New RIB website!

[John Kennett]

RIB International have launched their long awaited, much trumpeted web site. It's good to see all the material from past issues of the magazine available on the web, but I was rather disappointed to find so little else on the site given the length of time they have been working on it!

Here's a summary of the contents:

Reading room
various sections, all recycled from RIB International:
- articles
- boat tests
- news desk
- cruising
- racing
- RIB accessories
- engines
- clothing

RIB magazine
a few lines advertising the magazine

RIBex show
a few lines advertising the show

Manufacturers
under construction

Adverts/RIB links
a few lines advertising advertising!

The RIB shop
under construction

Professional
a selection of articles recycled from the mag, plus four sections under construction!

Visitors room
- on line questionnaire
- competition
- feedback (email link)
- message board (manually updated and moderated)

Interactive RIB chooser
under construction

Contact us
email and snail mail addresses

In case you don't know, it's at www.ribmagazine.com -- why not have a look for yourself and come back here and let us know what you think!

John

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John Kennett
RIBnet

[This message has been edited by John Kennett (edited 21 September 2000).]

[Alan]

Hmmm, the website is rather like the magazine - a triumph of glossy presentation over content! Still, the online articles are quite good - I even found a review of my RIB. Sure they told me they'd never published a review when I enquired prior to purchasing it!

Oh yes, and in case anyone was wondering, the RIB International Cruising Club is dead. HMS told us so on the recent Scillies cruise. Bit of a shame really as it offered to fill a potential gap in the market that perhaps BIBOA (which I am a member off) doesn't fill.

Alan

[John Kennett]

Alan

Just out of interest, what is it that RICC offered that you miss in BIBOA? Are you going to the AGM?

John

[LamacqS]

I thought that the site looked good and has the potential to provide good content. Lets just hope that they keep the momentum going.

With regards to the comments re:RICC, that is not the impression that you get from the website?

What neither club offer is cruising for the smaller ribs out there. Their are a lot of smaller (under 5.5m) about and most only have 2 fuel tanks.
RICC promised to represent these but most of the cruises that looked possible impossed a minimum cruising speed of 25+ Knots, fine if you can guarantee the sea conditions!

Steve

[sasa]

Can somebody recommend a good RIB magazine? I was planning to subscribe to RIB International, but Alan's comment made me hesitate.

I thought the online articles were good, but may it be that they are too few and too far between in the magazine?

I currently read Practical Boat Owner and some Swedish magazines, but they are all oriented towards large(r) boats. I would like to find a magazine that addresses the needs of RIB/inflatable community. I use my RIB mostly for cruising.

Sasa

[Alan]

RIB International is the only regular RIB magazine I'm afraid. It is good at times but as I say generally is heavy on the glossy photo's and light on the content of the articles. Sportsboat and Waterski mag occasionally publish a RIB supplement & Motorboats & Yachting have done so in the past but thats about it!

[sasa]

Hi,

I think I'll try RIB International in that case. £24.00 is not that expensive, I'll simply stop buying one of the Swedish magazines. They tend to publish more-less same articles, anyway.

Thanks,

Sasa

[John Kennett]

RIB International is the only regular RIB magazine I'm afraid.

Not strictly true! There is the Italian magazine Il Gommone which has been around for much, much longer than RIB International. It is in Italian though

john

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John Kennett
RIBnet