So how much better are RIBS than SIBS?

[canuckjgc]

I'm looking at a 14' SIB or RIB. Both will live on a trailer. No opportunity to try either, and I've never been on either.

I read that RIBS are more comfortable in choppy waves but I have no idea what that means. Are SIBS intolerable in the chop? Are RIBS far superior?

Boat is for family of 4: 2 adults 2 little kids. We beach often - the boating fun for us is all in the beaching and exploring (not cruising around). Plan to use the heavy duty New Zealand beaching wheels. Do SIB bottoms tear that easily? We will be in protected ocean inlets and large lakes and large rivers. The SIB I'm looking at would have at least 1.2mm PVC tubes and a 1.5mm bottom with protection strakes.

I don't mind paying more for a RIB, but really trying to determine if it will be that much better for us.

Currently we use a large freighter canoe but want something more seaworthy.

[95gstnj]

It has been my experience that ribs do handle rough weather better than sibs. however, sibs absorb shock alot better, and offer a more tame ride. They seem to float on top of the waves more than ribs, which try to cut through them.

Sibs have more material and seams that are more vulnerable to stress and they rely on the pressure in the tubes to give their rigid shape which means if they develop a hole on the water, they could lose the ability to plane. Overall, ribs are definitely much more of a substantial boat.

If you are going to trailer it and dont need to roll it up to store it, i'd say go with a rib. If youre looking for something easily manuverable onto beaches and easy to handle in and out of the water, etc then go with a sib. If youre looking for speed, you need a rib. Without substantially overpowering them, sibs will top out around 25ish mph. obviously that will vary depending on the boat.

Definitely go with hypalon, dont waste your time with pvc unless its brand new with a warranty.

I have had a 10 ft and 14 ft sib. and also a 10ft and 20ft rib.

I just re read your post, I would definitely go with a sib for what youre looking to do. Dont go with a high pressure air floor. although it will be lighter than wood it is just another thing to spring leaks and be a headache. a 14ft sib will weigh around 250-300lbs, whereas a 14ft rib will probably be closer to 1,000 lbs. To handle it on beaches, etc a sib would definitely be better. You definitely need to be conscious of rocks and scraping the bottom. I've found the heavy duty sibs are much more resistant to scraping, etc. I have a zodiac cfr and a mercury 430hd. the mercury is commercial spec, and is very beefy. If I were you, i'd look for either a zodiac fc470 or a mercury heavy duty model. they should last longer than a normal sib. Once you take a cruise in an inflatable, you'll be hooked!

Also- store it inflated, not rolled up- it kills the seams

[canuckjgc]

Thanks that was very helpful indeed.

Do you think 2 adults could roll a SIB up the beach that weighs a total of about 350 pounds using these?

http://www.beachmaster.co.nz/

Would only need to go a few feet up the beach to get out of the waves.

[Screaming04]

I watched the videos, pretty impressive. I was a little doubtful until I saw the in water demo with engine attached. As long as your outboard isn't too heavy, that looks like a great set up.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by 95gstnj

Definitely go with hypalon, dont waste your time with pvc unless its brand new with a warranty.

You should add "from a reliable company that is likely to still be around should you develop a problem".

jky

[Channel Ribs]

Firstly, those wheels look superb.

The differences between hard and soft bottom are pretty big, but it is not a case of one being superior. Both suit different needs.

Over the years we have fitted out SIBs to such an extent that we can honestly say we have explored the definition.

With a SIB that has good quality floor panels and an inflating keel section to get a lot of the positive characteristics of a shallow-V hulled RIB, but with the added advantage that they can be rolled up and stored or transported in a way that RIBs cannot.

But then you get into the discussion about deep-V and shallow-V hulls, the sea keeping qualities of the latter are no where near that of the deep cutting hard bottomed boats.

If you are not going out in a big sea at speed and plan to beach often and man handle the boat with wheels then a good SIB will suit you to well.

If you want to go out in the rough stuff then you need a RIB and all that goes with it, ie trailer & bigger engine.

[95gstnj]

Originally Posted by canuckjgc

Thanks that was very helpful indeed.

Do you think 2 adults could roll a SIB up the beach that weighs a total of about 350 pounds using these?

http://www.beachmaster.co.nz/

Would only need to go a few feet up the beach to get out of the waves.

definitely do-able

[prairie tuber]

I like the design of those transom wheels! There has been some great advice in this thread. I agree with the others who suggest that you would find a SIB more versatile for the type of usage you have described. If you were planning mostly offshore use, then a RIB would be the ticket. But for near coastline, lake & river use, a good sized, sturdy SIB (at least 4m) should fit the bill nicely.

With a SIB an extra foot of length can make a big difference in it's capability. If you are going to trailer it anyway, you might want to go a little longer than 4.2m for 2 adults and 2 kids. I'd recommend something in the 4.7m - 5.3m range, especially if you'll use it for camping trips. A fair bit of extra gear is needed to ensure that youngsters remain comfortable when camping. I've found that if I take my GF & her 2 youngsters (ages 4 & 8) camping, my 4.7m SIB is just big enough to carry our gear and still have comfortable seating arrangements. You will find that a futura style hull, or (better still) a cat-hull SIB will handle choppy conditions much more smoothly than the traditional inflatable V-keeled SIBs.