Folding RIB first impressions part one

[philpot]

A few months ago we were talking about the Winboat / F-Rib, well at that time I contacted Steve Bruce, the importer of the F-Rib to establish if he had any dealers in the north so that I could go and take a look in the flesh so to speak. Steve said he was looking to start a dealer in Skipton, North Yorks and when he visited them, he would get in touch.
To my delight, Steve did get in touch and we made a date to meet up at Ashby Ville Lake on the outskirts of Scunthorpe, North Lincs near to where I live.

As you will see from the photo's, the day was damp, foggy and not so warm but my enthusiasm to look at the F-Rib overcame the conditions although my photography was not quite on par----sorry about that.

The first point that struck me when Steve opened the van was that all the boats were stood on their transoms and it turns out that this is the normal storage method which means the footprint needed to store the boat is very small, in fact 3' x 1.5' so any corner in the garage or shed is big enough to stand the F-Rib in. Lifting the boat out of the van was also quite easy as Steve showed me how to hold it for carrying. Now I point out at this point that as an old tart, I am past the stage in my life when I want or even can hump heavy weights around but this is quite doable although I would use a trolley if I had to carry it far.
Another interesting point here is that when launching wheels are fitted and are available as extras, they do not need to be taken off, further to that, the wheels become a trolley while the boat is folded making the task of moving the folded boat very easy. In the photo, we had already removed a strap that is used to keep the tube ends packed flat to the hull for storage.



Now we get to the bit I wanted to really see, how it goes together and just how quick is the job to do. I use my sib throughout the year for fishing so ease and speed of build up and take down are important to me. I have seen via youtube the process of getting the boat ready but it is not the same as doing the job yourself.

Firstly, there are male and female joints molded into the ends of the grp hull making it impossible to do anything but align the hull sections correctly.


You can also see from the photo, the fabric seal between the joints to ensure there is no water ingress.

The front section is simply folded into it's finished position and ready for the next section. As with all things, there are little methods used to make the job easier and Steve showed me that by a small lifting action of the two front sections, the rear section locks into place very easily and it does.
So now we have the F-Rib laid out on the ground and ready for the only locking bolt to be placed into position. The F-Rib used here was the 330 model which only has one bolt but this can change on different models.
The bolt placement is done without tools and straight forward to do.





The assembly aspect is done taking only a few minutes.


I had taken my Bravo pump to speed things along but whilst I did not time how long it took to inflate the F-Rib, is was not long.



The tube diameter of the bow tube is smaller increasing to the same size as the side tubes as it follows the shape around, if that makes sense. This actually increases the area inside the boat as the grp hull does not require a large diameter tube right at the bow to maintain floor tension/shape.


One thing that does stand out is the hard chines in the grp hull to aid directional control but more on that later.





There are molded rubber grab handles situated at the bow and on the top of the rear tubes for carrying the boat which were very comfortable to use.



When I saw the F-Rib being put together on youtube, I noticed the ' step ' overlap joints which stand proud of the floor internally and at the time I thought they would be a pain and get in the way whilst moving around in the boat. Not at all, in fact they are very solid easily taking a mans weight which in my case is, shall we say not too light. I should also say at this point that the entire hull structure is really solid with NO flex whatsoever on or off the water.


Another feature which is on my Excel and for my two penneth should be fitted to ALL sibs / ribs is an over pressure release valve to take care of the hot days we do sometimes get in the UK and certainly around Europe.



There are a number of optional extras available for the F-rib range, one being a fold away cuddy which Steve brought along to show me. As an angler sometimes needing a bit of protection from the elements, this is one item I would have on the F-Rib. Please note that the demo boat doesn't have the location lugs fitted so we are only showing roughly how it would look. The cuddy has clips that locate under the rubbing strake with straps that are fitted further back. This makes the cuddy a tight structure and ideal for those winter fishing trips and at just under £200, it represents good value for money. There is also a full length version should you want total protection from the weather.





Due to the size of this thread, I have split it into two sections. Please look at part two for on the water testing.

Phil

[philpot]

Time to get her wet so on with the chest waders looking rather like a beached whale, amazing how chest waders shrink in the wash, well that is my story and I am sticking with it, needless to say I am not on ANY of the photo's, instead I used Steve as the model, anyway he is taller, slimmer and better looking.
At 43kgs the 330 is light in the hand to carry in part due to the handles being easy in the hand. I had brought along my Parsun 15hp to do the test runs with and as there is a slipway at the lake, I just walked the engine into the water and fitted her to the F-Rib.

The combination of the 15hp and this hull really seemed to be a perfect match. The boat is very very smooth as the power is applied with an effortless lift onto the plane. There was no leaning forward to bring the bow down, she just lifted and away.
I did run at low revs then full throttle to see just how much bow lift there was, no drama there, quickly up and over and on the plane. Unfortunately I didn't take a GPS so I cannot say what speed we were doing at full throttle but a technical term would be BLOODY QUICK.

The hard chines really come into their own when turning in quite tight circles, none of the usual side slips, this baby just digs in and turns and that was impressive to say the least. In fact, impressive is the best word I can use for on water performance and although we were on a flat lake we were able to hit the wake at speed with a predictable and controlled small bounce. The F-Rib cuts it's way through these wakes time and time again with no twitching between the lifts. God I love this boat.

Here are a few photo's as Steve took the helm so that I could use the camera but again sorry for the picture quality, low light conditions made it tricky to get really good shots.









When we had finished to session, I popped on my little 34lb thrust electric outboard as Steve had forgotton to bring a Torqeedo 3hp, Oh, I am so pleased it is not just me that has senior moments. Okay it was very slow after flying around with the 15hp on the back but actually not bad at all and it gave me the chance to walk around in the boat as Steve was on the shore. Very stable, no movement of the hull, perfect for stand up fishing which I do quite a lot lure fishing for the pike.

Back on dry land, John the lake bailiff had been watching, his comments were 'that is seriously impressive '.
Deflating the boat is always a bit of a pain as you now just want to go home but even this process is different from any other inflatable craft. Open the valves to allow the air release for a few minutes while you sort all the stuff we take out on the water, pull in the side tubes so that they are within the grp floor, remove the securing bolt and fold over the bow section. Pressing down the grp hull section releases all the air left in that area and again folding over the middle section releases the air left in there (easy peasy) finally the two transom end tubes are folded over the grp hull and the retaining strap is wrapped around the tube ends and the now fully folded boat ready to pick up and put away.
While we had the boat folded up, I thought it would be a good idea to see how well it fitted in my VW Passat estate, no problem, in fact I didn't even have to drop the rear seats. Okay if the outboard was in as well, I would need to drop the seats but when it says on the web site, the folded size is 3' x 3' x 1.5', it really is and unlike most sibs, it goes back to this size every time you put it away.







One point I have to say is the build quality is superb, the hull alignment is perfect, so much so that unless you get very close, you cannot see the joints on the underside of the hull. To produce a folding flexible structure that fits so well together every time is a testament to the thought and detail that has gone into the design and manufacture of this boat.





Should you wish to speak to Steve Bruce at Foldable Ribs (FRIB), he can be reached on 02380 988 782 and email steve@foldablerib.com

I would like to say a big thank you to Steve for taking time out in a very busy schedule to allow me to have a play with this amazing craft.

The all important price, £2,428.00 which is quite comparable to many Zodiac sibs and offers something that no other inflatable boat offers.

I will confirm that this so quick to put together and take down, in fact quicker than an air floor sib making that aspect of the job a hell of a lot more pleasant.

My final comments are that ----------------- I WANT ONE, I NEED ONE AND I MUST HAVE ONE, not sure how yet but as they say, ' where there is a will, there is a way '

I hope I have covered the main points but feel free to ask any questions.

Phil

[philpot]

My mistake, the cuddy is not £200, it is actually just over £100

[chipko]

Excellent review and piccies, thanks for sharing.
Have been half interested in one of these folding ribs for a while, probably the 375. They do seem amazingly light in weight, even the larger sizes. I'd be interested in your opinion on the transom as it looks a trifle lightweight in the pics!
Couldn't see any dealers 'up north' listed on their website yet, but would be keen to see one of these boats in the flesh. Interestingly there seems to be two similar websites with somewhat different prices!

[philpot]

The transom is a ply with grp either side and certainly not flimsy. In Russia they are using them for military purposes with over 2000 in circulation.
The site to take note of is this one as this is the importer for the UK and some European countries and therefore their prices are the ones to work to.

Foldable RIBs : f-rib u.k, Patented folding RIB technology

The new dealer in Skipton is Pennine Marine and they took delivery of a 275 and a 360 yesterday but as they are a very new supplier, they don't have any reference on their web site.

Pennine Marine - Zodiac, Suzuki and Yamaha in Northern England

Hope that helps

Phil

[camelgas]

Looking at their web page the PRV,s (over pressure) are an extra !!!. £24 each....,

Boat is an Interesting concept though .

[philpot]

Originally Posted by camelgas

Looking at their web page the PRV,s (over pressure) are an extra !!!. £24 each....,

Boat is an Interesting concept though .

I have just phoned Steve to double check and they WERE extra but are now fitted as standard on the F-Rib.

Phil

[apshutt]

Thank you so much for an honest guide to it and how it handles on the flat (ish) water. Hmmmmm interested. Just need the money now!

[chipko]

Phil,

Thanks for info and links. Pennine Marine is only a couple of hours away from us, so will pay them a visit.

Queried transom strength as we'll be strapping on a 20hp 4-stroke and pulling a kneeboard etc all in North Sea chop.

The other website;
http://foldablerib.com/en/12-foldable-rib-s
with significantly cheaper prices, around 20%, appears to be the same importer, SBS Ltd in Southampton.
Prices perhaps only applies to remaining 2014 stock!!

[apshutt]

Thanks Chipko

[philpot]

I honestly have no idea what those prices relate to, perhaps worth giving them a call, it could be an old web site that is still floating on the net---------pass.

I am going to have the 330, so if North Lincs is not too far for you, you are welcome to come and have a ride.

Phil

[chipko]

Phil,
Many thanks for kind offer, Midlands based, so not too far away.
I've a horrible feeling I'll be visiting Pennine Marine early in the New Year!!
Hope you enjoy the 330, looks like it should be great fun.

[Fenlander]

Phil a brilliant review.

Seems the ease of assembly of an air floor with none of the flex issues... a powerful attraction. So what is the floor made of... GRP... plastic... single/double skin?

Seeing it in your car does raise a slight packing issue for me as our air floor Zodiac allows room for the 15hp, launch wheels, fuel tank, lifejackets etc to all go in packed on and around the boat totally within the loadspace of our estate. I'd just be a little wary of committing to a boat that meant I had to intrude into the rear seats.

Having said that it is probably much easier than the Avon small folding transom RIB which needs to go on the roof.

Price is a bit of a stumbling block but it is a unique concept... hmm food for thought.

[philpot]

It is a single skin GRP floor, quite thick but not had a gauge on, it feels about 10mm but I will stand to be corrected on that one.

My Passat is actually quite a low roof line and although I did not try on the day, I think it is possible to ramp up the boat at the back to lay the outboard underneath. That is something which I will play with when I get the F-Rib.

I usually go on my own or with only one other person in the car with me so dropping the back seat is normal to fit in all the fishing gear as I always take too much stuff with me and if needed we would just take my wife's car for extra passenger space but I take your point.

A 330 is just short of £2500 which compared to many sibs on the market today is far more expensive but there again there isn't any other sib to compare with this. It is very difficult to get across the feel of the boat, so sure footed, solid and predictable which for me is worth the extra. Compare the price to a number of Zodiac sibs, then the price is not so high.

This craft offers me an exceptional fishing platform and family boat that ticks all the boxes for me and I will take a small wager when more people manage to take a spin in one, they too may find it ticks their boxes as well.

If anybody is interested in trying one out, just ask, it gives me a good excuse to hit the water.

Phil

[chipko]

Phil,
Cheaper prices on the other website are excluding vat!! Should have twigged when I mentioned they were about 20% less. Doh!!
A bit cheeky though as it's not apparent until you get right to the checkout.

[The Gurnard]

An interesting concept Philpot ..and I could almost be tempted myself on a larger size.


I will watch with interest what folks think once they start using them in earnest. Quick question for you... when it gets wet..and Im sure it will in a small boat that size.. a bit of water comes over the side.. is there a draining hole between each compartment ..or will I have to move around to bail out the water in each half.. or third .... that could prove a pain ?


It would be great for me to see a comparison between around a 4m F Rib and a comparable size Highfield Classic aluminium hull.. that would be my two considerations going for another small boat. I could keep my 25HP shoirt shaft for either of them

The big attraction to me of either boat is the light weight of both. 60-70kg is very manoeuvrable for even an old git like myself..and Im not so bothered with using a trailer. When I do go to renew mine..I will look at both

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by The Gurnard

It would be great for me to see a comparison between around a 4m F Rib and a comparable size Highfield Classic aluminium hull.. that would be my two considerations going for another small boat. I could keep my 25HP shoirt shaft for either of them

Perhaps we ought to try to organise a group test sometime with an Aerotec and one of the aluminium Ribeyes too.

[The Gurnard]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Perhaps we ought to try to organise a group test sometime with an Aerotec and one of the aluminium Ribeyes too.

Wow..now you are talking John.. I would be interested in seeing that

Although I love my QS..I get a little bit of an inheritance soon ..so was thinking of perhaps getting something newer..mine is 10 years old next season

[philpot]

A mixed meet with the ability to try out a range of craft, now that would be good. There used to be a Zodiac dealer near Todmordon, Lancs, who every year took a load of SIBs over the Windermere for people to try. I think it was a very good move on his part because I was advised he always sold a number following the open days.

Gurnard
There are drain holes between the sections for water to pass through.
Phil

[The Gurnard]

Originally Posted by philpot

Gurnard
There are drain holes between the sections for water to pass through.
Phil

Thanks for that Philpot..I could see a dot at the join in your photo but could not work out if it was the bolt head or a hole..so that answers my question

Im definitely interested in a hard bottomed 4 meter “SIB” ..give or take an inch .. so come the time.. possibly around the spring .. I will give it serious consideration.. along with the 4 meter aluminium hulls tenders

I wasn’t aware that Ribeye did one that would suit my 25Hp 2 stroke short shaft either.. so that is definitely another option ..so thanks for that info John ....but for me.. the Aerotec would not be worth changing my QS for.

I want a light boat that I can drag across the shore and winch onto a trailer without worrying about tearing its bottom. I need the room in the back of my car for the outboard on its sack trolley and the rest of my gear..so even getting the F Rib.. I would probably trailer it too. I fear a normal RIB needs another bigger engine and would end up too heavy for my needs

Do keep us informed of how yours performs in the open sea.