Lifting a Rib

[Jon.esp]

My understanding, and please can the tube guys correct me if I am wrong, is the issue is potential damage to the join between the tubes and hull. Such damage may be cumulative and take many years to reach a point where tubes could start to become detached. So if the side of the tube is deformed by a lifting stop this may not be so critical but if they are distorting near the hull joint this should be avoided.

The pictures attached (not my boat) show a substantial spreader being used and some distortion to the sides of the tubes but none neat the hull joint. I don’t think this would worry me too much as long as it wasn’t done week in week out throughout the year.

Also if the rib in the pictures had slightly deflated tubes would there not have been a risk of the strops getting closer to the hull / tube joins? So is it best not to soften the tubes too much if at all.

I totally agree that purpose designed lifting eyes fitted at the initial build is by far the best solution but retro fitting, especially with larger ribs, could be quite a task.

[Roughrider]

in the picture - that could almost be my boat! I will not have tubes "bouncy" hard just normal to a bit soft to allow them to distort without putting too much additional pressure, as at least one compartment on each side will have no strop over it so it will create a pressure difference between them, I will watch very carefully the first time and see how it goes. WHich is not until January anyway, I am just planning ahead

[9D280]

When I got mine it had 4x 10mm U- bolts through the hull. Two at the A- frame brace fixing & the other two just level with the front of the console. All 4 had 3"x4"(ish) backing plates which were (from memory) 5-ish mm thick. My whole ri clocks in at 420KG, BUT as it was an FRV in it's youth, I assume there would be another 200-ish KG for the crew as well? (I guess back then the whole "lifting with people aboard" rules were a little more lax)

HI toyed with keeping them - They did come in useful when I got the new trailer! Removing the 8 x 10mm x about 20mm lng protrusions + nuts form the unsderside of the hull did both improve my top end speed and fuel economy.

But I guess that sort of thing was fairly irrelevant to it's first owners!

[Barcobird]

I have a Valiant 490 with a 50 hp outboard so it is not particularly heavy. There are two eyes fitted to the transom which were fitted at the factory. At the front there is nothing except the towing eye. Would anyone know if the rear eyes are there for the purpose of lifting and also can the eye as mentioned at the front be used for lifting.
Thanks

[SW Boat Transport]

Originally Posted by Barcobird

I have a Valiant 490 with a 50 hp outboard so it is not particularly heavy. There are two eyes fitted to the transom which were fitted at the factory. At the front there is nothing except the towing eye. Would anyone know if the rear eyes are there for the purpose of lifting and also can the eye as mentioned at the front be used for lifting.
Thanks

The rear eyes are there for towing donuts etc and securing to a trailer, definetly not lifting. The bow eye is not suitable for lifting either.

[Barcobird]

Thanks for the info it's sort of what I expected someone to say. So two options then, fit lifting eyes which is easy on the transom but not the bow or have it lifted with straps underneath the hull and tubes.

[behavin]

i used to lift this out with strops underneath along with work borrowed wooden spreaders that held the strops out over the tubes...i decided that the tubes were still being squashed so after a chat with ribcraft i fitted 4 12mm U bolts and use 4 1000kg strops shackled on with 1500kg tested shackles.

works a treat !!

i also lift the boat to bleach the bottom (missed a bit in picture )

the stern ones are through the transom about 4 inches off the deck and the 2 bow ones are as close to the deck as possible (ribcraft said down low as there's more glass matting there)
all the U bolts are packed with sikoflex though the hull and backed on the outside by 5mm thick stainless flat. (you can see one in photo)
i was very nervous of the first drill though the hull at the bow..but the plate sits nicely on a flat chime

only downside...stubbing toes on the U bolts !

[Barcobird]

Hi Behavin,

Obviously on the transom it's an easy job because you can get to both sides.
I see the problem being in the bow, I can't see how you can bolt anything. ( not sure where your photo is).

If it's possible that's the way I would like to go, a quick lift steam clean, bleach and back in the water.

[Neil Harvey]

If the glass behind the bow eye is strong enough, you can get someone to fabricate a new stronger bow eye, that is long enough to for through a heavy duty stainless plate on inside, and get bolted in place. The plate has another stainless eye welded into it for lifting.

Obviously not so easy of you have an anchor locker, but not impossible, angles for strips etc need to clear the locker though.

Biffer did this mod on mine and it worked well :-)

[Barcobird]

Been out on the boat today yeah��

While I was at the marina I looked at several other ribs and they have put eyes on the anchor locker. My Valiant came from the factory with an anchor locker, if I beefed up the fibre glass where the plate goes on do you think it would be stronger enough or am I likely to have a locker swinging in the breeze?

[behavin]

the photo shows up on my post....

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my 2 bow u bolts are right through the hull at deck level ,right next to the anchor locker and angled through so that the backing plate (5mm stainless by 20x100) lies flush on the hull.

the angle of the U bolt is slightly off the line of the strop but its strong enough.

i used a 4mm drill bit and took the plunge on the first drill through the hull , lept over the side to make sure it hadnt come through on a spray rail ...Phew ..was just right .
i think the hull was about 18-20mm thick here.
packed the holes with sikoflex and also under the backing plate ,then tightened up.

i do check they are tight each time i lift the boat out.

[biffer]

Don't lift the boat in slings, lighter boats aren't so much of a problem but they all get damaged by this form of lifting, a three point lift is an easy thing to put into a RIB and the lifting strops are then personal to your boat, I suspect you love your boat so do the right thing.