Tapered Tubes - Revenger/ProSport?

timw · 14 October 2002, 08:02

I'm looking to buy a Rib of over 7m. I'm looking for something without a "bulbous" bow. The Revenger make is ideal with their tapered tubes, but expensive.
Have seen a make called ProSport based in Guernsey which appear similar to Revenger but less expensive. Does anyone have any experience of ProSport, or know anyother makes of RIB that have tapered tubes?
Many thanks

Alan · 14 October 2002, 08:12

Prosport I am fairly certain are building the old BWM Rapier / Deepsea ranges under another name. Not sure whether this is "officially" true or what the build quality is like. Rapier 25 / 28 were good hulls (Rapier 28 held Round Britain record for a while.)

Personally I don't like the overly tapered tubes of say Revenger 'cos although they look very sleek I would be concerned about lack of bouyancy in the bow should you stuff it into a big sea. That being said Revengers have cruised extensively and do great things on the racing circuit.

timw · 14 October 2002, 11:46

Thanks for the info...However I understand the hulls ProSport are based on are the old Temptress range which have been modernised. I have not heard of Temptress.

The reason I'm keen on tapered tubes and a sleek look is that I have just sold a sleek looking Searay and this willl be my first RIB and am quite keen on looks (probably wrongly!) I wouldn't deliberately going out in rough seas.

How about Scorpion..they look good. I've got £20k to £25k to spend new or used.

Alan · 14 October 2002, 11:54

Quote:

Originally posted by timw
How about Scorpion..they look good. I've got £20k to £25k to spend new or used.

Ahh now you're talking! Scorpion 7.5m is just up your street. Sleek, well built, very very seaworthy and in short the dogs danglies

I bought a second hand one this year after having done a fair amount of cruising in Scorpions and deciding that there was nothing better for the money!

New ones are out of your budget (circa £35k I think) but you should be able to get a decent secondhand one with a Optimax/Ficht/HPDI engine for that money. (Mine is a 96 model with a 2000 engine & in excellent nick.)

I don't think the tubes are significantly tapered but she has a very pleasing hull shape and looks the bizzo to me. Pics of mine are in the gallery:http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1077

Cheers,
Alan

Julian · 14 October 2002, 13:13

With out a doubt go for the scorpion. We have had 3 now and they are fantastic boats. The build quality is un mached in the market and the ride is great. There are a couple of second hand ones in your price range.

Julian

Charles · 14 October 2002, 14:01

Alan, looking at the pictures of 'Blue Ice' again, I reckon your hull is exactly the same as mine. They have changed a bit since then. Nice soft ride I am sure you can attest to as well.

Alan · 15 October 2002, 09:31

Quote:

Originally posted by Charles
Alan, looking at the pictures of 'Blue Ice' again, I reckon your hull is exactly the same as mine. They have changed a bit since then. Nice soft ride I am sure you can attest to as well.

Charles I'd think so too as they are similar vintage (96-97), yours is just a bit bigger (oeer missus!). How has the hull changed on later boats then? From what I've seen of Cyanide dangling on a crane the hull looks pretty similar to me and she's a later boat.

Fantastic ride though and happier at 35kts than 25!

Alan

Marc Mahieu · 20 October 2002, 17:55

I own a pro-sport 6.5 with a 150 yamaha,
we were looking for a good all round family rib to use with my young family, we looked at buying 7.5 but opted for the 6.5 as this suited us better for what we wanted.as we live in the channel islands we chose to have one built locally. we saw the rib being built at every stage we were impressed with the build quality, we have had the rib for two and a half years with no problems, we dealt direct with jason him self and we changed a few things with no problems as a complete package deal. we are looking to upgrade to the 7.5 or even the new 9m wide body which they are developing if the wife lets me!!

Marc Mahieu

Daniel · 20 October 2002, 23:41

A chap called (lee i think) fairweather of fairweather marine told me at the boat show he had the old BWM moulds.

Fairweather make the Tohatsu RIBS and their own (Solent RIBS) - what do people think - www.solentribs.com

Although further to this rumour has it that Paul Lemmer 'sold' them to quite a few people before he folded BWM? That's just what someone told me!

If anyone can confirm or deny this i'm listening!

Daniel

Jizm · 21 October 2002, 02:11

Mark Pascoe, down in Hamble, makes some tasty looking ribs with tapered tubes. I've had a nose in his workshop down at Universal Marina, quite impressive. No website but try the link for a recent test in SpotsBoat & RIB magazine (issue9) on his 'Sportrib 8000'.

Phone: 01489 564588

e-mail: mark@markpascoeltd.fsnet.co.uk

http://www.sportsboat.co.uk/tests/sport_rib_8000.shtml

Jizm · 21 October 2002, 02:32

I lied! Mark Pascoe does have a website!

http://www.sportrib.com/

Could've guessed that one!

Alan · 21 October 2002, 08:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Daniel
A chap called (lee i think) fairweather of fairweather marine told me at the boat show he had the old BWM moulds.

Fairweather make the Tohatsu RIBS and their own (Solent RIBS) - what do people think - www.solentribs.com

Although further to this rumour has it that Paul Lemmer 'sold' them to quite a few people before he folded BWM? That's just what someone told me!

If anyone can confirm or deny this i'm listening!

Daniel

As far as I know there were several sets of BWM moulds around from the various incarnations of BWM. I believe some now in Poland for example! The shame of it is that the hulls are pretty good designs but inevitably the fact that a number of people are/have supplied them over the years tends to put people off buying them.

Jason Norman · 21 October 2002, 18:54

Pro-Sport Ribs wre started in 1999 when we brought all the moulds etc from the Yorkshire RIB center or TEMPTRESS RIBS.

We decided not to buy the name as the chap who ran the company got into some very bad money problems in the marine world? so we decided to start from scratch.

all the hulls are proven RIB hulls and we have changed them slightly to give them more modern styles. all our ribs are built to owners spec and are excellent value for money all our prices are fully fitted and we have no hidden extras.
We have no sales reps you speak direct to the people that mix the gel and lay the matting?

When all the manufacturers started in the early days i think there was al ot of copying and altering going on????

the BWM rapier was flopped of the bottom of a Revenger etc....

We look forward to answering any questions and would be more than happy to arrange a demo in one of RIBs

Kind Regards