Is this an issue of Vessel, Operator or Inspection and Maintenance Regime.
Don't post very often -But in RIBCRAFTS defence...
My View, for what its worth is that if you try hard enough you can remove any tube from any bow (or break other bits for that matter). I have operated RIBCRAFT 6.8 & 7.8 for years now, including the RB08, CTC and last weekend we were running round the Fastnet in a 7.8m Commercial Offshore in rubbish weather on the Sunday. The RB leg between Plymouth and Milford was or could have been a RIB killer and if I had tried hard enough continually stuffing it of course iI could have broken the boat.....But I didn't...
But that point isn't it? The trick is to operate the RIB within it's and you the operators capabilities and that could include operating in foul conditions, in big following short seas, in the rain, fog at night or all of them!!. BTW we crossed the Bristol channel at 0300. Now, granted operating at night is harder and it is easier to get cought out . But it can happen in the day in fine conditions (as I did between Bangor and Oban (I stuffed it and managed to break Spences arm in the process. Running at 40 knots into a wall of water puts some terriffic stresses on the tubes, I lost concentration and it cost me the leg (in terms of position) and Spence his arm.
Incidently if I have a following sea with a sniff of stuffing I tend to deflate the bow chambers a bit..
So, I have never had any issues with RIBCAFTS equipment or the after sales service (to me a private customer.) They are always very wilco to the tune that I had a small crack in the screen develop and a new one was despatched FOC the next day.
So would I stick with RIBCRAFT? (Yes), was I worried 67 miles offshore on the way to Milford in the dark in poor conditions (No) Do I have faith in RIBCRAFTS build quality (Absolutely!)
BTW Jase, have you got a hull I can use for our Round Ireland Record attempt???
War Shot
