RIB or Sportsboat ?

cliveg · 21 October 2002, 19:59

Without wishing to cause a stir, following my visit to the boatshow I came away very confused.
I was all set on buying a RIB then I saw a very nice Sports cuddy!
Very appealing I thought - the kids would be able to shelter in bad weather, the wife could stop her hair getting all messed up and loadsa storage for the tins of beer!
Why get a Rib I thought?
So chaps what do you reckon anyone got any comments(keep them clean as I suspect I am on dodgy ground here)
Has anyone regretted buying a RIB and thought something like a Sports Boat was more appropriate.

Cheers

Clive

PS I apologise if this causes offence to readers

Keith Hart · 21 October 2002, 20:03

HI

I'm going to sell my SIB and buy an Orkney boat with a cuddy.

Keith (just joking ) Hart

RubberJonny · 21 October 2002, 20:24

Keith you could keep the SIB as a tender

DM · 21 October 2002, 20:43

Hourses for corses. ( why does the u keep doing that) Increase your earnings to 100.000k and buy a copy of Sportsboat and RIB. Alternatively, give flanker a ring. He's been down this road

Richard B · 21 October 2002, 21:12

Quote:

Originally posted by cliveg
shelter in bad weather

My sailing experience taught me that the last place you want to be when under way is down in the cabin - especially in bad weather. It's like being in a tumble drier. And I had the opportunity last weekend to grill Mike Deacon about his Round Britain record run - they slept (or sort of snoozed!) on deck, not in the cabin on Hot LemonIV. I've been looking at, and using, different types of boats for over three years, and I've come to the conclusion that it's got to be either cruising yachts or RIBs. And because yachts take weeks and weeks of commitment, RIBs win. Have a look in the gallery for the photos of some of the BIBOA cruises, and you'll see how many families go cross-channel on their RIBs. You couldn't put your kids on a safer boat.

HTH,
Rich.

Alan Priddy · 21 October 2002, 21:12

OK, heres an honest answer. Having been boating all my life and had the pleasure of owning or using most types of boat from canoes to big sailing boats, I have never had so much fun as I have since I first got into Ribbing in 1998. The Rib concept has allowed me to go to places and met people that normaly I would never have dreamed of. The type of person that owns a Rib are amoung the best I have ever meet and this forum proves that. BUT a rib is not all it is cracked up to be. Pound for pound a sportsboat is better value for money. For a reasonable price you can get a toilet somewhere to sleep and in general still have a good time out on the water which is the main thing. The type of boat you buy has to be relitive to the type of boating you want to do. Not everyone wants to cross oceans or be beat to death whilst running up or down the Solent. The one thing to always keep in mind is that a Rib can be a dangerous boat in the wrong hands, and is only as safe as the driver. The same goes for a sportsboat. Personaly I wouldnt mind a little sports boat down in the Med, pottering from one harbour to the other on a nice sunny day. Hope this has been of some use

Alan P

DM · 21 October 2002, 21:52

Quote:

Originally posted by Alan Priddy

I have never had so much fun as I have since I first got into Ribbing in 1998.

Fairly new to ribbing then eh!

Alan Priddy · 21 October 2002, 22:44

Should be 1988!!! Time flys when you have been having fun

Alan P

Flanker · 21 October 2002, 23:19

Clive,

I have been down that route in the last month, I am fully aware of the capabilities of real RIB's and Rigid Raiders (they don't have tubes) I used both during my commando training and have had the pleasure of travelling at excessive speeds on both in war situations . There is no way on this earth that I would take a baby such as ours on a RIB, I don't care what anyone else says, it is more than foolish (My daughter is 1yr old).

I was confused when I was looking for a RIB for my son for his 16th birthday, I found a 6.5mtr with a 90hp on which I thought I had bought, I won't say any more about that as it has been well and truly done to death on this forum, anyway I didn't get it. I have no experience in these low powered ones and was concerned that the engine would not be powerful enough, advice on here seemed to indicate it would be at it's limit. My son drives 14mtr twin 240hp RIB's in his holidays, and to be honest I think he would have been bored in the 6.5mtr, but I would have enjoyed it!

My wife was concerned that when my son was away at boarding school we would not then use the boat, that would have been a waste of £12.5k, so we researched the Bowrider route, but that was plain daft for the use we wanted in this country, and moved to the Cuddy route to replace this. We are going to get ourselves a decent large cruiser next year, so set a budget for this one for him (and us to use whilst he is away) at £26k. We had a good look around, looking at Larsons and other similar boats, we then decided on the Glastron GS209. We ugraded the engine from the 3ltr to the Volvo Penta 4.3ltr, with a top speed of 50mph It has a proven hull, and does the job we want it to do, it has a porta potti and the cooker fridge (cool box) and sink package. If you PM me I can tell you more.

My son is very happy with it, he can stay the odd night on it with friends. Another thing we had to research was a Marina, I could not be bothered with towing the thing around for my son every weekend, and stripping the breaks on the trailer whilst he was out burning my fuel with his friends. I also had to take into account the odd time my wife and I would use it and the baby aspect. Ocean village was too busy & too far, Brighton was handy for the train but straight out into the sea then left or right, so we opted for Chatham, at £1,300 a year it is £600 cheaper than Ocean village. We have the choice of the Medway river, the Thames or out to Sea. It is only 40 minutes from us in Bromley, Southampton was just that bit too far, but could be OK for our bigger one that we could all sleep in comfortably.

The cooker package makes all the difference from what I have been told. If you want a Glastron GS209 that has only been in fresh water, dry stored & 3yrs old, let me know, it has the cooker package and the 4,3ltr engine. We opted for a new one as it is a present, but some may prefer to save £8k and go for that one, it is owned by someone who has looked after it very well.

The cuddy is ideal for kids, they can get out of the cold, play safely in the cuddy, no real escape unless they climb out the top hatch. It is ideal for picnics and barbeques on the beach and a bit of swimming, as mentioned earlier I don't think you would want to be blasting about with kids in the cuddy, but most sensible people wouldn't do that anyway. A cuddy is a family boat, but capable of some fun, it can be used to chill out and relax on, it is not a RIB or pretends to be a RIB,which is more of a work boat as you know, and built for a totally different market. You can easily sleep 2 adults and a child on the cuddy. I still want a RIB and will get one sometime, I just have to keep her indoors happy at the moment, but I can see now in the cold light of day, and after all the selfish hunting for a RIB with my son, that she was clearly right in her choice.

I have bought a snipe twin axled trailer as well, so can still have it lifted out of Chatham and head of to the South Coast or Scotland if I want to. We have bought the boat for him but had it stored until we launch it next year Feb / Mar.

Hope this helps, any other questions, I am sure I will have been through them and am willing to share my research with you.

I guess one of each is the easiest route! if you have the money.

Pete

Keith Hart · 22 October 2002, 07:00

Hi

This is my SERIOUS contribution.

As David said 'Horses for Courses'. I think you need to decide on the following:

1. What EXACTLY do you want to do with the boat
2. How often you will use it
3. Where will you keep it (marina or on your drive)
4. Where you will use it (one launch site or many different places)

Having thought those out then what type of boat you need will become clearer. Of course ask anyone on this forum and they are (naturaly) biased towards RIBs (or SIBs). Apart from Alan P that is, I should think that after all he has been through he won't want to set foot on another RIB for a while (RIB overdose).

In my case a SIB is perfect for what I need NOW. When I move permanently to Scotland...well that's another matter.

Best of luck.

Keith (sensible for a change) Hart

batfalcon · 22 October 2002, 08:25

Having an experience of 25 years with sibs, ribs, sialing yachts and day cruises, AND trying to keep the message short, I agree with both Alan P and Keith Hart. Put yourself in the captain's position and imagine WHAT, WHERE and how OFTEN you are going to use your boat. Compare the 2 options and find out which you like best.

timw · 22 October 2002, 09:02

As it happens, I'm currently selling my sports boat - a Searay 240 Sundancer in order to buy a RIB which I'm researching at the moment.
Although the Searay was an excellent boat, I just felt it more suitable for Med type waters. Anything above a small chop (regular in the Solent) it banged away making life very uncomfortable.
I've been told RIBS are far more suited to a chop when you can actually have fun, and also they can be beached quite easily - or so I'm told.
If I find there's not much difference after I've tried our a few RIBs -I shall keep the Searay and never come to this forum again.

Alan · 22 October 2002, 09:21

Much good advice here, even from Flanker

(joke Pete, jeez wouldn't want to get the wrong side of your commando training!).
A sportsboat offers better value for money (economies of scale of manufacturing provide this), a degree of accomodation, weather protection and usually some lovely fake wood on the dash panel.
If you want to go boating on a calm day and these things are important to you then go for the sportsboat.

A RIB can do all the calm boating stuff. It doesn't have so much protection from the elements (unless you have a cabin ala Magellan Alpha) although a large console can give a surprising amount of protection. What it does give you is a very stable, very safe platform for boating. (You are after all at sea in a lifeboat or a version of one.) It will also give you a much much softer ride and much much more confidence in any kind of sea. This shouldn't be underestimated as a benefit. You may not choose to go out into rough weather (unlike some Ribsters) but if you get caught out in fairly moderate conditions you have the confidence in your boat that you and your family/friends are gonna be OK. It would be very easy to scare yourself silly on a sportsboat in conditions that would be mildy exhillarating in a RIB!

The other beauty of a RIB is that if the will takes you as your experience expands you can do so much more. Witness the things that the posters here do, often in very small boats!

HTH,
Alan

Charles · 22 October 2002, 09:30

Quote:

Originally posted by Flanker

There is no way on this earth that I would take a baby such as ours on a RIB, I don't care what anyone else says, it is more than foolish (My daughter is 1yr old).

Pete

What a load of TOSH! My 3 kids were brought up on ribs, my youngest was 3 months old when she started ribbing! It all boils down to raising kids in general. Some parents believe that the family requires adapting to the child/baby. We believe that the baby must fit into OUR lifestyle, obviously safety is paramount, always. Alan and Keith are correct, the criteria here is the application - what do you intend to do with the boat?

The waters around here, and indeed all around the UK are notorious for overfalls and a smooth sea can change very rapidly into river-rafting conditions. I know without a shadow of a doubt that if I had been in any other plastic type bow-rider boat I would have simply sunk at times. This is not through inexperience or being daft. If you want to go boating in a lake or in a quiet bay, a rib is possibly not the first choice, but the desire to venture further afield will come, a Glastron, Maxum and all those types of boats are simply not suitable.

Some of my friends think I have gone mad, going from a 34 ft Fairline Targa (with all the luxury you can wish for) back to a rib. The simple answer is and always will be safety. I simply did not feel as safe as on a rib going through the Swinge or the Alderney race in a plastic boat! I am on my sixth rib and am passionate about these boats, from an enjoyment, safety and practical point of view!

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you safe boating - as the first paragraph on this web-site says, 'get a rib, you know it makes sense!'

Alan · 22 October 2002, 09:49

I have some friends who used to go Ribbing last year with the baby seat securely wedged between the jockey seats and said baby buckled in place. BUT they obviously were very careful about what conditions and how long a trip they went on. (Which you'd be in whatever boat you have.)

batfalcon · 22 October 2002, 11:14

A picture worths 1000 words right ?

batfalcon · 22 October 2002, 11:16

this can convience you

Charles · 22 October 2002, 11:32

A man after my own heart Michael

A RIB toilet for kids........

Charles · 22 October 2002, 11:41

Kids love Ribs...its a damn sight more fun than other boats. I have had friend's children asking me to go on my rib as opposed to their parents Bayliners, Sealine's etc.

Julian · 22 October 2002, 12:13

Hi Charles

Was that your 8.5mtr Hysucat. Looks good. How many seats are there, seems to be a few. All kids love Ribs. They are much more fun than conventional powerboats. We used to have a Dory which was a boring boat.

Julian