How do you store your rib ?

Scotty · 21 July 2003, 10:14

My Zodiac lives on the marina in Dublin for at least six months of the year. How many of you keep the boat on the water and how many keep them on the trailer ??

Trailer boys.... do you think the tubes last longer out of the water ?

How many keep a cover over the rib when not in use ??

mstacey · 21 July 2003, 10:43

Mine lives on the trailer and when not in use I put a cover over it. Stops the sun and prevents the seagulls messing on it.

Pete7 · 21 July 2003, 13:37

9 months a year in a marina.

Saves a lot of time lauching and recovering plus messing about with wheel bearings, but needs antifouling with a strong stuff to cope with the weed, slime and barnacles in the Solent. It has just taken all weekend to antifoul the hull and used £70 of VC Offshore paint. I will report back on the paint in a few months.

Boat currently has half cover and will have a full one next winter.

Pete

Richard B · 21 July 2003, 13:53

On trailer, full cover.

Dunno about tubes lasting longer... mine sit high out of the water anyway, and not had the RIB very long.

A friend of mine keeps his RIB in a marina all year round, but lifts out every two weeks for a scrub down as he's got no antifouling.

Mike B · 21 July 2003, 17:26

On trailer - with boat cover and under car port.

Previous owner on trailer under cover.

I'm told the previous owner was compulsive about covering the boat when ever possible this certainly explains why the tubes are in such good condition.

Ribald · 21 July 2003, 18:38

On trailer with o/a cover.

Tubes as good as new with no fading or cracking. Pressure also released when stored but not enough to let tubes go out of shape.

Cookee · 22 July 2003, 09:12

Under cover in the workshop - never left out!

Bilge Rat · 22 July 2003, 10:50

Mine lives in my garage, not only is it nice and dark in there to stop the tubes fading any more than they are already but its also nice and safe well out of sight of any would be thief, also its great as i can pretty much leave the boat in a ready to go state, i dont worry about deflating the tubes as they do that on their own, all but one chamber seems to have small leaks so over a few days the tubes go a little soft, suppose its just its age, airs still free so its not a big problem.

I've a small extension on the back of my garage making it to a total of about 9 metres long, recon i could alter the back wall a little and get an even bigger boat in their at some point in the future, just gives me options for the future.

Richard

-<=[Tw18]=>- · 22 July 2003, 11:37

My current RIB "Spud" spent the winter in a potatoe shed under cover on the trailer. Begining of the season it was in the marina for 3 weeks and used everyday. Once taken out after that period there was a bit of growth but nothing major. Right now it lives under cover on it's tailer in the trailer park. But I let the tubes down so that at midday they are soft to the touch, but this means that at night they get 'out of shape'.

The boat I am looking at buying has pressure reliefe values but the tubes are very hard all the time. It has lived on a mooring in a harbour, but it didnt dry out. But it does have anitfouling.