5m RIB for diving - lots of questions!

[Zan]

ok - new question that's come up... What about an SIB? We probably won't be heading far offshore with any new boat we get for a while, and while I've always wanted a proper RIB, I'm aware that the price difference is not insignificant both in terms fuel economy, weight for towing etc.

But, there's not a huge amount of info out there about SIBs for diving... Are there particular makes I should look at \ avoid? And what size engine would do for a 5-5.5m SIB?

And similarly, what is the average lifespan of a RIB \ SIB (assuming it's reasonably well cared for)?

Thanks!!

[Rogue Wave]

Should read

Originally Posted by Polwart

And unfortunately that is the problem! Each has pro's and con's. Here are some of the major ones:

[
New style 2-strokes (Etec etc)
Pros
Can be lighter than a 4 stroke (but usually heavier than equivalent old tech 2 stroke)
Good hole shot
SOUNDS GREAT
SMELLS EVEN BETTER
Some have 3 year service interval and automated winterising
Better fuel economy than an old 2-stroke

Cons
Not as "simple tech" as 2 strokes - some very early ones had a bad reputation.
Need to keep adding oil

out of interest how much heavier is the opti 150 than the old merc v6 150 I don't think its much is it?

I've also noticed in this thread a recomendation for the XS 550 and a 100 4stroke Yammie. I ran a similar XS with a merc 100 4 stroke (yammie block and leg)as a training boat and I didn't much like it. The hole shot was slow and it was always trimmed to the stern..I don't think it would get any better with some divers on it.

I'd give the Ocean pro a good look cos I think it's got a better hull shape

[Zan]

thanks for the reply - I think the Ocean Pro looks like a good boat, and there certainly seems to be more chance of getting one second hand than some of the other makes...

After my above post on SIBs, I'm pretty sure I'd rather have the RIB

As for seaworthiness, how much punishment could a 5-5.5m RIB be expected to handle (assuming we got an Ocean Pro \ Tornado + 90HP 4 stroke)?. When we're not diving, it would be nice to have the option of taking it out to some of the Scottish islands (e.g. Skye, Mull, possibly the hebrides?). I wouldn't be crossing the Minches or anything, but I'd like to be safe and coping in potentially rolly seas \ fast tides.

[montu]

Hello Zan,suprised no one has mentioned the humber destroyer as these are great boats.Ideal for diving,handles the rough stuff as good as any similar sized boat and are excellently priced new and frequently available in the second hand market.I tried to put a video of mine up but did not work.If you go on youtube,type in humber rib,and you will see the boat im talking about,heres the video pic

[Zan]

hiya!
I saw the destroyers too, but they seem to be the sameish price as the ocean pro and I assumed that the o-pro was probably better suited for diving (since it popped up here a few times!).

Someone else mentioned Ospreys to me as well as having good deep-V hulls? Anyone know if they're any good for diving?

I will go and have a look at various makes and models sooner or later myself, honest! I just want to gather as much info as possible first

Thanks again!
Zan

[montu]

The ocean pro you will be looking at if from the humber website are the two metre beam versions which you will find very cramped,especially if you are using for diving.I recently sold my 5m assault partly because of this reason where as the destroyers are 2.3 which might not sound a lot but believe me it is a huge differance.

[K&S]

Originally Posted by Zan

As for seaworthiness, how much punishment could a 5-5.5m RIB be expected to handle (assuming we got an Ocean Pro \ Tornado + 90HP 4 stroke)?.

Here is a Tornado. looks in good shape after 500 engine hours


http://www.boat-finder.com/12460/details.php

[treerat]

We had a humber 5m with a 75hp on the back in the dive club, great boat and happy with 6 divers and kit on board, albiet it abit slow.

We now have a 5.5 Tornado with a 90hp on the back and it is more than happy with 6 on board.

I've also dived of off Avons and Rib Craft, both boats are available on the 2nd hand market.

As for a sib, I had a 3.8m from Yamaha, and a mate as the same size quicksilver, bothe were great in shore with 2 or 3 on board but hard work after that, and not great any distance off shore.

Theer are Bombarders on the SIB front that are hard wearing boats and ok for diving from. There are a couple of dive boats for sale on the dive forums at present, if you want to use it specifically for diving may be worth asking a couple of questions over there.

Andy

[Zan]

teerat - what kind of humber was it you used with your dive club?

[treerat]

Originally Posted by Zan

teerat - what kind of humber was it you used with your dive club?

Couldn't tell you, we sold i 2 years ago and it was 10 years old then. All I know is that it was Orange, Humber on a plate on the bow, bottle rack down teh midle and an engien on the back that came with it

I doubt that the ranges they produce now were about then - but it was a good boat.

[BruceB]

At the sort of age you are talking about it is likely the Humber in question was an Attaque or possibly a Destroyer as they were available at that time as well.
It is difficult to stop saying X brand is the best one to use because in the same circumstances this is the one chosen by the person giving the recommendation.
Most of my experience is in Humbers although I have driven three other makes extensively for diving purposes and had a good look at several others.
For diving you want wide beam and deep V, as much as possible to smooth out the ride heavily laden. Other things to watch out for are highish tubes to be at the right height for sitting on kitting up, high transom as it is not possible when kitting in rough water to always run the boat and empty via the trunk and as large a flat deck as possible within the tubes. You also want a bit more power on a dive boat than normal to make sure fully loaded it can plane easily although I have used a 5m humber diving successfully with only 60hp, it only did 21knots loaded though!
Ignoring other makes and concentrating on Humbers (bearing in mind above) you want to completely avoid an Assault (been there not very good diving platform) look seriously at a Destroyer, even more seriously at a wide beam Ocean Pro (not sure if the are available wide beam at 5m? avoid the 2m version as it is too narrow for diving).
Tornado, the original ones, secondhand are also very good and seem to last.
Ultimately there is no right answer as it may in the end come down to what is available and what you can afford but using the above things to look for plus any additional requirements of your own should mean you don't get something completely unsuitable whatever the make and model.

[Zan]

Thanks guys for all the input. Looking about the 2nd hand pages there seem to be generally more destroyers about within our price frame than the other models. I knew about the assaults being no good for our purposes, so I will definately avoid those.

I think I'd be quite happy with a Destroyer (on paper at least) and don't think I want anything bigger than a 5m boat. It's really just something to take a couple of dive pairs out, and to do the odd fun trip to say Ailsa Craig or up to the Firth of Lorne (once I'm happy with crazy tides!), and the Destroyer plus a decent (75-90HP) outboard sounds like it could cope quite well with all that.

[BruceB]

Originally Posted by Zan

Good to know our car will probably cope ok, and I guess we can always hire a van if we need something bigger for a day with a slippery slipway or something!

I have had a 5m boat pull a full size 4x4 down some slips, some are really bad and even 4 wheel drive can't cope. Sliding down steep weedy slips with all wheels locked takes years off your life!
For a real exciting launch experience try Talmine at Kyle of Tongue, the picture on boatlaunch really doesn't do it justice!

[Zan]

Yeah, we've had trouble in places launching a small SIB with a transit van, so I know how bad they can be in places

[Mr Flibble]

Hi Zan,
I'm in a similar predicament at the moment. I've looked and looked and looked at all the various options out there. Finally (almost) decided on a 5.5m Humber Destroyer with 115hp Mariner Optimax DI 2 stroke. Humbers are a good price compared to the rest and have a good reputation. The Destroyer is a good sea boat. Probably go for a Dual Cruise console as well for when me and the missus go cruising instead of diving. Just need to sell the Humber SIB first. Then I'll give Humber a bell and pop down and look at options.

The SIB is fine for the sea lochs and some longer distance stuff when it's calm. It has plenty of deck space for kitting up and goes like a dream and sips fuel when it's calm. Ideal for nipping round to do the Breda and have taken it over the Firth of Lorne to the Sound Of Mull for a few dives on the Thesis. The trip over was 'fun' as there was quite a chop. Rounding Lady's Isle was 'interesting'. The main advantage of the SIB is easier towing/launching, cheaper running costs. A RIB is far more fun though.

Best of luck in the search.

[Zan]

Cheers, we have an SIB in our dive club and it's been a good wee boat for sheltered stuff, but I have no confidence in it as a sea-going boat! I'm definately going to have a look at the 5m Destroyers and see what I think of them. There's plenty of time at least - probably look into it for next year I think.

[dsteding]

I skimmed most of this, and noticed it was focused on hull type, here are a few more considerations in terms of setting up a RIB for diving (by point of reference, I have a Avon Adventure D5.6 with a Yamaha F115).

Motor: go with the most horsepower you can, you'll be hauling a lot of weight. I routinely haul 4 divers or three tech divers with ~100 kg of gear each, and the 115 is a great motor to get up and on plane (I'll do 30 knots and 6 gph with that load).

Deck layout: Here is where things get tricky. Most RIBs are designed, it seems, for seating comfort. Jockey seats are nice, but take up tons of deck space. You are going to want as much deck space as possible, tanks, gear, all that adds up. You are also going to want space for people to gear up--my boat has a rack in the back and a rack in the front, with areas to gear up in both (I've put padding on the front of my console so tanks can rest on the front seat). People will use your tubes for resting tanks on when gearing up, I'd recommend rub strips on the tops of the tubes that will give the tanks a flat area to sit on.

Tank storage: Have some racks built into the boat if you buy it new. Have a fabricator make some racks if used. Design the racks for the gear you use or may use in the future. I have a stainless rack made out of dairy tubes in the back of my boat, and a 5000 series aluminum rack up front. I can put rigged BCs in either rack, strap them down, and then inflate the BCs to lock things in place. Some pics of the front rack are attached.

Tube size: larger tubes are more difficult to get back over. We shuck our gear in the water, clip it off to gear lines, and get back in the boat. My buddy's 16 foot Polaris sits lower in the water as compared to my 18 foot Avon. Makes it easier to get back in. Just something to pay attention to when getting a boat, new or used.

Some pics, my Avon has the standard bench seat/console combo that sits four, I don't have a good pic of the stainless rack in back, but do of the front rack. It is ~18 inches high, and 20 inches by 20 inches, enough space to fit four tanks. This general concept works well, and you can tailor the rack size to fit lots of space in a boat. It is mounted in mine using HDPE blocks and lag bolts.

[gibbo500]

Might be of interest?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Delta-5-5m-rib...3A1|240%3A1308

[Zan]

oooh, that looks a nice boat!

[GordyP]

Had experience of Humber Destroyers and 5.5m Northcraft for diving from, we used to get 5 divers in the Northcraft at a push and it would still go with a 60hp on it. We sold that for £3,500 i think, can now get 8 divers and still do 35 knots! The Humbers are pretty good as well, don't think you'll go wrong there.