Towing or Mooring?

L4RRY · 03 June 2008, 00:56

Hey guys and gals,

I'm new to Ribnet and to be honest, fairly new to rib'ing! I've sailed most of life but only in the last couple of years have I taken a true interest towards powerboating.. RIB's in particular! I completed my powerboat level 2 and ICC qualifications last year and am now in search of my first RIB. I have a few boats in mind and my purchase date all sorted. Just have one slight queery! Both options are as accessible and hassle free as each other, so i've left the final decision down to saving myself a few pennies!

So, which would save me more money: Keeping my RIB at home and towing it a good few miles to the marina and back, bearing in mind i'd have to spend a couple of grand on a new car, trailer maintenence, fuel and parking etc.

OR

Mooring on the water and having to pay for antifoul, labour costs, a dingy or river taxi service etc.

I've done a bit of my own research, however it's often better to get a like minded persons opinion!

Any help/advice or link to a similar thread would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, Laurence.

Erin · 03 June 2008, 12:33

Neither option will be cheap, but I'll bet you'll use the boat more if its on a mooring and doesn't require towing down each time.

K

bedajim · 03 June 2008, 13:06

I tow for the following reasons

1/ We travel to more places rather than the same bit of coast

2/ The rib lives inside so dry warm and secure

3/ Have moored a sail boat and had damage from other boats, they never left contact details, saw one harpooned by a cat or the holes from it

4/ No antifoul and easy to wash down etc which may help with resale

Jim

Channel Ribs · 03 June 2008, 13:22

I see you are in Southampton, which is a double edged sword!

On the one hand you have access to lots of interesting destinations, but if you do keep the boat wet you will be paying through the nose!

One of the dry-stack operations could be an ideal compromise.

If it were me, it would depend on the boat. Something easy to launch and not too heavy would be a clear choice for keeping on a trailer, but anything too big and the cost of fuel to tow any distance would quickly outweigh the price of a mooring.

Mollers · 12 August 2010, 08:19

Nothing quite like having her tucked-uo at home.

IMV, ribs don't like moorings. It's hard to keep a cover on a rib and they also don't benefit from of UV attack, gulls, other idiots on the water, engine rarely being flushed, salt getting at S/S work. etc. etc.

In fact, mooring a new rib is an excellent way to make it look old quite quickly.

Look at drystack if it's an option.

Ian M · 12 August 2010, 08:23

I tow for all the same reasons as Jim, although I probably don't get to as many sites as Jim. I would add that having the boat on a trailer at home allows me to work on the boat much more conveniently than if it was on a mooring.

Downhilldai · 12 August 2010, 09:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian M

I tow for all the same reasons as Jim, although I probably don't get to as many sites as Jim. I would add that having the boat on a trailer at home allows me to work on the boat much more conveniently than if it was on a mooring.

All of this

Mooring a boat which can be trailered home and stored in a nice dry, warm garage, is just madness in my opinion.

BogMonster · 12 August 2010, 11:39

+1 for storing at home

I don't have a garage yet but once the piggy bank has recovered, something bigger than the house is on the cards

gotchiguy · 12 August 2010, 11:49

If you have a capable car, a good sized and quality trailer, good slips nearby and the space and facilities to store it at home, then definitely trailer it. Mine sits on a drying mooring but I don't want antifoul so we do walk out to it occasionally to clean the slime which it accumulates gradually (really quite slowly here actually since we use it nearly every day so it never has the chance to get a good purchase). We have had a few issues with birdy craps but by going out to it regularly we have no issue in cleaning it off. With a RIB it is practically impossible in even a light wind to get a full cover on (tried with old one many times

We use two small covers one on the console and one for the jockeys and this works very well, so its not all bad. However, if I could, there is no doubt that we would trailer and tow to launch I think, but I would also drystack in preference to that if it was available.

neilda · 12 August 2010, 14:07

In some ways I would like to keep my boat at home - at least it wouldn't be filthy from the collected works of seagulls, ferry dirt etc. I could spend some time tinkering with it. However, there's no way I would want to tow it and launch it myself, I have neither the skill or the inclination - so I chose to use a dry stack. It works very well, apart from the boat looking mucky.

Having said that, there is the facility for me to either have it cleaned, or clean it myself - but I'm never organised enough to do it.

I phone the yard an hour or so before I go out and they put it in the water. It's also secure and there's no antifoul needed....

martini · 12 August 2010, 14:35

Dry stack probably gives you the best of both worlds if you can get it for a reasonable price.

Maximus · 12 August 2010, 18:30

One of the main advantages OF a RIB is its relative weight to size,to 'Seaworthyness'.That light weIght also lends its self to towing which affords all the advantages ALREADY mentioned!
Done both,and I would get a good trailer,and GO FOR IT!...After all we do live on a smallish Island[which puts loads whithin striking distance] ..and there is PLENTY of Diversity, and a HOST places of interest to visit!!

Poly · 12 August 2010, 19:40

Well ignoring the fact that this thread was started two years ago (and rejuvinated by a spammer last night) - surely the whole reason that not everyone does one or the other - is it all comes down to personal preference: if you live close to where you sail your boat, and want to use it regularly at a moments notice than mooring / marina options are best . If you use it less often, like to sail in a variety of areas or have to travel along way to get to the water anyway then towing is more sensible. The cost issues, which were what the OP asked about, are probably irrelevant - its how you use it that will determine where you keep it.

Downhilldai · 12 August 2010, 20:11

Yes, but people get needlessly hung up about launching & recovering. Given some of the comments made on this forum, I can see why a novice could be intimidated by the prospect of it.

willk · 12 August 2010, 20:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

Well ignoring the fact that this thread was started two years ago (and rejuvinated by a spammer last night

Is Mollers a Spammer as well?

Mollers · 12 August 2010, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Is Mollers a Spammer as well?

No, it's Erin.

Poly · 12 August 2010, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

Yes, but people get needlessly hung up about launching & recovering. Given some of the comments made on this forum, I can see why a novice could be intimidated by the prospect of it.

Aye true enough. You'd believe you need a 4x4, super-duper-roller-coaster trailer and a 20 years experience, and a team of guys in dry suits just to get a SR4 up an average slip; and even then the wheels will fall off on the way home!

Quote:

Is Mollers a Spammer as well?

No Mollers is a an upstanding and highly respected member of the community (well at least since he stopped being Alice!). The spammer's post was spirited away to the secret underbelly of the site where JK is probably working up a revenge attack right now! Spammers seem to be getting smarter at posting reasonably credible rubish (not too hard round here!) which includes relatively inconspicuous links.

Nos4r2 · 12 August 2010, 20:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

Mollers is a an upstanding and highly respected member of the community

willk · 12 August 2010, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

Spammers seem to be getting smarter at posting reasonably credible rubish (not too hard round here!) which includes relatively inconspicuous links.

Often while we are mooring www.redbayboats.com it is needed that stout footwear is owned, moors being wet and rich in diverse wildlife www.redbayboats.com which this sceptered isle is widely promoted as holding.

Nos4r2 · 12 August 2010, 20:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Often while we are mooring www.redbayboats.com it is needed that stout footwear is owned, moors being wet and rich in diverse wildlife www.redbayboats.com which this sceptered isle is widely promoted as holding.

I can change your user title if you like