What rib

jordan · 18 January 2003, 21:37

Hi this is my first post, I want to buy a rib about 5.5 m long I intend using the rib to go out with two other girls from college to take photographs and monitor seals in the Irish sea,will we get very wet in a rib and are wet suits a good idea,do people normally wear hats or helmets to keep hair dry while out on a boat.Is there anywhere on the web where there are examples of 5.5m long boats suitable to carry three or four persons and a limited amount of gear, are female drivers of boats viewed negativly as wemon drivers are thanks guys Jordan

narked · 18 January 2003, 21:47

First of all, welcome! You should find answers to any questions right here.

Have a browse through the boats for sale section on the main site and keep an eye on the RIBs for sale section of the forum, you might be able to find something suitable there.

Drysuits are more common than wetsuits, as they keep you dry. Under the drysuit, wear layers to keep you warm. You could wear hats if you wanted, as they would also provide thermal protection, or you could look into Gecko helmets for the impact and face protection too.

If you want to be carrying 3 or 4 people and only a small amount of kit, it could be worth looking for a boat with jockey seats for 4 people, much more comfortable than bench seats or sitting on the tubes. Again, keep an eye out for second hand RIBs that can offer what you want.

Good luck,
Matt

Jonny Fuller · 18 January 2003, 21:48

this has got to be a wind up!

Nessy · 18 January 2003, 22:01

Jordan
You have come to the correct place for advice on ribs.

My bit of advice would be to go on a powerboat level 1 and 2 course. I have been around boats since I was a kid and I still went on a course after buying my first rib. Both me and my wife found it really useful and it was no bother for her even though she was a woman driver!!

Give you a good taste of ribbing as well for relatively little money.

All the best for your ribbing career

Nessy.

crazyhorse · 18 January 2003, 22:02

At least your trying,eee Narked get a boat soon you need to get out there and work off all that knowledge.

crazyhorse · 18 January 2003, 22:05

Welcome Jordan.

What Nessy has said is good advice,be carfull on bying a none ce marked rib second hand,or a commercial workboat.See thread Codeing.

narked · 18 January 2003, 22:05

I don't have my own boat yet, but I do use em. We don't swim out to all the dive sites yknow!

Matt

crazyhorse · 18 January 2003, 22:09

Glad to here it youd be Nark,ed if you did

dbillyboy · 19 January 2003, 10:31

Typical woman worried about getting her hair wet!! But seriously Jordan WELCOME to the site. As others have said there are lots of threads with the information you want I'm sure. If not just ask away.
Bill.

mstacey · 19 January 2003, 12:13

Quote:

Originally posted by jordan
,will we get very wet in a rib and are wet suits a good idea,

A dry suit is pobably better than a wet suit.

In a dry suit you wear clothes underneath and you stay completly dry. A wet suit on the other hand lets water in.

matiboy · 19 January 2003, 12:54

let the seals drive and you can then monitor the girls , that would be my prefered choice

Probably best place to get view of loads of ribs for sale are naming just a couple

http://www.boatsandoutboards.co.uk

http://www.boats-for-sale.com/find-a-boat.asp

Manos · 19 January 2003, 13:04

Wellcome to the forum

If this is not a wind up (possibly is not) you need to clarify the following:

1. What is you budget for the boat?
2. Do you ant it to be brand new of second hand
3. Excpet the 'girls'

what type gear you planing to carry on the boat?
4. How far offf shore are you planning to go??
5. what range do you want this boat to have
There are many other points but these (I think) are the VERY BASIC ones!!

Now the gear you mention

a. No need of a helmet. You need a wooly hat or something to cover your head. (Most of your body temp you are loosing is from your feet, hands and head so keep them well insulated)
b. You need diving type gloves or waterproof groves but good ones
c. A dry-suit. There you can get a breathable, talking, walking, thinkig suit (something like Keith's LOLOL

) spending unjustifiably a lot of money or better you can go for a middle of the road budget dry-suit for about GBP 150.00 in the UK or if you look outside the UK you get a breathable dry-suit for between 40-70 pounds (NO UK RIP-OFF DRY-SUIT GEAR)

If you need names of sites where you can look for boats, engines, gear etc please let us know.

Good luck with the girls!!

Tiger · 20 January 2003, 15:02

Jordon, welcome.
Best explian why you want to spend money on a dry suit, its because of windchill and getting cold. As Manos said, you can stay dry with normal clothes in a drysuit.

Wetsuits are only warm when water is trapped in it any your body warms the water when in the sea. Out of the water the water drains out a bit and we wind chill cools you down. You could use a dingy spray top, but at speed you can quickly become very cold.

Go on a course. If you can drive a car (I'm not taking the p**s) I think you should go straight to the L2 course. The L1 is rather basic, but you need a little apreciation of controling a vehicle to get going quickly on L2.

You want a boat with 3 built in seats (pillion), but we need more details to help much more.
If it just coastal use in good weather then most boats will do, if you want to go further offshore then you need a more serious hull (deeper V) and some experiance in the boat. (you don't want to kill yourselves on the first large wave).

Engine size & type depends on where you need to go, weather, money for fuel, wherther you drive flat out and stop like divers, or chug around a lot (best have 4 stroke).
(Personnaly I like 4 stroke even though they are a little heavier)

Most of all, enjoy yourself.

Tiger