Switching from bowrider to rib, advice please

[Kristoff]

Hi Everyone

I've been a lurker for many years on here but have now finally formally registered as I've sold my bowrider and am going to buy a rib for use in North Wales next season.

I'd appreciate some advice on what to get.

My old boat was a Maxum 1800...




[edit - tried to put a pic here but it's not working.]


The things I liked about the maxum began to be outweighed by the things I didn't like. Chiefly, if I ever need to work on a 3.0 mercrusier and alpha one oudrive again in my life I might just top myself, and secondly, it's not much fun in a small fibreglass boat like that when the chop kicks up off puffin island and you have 9 mile ride back to base. I had to look out for a rib making the same journey and get in their wake...

I've decided I'm going to take the plunge and switch to a rib but the question is which one really.

It'll be used for general boating larking about including fishing, skiing (mono and wake board) and transporting pub goers to the Ship Inn when the tide is agreeable.

Would a 5 - 6m rib with a decent dead rise and 100 - 150hp do the job? Any brands to steer well clear of?

Budget is up to £15k, the less the better obviously.



I'll be launching it myself off a beach with my old Merc Ml320. Can't see a rib being any harder to deal with than the Maxum but if I'm wrong please tell me. Usual tekkers of high speed reverse and stamp on the brakes when the Merc's back tyres touch the waters edge to launch, long rope to recover (pneumatic tyre on the jockey wheel).

I do all the maintenance myself to due to budgetary constraints, so something that is nice to work on for the home mechanic would probably be a bonus.

[Pikey Dave]

Welcome to Ribnet.
If you want to have room for wakeboards/toys/skis etc, you need to be going to the 6m+ end of your size range. 5m is cosy with 2/4 pax.
When buying second hand, you are governed by what’s available in your price range rather than what you want, if the boat of your dreams comes up, within budget, you’re a lucky man. There are plenty of good brands out there mixed in with some not so good. The well known British marques will command a premium over the imports. If you’re only ever going to pootle about in the strait then just about any of the “known” hulls will do the job. If you get a taste for adventure & want to head further afield e.g. across to Ireland for the weekend, then you might want to look at one of the heavier built deeper V hulls. IF you can find one, a 6.1m Redbay or 585 Ribcraft would be high on my list. You might drop on a nice outfit within budget (ish). Other marques are available, Osprey, Avon, XS, Humber (be careful with Humber, hull type & quality vary considerably).

My advice would be to look around, find some candidates & offer them up to the collective for comment.
Most if not all of the modern engines are all electronic, so apart from basic maintenance & servicing, it’s a laptop job.

[Kristoff]

Thanks for the welcome

I'm an inshore power boater, won't be heading over to Ireland in the rib, but I do want a good deal better sea keeping than my Maxum offered me, just for security when the weather turns or looks like it might turn. There's been a few times that I've been genuinely scared of sinking in the Maxum.

My Mrs want's a leisure rib (think Zodiac Medline or similar) I want a 4x4 of the sea, so I'd like a bit more "V" and a ribcraft 585 would do me a treat (not sure I could afford one though). There will be a balance to be struck somewhere I expect.

[smallribber]

The Southampton Boat show is just around the corner and although your budget will not quite stretch to new in the size you are after it is a very good place to go to look at several ribs in one place.

Although myself and PD seldom see eye to eye he has given you some very good advice.


I would however add that some of the British Brands particularly Ribcraft are in my opinion rather agricultural and you will feel that that aspect is a step down from the Bow Rider. They are generally about sea keeping and utilitarian use and not much about comfort or looks.


Your good lady might also feel this after the Bow Rider


This is where it is good to go to the Boat Show as you will be able to compare and see for your self.

For information I have a couple of 17 foot bow riders and a 19 footer with the same Mercruiser 3 ltr and leg you spoke of. I also have a few ribs but my biggest rib is only 4.5 m. So my experience of larger Ribs is not the same as PD and others on here

[neil.mccrirrick]

If you want a leisure type rib that has reasonable sea keeping you could consider a cobra

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F273970326381

No pics on this listing but the seller looks reputable

[Dan Gurney]

Wot Pikey says. Redbay 6.1 is what I have and could certainly raise a reasonable wake if required (though I'm sure others could too). I think that what he says about buying second hand is the most important thing; you can only buy what's for sale and that ain't necessarily your perfect boat.

I'm on the lookout for something a bit bigger myself but I know I need to be prepared to wait for the right boat to come up and not be in a hurry. That's difficult when you dont have something you're ok with. We ended up buying smaller but new because we were lucky enough to be able to but this time round we dont have that luxury. It's a waiting game really.

I'd also say it's worth putting stuff you're thinking about up on here. You'll get a million opinions and it's up to you to separate shit from shineola, but you may well get something that makes you think.

Good luck to you, hope we'll see you on the straits sometime.

[smallribber]

Another note

R putting up a pic I think new members have to make a few posts before they can put up a pic.... Cant remember how many but not many

[smallribber]

Here is something that might be exactly what you are after

https://www.gumtree.com/p/boats-kaya...oat/1351091384

[willk]

Originally Posted by Bigplumbs

Another note

R putting up a pic I think new members have to make a few posts before they can put up a pic.... Cant remember how many but not many

When in doubt - make some sh1t up.

[smallribber]

Originally Posted by willk

When in doubt - make some sh1t up.

Well I think I am correct on this one

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Bigplumbs

Well I think I am correct on this one

But you are not. Some other forums have rules about who can post links and pics etc, that then results in newbies posting nonsense just to get past the threshold, we do not - because we have plenty of pointless posts as it is!

[jambo]

Originally Posted by Poly

because we have plenty of pointless posts as it is!

Pointless posts....... well I never. On here you surprise me!![emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[willk]

Originally Posted by Bigplumbs

Well I think I am correct on this one

That stuff I learned as a Moderator here for six years was just Fake News then...

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by willk

That stuff I learned as a Moderator here for six years was just Fake News then...

Hmmm! There’s something missing from that pic, I just can’t put my finger on it though[emoji848]

[Kristoff]

Thanks for the comments guys. A bit of additional info, I've now secured a spot at Traeth Bychan on Angelsey to store the boat near my caravan, so 'll be beach launching there rather than on the menai straits like I have done previously. The beach is very flat so I'm going to have to give some consideration to how to launch successfully without turning my ML320 into an amphibious car. My usual trailer tongue extension wont be enough at anything other than high tide. A lot of the guys seem to have old tractors but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

[Frar]

Originally Posted by Kristoff

A lot of the guys seem to have old tractors but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

Wish I had an excuse to buy a tractor as well as a boat...

[simonl]

I would offer some reasonable money to use somebody else's tractor...

[smallribber]

I have seen these old Tractors on the beach in several locations. Do you need any permissions to keep them on the Beach or is a case of JFDI

[scrambler]

Originally Posted by Kristoff

Thanks for the comments guys. A bit of additional info, I've now secured a spot at Traeth Bychan on Angelsey to store the boat near my caravan, so 'll be beach launching there rather than on the menai straits like I have done previously. The beach is very flat so I'm going to have to give some consideration to how to launch successfully without turning my ML320 into an amphibious car. My usual trailer tongue extension wont be enough at anything other than high tide. A lot of the guys seem to have old tractors but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

This is what you need:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xZKA7rPNdU

[Kristoff]

Originally Posted by Bigplumbs

I have seen these old Tractors on the beach in several locations. Do you need any permissions to keep them on the Beach or is a case of JFDI

I'd be keeping the tractor off the beach on my caravan site. There's about 50 yards of what is officially public highway from the site to the slipway though... I'm sure most people JFDI but I'll be looking into what insurances and stuff I'll need to have.