Advice on RibEye and RibTech

[David Hickman]

Looks like it is my turn now!!!
Had the first 7.2m in 2001 (Dartmouth Built) with a Yamaha 200HPDI. Owned it for 3 years. Quite a few problems with it rangeing from worn cables, faulty electronics and wiring, cracking seating, "a" frame broke 4 times, tubes faded big time, (I must say Paul Tilley did an excellent job of making the best of the tube situation through his own business), jockey seats leaked between floor and base (again Paul fixed this) and the bow was too low without enough lift for what I use it for. You need a rib which is forgiving if a pupil gets it wrong.
The standard of fit out and quality of parts used started to show after the 1st year.
OK those are the negatives on the 7.2. She was absolutely stable as anything at 45 knots, fine in a head sea but you had to watch a following sea!!!!! She became a submarine a couple of times when pupils press trim down rather then up!!! Remained very stable even though totally full up with water to transom level.
The 5.8m was a Dartmouth boat as well with a Yamaha 100 4 stroke. This went purely due to lack of use after 1 season.
What I felt really let down by was the customer service and promises made but never actioned upon.
I went for Ribcraft after seeing the new Ribeyes and Ribtecs at Southampton boat show last September (2003). I did not want a boat built outside the UK, should there be a problem I wanted to be able to take it back to where it was built.
I was originally going to have a Ribcraft 4 years ago, but went to Ribeye as they were local to me here.
The new Ribcraft has lived up to my expectations. Solid Build, attention to detail, quality of fittings etc. She tows other boats for Sea Start, goes out in heavy weather, and feel 100% in all areas. The higher bow is much more forgiving.
I hear that the new Ribeye's are much better quality and the Ribtecs the same. At the end of the day I just did not feel happy with putting my cash towards Ribeye/Tec due to past experiences, but that is not to say that they are poor Ribs, it just depends on what you are going to use it for.

I do not wish to put them down, I have just listed above what happened to me.

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by timw

The reason that in the past as Rogue Wave states that people selling second hand Ribeyes would always point out that they were built in UK rather than South Africa, was that the initial half dozen hulls produced were very poor. They were bought back and scrapped but the mud stuck. However, since then things were sorted out and the quality has been high.

Another thing to point out is that they are marketed with Yamaha, and can be bought through Yamaha dealers. Surely if the quality was poor, Yamaha would not want to be associated with them. As it happens, Yamaha have their name attached to the tubes and transom (or so I've seen on the 6.5m and 7.5m models)
.

I was being polite when I made my first comments and I do love it when people put a spin on what I say! I was a bertholder at Ocean Quay and saw the first twenty or so boats that Ben shifted....and he does shift em! I was not impressed at all with the general lack of kwality. I looked at the Gell coat and could see where it was microns thin in places.

Now lets get on to this stuff about Yamaha...do you really think that Yamaha would pick and choose a company as a strategic partner based on boat design and kwality or because they can shift a couple of hundres extra units. As I previously stated the marketing effort is impressive

Out of interest how much are the RIBS you have been been considering

[ribraff]

The first batch that came in to the country from South Africa were absolutely shocking but there were also a few made in the UK which were pretty poor. The bad batch that came in from South Africa were not scrapped, they've been supposedly rebuilt and are on the market now.

[timw]

Well I suppose the answer is to watch out for the used ones, but get the feeling that the general view is quality for new ones vastly improved and they are OK.
I thinks it's a bit of a shame that from problems in the past, these boats in some peoples minds still have a poor reputation.
Yes, I am a Ribeye owner, and if I felt the quality was crap I'd say so...but it isn't, it's right up there with the best of them.

[wetterthebetter]

The other thing I would add about Ribeye, they never return phone calls (in my opinion!). If you are buying new, it doesn't instill confidence in the company.

[brucehawsker]

For what it is worth, Ocean Quay Ribs don't want to sell ribs - they don't even return multiple calls when you want to buy one

A question arising out of this thread:

A boat with a lower bow (excuse my impoper use of jargon!) is clearly more likely to submarine in a following sea. Does this imply ribs like Solent Ribs which have smaller tubes and a lower bow are a problem in a following sea compared to the more industrial looking ones (high bow, big tubes) like XS and Tornado?

Clearly they are going to give you problems if you trim down, but if you trim up, are they going to submarine?

If this is a problem, how do the older 6.5M Scorpions cope with their tapered tubes and lowish bows?

Am I being stupid and missing a point? I like the better visibility with the low bow... and the thinner tubes give a better internal beam while being road legal fully inflated....

Bruce

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by brucehawsker

For what it is worth, Ocean Quay Ribs don't want to sell ribs - they don't even return multiple calls when you want to buy one

that's probably cos the are too busy fixing the ones they sold!

[Seamonstie]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

that's probably cos the are too busy fixing the ones they sold!

Ooh, thats a bit close to the mark!!

[Peter Smith]

Rogue Wave ?

You are obviously a real expert on ALL ribs.

I wish I had spoken to you before I bought my Ribeye for some EXPERT and IMPARTIAL advise.

NOT.

Peter

[timw]

Peter,

Couldn't agree more.

I'm not sure if much notice is taken of people who actually own and use these Ribs, and who are actually delighted with them!

[Peter Smith]

Tim

Thanks

I just got a bit fed up with his comments.

Not just because I have a Ribeye it would be the same for any make that someone was just going on and on about.

Anyway thats my moan over.

Peter

[Rogue Wave]

Hi all
Just had to butt in and defend me old man, so sorry if he hit a raw nerve with all you happy Rib Eye owners out there.
However on this occation, and belive me this is not often, do I have to state the boy is right.
I remember when some of the first Rib Eye's turned up at at Ocean Quay, and poor Ben were unable to use them becaurse they were not stable on the water,add to this the fact the tubes started to to burst on the water, hardly helped to form in ones mind a happy first impression.
Kind Regards to all you folks out there
MRS ROUGE WAVE (BRITT SHE WHO WILL BE OBAYED)

[Louise]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

However on this occation, and belive me this is not often, do I have to state the boy is right.

MRS ROUGE WAVE (BRITT SHE WHO WILL BE OBAYED)

Hi Britt!

[timw]

Hello Mrs Rogue Wave,

I can't imagine your old boy needs defending!

Your comment about how you "remember" the problems is exactly the point.

That was then...this is now.

Today's Ribeyes are well made, good quality, durable, excellent performance and in my opinion good looking Ribs. Believe me, I did a huge amount of research before buying mine and was fully aware of earlier problems, but was convinced by owners of the recent models that I would be buying a great boat...and they were right.

It's a bit like Alfa Romeos...in the past the quality and build was terrible, now they are highly regarded if a little quirky. But some people are still convinced that they will rust overnight on the driveway...and no I don't own one.

[timw]

And another thing...

I will be the first to eat humble pie if I have have to come back on this forum with "how do I mend this" questions on things that have broken.

I don't anticipate doing so however, and shall be enjoying caviar and champagne long after all the Scorpions have sunk (apart from Richard B's who appears to have a very fair view on these things)

[ribraff]

the original Rib-eye sports boat was, in my opinion a fantastic boat both in handling and performance, it took a bit of getting used to but i thought it was great. Unfortunately rib-eye felt the need to increase the beam on the 725 model, they decided to use the existing Pete Kidd designed hull and (i emphasise the 'in my opinion') completely spoilt the look of the boat.

[Rogue Wave]

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

MRS ROUGE WAVE (BRITT SHE WHO WILL BE OBAYED)

Well the foghorn has spoken....that will teach me not to log out when I go to sea! Those of you that know us are probably as surprised as me that Rogue Wife joined in.

Firstly I meant to put a smiley at the end of the comment re the repairs it was meant to be a bit of banter. But I do appreciate that having a pop at someones boat can be personal and I regret being the catalyst for dragging the discussion down to the name calling level. I never actually expected an invite to the Xmas Ribeye Owners Dinner Dance but I guess I've really got no chance now! Maybe the Falcon owners can forgive me in time. however I could really do with a couple of red blobs so please start dishin em out

I have never I aimed to be an expert on anything to do with Ribs...but I have a good deal of experience of Ribs both on and off the water and I ask a lot of questions and never miss an opprtunity to give a Rib the once over. I've also earned a living as a laminator in my youth so I do know a bit about GRP.

To get back to the original point of this thread

This is my view on the Ribeye They look good and they ride well and they have decent lumps but I think they have suspect quality control and the seat fastening system will be a point of failure as a result of this I suspect they won't hold their value well over the years. Bit like an Alfa Romeo re holding the value

Steve how much and what spec are the boats you are interested in.

Bruce both the Soent and the Scorpion handle well in rough conditions. more than a sea state 5 and you shouldn't really be out.