Rib hire / experience / instruction - Devon, Cornwall

[rkk01]

Mrs rkk01 has suggested hiring a mid-sized rib for a few hours, before commiting to buying...

Seems sensible, but like many folks who have grown up with boats, I’ve never done any formal training / quals (If we bought we’d do an RYA course...). So lack of RYA ticket likely to be a little limiting :-(

Are there any options for half day / few hours hire or accompanied intro course? South coast of Cornwall or S Devon would be perfect ;-)

The big “rib experience” thrill type rides aren’t going to help - want to get a feel for how the rest of the family would find a 5-5.5m rib in normal conditions

Thanks!

[Iron Dials]

Hi rkk01,
Could I suggest a slightly different approach to this?

Why not go to a training centre and do your training first? Find a centre with boats similar to what you think you want to buy.

This gives you both time on the water, you’re paying more than bareboat hire but you go home with the benefit of the training and a qualification.

You may also find it difficult to hire a boat without talking he necessary piece of paper.

[rkk01]

Originally Posted by Iron Dials

Hi rkk01,
Could I suggest a slightly different approach to this?

Why not go to a training centre and do your training first? Find a centre with boats similar to what you think you want to buy.

This gives you both time on the water, you’re paying more than bareboat hire but you go home with the benefit of the training and a qualification.

You may also find it difficult to hire a boat without talking he necessary piece of paper.

Yes - I anticipate not having the “necessary piece of paper” as a major hurdle :-(
Hence posting on here...

There is a local RYA L2 provider, but time and cost are significant if we decide not to get a rib. If we do get a rib, then the L2 course is a no-brainer :-)

We can get “time on the water” any time our existing boat is afloat - it’s more about trying to gauge whether adding a rib is worth the cost (pretty sure it is!!! but to mrs rkk01, a boat is a boat etc)

I’ll contact the RYA trainer anyway

[Poly]

Originally Posted by rkk01

There is a local RYA L2 provider, but time and cost are significant if we decide not to get a rib. If we do get a rib, then the L2 course is a no-brainer :-)

if you can’t justify one weekend and about £500 (for two people doing a pb2) I’m not sure you are going to get the most out of rib ownership.

Even if you can find someone who will rent you a rib equivalent in size to what you are considering it will cost you at least 1/2 the pb2 course with no actual learning or paperwork for it.

If it really is dip your toe in gently there is a PB1 course which is only 1 day long. So presumably about 1/2 the cost - although far fewer centres offer it as PB2 is more useful and so better value.

[BigE]

Where are you? You say Devon and Cornwall. If you were nearer me, I'd quite happily let you borrow my RIB for a while to have a play with if I thought you were safe enough (or I'd just go with you)

Why not join a local RIB group (Facebook etc) and ask if somebody will take you out for a while so you can experience what it's really like? you will pay the petrol and they would do to a good turn.

[Tim M]

Plenty of charter operators out there that will let you drive a decent sized boat under the supervision of a qualified commercial skipper. If you google "RIB charter solent" you'll find loads of options.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Tim M

Plenty of charter operators out there that will let you drive a decent sized boat under the supervision of a qualified commercial skipper. If you google "RIB charter solent" you'll find loads of options.

Not many with the "5-5.5m rib" mentioned in the OP.

[HDAV]

Agree re time and cost of a PB2 2 days and £500 vs a £10k+ investment....

Could be a very costly mistake indeed.... boat show would be a good firstport of call may well be some demo rides available or chance to arrange one on a suitable craft.

What is the current boat that means having PB2 is of no future value?

Not sure how much PB2 is a requirement vs a weed out the nutters tool after all it is a legal requirement or insurance requirement for most leisure purposes

Most training centre will do bespoke tuition ie unrecognised so if you just want a couple of hours on a boat book an instructor and say “I want a couple of hours boat handling please” just let them know if you want to spend all your time berthing and manoeuvring at dead slow

[Pecheur Anglais]

Agreeing with others here, that if the training is too costly, maybe owning a RIB isn't the best thing for you. Buying, equiping, insuring, maintaining, etc. makes the training look cheap. Also, consider the risk of going to sea and not really knowing what you are doing. Sadly, shit happens and c£500 to get some competency could be a life saving investment.

I did my level 2 PB with Rob at the RYA training school in Falmouth (between Trago Mills and the Sea Life Centre) He is a good trainer and I found the course well worth it, didn't realise what I didn't know!

Furthermore, once Rob has qualified you he will rent you his RIB, I can't remember the details but it was 5.5m/6m.

Another benefit of getting your PB2 is that you can rent abroad when on your hols. In France, the most you can rent without it is a 5hp potter along thing.

[rkk01]

Hi All – thanks for the thoughts and advice.

I think I must have composed my initial post in haste, and not really conveyed the correct meaning…

The idea of getting a rib appeals, but mrs rkk01 isn’t sure how the experience would compare to other boats that she is familiar with, and would like to have a quick try before we start to commit time / money. mrs rkk01 is NOT going to spend a weekend on a training course just to see if she likes / dislikes / feels sick on a rib…! My post was really to find out if there were any easily accessible “have a go” opportunities to find out whether it was worth looking at this type of boat.

Of course, a PB2 course is a no-brainer if we were to go down the route of getting a rib or Boston whaler type boat. I don’t and wouldn’t advocate anyone going out in a boat without suitable training and / or experience. I don’t have experience of this type of boat and know that I would need appropriate training.

In terms of training vs experience, I can see the value (and limitations) of both. The community I come from probably doesn’t engage with much formal training and boats tend to change hands for nothing (passed down) or nominal sums in the £100s - so £500 courses and £10(s)k boats are not the norm. My own training came first hand from 2 generations of Cornish boatmen, with a bit of sailing input from an RYA 3 multihull course and Dart 18 sailing in the early 90s

Of course, the sea doesn’t respect any of this ^^ and will catch both the prepared and the unprepared – normally when you least expect it

[HDAV]

What is Mrs rkk01 familiar with (boat wise)

RIBs are normally chosen for their sea keeping ability and rough water handling, better options for floating about on a sunny calm day with a cool drink and a book.

Training is no substitute for experience but it will get you out on the water quicker and hopefully safer.

I’m sure if you were to offer to cover some fuel there are plenty of people who would take you and Mrs rkk01 out for a trip on their boat.

But if you have limited time and opportunity you may struggle without forking out for a boat and a charter http://www.cornishcruising.com/ribcharter £175 for an hour exc fuel in a 6m RIB

Are there any marina or dealer open days locally? Sometimes you need to see what’s possible, to decide what’s necessary