Why haven't the Americans gone RIB mad?

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Tomas

What up with that one Codprawn?

http://www.classicboatmuseum.org/collection.html

http://82.110.105.20/allwightonline.com/id176.htm

"During the second world war Uffa conceived the idea of the Airborne Lifeboat, a vessel to be carried beneath aeroplanes and dropped by parachute to survivors of ditched aircraft. Lightly built, with lines that blended to the shape of the planes, the Airbornes had sails, engine, survival kit and instructions on how to sail. Many aircrews owed their lives to Uffa’s invention. Years later he was caught by Eamon Andrews on the television programme “This is Your Life” where many of the airmen that had been rescued were able to thank him. For all his success in the field of yacht racing he maintained that this was his most fulfilling design. (This design is engraved on Uffa's head stone)"

An amazing bloke!!!

[Limey Linda]

I met Uffa many years ago during Cowes week when he was crewing for Prince Phillip, A very nice man and surely an ICON of the sailing world.
Sorry, did not mean to "name drop" and the only reason we met was my father was RN and we were therefore allowed in the RYS.

[codprawn]

No problem - it would have been an honour to meet such a person!!!

[Tomas]

For the comments on the "Fox".

Fresh Breeze was designed by Uffa but the owner passed away before the vessel was launched. After launching in 1955, Uffa cruised the boat for several years and had a miniture piano installed down below. Originally a sloop, she was converted to a ketch rig and sailed for years by a retired British Admiral, eventually passed to an Irishman who sailed the boat to the states where she was purchased by drug runners, confiscated, sold at auction and purchased by me soon after. It was an honor to sail and maintain such a piece of history.

This discussion on "Americans with RIBS" has sort of turned back toward the British Isles but you know as a Yank, every time I look East to your country I see and feel the deep nautical tradition that exists there. I enjoy reading even the mundane posts on this forum for the perspective and language of the sea. One additional side comment is that I guess in keeping with "the old country", you folks seem to operate under very tight regulations where in the states they are relatively loose and in the Caribbean, they don't exist.

I'll step back now and continue reading on the forum.

Cheers!

[codprawn]

Too tight - they try to control every aspect of your daily life here!!!

Now you come to mention it I suppose the sea is still in most people's blood in this country - after all I think the furthest you can get from the sea is about 70 miles or something. Also the Uk has a longer coastline than the USA....

Don't step back - your posts are great - always nice to know what's going on around the world.

[Biggles]

Yes,

This has been one of the more interesting threads posted recently. Its been interesting to see what goes on in the USA and how RIBs are perceived over there. I for one can't believe that their aren't places in the US that don't have similar weather patterns to the UK, therefore you'd think we'd all use similar types of boat. Doesn't seem to be the case though and reading this thread has enlightened me as to why.
So yes please continue with the American input.

[Tomas]

Another factor ocurred to me that may influence boat selection in America. I don't know for sure but would hazard to guess that there are far more inland and protected near shore waters in the U.S. The Chesapeake Bay is thirty miles wide and at least a hundred miles long with literally hundreds of navagible tributaries. On the major rivers that feed the Bay, like the James, York, Potomic, Susquahanna and others, one can boat inland all the way to their fall lines some of which are over a hundred miles inland from where they enter the Chesapeake. This creates a large demand for vessels that are not required to be seaworthy in terms of oceanic conditions. There are also literally at least a thousand or so inland lakes, some of which cover a thousand square miles, or more, where conditions are usually more tranquil than even the bays and rivers.

I venture to say that only one out of a hundred boats over here ever pokes it's prow further than 2 miles offshore in the ocean. Those that do are primarily larger sport fishing boats, either privately owned or for hire as charter boats. Even the majority of sailboats are in shore or near shore units.

This is to assume that RIBs are popular due to their sea keeping abilities although give me my 4.7 Searider, let me swap the 50 for a 70 outboard and god give me some flat water and I'll show you some fun. The only flat water in the Virgin Islands is in my commode!

[codprawn]

Another major factor are tides - some friends once came over from Texas and they were stunned that one day there was loads of water across the bay and the next it was "where has all the water gone"!!!

[Tomas]

Yes, you get the tides over there. My old Fresh Breeze was a full keeler, iron all the way to facilitate sitting on the bottom at low water. Hey, we've got tides around here, normal diffferential between high and low is about six inches!

I have been at the Bay of Fundy in SE Canada/Maine and there they have a 29 foot tide. I don't understand all I know about tides....why so high some places, why not others.

I imagine that running against a substantial tide flow with a foul wind can assist one in finding religion.

Never been in UK but I've done extensive canal work in Holland. It is cheaper to rent a 10/12 meter cabin cruiser for a week than to stay in a descent hotel there. I used to pick my boats up in Spakenburg and cruise the whole country. Holland has of course eliminated tides which got them into trouble. All the old buildings in Amsterdam were built on wooden pilings and the tide wash preserved them. When they shut off the N. Sea, all the pilings dried out and began to rot. They have a massive program to crawl under all these thousands of structures to cast and pound new concrete pilings down.

Wouldn't it be good to be heading to your island to get a taste of some cool weather and cruise your canals!!!

[codprawn]

On paper the Bay of Fundy has the world's highest tide but in practice the Britsol Channel is higher on a regular basis - we get tides of 45' quite often. The Channel Islands like Guernsey and Jersey also have big tides but whereas most of the Bristol Channel area is sand it is all rock so much more dangerous.

It also has a lot to do with weather conditions - surge water from storms and lots of river water can make a big difference.

Also a lot depends on how flat the area is. Interesting point about Holland - often wondered why we don't do the same in the UK but it would destroy some stunning beaches. The Dutch used British steam engines to empty most of their inland areas. The Cruquius engine was the biggest steam engine ever built. It could pump 55,000 gallons a minute!!! That's 360,000 tons a day!!!

http://www.cruquiusmuseum.nl/

We have some lovely canals - 2000 miles still useable apparently.

[Tomas]

45 Ft.!

My mind reels at the thought!

I know from reading posts on this forum and general knowlege that you have highlands, which the lowlands do not. Netherlands is if I'm correct means lowlands which includes not only Holland but areas in Belgium as well. My general belief is that you don't or shouldn't or would ever be able to hold your seas at bay.

A Blue Water Brit sailed through here a few years ago with a sea going dog. This "bloke" claimed that the dog was his navigator. Somewhere over "there" he was trying to make a dangerous harbor approach in fog obscured visibility. This was before the days of GPS or any other form of electronic nav. The dog, according to him had a supernatural ability to key in on birds. As they gingerly approached the area where they though the sea buoy would be, the dog stood guard on the bow. Even as they were about to stand off, the dog pointed and barked like crazy. His faith in the dog led him to change course and soon the buoy on the Port side emerged from the fog, with birds (you guessed it) perched on the structure. As they passed, the hound took a position pointing to the next and the next until the vessel was safely in port.

A few months later, in Scotland I believe, after a long voyage they were sailing along the headlands a couple of miles offshore and five or ten miles from the harbor when the dog, without warning dove overboard and disappeared in the swell. Heavy in heart they continued on after an initial search and made the harbor. As they reached the quay where they had in the past made fast, there was wonder dog waiting to take the lines.

Salt water gets in ones veins!!!

Ban me from this forum, I continue to drift from the subject of hard bottom inflatibles.

YankRib Tomas

[Nos4r2]

Makes a change from our old dog that used to mistake rafts of weed for dry land and jump in...



I haven't read the whole thread but is it possible that the yanks haven't gone rib mad something to do with them ALWAYS BEING LATE?!

[pathalla]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Too tight - they try to control every aspect of your daily life here!!!

Now you come to mention it I suppose the sea is still in most people's blood in this country - after all I think the furthest you can get from the sea is about 70 miles or something. Also the Uk has a longer coastline than the USA....

Don't step back - your posts are great - always nice to know what's going on around the world.

How many miles of coastline does the U.K. have Cod?

[pathalla]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Makes a change from our old dog that used to mistake rafts of weed for dry land and jump in...



I haven't read the whole thread but is it possible that the yanks haven't gone rib mad something to do with them ALWAYS BEING LATE?!

Late for what? Saving your ass in World War Two?

[whiteminiman]

Originally Posted by pathalla

How many miles of coastline does the U.K. have Cod?

I think he means, the UK has more coastline per square mile of land. Rather than us actually having more coast.

Cheers, WMM

[The Garfish]

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

ALWAYS BEING LATE

dats a bitt beelow de beltt yew norty nozzer. thay woz orl onn tyme wen de lasst buss lefft sygon


enywaiys, giv itt fyve yeers an therl bee millyons ov de fkin fings orl ova de yewnited staytes..............

............ an bi dat tyme de yannks wil bee telin de werld dat thay inventid dem.

gaRf

[prairie tuber]

Originally Posted by The Garfish

............ an bi dat tyme de yannks wil bee telin de werld dat thay inventid dem.

gaRf

Leave that one to Al Gore - Hell, we wouldn't even be communicating like this if he hadn't invented the internet.

Of course he's now moved onto bigger things like saving the earth.

[Nos4r2]

Originally Posted by The Garfish

enywaiys, giv itt fyve yeers an therl bee millyons ov de fkin fings orl ova de yewnited staytes..............

............ an bi dat tyme de yannks wil bee telin de werld dat thay inventid dem.

gaRf

I'd put money on it.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by whiteminiman

I think he means, the UK has more coastline per square mile of land. Rather than us actually having more coast.

Cheers, WMM

Nope we actually have a longer coastline!!!

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by Tomas

This "bloke" claimed that the dog was his navigator.

Many years ago, I was caught in a thick fog suddenly. I was in my first inflatable (a Zodiac MkII Compact...) with nothing but a hand held compass for navgation. My dog used to stand on the fabric cover over the bow as we scooted along, powered by a trusty Merc. 25. As we putted along, quite unsure where we were, and with perhaps 30 foot visibility the beast kept sniffing to port, and "whoofing". I figured he must smell land, so we adjusted our course and slowly moved forward. Sure enough, within a few minutes, we came across a fellow barbequing hamburgers at his cottage. He was kind enough to offer directions and we were on our way!