F-Rib 275 ..first impressions

[The Gurnard]

Before starting the “Guppy in the Goil” threat..perhaps it is worth adding a quick summery of my first impressions. Do keep in my ..its only my opinion.. and is based on my own particular requirements .. and experience with small boats.

Portability.

I debated with myself before the purchase.. on whether to get the smallest of the F-Rib range (275) ..or the next size up (330)..which would understandably handle bigger seas. There is not much difference in price..but the weight concerned me a little at 36kg(275) against 43kg(330). I am now very happy I went for the smaller size. I can lift it and carry it very short distances myself. I personally would have struggled with the 43kg boat. Being able to move the boat myself was a number one priority. Both boats would fit in my car no problem. They do take up slightly more space than a rolled up inflatable of similar size.. but that is off set by the size of outboard required for reasonable performance. I have plenty room in the small size too...but I am alone.

Outboard Performance.

I was delighted to be able to plane at 11 MPH with my Mariner 3.3HP . The outboard is a two stroke and 10kg.. so can be lifted with one hand.. and stored in a small space in the car. I did 20 miles trip using 4 litres of fuel.

I couldn’t get the F-Rib to plane at the start of the day.. simply because I carry a fair bit of gear with me.. it happily went 6 Mph on half throttle of the Mariner 3.3. That will be my normal operating speed..as I don’t want to thrash my engine.

I then unloaded the boat ..so only myself..anchor.. fuel ..and outboard were left in it. It planed every easily at WOT and came out the hole in around 10-15 meters.. I was sitting forward..but there was no need for precise balance. I didn’t try trimming the outboard ..so performance may improve slightly with tweaking.

Sea Handling.

It was a calm day.. although the wind freshened in the afternoon. The highest waves were only around a foot high..and as is the manner of waves in a sea loch..close together..some waves were just showing a tip of white on their crest. In a following sea..the boat didn’t notice the waves. Beam on..I was impressed with the stability of the boat..but it is a wide boat for her size (1.6m) so not a surprise. Into the waves..it nodded gently..it certainly didn’t slam like the slat floor did. I will report on performance in rougher conditions when I encounter them.

I was very impressed by its handling and turning capability.. at displacement speed .. shove the tiller to 90 degrees and the boat spins on it axis ..no side slide whatsoever. I have not had a small light boat do this before...so am delighted with that aspect. At speed..if you call 11 mph speed..it felt that it was on rails ..no flinching or swerving..no cavitation ..and no transom splash back.

It appears to be a very dry boat..well.. except when you discover its rear compartment half full of water. Yup..that happened..because I accidentally knocked the rear bung out.. it definitely needs a modification there ..but no big deal.

I guess that is all I can say at the moment..until I start pushing her to her limits. Im happy with 3.3hp power for my use..but will possibly look towards a 6hp next season. I think a 10hp may be a bit much for my normal usage.. if I want speed..I have my Quicksilver 4.3m and 25hp engine.

Would I recommend the F-Rib ?.. so far.. I am delighted..and would have no hesitation recommending them.. no boat is perfect..but this puppy is 150% perfect for my coastal inshore and sea loch use...when Im on my own

[Fenlander]

Excellent report of this first trial. Very efficient hull shape to plane with a 3.3hp which it obviously is from the wake shape. I've had small GRP boats with a similar hull profile and it was always great to get so much out of any given outboard size.

A few years back I had the slightly bigger Brother of the Bonwitco 320 shown below... that 320 will plane at 12-13mph with a 4hp one up.

I forget what is the HP of the next size up outboard you already own?

>>>at displacement speed .. shove the tiller to 90 degrees and the boat spins on it axis ..no side slide whatsoever. I have not had a small light boat do this before...

Yes that's an aspect of a well "fluted" hard hull I miss with flatter floor SIBs.

[The Gurnard]

Hi Fenlander.. next up is a 4hp fourstroke..Tohatsu..but its a long shaft ..it no use ..then after that its the 25hp for the quicksilver..I doubt I will try that

I will watch the local adds over the summer..Im in no rush..around a 5hp two stroke will be perfect for me..and I have seen them go for around £300 up here for a good second hand one

[jeffstevens763@g]

very impressive 11 mph for a 3.3 hp as you say a 5-6 hp will be ideal.

cheers

[The Gurnard]

Hi Fenlander..yup..I will miss my hardshell ..but then..thats why I think of the F-Rib as a boat in a box.. it handles like a hardshell.

Hi Jeff..there is no doubt..it is an impressive package

I should add that all the DIY accessories worked very well with no issues ..although when I look at the photos I took yesterday .. I felt something was missing ?



It is now sorted ...



Guess I will have to go another adventure to get updated photos

[jeffstevens763@g]

Go on your not into screen printing as well

[The Gurnard]

Jeff..I have a confession to make..

A few years back ..I won the craftsman of the year award...on one of the biggest forums for RC aeroplanes on the internet. I have spent a lifetime making things ..I designed my plans from small drawings..made all my own parts ..and painted them to resemble the real deal as best I could. So others may not find DIY things as easy as I do ?

Example of one of my flying models work..I don’t do flying now ..but I still do museum pieces...occasionally




Hammering up bits of wood and stitching material is a walk in the park for me..and yup..I can vacuum form canopies as well... a plastic bow box would be do able too. Metal work.. etching.. you name it .. its just a case of knowing techniques on how to do it.

The Guppy was easy to do..design the logo and choose the font on the computer..print out on paper at the size I wanted. Attach to the old seago carrier bag blue material with prit stic.. cut round the outline with sharp scissors .. glue to the spray dodger with hypalon glue ..then when dry..finally stitch it round the edges. Jobs a done deal

Did I ever tell you I played in a band too ? Boats is easy peasey !

[Paul_S]

Hi Gurnard, I have a 4hp Suzuki 2 stroke (which was almost like new and came on a 2.8m slatted floor sib...which I won on ebay for £235 for both items early last year) and a 5hp Mercury 4 stroke. If you get around Rothesay sometime soon...look me up and you are welcome to try either/both on the back of The Guppy, give you an idea of how they perform before you ultimately buy one.

[The Gurnard]

Many thanks for the offer Paul..and I will probably take you up on that.

Once i get a bit more used to the Guppy in rougher water..I could easily launch at Colintraive and coast hop round to your bit..Or more likely..take the Guppy as a passenger in the Quicksilver next time Im circumnavigating the island. I will need to check on some more wild camp spots before the big Scottish day.

Thanks again...appreciated

[Fenlander]

>>>few years back ..I won the craftsman of the year award...on one of the biggest forums for RC aeroplanes... designed my plans from small drawings..made all my own parts... Hammering up bits of wood and stitching material is a walk in the park for me..and yup..I can vacuum form canopies as well... Metal work.. etching.. you name it .

Is anyone else feeling just a tiny bit inadequate?


>>>Did I ever tell you I played in a band too ?

As in a marching... or Sensational Alex Harvey??

[jeffstevens763@g]

Quietly new to be honest looking at your needle work and other stuff you do, work of a precise man. There's so much satisfaction to diy the trouble with off the shelf it's never really what you want and if you can turn your hand to it a bonus especially with boats.
Your aircraft looks fantastic there's a lot of work in them I once visited the museum in Whitby where there are lots of models of ships more impressive is the ones made by French prisoners of war made out of the bones from their meals & their hair for rigging very time consuming but rewarding I bet.
thanks for sharing your secret hats off to you.

Cheers

[The Gurnard]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

>>>Did I ever tell you I played in a band too ?

As in a marching... or Sensational Alex Harvey??

Alex Harvey..now there is a name from the past

Nope..I was just the keyboard guy in a local band.. pubs..weddings that kind of junk.. we preferred trad Scottish or Irish numbers. I gave it up because it was interfering with my diet of Guinness ..so moved to Dublin to dry out a bit



Now ... Im just a rummy old seasalt .. and boring to boot...guess I lost my way somewhere ..or old age caught up on me

[The Gurnard]

I thought I should give a wee update to this thread ..although it could now be called second impressions.

I mentioned earlier that I couldn’t fold the F Rib as small as the advertised dimensions..and to add an inch or two to those sizes. I will correct that because now I have the knack of folding the tubes.. and its very easy to meet advertised dimensions ..without sucking all the air out with a pump either.

I also got myself a brand new 6hp Yamaha four stroke for the Guppy. .. Yamaha are doing a cash back offer until end of april..so I got £100 off RRP.

Today ..I took her to Loch Sween..to run the outboard in. The Guppy loaded with all my gear..and myself.. below are the results. Top speed 16.7mph ..from my android phone and the gpx track report. Once the engine loosens ..im sure it will do 17mph. I cruised most the way .. at just over half throttle doing 13 mph.



However..not only is the speed amazing for a 6hp engine.. but it used a touch less than 5 litres of fuel to cover the 25.6 miles. I was a bit sorry I didn’t carry enough fuel to go round Jura today ..conditions were perfect and the Corryvrechan would have been sleeping.

Just look at that lovely clean wake..no inefficient energy used spouting water everywhere.



Hey... The engine can be carried in on hand at 27kg too.

Im loving this wee boat..in the past 30 days..I have been full day boating for 7 of those days.. because it is so compact and handy to carry in the car .. I can just go on impulse.

Im playing “Sailing” by Rod Stewart ..on the keyboards at the mo too

[jeffstevens763@g]

That's great results gurnard with a good top speed for a 6hp.

Cheers

[willk]

Nice one! 17kts from a 6hp RIB? In fairness, you wallet was probably a fair bit lighter which will have helped

[willk]

As a more serious side bar (polite name for thread hijack) I can't help but think there is a sea change taking place on SIBnet - akin to the great ABLJ/Stab-jacket and SIB/RIB change in 1990s SCUBA circles. Basically the Great Truths were questioned, challenged and overturned. New kit rocked.

A few weeks back Fenny went four stroke and now The Gurnard has come over all 15/30w as well. God dammit, I've just bought another 2 stroke!

I might start a thread of my own - call it "Sumpy Old Men"

[The Gurnard]

Hey..I heard that Willk..but that because Im not deaf with the two stroke singing in my ear ..like I had at Alex Harvey gigs

I should say ..its in MPH not Knots..cos my android app in a land app .. I dont do charts very well

[jeffstevens763@g]

Originally Posted by willk

As a more serious side bar (polite name for thread hijack) I can't help but think there is a sea change taking place on SIBnet - akin to the great ABLJ/Stab-jacket and SIB/RIB change in 1990s SCUBA circles. Basically the Great Truths were questioned, challenged and overturned. New kit rocked.

A few weeks back Fenny went four stroke and now The Gurnard has come over all 15/30w as well. God dammit, I've just bought another 2 stroke!

I might start a thread of my own - call it "Sumpy Old Men"

ABLJ willk you must be an old un same as me 1982 last I had one

Gurnard I would say for this boat & it's use 17mph is spot on 17 mile is a long way I would say pound for pound the combination is as ideal as you would get out of any boat.

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

>>>few years back ..I won the craftsman of the year award...on one of the biggest forums for RC aeroplanes... designed my plans from small drawings..made all my own parts... Hammering up bits of wood and stitching material is a walk in the park for me..and yup..I can vacuum form canopies as well... Metal work.. etching.. you name it .

Is anyone else feeling just a tiny bit inadequate?


>>>Did I ever tell you I played in a band too ?

As in a marching... or Sensational Alex Harvey??

Fenlander you coming my way again this year? If so keep me in the loop for catch up.
Cheers
B


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[The Gurnard]

I called at yer wee hoose Jambo..but yea wer na in ? But a left a penny in the pot fur yea