Suggestions for small ribs

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Poly

As it is almost a ribnet tradition to promote your own particular brand above all else I feel duty bound to suggest looking at a rotomolded rigid buoyant boat rather than just ribs. There are pros and cons...

It's ALSO a pretty well trodden path to recommend people/newbie's to Try out LOTS of Boats where it matters....on the water
Obviously,being the most sensible and best course of action,most people on here have done just that.....and made thier choices accordingly
....as a matter of interest,what do you see as the advantages of Rigids (and you're experience of)over RIB's? I thought you were a Dyed in the wool SIB/RIB fan?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Searider

I was once told that the same designer who designed the Seariders had a hand in the early Ribcrafts. I don't know if this is true or not though!

Certainly the Ribcraft 545 hull looks like a wider version of a Searider 5.4m

I think there's some truth in that, a bloke called George springs to mind.

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by blootac

Thanks Poly.
Are they not rather expensive?
I assume they're rather uncomfortable to sit on the solid tubes?
How do they compare weight-wise?

Someone with prices will be able to confirm. Second hand are rare. So possibly seem pricey. Poly is a tight Scotsman. He wouldn't have paid extra for something inferior.

I thought they were cheaper than glass.

Will be heavier and maybe pricier than a SIB. But far more robust.

You won't find many on here who recommend long distance travel sat on tubes.

Plenty of small sailing clubs use small rigid boats based on RIBs... They won't be paying extra either without good reason... ...I expect they buy them for robustness

[Poly]

Originally Posted by blootac

Thanks Poly.
Are they not rather expensive?
I assume they're rather uncomfortable to sit on the solid tubes?
How do they compare weight-wise?

Sorry for slow response... Someone expected me to do some work for a change!

Some brands are more expensive than others. As with all things in life somethings are better designed too. So e.g. the Funyak has "seats" molded into the top of the tubes which are marginally less comfortable than an inflatable, but feel much more secure.

The ride quality should be better than a sib. They are probably about the same weight as a rib (120kg for 4m boat), would absolutely fly with 30hp.

A funyak 3.9m hull is less than £2k. seating, consoles etc will cost extra.
I'm not specifically recommending funyak, they are just an example I know well. But Whaley, Macboats, pioner and others all produce similar offerings.

My suggestion was partly serious and partly in jest. However if its an idea you want to try and can get to central Scotland I'm happy to give you a shot.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Maximus

It's ALSO a pretty well trodden path to recommend people/newbie's to Try out LOTS of Boats where it matters....on the water
Obviously,being the most sensible and best course of action,most people on here have done just that.....and made thier choices accordingly
....as a matter of interest,what do you see as the advantages of Rigids (and you're experience of)over RIB's? I thought you were a Dyed in the wool SIB/RIB fan?

Maxi, I'm a fan of robust, reliable, practical, fun boats. The big advantage of poly boats are that they are almost indestructible so I never had to patch a tube or fill gel coat in ten years of incompetent use. Tubes don't degrade. Also no need to antifoul. Possibly price - all the advantages of a rib, at the cost of a top end sib. With the right design more sensible seating and storage than most small ribs or sibs.

Biggest downside is whilst you are robust there is no fenders for anyone else you come alongside. There is a perceived downside that the tubes offer no cushioning in big waves, but I'm not sure it is as key people think.

However I'm just chucking it out as an idea to consider.

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by Poly

Maxi, I'm a fan of robust, reliable, practical, fun boats. The big advantage of poly boats are that they are almost indestructible so I never had to patch a tube or fill gel coat in ten years of incompetent use. Tubes don't degrade. Also no need to antifoul. Possibly price - all the advantages of a rib, at the cost of a top end sib. With the right design more sensible seating and storage than most small ribs or sibs.

Biggest downside is whilst you are robust there is no fenders for anyone else you come alongside. There is a perceived downside that the tubes offer no cushioning in big waves, but I'm not sure it is as key people think.

However I'm just chucking it out as an idea to consider.

Poly do you really not have to antifoul these boats?

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

Poly do you really not have to antifoul these boats?

I keep mine ashore so can't say 100% but that is the claim from manufacturers. Nothing sticks to Hdpe so a pressure wash would seem to be sufficient.

[blootac]

Cheers Poly, It's given me something else to contemplate.
The fun-yaks don't seem to go big enough for what I want, I'd like around 4m, they seem to stop at around 3.7
The Whaley 435 and 435_R look interesting.

I'd have to see them actually in action through chop and see how they handle but on paper they look pretty good, and fairly light for their size (the 435_R is 196KG).

[blootac]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

Poly do you really not have to antifoul these boats?

For what it's worth, at the MVS in Manchester we have two small rigiflex boats that live on the canal all year. They've been scuffed but nothing major so aren't as smooth as they would be new. The bottoms have gone a bit green but nothing that comes off with a pressure washer and certainly nothing recognisable as a plant or vegetation.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by blootac

Cheers Poly, It's given me something else to contemplate.
The fun-yaks don't seem to go big enough for what I want, I'd like around 4m, they seem to stop at around 3.7
The Whaley 435 and 435_R look interesting.

I'd have to see them actually in action through chop and see how they handle but on paper they look pretty good, and fairly light for their size (the 435_R is 196KG).

Funyak do a 390 which is their closest to a rib style at that size. Does 10cm matter? They also do a 450 which in appearance is less riblike, from above Id say it was more dory like, but the hull is totally different so that would be a misleading comparison. There is a guy on this forum with one, based on the other side of the Irish Sea. They also offer a 540, which I have never seen in person, and is obviously targeted at the European rib community, but the pictures of the red version look quite purposeful and workboat like.

Macboats also have stuff on that size range, but IMHO they are a bit pricey by comparison to Whaley and Funyak etc.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Poly

Nothing sticks to Hdpe so a pressure wash would seem to be sufficient.

...even I could barely hold on! And I have a deathlike grip when a free trip is on offer

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Poly

.... They also offer a 540, which I have never seen in person, and is obviously targeted at the European rib community, but the pictures of the red version look quite purposeful and workboat like.

I've seen a couple of the larger ones in France, in fairness they look a tidy bit of kit. The French use them for inshore fishing, no more than 5 miles off shore & they are well suited to this. Plenty of room (compared to a RIB) sturdy, bullet proof. The French in true French style, just chuck 'em off the end of the slip, tie it to the nearest immovable object, leave it there banging against the slip/bottom/harbour wall/other boats whilst they faff about kissing each other & having coffee. Half an hour later they come back, chuck the kids & the dog in & pootle off. The ones I see have a centre console, seats, rod holders aplenty. There's probably more room in a 3.9m Funyak than in a 4m RIB, so comparing the 2 spacewise is pointless.

[blootac]

Haha, loving the mental picture I got from your response!

I guess I'm interested in how well they handle swell. The hull looks quite low profile with not a particularly deep V keel so are they comparable in ride to an air deck SIB? or are they less bangy/slappy than I think they might be?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by blootac

Haha, loving the mental picture I got from your response!

I guess I'm interested in how well they handle swell. The hull looks quite low profile with not a particularly deep V keel so are they comparable in ride to an air deck SIB? or are they less bangy/slappy than I think they might be?

No idea how they handle so can't comment. Many RIBs are flat bottomed & slappy, especially at the smaller end of the market, so choose carefully if it's "big sea" handling you're after. You will have to compromise. The only small RIB I've seen with a decent hull is the 4.8 RC. I'm not saying this because I'm a "Ribcraft fanboy" it's because it really is the only tiddler I've seen with a decent hull. I'm sure there are others out there just as good. That said, seakeeping is a combination of hull design & length, there's no substitute for length

[Poly]

Originally Posted by blootac

I guess I'm interested in how well they handle swell. The hull looks quite low profile with not a particularly deep V keel so are they comparable in ride to an air deck SIB? or are they less bangy/slappy than I think they might be?

These things are subjective - so if you get yourself up here you can try for yourself*. However willk and a barrel of his stuff accompanied me on the SIB trip this year so he has first hand experience he may be willing to share (either in public or private). There are quite a few other people here who have seen it for real but none who have been on board in any interesting conditions.

I'm not sure what sea trials Morton Boats (Linconshire?) offer for FunYaks, or Whaley offer in the UK.

Personally I think it handles better/more comfortably than any SIB I've been on; however I would have to caveat that by saying I've never been in any real waves with an air deck. Its a very long time since I drove a SR4 so not sure I could give a comparison as memory always affects how big the waves really were!

* I bought mine before they offered a jockey seat (so had their bench console) I recently DIY upgraded it to a jockey arrangement so what I have is not available off the shelf but will give you a good idea.

[blootac]

Thanks again both

I'll have to organise a sea trial and hopefully time the weather right so it's manky!

It's not so much that I intend to be out in the chop however I'd like to know what it's like so I'm comfortable should I be caught out at some point and what it's capable of.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

No idea how they handle so can't comment. Many RIBs are flat bottomed & slappy, especially at the smaller end of the market, so choose carefully if it's "big sea" handling you're after. You will have to compromise. The only small RIB I've seen with a decent hull is the 4.8 RC. I'm not saying this because I'm a "Ribcraft fanboy" it's because it really is the only tiddler I've seen with a decent hull. I'm sure there are others out there just as good. That said, seakeeping is a combination of hull design & length, there's no substitute for length

Not a "Fan Boy"..(Barcelona?).. Carefull Mate!!!...straddleing THAT fence...you'd need much longer legs!..
speaking HONESTLY you may just be branded as such!
...Then again...who'd give a Fxxck!

[keg]

I had the same dilemma, not sure how much I was going to use my rib etc.

I bought a Searider SR4 with a 55 HP 2 stroke on the back and PTT off a chap on here and it was superb.

I've had it out exactly twice this year so my cunning plan of buying something small and reasonably cheap but in good condition has been a good one.

The kids love it and it acts as a safety boat when I have two or three kayaks and sailing dinghyOut on the water in the lakes.

[Bombardc2]

Ribcraft 4.8 😎


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[willk]

Originally Posted by Poly

However willk and a barrel of his stuff accompanied me on the SIB trip this year so he has first hand experience he may be willing to share (either in public or private)

One of the cans of Guinness in that barrel blew up and left me with a VERY fragrant sleeping bag. Admittedly, I packed in a hurry and you WERE belting through a 2 meter slop....

I'd be happy to answer ANY questions about your boat in public!