Valiant The Facts not Fiction

[GRAHAM SOMERS]

In reply to Alex's 'AD' Messages on July 12 That 'Valiants aren't built very well ', and 'The Valiants are absolutely diabolical' as the UK & Irish Distributors for Valiant I believe we should reply to your Members purely with Facts about the Valiant Brand.
1: Valiant is the second largest EU RIB Builder in the EU Zone behind Zodiac. We build RIBs from 2.4 metres to 12 Metres including Cabin RIBs, Solas RIBs, Inboard & Jet Drive RIBs & Deep V Patrol Offshore RIBs for Commercial & Military use.
2: The Company is 100% owned by Brunswick the Worlds largest provider of boats and marine engines including: Boston Whaler, Sealine, Searay, Bayliner, Mercury, Mariner & Mercruiser.
3: We build more RIBs than all the UK RIB Manufacturers put together, all of which are ISO 9001:2000 Certified and our client list includes the French, German, Portuguese & Spanish Military. A full list can be accessed on our website: www.ibs-boats.com and downloading our Professional Catalogue.
4: We offer the Worlds longest Tube and Seam warranty for our Akron PU Fabric, 10 years, and our Warranty is not 'Back to Base' but through a UK Service Network.Our seam strength is stronger than the fabric and our fabric is 5 times more abrasion resistant than Hypalon.
5: Our hulls are laminated using a method from the aeronautical industry to ensure a precise strength to weight ratio, no dry spots,a perfect finish every time and no un neccesary weight which reduces speed and fuel economy. Graham Somers , Managing Director of IBS Boats International Ltd

[chewy]

Are Narwhal and Valiant the same boats as some look remarkably similar, ie just different badges.

[GRAHAM SOMERS]

Originally Posted by chewy

Are Narwhal and Valiant the same boats as some look remarkably similar, ie just different badges.

No they are totally different Companies and totally different hulls. Valiant are built in Portugal and Narwhal in Spain.

[chewy]

It was a couple of older ones I saw that had the same internal moulding.
Cheers for that.

[willk]

Clicky (for those who can't be @rsed searching)

[willk]

Originally Posted by GRAHAM SOMERS

2: The Company is 100% owned by Brunswick the Worlds largest provider of boats and marine engines including: Boston Whaler, Sealine, Searay, Bayliner, Mercury, Mariner & Mercruiser.

Are Quicksilver boats on that list too?

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by willk

Clicky (for those who can't be @rsed searching)

And some more:
http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24127

[chewy]

Originally Posted by willk

Are Quicksilver boats on that list too?

Yep

http://www.brunswick.com/brands/marine-boats/index.php

[GRAHAM SOMERS]

Originally Posted by willk

Are Quicksilver boats on that list too?

Yes Quicksilver RIBs, Inflatables and GRP Boats although they are not produced in the same Factory

[slimtim]

Originally Posted by GRAHAM SOMERS

5: Our hulls are laminated using a method from the aeronautical industry to ensure a precise strength to weight ratio, no dry spots,a perfect finish every time and no un neccesary weight which reduces speed and fuel economy. Graham Somers , Managing Director of IBS Boats International Ltd

Hi graham, nice to see you on the forum. Can you give details about the laminating process? Just interested in the how the high volume side of the market differs from relatively small production.

Cheers, Tim

[captainpugwash]

Originally Posted by GRAHAM SOMERS

In reply to Alex's 'AD' Messages on July 12 That 'Valiants aren't built very well ', and 'The Valiants are absolutely diabolical' as the UK & Irish Distributors for Valiant I believe we should reply to your Members purely with Facts about the Valiant Brand.
1: Valiant is the second largest EU RIB Builder in the EU Zone behind Zodiac. We build RIBs from 2.4 metres to 12 Metres including Cabin RIBs, Solas RIBs, Inboard & Jet Drive RIBs & Deep V Patrol Offshore RIBs for Commercial & Military use.
2: The Company is 100% owned by Brunswick the Worlds largest provider of boats and marine engines including: Boston Whaler, Sealine, Searay, Bayliner, Mercury, Mariner & Mercruiser.
3: We build more RIBs than all the UK RIB Manufacturers put together, all of which are ISO 9001:2000 Certified and our client list includes the French, German, Portuguese & Spanish Military. A full list can be accessed on our website: www.ibs-boats.com and downloading our Professional Catalogue.
4: We offer the Worlds longest Tube and Seam warranty for our Akron PU Fabric, 10 years, and our Warranty is not 'Back to Base' but through a UK Service Network.Our seam strength is stronger than the fabric and our fabric is 5 times more abrasion resistant than Hypalon.
5: Our hulls are laminated using a method from the aeronautical industry to ensure a precise strength to weight ratio, no dry spots,a perfect finish every time and no un neccesary weight which reduces speed and fuel economy. Graham Somers , Managing Director of IBS Boats International Ltd

Hi Graham,
My previous RIB was a Valiant DR550 with a 90 Etec on the back. A fantastic Rib and a great combination. I only sold it due to pressure from Mrs Pugwash who could not see why it was needed for me to have two boats at the same time.
I truly wish I had never sold it to a friend of mine.
I have tried to buy it back from him but he will not sell it. I do however have first refusal.

[GRAHAM SOMERS]

Originally Posted by slimtim

Hi graham, nice to see you on the forum. Can you give details about the laminating process? Just interested in the how the high volume side of the market differs from relatively small production.

Cheers, Tim

Hi Tim

It's called VITECH, vacuum & injection moulding. All the matting is cut with laser cutting machines. This is positioned in the moulding and the resin then comes into one end under pressure and out the other end. There are no dry spots and you have exactly the right
resin-matting mix every time. No waste and far quicker & more reliable than the traditional way.

[gotchiguy]

Yesterday I came back from the Ribnet Alderney floptilla. The final leg from Jersey down to St. Malo where I was based were the roughest conditions we had experienced all trip. Don't get me wrong there were not exactly walls of water towering over us, but most people in our boat would have throttled back down to 20knts or so and enjoyed a markedly comfortable ride. Those who know me however understand that I am not like that and I managed to average over 30knts, completing the 34 mile crossing in 1hr 7mins. Most of the time we were going along at 35knts to do that. At no stage did I feel that the boat was going to fall apart, sure we had loads of hard landings and everything gets thrown about, but nothing broke, nothing got bent, and the whole thing always felt sturdy and imperious. Fact is, I would hedge a safe bet that over the same trip in a Vanguard 720 or whatever the closest length would be to mine, something would break or fall off, let along repeating a crossing like this most likely causing cracks in the transom from what would probably be a hugely heavy verado compared to my light etec.

And this is all before even mentioning the difference in ride quality that a heavy duty english rib would have over any Med style valient or even the supposedly heavy duty Vanguard or whatever they are called.

[Downhilldai]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Yesterday I came back from the Ribnet Alderney floptilla. The final leg from Jersey down to St. Malo where I was based were the roughest conditions we had experienced all trip. Don't get me wrong there were not exactly walls of water towering over us, but most people in our boat would have throttled back down to 20knts or so and enjoyed a markedly comfortable ride. Those who know me however understand that I am not like that and I managed to average over 30knts, completing the 34 mile crossing in 1hr 7mins. Most of the time we were going along at 35knts to do that. At no stage did I feel that the boat was going to fall apart, sure we had loads of hard landings and everything gets thrown about, but nothing broke, nothing got bent, and the whole thing always felt sturdy and imperious. Fact is, I would hedge a safe bet that over the same trip in a Vanguard 720 or whatever the closest length would be to mine, something would break or fall off, let along repeating a crossing like this most likely causing cracks in the transom from what would probably be a hugely heavy verado compared to my light etec.

And this is all before even mentioning the difference in ride quality that a heavy duty english rib would have over any Med style valient or even the supposedly heavy duty Vanguard or whatever they are called.

There speaks the voice of experience

[GRAHAM SOMERS]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Yesterday I came back from the Ribnet Alderney floptilla. The final leg from Jersey down to St. Malo where I was based were the roughest conditions we had experienced all trip. Don't get me wrong there were not exactly walls of water towering over us, but most people in our boat would have throttled back down to 20knts or so and enjoyed a markedly comfortable ride. Those who know me however understand that I am not like that and I managed to average over 30knts, completing the 34 mile crossing in 1hr 7mins. Most of the time we were going along at 35knts to do that. At no stage did I feel that the boat was going to fall apart, sure we had loads of hard landings and everything gets thrown about, but nothing broke, nothing got bent, and the whole thing always felt sturdy and imperious. Fact is, I would hedge a safe bet that over the same trip in a Vanguard 720 or whatever the closest length would be to mine, something would break or fall off, let along repeating a crossing like this most likely causing cracks in the transom from what would probably be a hugely heavy verado compared to my light etec.

And this is all before even mentioning the difference in ride quality that a heavy duty english rib would have over any Med style valient or even the supposedly heavy duty Vanguard or whatever they are called.

First of all Valiant do not make a 720, its a 750 and you have 3 choices, Vanguard 750 Max HP Rating 300 (Verado tested) Med Style, DR750 Max HP Rating 300 (Verdao tested) Light Commercial and Patrol 750 Max HP 300 (Verado tested) Deep V Offshore.

As the Company who own Valiant also own Mercury (Verado), all testing is carried out with these engines. The Vanguard 750 Sport & Cruiser are supplied Pre-rigged with either Verado or Optimax set ups.

For your requirments we would recommed the Patrol 750 which has recently covered a crossing to the Azores, nothing broken, bent or falling apart and a ride quality that will equal or beat any similar RIB ( copy CD available on request ).

So if I was you I would not hedge any safe bet that something will break or crack on a Valiant.

[chewy]

Originally Posted by Downhilldai

There speaks the voice of experience

Leave him alone, he's busy writing Heavy Weather Powerboating two.

[martini]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

sure we had loads of hard landings and everything gets thrown about

I feel a bit sorry for your dad, try and bear in mind he wasn't built to any commercial/military spec! Was going to mention mileage as well but I wont

[Simon B]

Originally Posted by GRAHAM SOMERS

Hi Tim

It's called VITECH, vacuum & injection moulding. All the matting is cut with laser cutting machines. This is positioned in the moulding and the resin then comes into one end under pressure and out the other end. There are no dry spots and you have exactly the right
resin-matting mix every time. No waste and far quicker & more reliable than the traditional way.

Is this "Resin Transfer" or that something different? I think Ribcraft are now using resin transfer now on a separate line in a separate location to their established factory.

[willfinch36]

My First rib was a 3.80M Valiant with a 25hp 2 Stoke mercury on the back, the back transom started to crack a bit as maybe I was a bit rough over the waves? either way I got it filled in and sold.

However, after that I bought a 5.2M vanguard with a 70hp Suzuki on, its been fine, and im looking at getting a 6.2M Vanguard hopefully next season.

Personally I believe AVON are the best ribs, but that would not put me off getting a Valiant as I have been more than pleased to say the least

[GordyP]

Originally Posted by gotchiguy

Yesterday I came back from the Ribnet Alderney floptilla. The final leg from Jersey down to St. Malo where I was based were the roughest conditions we had experienced all trip. Don't get me wrong there were not exactly walls of water towering over us, but most people in our boat would have throttled back down to 20knts or so and enjoyed a markedly comfortable ride. Those who know me however understand that I am not like that and I managed to average over 30knts, completing the 34 mile crossing in 1hr 7mins. Most of the time we were going along at 35knts to do that. At no stage did I feel that the boat was going to fall apart, sure we had loads of hard landings and everything gets thrown about, but nothing broke, nothing got bent, and the whole thing always felt sturdy and imperious. Fact is, I would hedge a safe bet that over the same trip in a Vanguard 720 or whatever the closest length would be to mine, something would break or fall off, let along repeating a crossing like this most likely causing cracks in the transom from what would probably be a hugely heavy verado compared to my light etec.

And this is all before even mentioning the difference in ride quality that a heavy duty english rib would have over any Med style valient or even the supposedly heavy duty Vanguard or whatever they are called.

Wow your just fantastic, you must have 20 years experience to have such views. we are not worthy!