First RIB? [was Avon Adventure 560+ 100hp+ Wanted (or similar) £10k]

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by t08yg

does anyone have an opinion on Ribeyes.

Quite a few people, you shouldn't have to wait long

[9D280]

Children, Children, calm down, it's only a rib!

There are, as demonstrated above a fair few opinions here on various makes & models of Rib. Now, as someone who tends to cruise / rescue dinghies / etc on various stretches of water and in numerous borrowed / club boats, there are occasions when a Dory is the best craft for the job. There are also times when a displacement hull is the far better option.

It's horses for courses.


And build quality in any mass produced product will vary. It's a statistical fact of life. Thing is the internet being a "free soapbox" tends to give more of the voice of complaint, because more people will rant about cr@p service / quality than will shout about something that does what they expect it to do. Net result is an 0.1% dodgy build will look like 90% to the casual internet browser....


Better still, go for a test drive. If the boats you are looking at are at a yard / showroom, they should be more than happy to take you out for a spin. I'm sure there are plenty of crewing opportunities down there with the number of ribnet cruises in the area.

[Jizm]

Originally Posted by 9D280

Better still, go for a test drive. If the boats you are looking at are at a yard / showroom, they should be more than happy to take you out for a spin..

Well said, first hand experience is the way to go...

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Jizm

Well said, first hand experience is the way to go...

Not if you have nothing to compare it with.

[Xk59D]

Originally Posted by HUMBER P4VWL

Xk59D, this is in the bilges now. People's comments, justified or not, right or wrong, are obviously annoying you. There really is no point feeding those that are doing so with more comments. As you say, if you are happy with your boat you don't need to justify it, be happy.

If others ask for comments on a make of boat on an open forum, there will be a wide range of responses, some fun, some annoying, some antagonistic, some useful. Par for the course.

Happy boating.

hi buddy-i have no issues what so ever about negative comments on the adventure-i bought it in the middle of them for goodness sake! lol. the point which is plainly lost was people have pm'd me questioning even buying a rib. i understand their point as i was there a short time ago. also if like when i was looking there was nothing available to compare it with that wasn't substantially older or slightly too big/wrong seat layout etc. in a perfect world i could have went to the maker and got a new rib of my choice built and with my seating but reality kicked in and it sucks.

the only real option i found (at time but market changes) price wise was the ribx which i personally didn't like as you seem to sit above it and not in it and there was one other one-name escapes me now but i will edit if i get it-but anyway it also got bad reviews on here so at that time i thought-wtf will i do here. i wanted a rib-upto 13k ish and i thought was plenty of budget for a 2/3 year old boat with a 4 stroker, under 6m and 4 jockeys out back-i was wrong. i'm not saying they are not available but they are in slim pickings so it was either after 3/4 months of looking i cut my teeth on this or i didn't buy a rib as money would be blown elsewhere. i'm glad i did buy it as not once has it worried me coming from what i did.

if negative comments have substance such as-the avon isn't the best handling boat out there and maybe have a look at X,Y,Z then fair enough-but yet again that didn't happen. maybe you can take an outside look how this looks to potential buyers. that is so much better than it's a renault/$hit etc and they move on missing out on a great pastime. the unfortunate reality people need to consider is the avon offered excellent value for money based on the age (in my case anyway), layout, 10 year guarantee etc. the layout is subject to change i understand ofcourse but something has to give when you buy second hand i quickly found. in my case the name had to give way for my chosen layout.

cheers

< Edit: This thread got split and some of the mud slinging got swept into the bilges. I've copied this post back into the main thread though as I think it's useful. JK >

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by t08yg

So, this thread is probably getting a bit long for this section, but does anyone have an opinion on Ribeyes. There's an interesting looking 6.5 with a Yamaha 115hp on it for sale on this forum. It looks worth considering, six jockey seats so presumably good for six up at speed.

I've moved this out of the "RIBs wanted" section, as behind all the banter there may be some useful information.

I've never tried an Avon Adventure myself, but I would guess that Avon build quite a few of them and for many people they are fine. There have been several people here that have used them though and reckon that the hull design is not as good as it perhaps could be. If you're realistically going to spend most of the time picnicing at East Head, with just the occasional jaunt across to the island when conditions are great, the Adventure will probably be everything you want.

I'm not sure how well you know the Solent, but although generally sheltered the short steep waves can be pretty unforgiving and uncomfortable. Your Adventure may make 40 knots lightly loaded in a flat calm, but a realistic cruising speed is likely to be about half that when conditions get a bit choppy, quite possibly even less. I used to keep a 7.4m diesel Ribtec at Sparkes Marina, and Cowes to Chichester was quite a drag at the end of a long day. In a smaller boat with a less good hull design, it's not going to be much fun for long.

That Ribeye is almost a metre bigger than the Adventure, and that alone will make a huge difference. It's not a bad hull design either, so is likely to be a better choice. Whether or not they are the best choice for the money is debatable, but judging by the number of boats that they are selling Ribeye certainly seem to be getting something right.

It's difficult to get a first boat choice right, because until you have the boat you won't really find out what you want to do with it. I wouldn't get too hung up about it - it you can find something that you reckon will work for you, at a sensible price, then buy it and see how you go for a season. Then you can really start looking for what you want.

Happy hunting!

[Jizm]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Not if you have nothing to compare it with.

Ageed in that respect, but being in that particular boat on the water will give a fair indiacation if it's right for what he wants or not.

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Jizm

.. but being in that particular boat on the water will give a fair indiacation if it's right for what he wants or not.

As opposed to swimming?

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Mollers

As opposed to swimming?

As opposed to no boat. "Will it do the job?" rather than "Is this the best possible choice?"

A first boat doesn't have to be the best, just good enough. "The best" will vary depending on all sorts of factors, and until someone's actually used a boat for a while it's difficult to evaluate what they really are.

I would guess that most people with an Adventure are quite happy with it. Until they come here of course!

[Jizm]

Originally Posted by t08yg

t08yg
Member


Country: UK - England
Town: Hayling Island
Interests: Cruising
Boat name: Tardis
Make: SunSport
Length: under 3m
Engine: Mariner

It's small but not quite swimming

Just making a point, a few years ago I hankered after a certain hard boat (sorry) and I would have bought one but I happened to go aboard one exactly the same as what I was after and was so massively dissapointed and I didn't even bother to get it on the water!!!
All I'm saying is a sea trial, or even climbing all over it on the dock will give some idea of whether it IS what you want or not...

[lakelandterrier]

Choosing a first Rib is difficult as you are unlikely to know exactly what you want as it is a new form of boating to you / family.

Experience of what does / doesn't work on a boat for you and your use of it will point you in time to the optimum choice / spec.

If I was choosing my "first" rib again, I wouldn't choose what I did.

Was it a bad choice for me & my family at the time no. Was it the "best" choice? maybe not. Was it a good deal and adequate for the use we wanted - yes.

The next rib will be a far more serious craft, but the spec for that has been formed by my learings and experiences of the first boat, and achange in use with older children who want to venture further / faster.

I don't see a probelm with getting a relatively cheap 2nd hand craft that is not a top marque as a first boat as long as it fits the intial requirements

[Jizm]

Originally Posted by Jizm

JBT have one.

http://www.ribsforsale.com/detail-10...ngine+2002.htm

No longer under offer....

[cjj216]

I`ve just read the JBT write up. I would agree with everything they say about the Adventure apart from the "robust" bit.

Ive owned one and they tick most boxes for family pottering. But they are not suitable for anything other than lakes or calm seas.
Build quality leaves alot to be desired.

My advice would be to have the hull checked out by someone who knows ribs.

In fact... No.... My advice would be to steer clear and get an Osprey or Humber!

No Renault remarks. Just advice from someone who`s owned one!

[Hightower]

As this is your first RIB can I make the suggestion to buy as cheaply as you can. Any RIB will do providing it's sea worthy and reliable (engine serviced), meets your needs and if you buy now you might well pick up a bargain. Be it Ribeye, BWM, Avon, Ocean, Solent or whatever. I guarantee you that you'll want to change it after a seasons use. If you keep your budget low you'll get your money back when you sell it on to upgrade.

As for carrying 8 crew in comfort, your looking at a 6.5m minimum. For a sub 6m RIB two single pods behind a twin console and two double behind is the most practical layout. With further crew standing at the rear.

Hope this sheds a different perspective to the RIB buying process.

[Hightower]

Not necessarily this one but I would have thought something like this was Ideal. Keep it cheap and spend a bit over the winter getting to know it and sorting out all the little issues, sell her on (might even make some money at this price) when you know what you really want out of a RIB.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Humber-RIB-/13...item1e5f2001d5

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

the point which is plainly lost was people have pm'd me questioning even buying a rib. i understand their point as i was there a short time ago. also if like when i was looking there was nothing available to compare it with that wasn't substantially older or slightly too big/wrong seat layout etc. in a perfect world i could have went to the maker and got a new rib of my choice built and with my seating but reality kicked in and it sucks.

I'm not sure I understand your gripe? If a rib is not suitable for someone then is it not better they find out before parting with their cash? Perhaps they'll buy some sort of hardboat instead or might decide to stay a landlubber. E.g. if someone isn't going out in the rough, wants to carry lots of people and go fast with minimal power then a V hull with tubes encroaching on the deck space might not be ideal - perhaps they'd be better with a completely different boat. RIBs are great but they are not the only sort of boat; boats are great but they are bloody expensive - if people here challenge an assumption that someone should rush out to buy a boat and make them question if a RIB is right for them then I think the forum is doing something useful. If we all pretend that there are no good boats other than RIBs or that RIBs are ideal for every application then that probably does more damage to the potential buyers and the industry as a whole. The same applies to any specific brand / model of rib. If you consider all the information and still think that a particular boat is suited to your needs that is fine, but is it not actually more useful if you understand all the information out there both for and against, bearing in mind that the critics may have very different objectives from boat ownership than you. Balance all the information up and make your own decision, if you can't do that your not ready to part with your cash.

I actually think the Renault analogy is not bad either (not specifically about that model of boat which I've not driven) but there are lots of renaults around which aren't all sitting on the hard shoulder and many of their owners will be quite happy with them as a functional and effective car - its comfotable enough, gets them from A to B etc; its unlikely anyone is shouting loudly in the pub about owning one. Of course flashy motors aren't necessarily as good as everyone thinks either. I can't say i'd be rushing out to buy a renault - but if the price was right and it was the size (etc) of car I needed then I wouldn't eliminate it.

[Xk59D]

i'm not discussing it anymore-i've said more than my piece on it so for sake of keeping everything smooth i'll leave it there.

cheers

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

It's difficult to get a first boat choice right, because until you have the boat you won't really find out what you want to do with it. I wouldn't get too hung up about it - it you can find something that you reckon will work for you, at a sensible price, then buy it and see how you go for a season. Then you can really start looking for what you want.

I agree

A couple of years experience tells you a lot more about what YOU want out of a boat than any amount of reading, reviews, opinions or anything else.

[t08yg]

I just want to thank everyone for their advice. I'm amazed at just how passionate people are.. all good and really appreciated all the different views! Very glad I stumbled upon this form.

It sounds like no, the Adventure isn't the best boat, but probably does a job in the right conditions and is probably quite family friendly (you sit in it, not on it). It also sounds like I'm unlikely to get the first rib right anyway as most people don't know exactly what they want from a boat until they've spent some time using it. It also sounds like I might have to reduce expectations of how many I could get in a 5.5m rib but that I could probably get and older 6.5 rib for the money.

I'm still considering the Adventure, the JBT one is on the market again as whoever was buying it has decided to look at something else. Perhaps they'd been reading this thread! That does send a bit of a warning but I'm going to try and get to see it anyway, just so I at least have a bench mark to judge against.

The reality is that I have two smallish boys (6 & 9) and will keep the boat on Hayling Island (Chichester Harbour side) so to start with it will probably spend lots of time as a 8knt ferry to the beach at East Head for family and friends.

That means something with some beam and plenty of room inside is vital, probably more important that a deep vee and great seakeeping qualities. But I will want to take runs out in the Solent when the weather is good. I want something that means Cowes is within striking distance on a good day.

I strongly suspect that after a year or two I'll be hankering after something that can take a bit of a battering so I can spend more time going further afield. But the hunt will continue (possibly with less haste) now armed with lots more knowledge and understanding thanks to this forum and all your replies.

[Starovich]

Originally Posted by t08yg

I strongly suspect that after a year or two I'll be hankering after something that can take a bit of a battering so I can spend more time going further afield.

The majority of ribs can take more of a battering the majority of drivers/passengers. Only the few die hard lunatics ever take a boat to or past its limits, many of those who think they do, still bottle out long before the boat will.

Even if people are at the limits of any boat, then should they really be out in it anyway? Why should others be incumbent to pick them up when they have taken risks without full consideration of the conditions/suitabity of equipment.

I think your balanced view is quiet correct, many people have a lot of fun in Avons, as they do in Ribcraft, Ospreys, Parkers, Tornado's and every other make of boat out there, some people get far too loyal to thier preference and forget that its not everyones prefernce.

There are not many lemons in Ribs over the last 5 years and very very few from the major builders.

Go try a range of boats out and try for yourself