Has anyone used an inflatable swim platform?

[IamSam]

I am mostly a fair-weather boater, don't own a RIB quite yet but on a casual lookout. I tend to day charter, which doesn't really fit the type of boating we do as there are no 'family/leisure' ribs I can find in the places we tend to visit in the UK. Overseas, there are loads of options, but half of them don't even have a VHF so certainly not up to code.

When we are out on the water, we often want to spend some time relaxing and sunbathing, so a charter RIB with 8 jockey seats and no sun pad doesn't really fit the bill.

I was looking for a 6m+ leisure rib where the bow can be infilled for a sun pad and there is a reasonable bench seat behind the helm, but have had another idea:

Buy a smaller rib, circa 4m so I can still fit a few people on board, and a swim platform that can be inflated with a 12volt pump that can be tied alongside when at anchor in calm water. You can buy this for less than £500: https://carracks.co.uk/products/aqua...-plus-platform

I've not seen anyone do it, and I can't believe I am the first to think of it, so looking to you all for reasons why this might be a truly terrible idea!

[Limecc]

Maybe an open console boat would suit better? More deck space than an equivalent RIB and no tubes to worry about. This Ranieri has a boarding ladder, self-draining deck, huge amounts of storage for family stuff (towables etc) and a virtually brand new DF90a for just over £10K!

[Iankristy]

What’s your budget [emoji4]


[ATTACH]142384

[Lee argyle]

Originally Posted by Iankristy

What’s your budget [emoji4]


[ATTACH]142384

Ran a 8m Stingher for a couple of years, lovely boats, I’d have another in a heartbeat

[IamSam]

Originally Posted by Iankristy

What’s your budget [emoji4]


[ATTACH]142384

Ideally about a 3rd of that!

What I really want is a rib share with trailer around Plymouth, but they are rare!

[citygent111]

I think the swim platform is a great idea!!

We have a 3.8m rib and space is definitely a frustration. It has a bow seat over the anchor locker, and a jockey console seating 2 in the middle. The layout keeps everything central so good for weight distribution, but space either side of the console is a bit tight.

Providing your expected cruising waters tend to be calm, I can't see a problem with this at all. Our boat is based in Anglesey and when it's calm (which DEFINITELY excludes this weekends little adventure) I think this would be a great addition.

Depends how easy it is to store onboard and how well it deflates after use I suppose....

[Poly]

Originally Posted by IamSam

I tend to day charter, which doesn't really fit the type of boating we do as there are no 'family/leisure' ribs I can find in the places we tend to visit in the UK.

When we are out on the water, we often want to spend some time relaxing and sunbathing, so a charter RIB with 8 jockey seats and no sun pad doesn't really fit the bill.

chartering a rib simply to drive it a few miles and spend the day sunbathing, sounds a really expensive way to access the water.

I was looking for a 6m+ leisure rib where the bow can be infilled for a sun pad and there is a reasonable bench seat behind the helm, but have had another idea:

Buy a smaller rib, circa 4m so I can still fit a few people on board, and a swim platform that can be inflated with a 12volt pump that can be tied alongside when at anchor in calm water. You can buy this for less than £500: https://carracks.co.uk/products/aqua...-plus-platform

I've not seen anyone do it, and I can't believe I am the first to think of it, so looking to you all for reasons why this might be a truly terrible idea!

OK here's some issues that immediately spring to mind:
1. Its got < 6" freeboard so most other boats passing close are likely to get your towel wet. Large wakes (ferries, wake board boats, fishing boats etc) could get you very wet - and some people might enjoy that challenge!
2. It doesn't say how big it is rolled up - but based on inflatable dinghies I'll guess it would completely fill the boot of a family sized car. In other words - take up a huge chunk of your 4m boat.
3. How often do you really get flat calm days? I think you'd get more use from a rib that gets you to an inaccessible beach, anchoring off and lying on the beach.
4. The noise of an electric pump inflating one of these for 15 minutes is probably not the start to lounging you are hoping for and the alligator wrestle to deflate it and get its sort of packed away for the journey home is probably not the best end to the day either.

What I really want is a rib share with trailer around Plymouth, but they are rare!

have you looked at the rib share "clubs" etc? I can't remember the layouts they have. I know there are some clubs that have boats other than ribs too so might be something that suits. You might need to travel further, and most don't provide on a trailer which is a good thing as launching and recovering is one of the bits that people who like lying on sun pads are usually least interested in.

[citygent111]

"2. It doesn't say how big it is rolled up - but based on inflatable dinghies I'll guess it would completely fill the boot of a family sized car. In other words - take up a huge chunk of your 4m boat"

Actually - this is a very good point. I have an inflatable paddleboard which is 10'6" long - deflated and rolled up it fills a pretty big drybag. A 10x6 platform packed down would be a damn nuisance in a sub-4m rib!

Back to the drawing board!