Rescue/Instructing boat handling

Al.8862 · 01 June 2019, 00:38

Hi,
I'm a fairly new dinghy instructor and Powerboat driver, and I use Ribs and also rigiflexes on an inland lake.

Any tips on handling? I'm finding it quite hard!

Also, any tips on high speed operation of ribs? I struggle to make turns without the engine making a higher pitched noise (cavitation?)

Obsidian · 01 June 2019, 07:50

All of your questions and more would be answered if you do a PB2 course, it comes highly recommended.

Poly · 01 June 2019, 08:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obsidian

All of your questions and more would be answered if you do a PB2 course, it comes highly recommended.

If he’s an RYA dinghy instructor then he will already have done a PB2 course. Could be that was a long time ago, or that those bits were glossed over on the training.

If you’ve not already done it, then safety boat course would add useful skills and experience whilst also giving you time to polish basic boat handling. There is an argument for doing this away from your normal setting to gain exposure to different boats, instructors, habits and avoid simply replicating and bad practice that is common at your own club.

For tight turns, does the engine have power trim and tilt, if you trim down as you enter the turn it will helm avoid ventilation (cavitation is usually not the problem but often wrongly used to describe it). But if you are finding it hard slow down - rarely do you need to be going that fast as a DI.

Obsidian · 01 June 2019, 09:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

If he’s an RYA dinghy instructor then he will already have done a PB2 course

Very true, but if he is finding tight manoeuvres and turns at speed tricky then he either has not done PB2 or it was such a poorly run course that it was a waste of time.

Al.8862 · 01 June 2019, 09:25

I think the problem may be more the set up of the ribs, and I was really asking how to fix them! I can take tight turns in one of our craft very well, but the other ones seem just not to do it above 1/3 throttle!

The problem comes with teaching high performance craft - I can't seem to use our ribs in a very easy way - don't have the same issue when driving other craft!

Poly · 01 June 2019, 13:00

Well you’ll need to tell us more about the problem if you think it’s the boat not the helm. Like which boats, engines, are you managing well with and which are you struggling. And what do you mean by tight turns, what speed is 1/3 throttle. Power trim etc? Pictures would help. Video of problem turns more so.

Do all other instructors have the same issue? If not why not - are they making tight turns or planning further ahead.

However, most centres with DIs will have a PBI too - a good place to start with basic boat handling issues.

Al.8862 · 01 June 2019, 13:08

Aye, we're all having similar issues when it comes to teaching high performance craft. Essentially, we are unable to turn the RIBs at speed without ventilation, and this makes it very difficult to get in close to a high performance craft and teach. We usually keep trim all the way down.

The 40hp RibX ribs are fine, but it is our Humber ribs that we struggle with.

Obsidian · 01 June 2019, 14:09

Could the shaft of the engines on your Humbers is too short?

Al.8862 · 01 June 2019, 14:23

Possibly. It's not a safety critical issue, it's just making our job a lot harder!

Is there a way of lowering the engine without damaging the RIB?

Obsidian · 01 June 2019, 16:58

Before you change anything, you may like to see what the right setup is?

A quick Google threw this diagram up...

https://www.mywestshore.com/wp-conte...om-768x576.jpg

Tried to look up Humber transom dimensions but failed.

Poly · 01 June 2019, 17:04

There’s dozens of Humber length, width and hull combos before you even consider the engine.

Al.8862 · 01 June 2019, 17:17

Thanks very much - I'll have a look on Tuesday!

ed_dash · 03 June 2019, 04:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al.8862

Hi,
I'm a fairly new dinghy instructor and Powerboat driver, and I use Ribs and also rigiflexes on an inland lake.

Any tips on handling? I'm finding it quite hard!

Also, any tips on high speed operation of ribs? I struggle to make turns without the engine making a higher pitched noise (cavitation?)

We have Humber Assaults at our club and suffer a similar problem. The tubes stick out a long way (great to protect the engine), but when turning dig in an cause ventilation, only tight turns at planing speed.