strange ribs spotted

codprawn · 19 January 2005, 15:14

Just spotted 2 huge all black ribs on a lorry near Taunton at the M5 services. They were all black - the tubes seemed quite high up - no engines fitted and transoms didn't look the sort for outboards.

Only splash of colour was a dayglo sticker or logo at the rear of each tube - anyone any ideas? Was picking my mate up Royal Marines base at the time - wonder if they have a military role???

Ribs looked really big say 10m

stevetheboat · 19 January 2005, 15:35

Sounds like they may have been 10 or 11 mtr Cromptons en route to/from Henshaws possibly?
They do still tube quite a few for them, I believe, and are not far from Taunton.

Petrov · 19 January 2005, 15:38

Can it be that one was 10,5m made for outboards and the other one was 13m made for inboards.
Black tubes/dark grey hull.

codprawn · 19 January 2005, 17:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petrov

Can it be that one was 10,5m made for outboards and the other one was 13m made for inboards.
Black tubes/dark grey hull.

Don't think so - hulls looked very black to me!!!

Petrov · 19 January 2005, 17:46

Oki, there was 2 Ring on the way from Henshaw to Belgium and they are going to be delivered tomorrow.

The Bryster · 19 January 2005, 18:47

I pasted one earlier in Falmouth. Seen half a dozen of them before out on the water in Falmouth Bay, BEASTS!

They may have come from the Royal Fleet Auxilary ship Argus which spends a lot of time in the town.

paul tilley · 19 January 2005, 19:59

might have been two 10.5mtr black ribs with yellow and red flashes on there way back to lowestoft to be fitted out with 2 x 250 outboards that left my factory this morning approx 10.30 . next week you might see a 12.7mtr for the same customer

gingercoastie · 19 January 2005, 20:47

Can you tell us which customer?

marknj · 19 January 2005, 22:00

Looked like a couple of SBS RIBs training at Falmouth for the last couple of days.

codprawn · 20 January 2005, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by paul tilley

might have been two 10.5mtr black ribs with yellow and red flashes on there way back to lowestoft to be fitted out with 2 x 250 outboards that left my factory this morning approx 10.30 . next week you might see a 12.7mtr for the same customer

The flashes were bright multicoloured ones at the back on top of the tubes - the 2 were on a large artic on a special cradle one sort of above the other - does that sound llike them?

One of them had one side of the tubes partially defclated - the transoms were bare save for an elpants trunk or 2!!!

paul tilley · 20 January 2005, 13:12

customer used to be crompton marine ,same boats new name ,nautexco, definitely the two that we tubed what did you think of them

codprawn · 20 January 2005, 13:31

Looked amazing - as I said looks like the tubes will barely touch the water though - maybe different under load - not fair make my 8.5m look small.

I hope there was a good reason why one of the tubes was partly deflated!!!!

paul tilley · 20 January 2005, 17:41

we let the tubes down on one side so they fit on the lorry better ,only problem is i need a larger fork lift ,6 ton with min 4.5mtr lift and they dont come cheap