Views Please

[nigel52]

As some of you will know I am looking for a RIB, Engine, Trailer etc 5.5-6m(max)

I have been offered a 2008 Cobra 5.5m RIB with a 4 1/2 yr old Mercury 150 OptiMax.

Although it only seats 3 (I ideally wanted one that seated 4) it does look suitable for we want.

Have any forumers got any experience of the Cobra 5.5 as they do not seem to make this model any more and I cannot find out very much about them.

Please bear in mind this is water skiing/wakeboarding and general leisure use. We are not anticipating using this for extreme offshore use.

Thanks in advance.

[Jeff]

Hi Nigel
If it is the same Cobra 5.5 on the Ribs For Sale section on here - it isnt a 2008 hull - but the seller doesnt say so. The opti is 2008 but the hull was built in 1999.
The 5.5 is built from the standard 6.5 metre mould ( which they would shorten to either 6 or 5.5)
How do I know ,,,,,,,,,,, it was mine and I sold it to my pal when I bought my 6.0m in 2006. He then sold it to ljs a couple of years ago as he decided to take up motorbikes instead
It was built by Dave Picton before he sold out to the new owners in 2007 (ish) and well made.
I kept the original 150 Optimax for my new hull, later upgrading to a 175. Alan had a 135 opti which he used and then bought brand new the 150 it now has on it. The seating is only for 2 - the double helm. The 'suicide seat', standard on the cobra, was modified to hold the remote oil reservoir and fitted with a fibreglass cover. Everything else is just as described ,,, and more. The under deck main fuel tank has a smartcraft compatible, Weema dip tube sensor thats (slightly) more accurate than the usual swinging arm type. The 'emergency' spare fuel tank mounted inside the console is a nice stainless fabrication, the winch is a Dutton Lainson TW 9000 electric with Anderson connector) - ideally you need a cable from your battery to the rear of the car and mating red connector) or use the extended jump lead I think Alan gave LJS. The submersible lights are permanently mounted with the cables running along/through the trailer frame to a box at the front. The trailer is a Snipe R1300 - with 'sealed' bearings ( Vauxhall parts) and I think the seller should have a spare set of hubs which is useful to swop out whilst replacing the bearings in other set.
The prop is a Mercury revolution 4 which gives stunning grip, stern lift and maximises the 'grunt' from the V6 optimax.
Is the RIB any good ? at 5.5 m it is a bit beamy but it is a well balanced boat - the anchor, chain and general detrius in the front locker keep the nose down in a head sea. It is very seaworthy and dry ride; it has made safely the 120 miles round Mull, done the 70 miles Dunbar out to Bell rock, Largs/Arran/Tarbert and Oban/Tobermory Oban/ Jura many times and the usual Plymouth and Whitby coastal trips.
Definitely worth a look I would say - slightly biased maybe
I do not know the seller
Jeff