Looking for the 'right' RIB - help please

Steve1098 · 13 November 2018, 19:50

Hi all,

I'm a recent new member on here, but I've been browsing the market in secondhand RIBs for a while now. The main thing I've noticed is that it's a minefield for someone with limited RIB experience to find the right starter boat.

A bit of background to what I want from one - tell me if I'm asking for the moon on a stick...

Budget of about £5000, this can be stretched...
I don't mind a bit of a project, I enjoy that, I have 3 old motors from the 60s and 70s, if anything I'll be glad to not have to do any welding!
I'll maintain the thing myself too, and store it on the trailer.

I live in South Cumbria, and so, whilst the lakes are nearby and lovely to explore on a nice day, for proper RIB fun, it has to be the Irish Sea. I love the Isle of Man and so a boat which could comfortably take 1-2 people across the 45nm or so, once I've built up experience and confidence, would be nice.

All up towing weight of up to 2250kg is fine with my current tow motor, so I can't see that being a limiting factor...

I don't intend on using it for diving, safety boat or anything, just cruising for enjoyment.

I've found a Tornado 5.8 with an Evinrude V4 90hp reportedly in rude health other than a slow leak on an existing patch on the nose, well within budget, which is currently holding my interest.

Am I right in thinking that a 90 on that might be a bit lacking for an IOM trip?

I understand these old Tornados have PU tubes - are these a nightmare to patch? The seller suggests that all old Tornado tubes leak. For the right boat, would it be worth a re-tube eventually, and if so, would hypalon be a worthwhile change?

Sorry for the many questions - I'm hoping this thread will end up with me buying the 'right' RIB to last me a few years!

smallribber · 14 November 2018, 07:18

I personally would not worry about the actual tube material but would look at the condition of the tubes and the boat generally

also A 90HP on a 5.8 m rib is indeed a little on the small size but it would be ok if you were just 1 or 2 up. A min of a 115 hp would be better on that size.

At the £5K mark you should be able to get a decent boat but most of the value is in the engine. and something as large as 5.8m will be more expensive. Perhaps look around the 4.8 - 5.4 m mark. It will be easier to launch and recover on your own if this is what you want to do

The other thing is that your first boat is seldom your final boat and if you make a mistake at that price but use the rib you will learn a lot especially about what you actually want/need.

You are looking at a good time of year and I would advise to look on Gumtree, E bay, Boats and outboards every day and be prepared to travel and move quick.

Don't part with any money before you view a boat as there are a lot of scammers out there

Poly · 14 November 2018, 08:15

Patching PU is harder that Hypalon. Old PU tubes would have been glued and may well (subject to inspection, age, storage details etc) have issues brewing up with seams or baffles - and a retube would basically cost most of your budget over again whether in PU or Hypalon.

If your plan is to cross to IoM then ignore Bigplums advice about going smaller for easier launching. A 90 would get you to the IoM, at one point it would have been considered normal for that size boat - we have a weird obsession with top speed here. In tough conditions more power is helpful, but you’ll be avoiding those conditions, and 90 would get you home anyway just less comfortably. An old Yam 2/ 90HP might be preferable to an old overweight 115 4/ anyway.

Tim M · 14 November 2018, 09:48

5k is a reasonable budget for a 5ish meter boat. Based on what you've said I'd steer away from that Tornado. That old Evinrude will absolutely drink fuel. You should be able to find something with a more modern engine within budget. It's worth keeping an eye on ebay as bargains do come up pretty often.

smallribber · 14 November 2018, 09:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

5k is a reasonable budget for a 5ish meter boat. Based on what you've said I'd steer away from that Tornado. That old Evinrude will absolutely drink fuel. You should be able to find something with a more modern engine within budget. It's worth keeping an eye on ebay as bargains do come up pretty often.

Much is talked about regarding the amount of fuel different outboards use. The truth is in my view that it makes little difference. Taking into account the number of times a person tends to uses their rib (Say 20 times in a season) the extra cost is sort of negligible

Poly · 14 November 2018, 10:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigplumbs

Much is talked about regarding the amount of fuel different outboards use. The truth is in my view that it makes little difference. Taking into account the number of times a person tends to uses their rib (Say 20 times in a season) the extra cost is sort of negligible

If you were regularly hoping to make long distance (e.g. NW England to IoM) trips your priorities may shift; fuel cost could become your highest running cost! I do agree though that for short trips, pottering around etc. fuel may not be as critical as people imply. For smaller engines it is certainly less of a concern - I'd say as you get closer to 100HP and 5.8m+ boats then you'd want to be going in with your eyes open!

neil.mccrirrick · 14 November 2018, 10:40

Economy does have an impact on distance. If iom is regular and it’s a 90 mile circuit an engine that provides 1 litre a mile will mean a fuel tank that can take at least 70 litres so you are not re fuelling at sea. An old 2 smoke could be up there at 2 lites a mile. Now it’s a 140 litre tank and more fuel cans

Searider · 14 November 2018, 10:55

A few thoughts:

V4 Evinrudes and yamahas for that matter do like to drink fuel. Great torque but VERY Thirsty.
A friend has a 90hp Evinrude V4 on his boat and its thirsty and the plastic carbs are trouble.
90hp will be fine on a 5.8m rib.
I've currently got a Ribtec 585 with a 100hp 4 stroke Yamaha and it's perfectly adequate.
My 6.5 Scorpion, whilst it now has a 150 optimax was originally rigged with a 90hp mariner 2 stroke back in 1999. It was plenty then for the first Owner who used it to commute from the Isle of Wight every day.
The 90hp 2 stroke mariner I had on my 5.4m Searider was plenty!

For your budget you'll probably be looking at boats with 2 strokes - the yamaha and mercury 90hp 3 cylinder engines in my experience have been good.

As advised above look on all of the regular sites daily and jump in the car if you find something. Don't buy anything you can't see first.

This might fit the bill if it's still available and some haggling can be done.
https://boats-from.co.uk/not-specifi...-rib-boat-7221

diver 1 · 14 November 2018, 11:02

I had a 1998 Tornado Viking 5.8m rib with the PU tubes and a 90 hp Mercury 2 stroke ont he back for a while. It was a good boat, no hassle at all with the tubes which seemed to remain very clean and suffered no issues during the time I had it.

The 90 was fine on my boat, even for diving etc. Its quite a light boat I found.

I now have a ribcraft 585 to replace it with and my thoughts regarding the Viking are:

The viking is very slammy ride compared to the ribcraft - possibly due to weight or weight distribution - the hulls appeared fairly similar

The viking had a deck mounted alloy fuel tank within the console whereas the ribcraft has an underdeck tank

The vikings tend to come with a single central console whereas my ribcraft has a double width console allowing more space for instruments and being able to chat to your crew beside you.

I would recommend a good sea trial on the viking in the conditions you plan to use it for.

chipko · 14 November 2018, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

Patching PU is harder that Hypalon.

Really. Always assumed processes very similar. Same two part glue eg. Bostic 2402. Exception being not sanding PU mating surfaces which should be prepped by rubbing (aggressively) with MEK/acetone instead.

beamishken · 14 November 2018, 13:48

The patching process may be similar but getting a successful outcome is more difficult with pu.
Our sailing club had a boat who's tubes literaly fell apart at 7 years old and required a retube.
Not all are a problem but plenty old tornados have tube problems and the only cure is a retube

jeffstevens763@g · 14 November 2018, 15:45

my ribquest 585 with 90 suzuki on her two up 70 ltrs fuel would do 45 mph in perfect conditions still in the mid 30 mph four up never struggled ever kept up with all the boats on the ERR trips

beerbelly · 14 November 2018, 18:55

This might fit the bill if it's still available and some haggling can be done.
https://boats-from.co.uk/not-specifi...-rib-boat-7221[/QUOTE]

if that's still available id check nit over very carefully as that advert was running spring this year and at a decent price id ask why its still for sale

Steve1098 · 15 November 2018, 13:38

Thanks for all the advice, so far, everyone!

It sounds like the old Tornado may not be what I need long term. If I said it was up at £3000 with the potential for a lower offer, would that make much difference? If I knew I stood a chance to get my money back out of it to put towards the 'right' one once I have a better idea.

Isle of Man trips are something which I would hope would happen in time, but plenty of coastal trips getting to grips with it all first!

cjj216 · 15 November 2018, 19:33

If your budget is 5k but could be stretched then I wouldn’t even look at a 3k boat.
It’ll be 3k for a reason.
Try and get someone who knows a bit about boats/ribs to view with you and buy as good a boat as you can afford.
Also factor in buying an aux motor if the boat you like doesn’t have one.
There’s no way I’d do an IOM trip without the company of another boat or an auxiliary motor in top fettle.

cjj216 · 15 November 2018, 19:38

Should also say that I’m not saying you can’t get a very good boat for 3k ..... or a very bad one for 5k!!
But you’d need to be very lucky to get a really good boat that’ll regularly do IOM for 3k.
As said, try and get someone with experience to view with you.

smallribber · 15 November 2018, 20:27

If you are happy with it and you can get it for under £3k I say go for it

Poly · 15 November 2018, 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigplumbs

If you are happy with it and you can get it for under £3k I say go for it

He’s not happy with it, that’s why he’s asking on here hoping we convince him. Nobody here has seen it so can’t guide him on how likely he has to spend at least 4K on a retube fairly soon.

willk · 15 November 2018, 21:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

He’s not happy with it, that’s why he’s asking on here hoping we convince him. Nobody here has seen it so can’t guide him on how likely he has to spend at least 4K on a retube fairly soon.

oink!

smallribber · 15 November 2018, 22:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

He’s not happy with it, that’s why he’s asking on here hoping we convince him. Nobody here has seen it so can’t guide him on how likely he has to spend at least 4K on a retube fairly soon.

Perhaps we should let the OP answer that particularly as I used the word If

Forgive me for not agreeing with you