RIB or Sportsboat ?

[Simon Guest]

It's been said that RIBs are more fun (than sportsboats), and kids love them. I agree. Why is that? Some reasons:

1. Low freeboard, i.e. you're close to the water. My kids love hanging over the side at low speed, trying to touch buoys, generally getting wet. With sportsboats the water is more remote, somewhere "down there", and you can't do this so easily.

2. Soft inflatable sides (!). You can't hurt yourself on them. Climbing/jumping into and out of the water is both easier and more fun. You can bounce.

3. Moderate waves can be enjoyed with confidence. Bobbing up and down is a lot of fun. It's less fun if you think your boat is at risk.

4. RIBs are generally lighter than sportsboats, easier to manhandle in the water, which may matter when you're trying to land on a beach. Kids like to land on beaches.

There must be more.

By the way, my kids are 2, 4, and 6 years old. I'm happy that they're safe enough. (You need to be sure they'll still be safe enough if conditions deteriorate.)

cheers,
Simon

[Garygee]

Hi folks

Have to agree with Charles, Simion etc about kids.
We also have had many boats and the kids have always been part of it from about 6 months to now when ones ten and the other 6, and they both love boating

We have also had yacths (to slow to get anywhere, kids get board), power boats (fast but you cant go far in case the weather turns bad) and now have out third RIB on order.

Like Alan and other say it depends on what you want.
We drew up a list of things to consider and put a score against each item for each boat type, and having kids saftey was very high on our list. We wanted to be sure if we do do a trip and the weather get bad we may not be comfortable but we would be safe, after all you are putting all your eggs in the one basket !!. But again we went for a RIB again.

Also whan looking at RIB's I am not sure thin tapered tubes are the way to go. At RIBEX we tried the Humber 6.5 with 120HP TDI, tapered tubes and got soaked, went out in the 7.0 Humber with raised bow, big tubes and never got a drop of water inboard.
Tapered tubes may look nice but if its gets rough i know which i would want to be in. Even if you wont sink the RIB, a facefull of seawater every wave may be fun at first but I dont think if would be fun for the hundreth time, especially for the kids.

For us its important that everyone is enjoying themselves, the kids need to like it and not just be there because the parent want to play. We think one of the best ways to put a kid of boating for life is scare them to death. What is fun for a adult may be really scare a kid. And this is the reason why we went for RIB's again and have a bigger RIB on order as we belive you can do far more in a RIB, be safe and not scare the kids to death.
Like people say crossing the channel may be be for everyone but if you do and it gets rough being in a sports boat would really scare me let alone the kids.

As far as cubbys go I like the idea it gives the kids (wife ) somewhere to go if they get cold and wet. Have a look at Ocean RIBS not sure what the RIB's are like but they do a nice inboard diesel with nice cubby for about £35k.

But after having tried them all, we are all, kids included hooked on RIB's.

Regards Gary

[Charles]

Hi Julian
This was my 6.5 Hysucat.
Seats 7. I was not enamoured with the bench seats, OK for in the bay, but hopeless for cruising.

[Charles]

.....and this was her bigger sister, the 8.5 Trident (Hysucat)
Comfortable seating for 9 people.

[DM]

Originally posted by Flanker
I used both during my commando training and have had the pleasure of travelling at excessive speeds on both in war situations .

I always knew it was rough in Bromley!!

What with dbillyboy throwing ribs out of aeroplanes, perhaps this site should be renamed Kennetts Private Army!! (Retd.)

David (pacifist) Manning.

[TIM]

IS that the 8.5 that jonny boys had for sale????

How did it compaire to the 6.5????

was there foils on it???

[Alan]

Originally posted by Garygee
now have out third RIB on order.

Ok Gary don't keep us in suspense, what have you orderered?
(Apols if I've missed this from somewhere else!)

Alan (W not P)

[Flanker]

This is what I like about this Forum, I'me getting the hang of it now!

Anyway as far as 'Baby's' go, as I said before it would be totally irresponsible to take them out on a RIB, if you do that especially with a baby seat then you whoever you are, as far as I am concerned commiting a criminal act. You never know what could happen and the baby could be lost in seconds. What right do you have to put a baby's life at risk for self satisfaction? Selfish foolish, immature, daft (well more than that) is all I could say. I guess these people are the ones who drive with baby's loose in a car, we have all seen them, and there will always be them, idiots.

Children a bit older, well that's another matter (I like the photo's of the smart kids by the way), with the correct environment and experience, why not.

As far as my baby is concerned, I am responsible and I make the choice, correctly I hope.

I won't go on too much as it seems that some people on here haven't got an attention span longer than a couple of lines.

As far as the photo of the tiny children on the RIB, I think you know my feelings. And as for you Batfalcon, shame on you if you endorse that, I think I know what category I'm going to place you in!. What do others think, kids aged about 18mths with no life jackets lying on the tubes of a RIB? Get real.

Pete

[Mike Garside]

Originally posted by Charles
What a load of TOSH! My 3 kids were brought up on ribs, my youngest was 3 months old when she started ribbing!

Have to agree with you Charles. I was at the recent start of the Around Alone singel-handed-round-the-world yacht race from Brixham with Magellan Alpha. On board was Meghean, wife of one the competitors, Brad Van Liew, and with her was her 6-month old baby Tate Magellan Van L. It was pretty bouncy but the baby loved it....

[dgpw]

A rib is the boat i would chose for bad weather. U don't want to be in a cabin no way. Pluss a rib is a far more versitile boat

[Charles]

Mmmmm, pretty lady Mike.

[Charles]

Originally posted by TIM
IS that the 8.5 that jonny boys had for sale????

How did it compaire to the 6.5????

was there foils on it???

We tested the proto-type extensively with Malan in Cape Town, sans foils. She went superbly. Two were ordered, the first being ours and the second one went to Jan Falkowski. We took delivery of the rib 4 months later and found that she was an incredibly wet and hard ride. The reason for this was the fact that the two s/s under-deck fuel tanks were placed just forward of the console and amidship. This produced a very flat ride defeating the object of the tunnels. If you drove the boat into a very stiff head-wind, air would get under the tunnels and 'lift' her up, resulting in a sensational ride - up to 65mph - very quick! We were very disappointed as all we really wanted was a larger Hysucat, with the same sort of performance. I met John Kennet at Ribex and gave him the wheel, we were blasting around Southampton waters and I think he was impressed. I'm afraid it just did not work out. I guess that is the price you pay for trying out new things.

ps. I cannot bring myself to comment on Mr Flankers postings as he clearly has a major problem and I might find myself insulting him. In fact Mr Flanker, if you continue insulting people (calling them idiots etc) why don't you find yourself another forum where like-minded people like yourself can insult each other to their hearts content.

[Jizm]

Originally posted by Flanker
Anyway as far as 'Baby's' go, as I said before it would be totally irresponsible to take them out on a RIB, if you do that especially with a baby seat then you whoever you are, as far as I am concerned commiting a criminal act. You never know what could happen and the baby could be lost in seconds. What right do you have to put a baby's life at risk for self satisfaction? Selfish foolish, immature, daft (well more than that) is all I could say. I guess these people are the ones who drive with baby's loose in a car, we have all seen them, and there will always be them, idiots.

Can't agree with that flanker. You have a point about babies in ribs but I would rather take my one year old ( all suited and booted) on a 16' rib than a 16' speedboat. Much more stable and safer sat on a jockey seat holding on than being left to be beaten up on a bench seat next to rock hard fibreglass gunwhales don't you think? It's not as if I (personally) would dream of going round the IoW in a force 8 but surely no harm done so long as common sense prevails? My littlun can't get enough, she was sat playing in the boat earlier in the garden, she has only just reluctantly come inside!

[John Kennett]

Originally posted by Flanker
Anyway as far as 'Baby's' go, as I said before it would be totally irresponsible to take them out on a RIB, if you do that especially with a baby seat then you whoever you are, as far as I am concerned commiting a criminal act.

Why single out RIBs? What, in your opinion, makes them less suitable than any other type of boat? Or are you generally against babies in boats?

I won't go on too much as it seems that some people on here haven't got an attention span longer than a couple of lines.

Pete, you are quite possibly the most arrogant person on RIBnet -- and that is really saying something in this company

As far as the photo of the tiny children on the RIB, I think you know my feelings. And as for you Batfalcon, shame on you if you endorse that, I think I know what category I'm going to place you in!. What do others think, kids aged about 18mths with no life jackets lying on the tubes of a RIB? Get real.

Depends on the circumstances. What are your views about children paddling or swimming in the sea without life jackets? The RIB is clearly somewhere very sheltered, and I suspect probably anchored in very shallow water. If this is the case, why should it be a problem?

My son's first RIB ride was aged five months. Does that statement give you enough information to declare me an irresponsible parent? To coin a phrase -- "get real"!

John

[Richard B]

Originally posted by cliveg
Without wishing to cause a stir...

No chance of that!

Originally posted by cliveg
I suspect I am on dodgy ground here...

I bet you didn't think it would be THIS dodgy

[Garygee]

While I am happy for Pete to have his say, this is a open forum, I take offense to you your comments about people taking babies and young children in boats.

I take saftey VERY serious and would never put my children in danger. In fact I would bet that people with young childern in boats are far more concerned about saftey then most

Comments like

I guess these people are the ones who drive with baby's loose in a car, we have all seen them, and there will always be them, idiots.

are offensive and I belive not applicable to the majority of people with RIB;s and famalies. I would be interested to hear you reasoning behind this comment

anyway

I won't go on too much as it seems that some people on here haven't got an attention span longer than a couple of lines.



Gary

[wavelength]

attention span longer than a couple of lines - but also selective in reading matter and choosing to avoid pretentious ****! My kids went to sea in fast fishing boats, yachts, ribs etc from very early ages - Nikki was a baby. Went on to sail for the GB youth squad, windsurfing instructor,powerboat instructor, adv powerboat ticket and full crew member of both the local RNLI Tyne class lifeboat and inshore lifeboat at 18. In fact have just listened to her on the radio passing the crew list and weather to the coastguard (and boy is it blowing) as they are on night excercise. So if you're up here and a 47ft lifeboat passes you with a leggy blonde at the helm its cos she was never left out of our boating activities and long may that continue!
Dave (incredibly proud-does it show ??)M

[Flanker]

OK I had a bad day!

Anyway I am NOT just picking on RIBS, I love them or I wouldn't spend time here. What I am trying to say is that I would never take a 'baby' out in anything other than perfect weather in any boat. The chance of losing someone overboard in a RIB i.e. a baby, is greater in my opinion than in a boat with sides to it. What do you do with the baby if there is a fire or other emergency on a RIB? At least you have some chance with a Cuddy or boats with sides. I can't understand why peole want to take babies on boats that are made for extreme conditions, everyone agrees that these boats are for this. I chose a boat with sides so that the all the family could use it in good weather. Why have a RIB to use in all types of weather with a baby? It is obvious that when the weather is rough, someone will be left 'holding the baby' on the shore (hopefuly). I needed a family boat, a RIB would have been a selfish choice in my circumstances at this time. My time will come for a RIB, but the family comes first for me.

I still stand by my view that pictures of young children playing unsupervised on a boat without any life jacket is sickening.

Pete

[Garygee]

I can't understand why peole want to take babies on boats that are made for extreme conditions, everyone agrees that these boats are for this.

Just beacuse they can handle extreme conditions does not mean you have to use them in those conditions.

My RIB handles fine when it is flat calm

Also

What do you do with the baby if there is a fire or other emergency on a RIB? At least you have some chance with a Cuddy or boats with sides.

Have you seen fiberglass burn ?.

As we say people with kids take saftey very serious, we would be in the liferaft we carry with the EPIRB going off etc, where would you be ?.

Regards Gary

[batfalcon]

Originally posted by Flanker
And as for you Batfalcon, shame on you if you endorse that, I think I know what category I'm going to place you in!. What do others think, kids aged about 18mths with no life jackets lying on the tubes of a RIB? Get real.
[/B]

You are a free man to place me in whatever category you like. But as I know and everybody else (but you), can see, those kids are on a anchored boat on a dead flat sea. It's obvious because nobody else is on the boat.
Besides that's why I posted the second photo. To show how the kids can use a rib and have fun at the same time.
Now if your kids ware life jackets when they go swimming, then they NEVER learn how to swim.
My kids did swim on their own without ANY support, before their first birthday and THAT'S what one of them is doing there. Preparing for a dive