On my shopping list for this mythical perfect rib I have noticed some ribs have an elephant trunk at the back and some have a small bilge well with a pump in it. I like the simplicity of the elephant trunk, i.e. no electricity needed or wiring etc but what are the pros and cons for both? Suggestions on a post card to.....Nik
I'm not a boat owner right now but an experience a few years ago would make me always choose both! Playing in the HUGE wake of a tug I managed to stuff a 7.5m rib and filled it to the gunwales. Being now totally unwieldy and unmanageable (and frankly bricking it!) not to mention still "trapped" in the ship's wake I shouted to my crew mate to drop the elephant trunks. Even at a few knots this emptied the boat in very short order re-establishing full control and we were able to get back underway. A very sobering experience!
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However depending upon the design of your deck and where the elephant trunks are placed has an effect on how effective they are. You would need to work out where the water would gather and hieght of trunks to deck and lower areas so could clear water as quick as possible.
The trunks that simply hang off the stern with the holes through the transom seem effective, there is another type which is fitted to some cobra's for example and other liesure/sport ribs that have the openings in the deck or through the rear seat and then run through a pipe to a valve and then out the stern dont seem as effective. I had this type fitted to my cobra and when I did get swomped once due to me messing about in large waves and stuffing it I found while they did help somewhat alot of water bi-passed the opening to these and simply went straight into the rear of the boat and into bilge spaces due to height of the openings through the rear seat. The bilge pump did help. Could only manage a few knots until most of water had run out or been pumped out.
Mine has a small well at the stern with elephants trunk level with the base of the well. This system keeps the deck dry all the time and drains very well. Do need a bit of power to get speed up quickly if boat gets fully swamped. Faster you accelerate quicker it empties.
No question, has to be both. Unless its a 'leisure' rib and your more into beach hoping with the family in which case a bilge and also a plastic bailer will work. I keep a 5lt plastic container, with one side cut out as you can bail alot easier with flat sided tub than a round bucket!
BLACK PIG
Piglet
