Phantom Evolution RIB's Info Please.

micheal · 23 July 2003, 19:22

Does anybody have any info on these RIB's.

I've just been to look at a new 7.5 & didn't feel the build quality was up to much. Seemed all the effort has gone into the sexy shaped consul etc & not materials/workmanship. Not being an expert any advice would be appreciated.

The hull seems a good shape but all the weight seems too far aft which makes me feel a bow tank is essential. The motor would be a 225 Optimax.

My other option is a secondhand 4 year old Revenger 29 & 225 Optimax which seems to be much better built but is priced the same at £25,000.00. (The whole setup on the Phantom is new).

Or, does anyone have a similiar type boat to offer me avaliable for purchase now? (long, pointy & fast.)

Thanks
Micheal. (Poole, Dorset area).

gavin · 23 July 2003, 20:57

Hi I dont know m anything about the Ribs myself however I do have an extensive article which I will dig up in an old Irish boat mag.What I dont like about these ribs is the extremely narrow sponsons at the front, They wont do the job, look at the way the nose is built on a Redbay or a Lencraft or Tornado, this is the way sponsons should look if u ask me, the Revengers arnt as narrow up front, but I would be concerned about seakeeping in the Phantom the tubes look way too narrow for such a boat gavin

jwalker · 23 July 2003, 22:22

With all those lovely curves, where do set down your cup of tea without spilling it?

Richard B · 23 July 2003, 22:56

Phantom Evolution, eh?

Well, have you done a search on here? If not, then have a look here: http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...hantom+AND+evo
and here: http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...hantom+AND+evo
and last but not least, some particularly fine pictures (even if I say so myself

) of both Phantom Evo (7.5) and Revenger 29 here: http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...hantom+AND+evo
RIB International had a feature on the Phantom Evo after the cruise, on which Hugo Montgomery-Swan clocked the Evo at 70mph (by GPS) whilst crossing the Alderney Race. And that with just a single Honda225vtec. I share Gavin's thoughts about the design, but undeniably a fast boat. The builder posts here occasionally and more regularly on boatmad.com

Powerboat Academy · 23 July 2003, 22:56

Thank you Gavin for your comments about tubes & sizes, I wounder how much experiance you have with performance sports ribs?. Have you ever been in a Phantom Evolution 7.5m rib?. I notice from your profile that you may come from Ireland. I can give you names of people from Dublin that have had demo's in the Evo rib and had no sea keeping problems, infact a Mr K Higgings from Cork who runs a power boat handling & rib school has a Redbay rib, which is a fine boat and does a great job wishes to buy an Phontom Evolution 7.5 rib because of it incredible handling & stability at speed out at sea.

I'm sorry you dont find the tapering tubes to your liking but with my limited experiance to get the looks to match the performance without compromising stablily, handling and sea keeping ability is very differcult. I feel we have achieved this far greater than you give us credit for.

Neil

Dirk Diggler · 24 July 2003, 00:51

Quote:

Originally posted by gavin
Hi I dont know m anything about the Ribs myself however I do have an extensive article which I will dig up in an old Irish boat mag.What I dont like about these ribs is the extremely narrow sponsons at the front, They wont do the job, look at the way the nose is built on a Redbay or a Lencraft or Tornado, this is the way sponsons should look if u ask me, the Revengers arnt as narrow up front, but I would be concerned about seakeeping in the Phantom the tubes look way too narrow for such a boat gavin

What a load of old twaddle, comparing a performance craft such as the Phantom Evolution with the likes of a Redbay etc.

Isn't this a bit like deciding to buy a Mercedes, and then choosing between an SLK or a Sprinter van. Horses for courses and all that.

All I can say is that if your first statement is correct, ie, you don't know anything about the Ribs, it might be better for all concerned if you removed the rest of your post.

Fiona P · 24 July 2003, 09:08

Well said Dirk!!

If it wasn't that I know some of these fine young men on this site, I would truely believe that the said people above are over sixty five, smoke a pipe and should buy a humber!

Facts:

Phantom Evo, Revenger and SportRib are all High performance pleasure RIBS - Can all have the same diameter tube at the bow but I do know that if you require a large diameter tube this can be ordered from EVO but doing so will sacrifice performance, visability and various other elements.

£25,000 new!!!!!!! Well all I can say to that is - You're getting your monies worth!! That's cheap!! for a non mass produced boat, that is built to your own spec. You may not get the complete deck moulding but the price of a SR7 for the Mediterranean Version is more like £35,000. Check with other manufactures what the finished boat will be, ready to go on the water - like for like!

I've been in most high performance Ribs during the last few years and can only state fact! Neil took me out in the 7.5m whilst in Cork on varoius occasions, conditions were rough with high wind speeds over tide - The ride was excellent and dry, did not do that awful chine walking that I have experience with other maufactures and not once did I feel unsafe or worried about its sea keeping abitity (or was that Neil's ability?) - If I had to buy any other High performance RIB like for like to achieve the same experience on water (excluding the Sportrib) it would be the EVO!

So until you have been in an Evo, is it unfair to comment on its ability plus its all personal choice at the end of the day!!

Horses for courses old Chaps!!

Cookee · 24 July 2003, 09:57

Gavin - I know this is a RIB forum but does that mean that all hard boats are useless - they don't have big tubes at the front!

Our boat has a very small hard nose, ask anyone on the race circuit what a bananaShark is like in a following sea and they will tell you it's got very good sea keeping qualities!

Dirk Diggler · 24 July 2003, 10:51

Hey Cookee, is that the only photo that you have of your boat.

I would imagine that going on the number of times you've posted it, you must owe a fortune in royalties to Keith Slater!!

timw · 24 July 2003, 11:22

Michaeal,

I think I am looking for something similar to you, i.e. 7m to 8m pointy and fast with about £25k to spend.

Trying the RibEye 7.5 tomorrow, but will also start to research the Phantom Evo which I hadn't thought about.

The recemt ProSport thread was interesting and these RIBS seem to fit the bill.

jwalker · 24 July 2003, 11:24

I would truely believe that the said people above are over sixty five, ........... and should buy a humber!

Oi!

Oooooo you can hurt....

Cookee · 24 July 2003, 11:29

Good photo though isn't it?

Aging Youth · 24 July 2003, 13:26

Hi Fiona P & MR D,

Fiona you certainly don't pull any punches.

I certainly do not smoke a pipe and I am not over 65 yet!!! & I own a Humber.

I just cannot afford 25k plus on these surberb craft. If I won the lottery however

Each to their own within there own budget limitations.

gavin · 24 July 2003, 21:18

Sorry guys I am not convinced, I have seen the Evo up close in Malahide in Dublin( thats in Ireland) have sat in the bucket seat and also visited the stand at one of the London Boat shows, I declined an offer from Marcus Bradshaw in Malahide to venture out in one, I have no doubt the the Evo with a 225 opti is a 70 kt boat, it has fantastic styling , cool console bucket seats etc I have an article on front of me singing its praises, however I stand by what I think , the tubes are too narrow up front and instil no confidence in me about the seakeeping abilities of the boat, I have no doubt it is a fast and stylish boat, but with the unpredictibility of the weather around our coasts, I would not like to be caught out in bad weather in one.By the way Dirk thanks for your quoted input and please note for the purpose of future gramatical corrections (I passed a building SITE today ) and ( I have the boat in SIGHT) cheers Gavin

Scotty · 24 July 2003, 21:29

Quote:

Originally posted by gavin
By the way Dirk thanks for your quoted input and please note for the purpose of future gramatical corrections (I passed a building SITE today ) and ( I have the boat in SIGHT) cheers Gavin

Republic of Ireland 10...........United Kingdom 3.

thewavehumper · 24 July 2003, 21:29

Two things .

I am closer to 65 than 35 and the Phantom Evo's cetainly give me a stiffy.

I also have ben a passengerb in Banana shark and it was wonderful. Very stable,very fastand I felt vey safe.

mm yummy

gavin · 24 July 2003, 21:35

When I saw your Camel Trophy off Wicklow Head it gave me a Stiffy who needs Vigra with tube contours like that Gavin

Pete7 · 24 July 2003, 22:16

JW, if you can afford £35k for one of those things plus £3k for the south coast mooring you won't be drinking tea, it will be either bread and water or champs.

And Fi, if i make it to 65 smoking a pipe then a little humber will do very nicely to go out pottering around the Solent.

Could you knit me a cardigan perhaps ?

Pete

Powerboat · 25 July 2003, 00:03

Hi folks,

Yes the Phantom that I drove six months ago here on a flat calm Lough Ree is a 60 to 65 Knot boat. It was owned by their agent at the time over here Marcus B ( If any one sees him tell him I said Hi!) Nice machine, foot throttle, bow tank with transom scoop , very low bucket seats etc.

Didn't drive it at sea but Phil Knowd who is a Powerboat Trainer and Chief Instructor at Lough Ree Power Boat school did .

I know Marcus planned on using it for a round Ireland record.

Having been round this Island a few times this was not the boat for the West Coast and definitely not at speed!

Thin tubes for the Med......or sheltered waters and chunky stuff, a high bow and a nice tall deep vee for West of Aran !

Best wishes,

Stuart

crazyhorse · 25 July 2003, 08:06

When I see one of these Cat C performance Ribs /Boats cruising the Irish sea off The Kish Bank in an easterly Wind over tide i may start to change my mind as to there ability to take a big sea.

Then maybe I will agree in the philosophy of the perfomance sports boating concept eg get there real quick before the whether changes.

I am sorry I just cant see them as safe offshore boats in the Irish Sea.

Its a complete no hopa IMHO.

Has anyone been out in a verysmall light boat in a big swell off the kish/Dublin,?

Why dont we see any when we are out offshore sailing ? I think we all now why ?. Yep they are fun, can be trailed ,go like stink,great for racing but Hay,they are not designd for cruising and arnt built for it .For cruising you want weight and space and loads of stability in the right places.

There is a big difference between a Delta and sports rib ,I knowwhch I prefer offshore.