Delta Dash

[Bstr1]

Delta RIB’s have a reputation for excellent quality but I’ve read they give a hard ride. Can anyone confirm/deny this for me please and is this relating to all models or just certain ones?

I have been offered a 5.5 Dash which is nice but don’t particularly want to be shaken to bits! I’ve had a Ribcraft 5.85 which was excellent so would be interested to hear any opinions on comparison.

[Pikey Dave]

The Delta will be a wet ride compared to the RC

[Roflhat]

Our 6.8 Ribcraft is a very wet ride, our delta hulls are bigger at around 9.2m but not wet at all, harder ride definitely but bearable

[Xk59D]

Originally Posted by Roflhat

Our 6.8 Ribcraft is a very wet ride, our delta hulls are bigger at around 9.2m but not wet at all, harder ride definitely but bearable

It must be raining if getting "very" wet on a RC 6.8 . in 4 years I've got wet maybe 3x and 2 of them were my fault for sure and all 3 we really shouldn't have been out.

[matata]

We have a Delta dash and not a drop of water has come over ever. You'll give up before it does. It has a funny up turned bow which we like,all a bit functional. Into wind you'll need down trim in.Ours has a yam 115 four stroke on the back. I wouldn't want any heavier. We have four under seat tanks which initially I thought I didn't want, I thought I wanted under floor. But instead we can go lots of places that don't have harbour side fuel. The tanks are always clean and fresh rather than leaving fuel in an underfloor tank. Each to their own. Its not for sun bathing though, its more a tool. If I can help me give me a shout. Nik

[Poly]

Originally Posted by matata

We have a Delta dash and not a drop of water has come over ever.

Are we talking about the same thing when we say wet boat? I genuinely don’t think any rib could claim not a drop of water came over the tubes, unless it’s used in flat calm conditions. I’ve been on boats on a mooring where spray was getting whipped into the boat so unless it has a force shield ... Depending on console design, the aerodynamics as well as the arrangement of tubes, spray rails etc it’s feasible that driven well in benign conditions the helmsman may not get his face wet.

I’ve only been on a dash 5.5 once as far as I recall. It was on an inshore freshwater Loch (so no big swell) probably a F6 - it was a wet ride even for the helm. I’m not saying any other 5.5m driven the same way would necessarily have been drier, but I’d be fascinated to see if the driving style rather than boat was the main factor.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Poly

Are we talking about the same thing when we say wet boat?

I suspect we're not. That said, wet is wet. When I hear "wet boat" I generally think of the spray pattern generated by the hullform. Some hulls will deflect a considerable amount of spray towards the water and thus prevent it from getting airborne. Once in the air, a wind from the side will chuck spray into the boat - wet boat. Driving can certainly effect this - in obvious ways like not taking winds into account and more subtle ways, the further back the entry point of the hull is, the less spray will be generated. Loading, trim and speed will change this. Clearly any boat that tends to run bow down will cop a lot more water over the front as water hits the tubes. I don't mean stuffing, just spray. Personally I always thought the midrange Ribcrafts had a slightly Concordy droopsnoot thing going on - I never considered the effect underway?

[M.Thornton]

The Delta 5.5m Whas the boat of choice for our local diving community in the eighties /nineties it was great for carting a boat full of divers and kit.the turned bow and Delta shape made it a fantastic sea boat.Terry and Alan used one to do the round Ireland trip and although they tore off a rubbing strake they managed to keep up will the bigger boats .I think that the hull form whilst very capable has now been superseded by more modern designs,but I wouldn't hesitate to take one out in a big sea.
Ps if you want to stay dry buy a cabin cruiser

[Bstr1]

Thanks all for your feedback.

I’m not particularly fussed about the wetness as on a bad day, I’d say you’re going to get wet on any 5.5m RIB.

It was more the ride quality that I was interested in as I’ve previously heard that they are hard riding boats and a few of the comments on this thread have substantiated this.

Just to make things even more confusing, has anyone had any experience with the smaller Ribcraft 545? I don’t think many of these were built but they look similarly chunky to the Delta.

[69cmw]

Pikey is your man on here for the 545 [emoji106]

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Bstr1

It was more the ride quality that I was interested in as I’ve previously heard that they are hard riding boats and a few of the comments on this thread have substantiated this.

I'd treat all such comments with a pinch of salt. Not many people will actually have tested a Dash and another 5.5 in the same conditions with the same load at similar speeds, and even with similar degrees of helming experience. If you want to know I'd take it for a test.

[John Kennett]

Wasn’t the Dash Delta’s abortive attempt at a leisure boat? If so I think it used a completely different hull to their normal range.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Wasn’t the Dash Delta’s abortive attempt at a leisure boat? If so I think it used a completely different hull to their normal range.

I may be at cross purposes here. I'd assumed the "Delta Dash" was referring to the 5 dash 5. Are we talking about a different boat?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by 69cmw

Pikey is your man on here for the 545 [emoji106]

Did someone call?[emoji6]
I've had RC 585, 6.4 & currently own a 545. Of the 3 the 585 was probably the best "all rounder". All 3 boats have been dry rides. The 545 has a full length deep V & is a heavy layup, consequently she needs plenty of power to make life interesting. The DF140 is just about Ok, but she'll never win any races. What she will do is take you anywhere you dare to go & keep up with the big boys. The deep V makes for a softer ride & the weight helps with that too. She's a bit arse heavy due to the 180l underdeck tank that stops about 2' from the transom. Hadd has the same boat with a smaller tank & she sits better, helped by the Jerry cans he has to carry in the bow. It's taken me a couple of seasons to get her something like in terms of prop/engine height/weight distribution. I'm more than happy with her now. She's a perfect size for a touring couple, but if you have kids/dogs/additional passengers, it would be cosy.

[M.Thornton]

Delta 5.5 m built by Charles Dyas at Hazel Grove Stockport off Fastnet light

[Bstr1]

Thanks for the info all.

The Delta Dash is the early series of dive boats as per the picture posted above. This later morphed into the X and Super X ranges which as far as I can tell is the original Dash hull plus either one or two extra chines to give more beam and freeboard.

The leisure boat you are thinking of was called the Dash 2 just to confuse things! I seem to remember the RIB mag having one as a promo boat for a while?

Pikey, thanks for the RC info - I’ll PM you shortly.

[Bstr1]

I should have also said that the boat I am looking at has no engine at present so the obvious sea trial isn’t an option sadly!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Bstr1

I should have also said that the boat I am looking at has no engine at present so the obvious sea trial isn’t an option sadly!

That would make a sea trial a little more difficult!

It’s performance, ride and handling will depend at least a little on what you stick on the back though.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Bstr1

The leisure boat you are thinking of was called the Dash 2 just to confuse things! I seem to remember the RIB mag having one as a promo boat for a while?

Yes, that’s the one I was thinking of.

[Bstr1]

I think it had rather good reviews at the time! I wonder what happened to it?