worth researching.

Hi, and welcome

Whereabouts are you based? Cilgerran here (pretty much Cardigan, but on the Pembs side of the Teifi).

You'll find lots of useful advice here, and others will soon be along with their views, but for my two penneth worth, would also look at the Humber Destroyer - good sea boat. A low hours 5.3m has just been posted up for sale here if you were interested to see one.

If the 4.7 Avon is a searider, it's a very well liked boat here.....do a quick search

Dan

[watersidemat]

Hi Dan, see you tomorow night! lol
Mathew!

[willk]

LOL Dan - looks like he's "on yer doorstep Mat"

[Razorbill RIBs]

Originally Posted by willk

LOL Dan - looks like he's "on yer doorstep Mat"

Ha....thought he sounded familiar....Mat is our newest crewman in the shed (and an RYA sailing instructor)....s'pose i'll have to watch what I say now

[willk]

Originally Posted by Razorbill RIBs

....s'pose i'll have to watch what I say now

I know what you mean - I dread the day someone round here walks up and says "Oi, you're that tw@t on RIBnet!"

'Course, you have nothing to worry about

[gotchiguy]

How about the Osprey 5.15. A proper introduction to serious boating with the benefit of being able to take up to a 65hp.

Or else a Ribtec 455?

[Starovich]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

How about the Osprey 5.15. A proper introduction to serious boating with the benefit of being able to take up to a 65hp.

Or else a Ribtec 455?

Only 65? My tornado 5.1 is happy with a 90

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Starovich

Only 65? My tornado 5.1 is happy with a 90

Ah, more efficient hull design y'see. You get greater fuel efficiency from the smaller engine whilst still managing to attain the same speeds.

[Starovich]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Ah, more efficient hull design y'see. You get greater fuel efficiency from the smaller engine whilst still managing to attain the same speeds.

makes little difference with a bunch of large divers + gear and a helm, HP is HP.

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Starovich

makes little difference with a bunch of large divers + gear and a helm, HP is HP.

That's what the eagle and kestrel are for . Bung a 115HO on an eagle and it'll fly with whatever you put in it. (see te eagle page of my site for pics of a 115HO eagle. )

[Starovich]

kinda defeats the OP requirements then..

Needs to be easy to launch so were looking sub 5m ribs

as good as they are, Ospreys are not the only make of boat you know

[montu]

hello watersidemat!!! (and thanks Razorbill ribs,i am selling the new 5.3 destroyer) for what you've said you will be doing i would certainly forget about the assault and the xs,why? they both have shallower hulls.I sold my 5.0 asault because of this reason.It used to slap the water(quite hard at times and a very wet ride) rather than cut through it.I have two pics of my old assualt and my destroyer taken from the same postion and the differance in the hull is massive.The assault looks like a toy boat.You need the 5.50 xs before you get the true offshore hull like the detroyers.The searider is a great little boat as is the ribcraft but are very narrow like my old assault(2.0m beam i think) and still a wet ride as they have low bows.Out of them 4 you said, the ribcraft would be my choice.If you are interested in my destroyer please give me a call 07971591114 01914695377 tom/paul. It is easily towed behind an average size car as with the others but would by far exceed the four boats you have in mind for all-round,true offshore performance.

p.s you can get the destroyer in a 5.0 metre boat.

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Starovich

as good as they are, Ospreys are not the only make of boat you know

Tbh it wasn't really a serious comment. In my original post I also mentioned the ribtec 455 which is also a pedigree hull and would fit the size constraint. I also hesitated to recommend the Zod pro 470 however by rereading the OP it may infact be a worthwhile option because with the shallower hull it is more stable than most deep v's which would benefit the fishing and also benefit the wallet by requiring a smaller engine to power it. Veering to the budget end of hhe Market I believe that northcraft have a sub-5m model which may be worth considering. Another probably quite strong contender although I may be criticised for saying this would be the ribeye a500. There are alot of very good deals on them atm, look no further than our own for sale section for proof.

Another option not yet mentioned would be a decent sized SIB. A 4.7m SIB with 50+hp and with the possibility of a console and remotes may also be an attractive option?

[willk]

Originally Posted by watersidemat

I'm looking into getting a RibSo far our shortlist is

Avon 4.7
Ribcraft 4.8
XS 460/500
Humber Assault 4.7

Any oppinions on the above would help

Avon 4.7 - Yes
Ribcraft 4.8 - Yes
XS 460/500 - No - um, aren't they made of PU or PVC?
Humber Assault 4.7 - No - nasty hull in a sea

[montu]

Agree with you gotchiguy,deep v's can be less stable but I've found my rib to be very well behaved and just as stable at rest as my old assault in which the majority of the tubes sat in the water even at speed(causing a lot of drag),also with the destroyer being a wider boat that may help things.
Best bit of advice I could give you watersidemat is to get as big a package as you can afford/store.If you can stretch to 5.0 metres then do it.More space for fishing as that is what i do mainly but more important, when out,even just beyond the piers or so bigger is always better.As for engines,get the biggest you and your boat can afford.I once got caught out trying to come in between my two local piers(tide was going out).The boat(5.0 assault 60hp mariner)just would not get up on the plain,I thought I was going to get to out to sea(quite scary for a minute)(forgot to mention there was a strong headwind).What I had to do was go out with the tide to get on the plain and head in a pretty much full whack!!! I never made that mistake again(bought plenty of power).

Hope this helps!!!

P.s my boat before the assault was a 4.0metre searider with a forty mariner so have experience with the range

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by montu

Out of them 4 you said, the ribcraft would be my choice.

4.7 Searider pi$$es on a 4.8 Ribcraft

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

4.7 Searider pi$$es on a 4.8 Ribcraft

Look out!! Incoming from the otherside of the creek.

[gotchiguy]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

4.7 Searider pi$$es on a 4.8 Ribcraft

Yeeessss but isn't the whole point with new seariders that they will be 120% of the price of the mainstream competition? Especially the 4.7?

[spartacus]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

4.7 Searider pi$$es on a 4.8 Ribcraft

Yes, but watersidematt is looking to buy this year... not 2020!