Second hand 585 or New 4.8 Ribcraft ???

Big A · 27 August 2003, 10:18

Help !!

I can't decide whether to buy a 5 year old 585 with 100hp 4 stroke Yamaha now, or go for a brand new 4.8 with 60hp 4 stroke
in the spring.

Price wise both about the same.

I'm unsure/concerned about antifouling on used boat, & have posted a couple of threads without a great deal of response ! - come on chaps/lasses give a newbie some help here !!

Boat will mainly be used with 1-3 people for coastal/estuary use initially, but I would be interested in cruising at a later stage once I become more confident.

Which way should I go ?????

-<=[Tw18]=>- · 27 August 2003, 10:31

The age'd old decision.

At the end of the day it is your choice. But I can say the difference between a 4.8 and a 5.85 is terms of shear size is a lot on it's own. Add to that the fact that with a 5.85 extended cruises are not out of the question, where with a 4.8 you might consider it but I wouldn't recommend it.

Then again, trailering etc. A 4.8 could be towed by anything. Where a 5.85 as long as you have a reasonable slip 'anything' loosely used as a towing veichle will be 'ok'.

Fuel costs between the two, I would guess are marginal. But performance wise there we be a big difference.

Add to this the fact that it is a buyers market out there and there are some real bargins to be had. Then in hindesight, a new boat is a new boat. So you have a dealers warranty on the hull and machinery as well as electronics.

But I'd guess you can get a lot more than a 5yr old 5.85 for the same price as a new 4.8. That would be around £10k yes?

And i'm no expert, just my views and thoughts

Lee

Richard B · 27 August 2003, 10:52

Waiting longer and then getting a smaller RIB doesn't seem to make sense. I waited, saved up more, and then got the biggest I could afford.

The anti-foul issue is a separate question. Do you want an anti-fouled RIB? Will you keep the boat in the water for extended periods? If so, then sounds like the RIB for you. If not, then...??

Pete7 · 27 August 2003, 11:14

Big A, there is a huge difference between the two boats and I concur with TW18 comments. Assuming the 5.85 is is good condition that would be my choice. The Yamaha 100 on a 5.85 sounds a good combination, take her for a spin.

More ribs are now being kept in Marina's so they have to be antifouled. Just have a walk around Lymington. Whilst it could be hiding something nasty, its more likely to be just because it was kept on a mooring. Both my ribs were bought antifouled. There might be a slight loss in performance over an unpainted hull but it will be difficult to quantify. Certainly adding several people to the crew will have a greater effect on the top speed.

Since antifouling is only going to last a year you could scrape strategic bits off to check the hull, then repaint the antifouling next spring using VC Offshore or similar which will stand up to 6 months out of the water and doesn't mark using a roller trailer.

If you are still concerned how about a hull survey ? shouldn't be that much for a 5.85 rib against a £10k investment.

Pete

Big A · 27 August 2003, 11:30

Thanks Guys,

The 585 is kept in the water June - August I am told - hence the antifouling (International Interspeed).

I would keep the boat on a trailer & tow.

Price is around £11,000, & I am trialing & viewing in/out of water on Friday.

I'm trying to find someone who can do a hull survey for me near Salcombe - Any suggestions ?

Obviously the 585 should be the better boat, but it will be my 1'st boat, & I am no expert on buying 2nd hand !

Keep the advice coming please.

Pete7 · 27 August 2003, 11:42

End of the season always a good time to buy and make offers

Pete

Richard B · 27 August 2003, 11:46

Hi Big A,

If you have probs locating a surveyor, I'll look up the number of a marine engineer we used to use in that area - he'll probably be able to give a down-to-earth opinion of whether it's serviceable or not.

I'm not convinced that marine surveyors, even with all the letters after their names, do much more than apply "basic common sense" when looking at a hull. I would imagine that you'd get a report stating something like "gel coat below waterline not examined due to anti-fouling" and "be aware that anti-fouling has been applied to the underside of tubes". Bit like house surveyors! ("floor not inspected due to furniure in way").

Big A · 27 August 2003, 11:50

Pete7,

Would you consider £11,000 to be a fair price for a 5 year old 585 with a 2002 Yamaha 100hp 4 stroke ?

It struck me as a reasonable price - I guess it depends on the condition when I view it !

I can get the details on engine servicing etc, but anything in particular I should look for on the boat & trailer apart from the obvious cracks or tubes coming apart ?

Thanks in advance.

Big A · 27 August 2003, 12:00

Richard B

Many thanks that would be a big help.

I agree these people always cover their ar**s - maybe they should have them antifouled !!

Advice now coming in faster than I can type replies !!!

Thanks everyone.

Arek Pawelek · 27 August 2003, 12:33

You have to check, if on the secondhand boat you have additional equipmnet, and if yes, what is it and in what condition. As about new boat - check what is coming with. And you have to decide, what you will need at the end...

Bilge Rat · 27 August 2003, 12:35

Hi Big A

Being a newbee to ribbing too i completely understand your dilema now, 11k of anyones money is a lot to part with, one other thing i considered when i went looking at boats is whats included in the sale, ie GPS, VHF, achor, wharps, nav lights, trailer spares, wheel lock, arials, A frame etc, if you buy new your gona have to look towards kitting the boat out yourself and although this can be an exciting adventure the true costs of fitting out a boat for sea are very high as i've found out, i paid only 1.8k for my 4.7 searider and have fitted it out completely and renervated a lot of the boat and i think i've now spent about 4.5k on the entire project, all the bits you dont think about do eventually add up, ok the boats exactly as i want it with the kit i want on board, the A frame was made to measure and the entire boat in a ready to go state fits into my standard size garage very well.

I know Ribcraft make very good boats, the 4.8 and the 5.85 are two very different beasts and i'd love to own a 5.85 myself and aspire to one day move up to this size of boat, you can still tow a 5.85 behind a 2 litre car fairly easy and if you pick your launch slips well should not have much problems with launching, as everyone else here has said the antifoul does not seem to be a problem and i'd think there was not that much wrong with a 5 year old Ribcraft unless its been seriously abused and that would show in other places, new boats are nice but they are not the be all and end all of boating.

Good luck

Richard

Dave Clarkson · 27 August 2003, 13:19

No question - secondhand and 5.85.

Secondhand - Let someone else pay the first year or two of depreciation.

5.85 - Great boat, I've got one. Everthing the guys above said is true. We're crossing to Herm on Friday, 90 miles-ish (weather permitting). I wouldn't even attempt that in a 4.8m.

Regards,
Dave

Big A · 27 August 2003, 13:34

Clarky

Did you buy yours new or used then ?

Martin Stacey offered to come & view with me, but he is off to Herm with the rest of you !

If I buy this 585, I'll have to go back to collect in a week or two, so will post a new thread, & could perhaps arrange an outing early September (If the RIB prevention officer agrees !!!) if anyone is around.

Have a good trip to Herm all of you.

Richard B · 27 August 2003, 13:39

Had a word with my mechanic friend...

He doesn't want to do a survey, as not "up his street" really, but recommends speaking to Steve or Richard at Reddish Marine in Salcombe: http://www.reddish-marine.co.uk/

Hope this helps!

Aging Youth · 27 August 2003, 13:57

Hi Big A

If you look up Ribald on here he owns a 4.8 Ribcraft.

Send him a pm I am sure he would give you a run out on his boat to compare the two boats.

I went down the secoundhand route because,
1. Not sure if I would keep my first boat for very long once gained a bit of experience.

2. Additional kit that came with it ( I recon I have saved over a grand on kit).

3. Resale value when I upgrade.

4. My own budget at the time.

5. Try not to buy with your heart (it is difficult) & use your own judgement.

For all the advice that is available as long as you are happy with your decision.

Good Luck

Big A · 27 August 2003, 13:58

Thanks Richard, I will give them a call.

Simon Guest · 01 September 2003, 13:31

Hi Big A,

I have a Ribcraft 4.8, bought from new, and am very pleased with it. The question you have to answer is what are you going to do with it. For cruising, you definitely want the bigger boat.

Mainly I use mine with my small children around Christchurch Bay and the Isle of Wight, landing on beaches on so on. For this, there is some advantage in a smaller boat, since it's quite a bit lighter (check the specs), and man-handlable in the water. My kids wouldn't have the stamina anyway for longer trips, so for what I do, the smaller boat is fine.

I did accompany Jolly Sailor back into Portsmouth from the Needles a few weekends back. Mostly the other RIBs were much bigger, and I had quite a hard time keeping up through the Solent chop. I'd want a bigger boat to do that sort of thing regularly.

Hope that helps. I had a lot of fun choosing my boat - so enjoy this bit too.

cheers,
Simon

Big A · 01 September 2003, 16:46

Hi Simon

Thanks for your comments.

I've noticed your boat "Orca" on Ribcraft's 4.8 gallery - nice seating arrangement.

How old are your children, & how many can you fit on your 4.8 ?

My son is nearly 7, and my daughter is only 2 1/2 at present, & I would imagine I will be out on my own for the majority of the time for the first couple of years.

Anyhow, I'm still in the market for my 1'st RIB !!

Regards,

Ribald · 01 September 2003, 16:51

Hi Big A,

How did you get on with the trialling of the 585 on Friday?

Simon Guest · 01 September 2003, 22:21

Hi Big A (do you have a real name?)

My kids are now 3, 5 and 7 years old. Just coming to the end of the second season with Orca, so when we started they were just 2, 4, and 6. Generally I sit at the front, my wife at the back, and the kids in between, or one child in front of me if they want to drive. This is the advantage of lack of back rests (the disadvantage felt when going out by myself in rougher conditions).

The seat was a custom build - we sized it by balancing the family astride a plank of wood at home! It's 160cm long, and I've had two adults and 4 children (ages 6, 9, 9, and 12) along it. That was a squeeze, but seeing as it was blowing a force 6 at the time, we were glad of the resulting increased sense of security. With my smaller 3 and the wife there's loads of room.

If I were doing it again with the same scenario I would definitely buy the same boat. Later I will want a bigger one with more regular seating, when the children are old enough to hold on by themselves.

cheers,
Simon