Ribcraft or Humber Diesel Rib?

Colin F · 01 November 2003, 22:03

Hello all,

I'm nearly ready to buy my new rib, I'm pretty sold already on the Ribcraft 6.5m with a 1.7tdi. Does anyone out there have any experience of the 6.5m as one person (a salesman - but not from humber!) has told me that this is not one of Ribcrafts best hulls. I have visited the factory and the finish looked good and Mark was very helpful. I have read only good reports about the 585 and have been told the hulls are very similar, it is just that the comment about the 6.5 got me a bit twitchy. The price difference between the 2 was negligable, but from what I've seen, the Ribcraft looked better for the money.

Thanks to everyone who has helped on previous questions, I'm always one for checking out what I cna before spending hard earned cash! The people on here are all a good bunch who I look forward to cruising with in the summer to come.

Cheers

Colin

Richard B · 01 November 2003, 22:58

Mmmm - send Mike C a pm as he's had a Ribcraft 5.85 and a Humber 6.3 - I know he prefers the Humber by far. But that's not exactly comparing like for like. The Ribcraft 6.5 is new this year, isn't it? So maybe only a few hulls delivered so far...

Colin F · 01 November 2003, 23:39

cheers richard - I've spoken to mike C a few times, he advised me to go for ribcraft if the price is similar as the finish is better. The ribcraft was likely to be dearer at the time mike bought his and they hadn't really got production of the inboard diesel 6.5 going at that time. My other steering towards ribcraft is that they will do me a full width engine box, which I will use as a rear seat for they nice calm days we get here, whereas humber weren't interested in sorting anything out for this, just extra seats to clutter the boat up.

If the 6.5 is like all others - I imagine there will be no problems with ride or handling, they have a good reputation as far as I have heard any wouldn't risk putting out an untested 'bad' hull.

Who knows

Mike C · 01 November 2003, 23:54

For the record, I don't know much about the new 6.5 hull. The old 6.5 was, as far as I am aware, just an extended 5.85 but I think Ribcraft were designing a different hull for the 1.7 tdi. I think its a bit lighter weight, but how it handles, I have no idea.
My Humber 6.3 hull is MUCH softer than my old 5.85 but it is a longer hull and I don't have the back weighted down by two engines.... so who knows.

As far as which one you should go for Colin, I suggested the Ribcraft if you could get it for a similar price, partly because of the edge on finish but mainly because from where you live, Yeovil is a lot nearer than Hull!

Difficult business this boat buying! All I can suggest is get as many rides in each as you can before you buy but in the end, there will be things you prefer about one and things you prefer about the other. You can't win!

Mike C

Colin F · 02 November 2003, 00:23

thanks mike - i think your point about the distance to either builder is right, as is the finish. I am in the proccess of arranging a demo in a ribcraft. I'm sure either will be better than my current boat as 1 - it is a lot bigger, 2 - it is a deep V, rather than a med v. In relative terms both will be a big step in the right direction and I'm sure there will be + and - about both makes. The experience of people with similar boats is massively helpful.

Roll on summer!!