What Rib next (5-5.x m)

[Tim in Yorkshire]

Ok, so here goes:

Current situation: I have an ace little Avon SR4, we use it for fishing on the North Sea, local blasts and plan to start wakeboarding (the girlfriend is getting up to speed on the helm). I keep this on a drying beach mooring within our village harbour. It's a mid/late nineties boat with a mid/late nineties PTT ELPTO Mercury 50 2 stroke.

Things about it that are great: It doesn't seem to use much fuel, can cope when the chop/sea builds, easy to get in and out of our mooring between the other fishing boats. Easy to launch/recover (although this is only once a year so not too much of a plus). The build quality seems good, engine reliable and minimum faff it's fun, fun, fun and goes quite well.

Things that aren't so great: It is still tight with two of us fishing on board. Taking any more than two adults in board is really for flat water only, and fishing with 3+ requires a synchronised ballet if landing any fish. The boat still seems to feel small when you're further out, limited console room for fixed vhf/GPS etc so we tend not to go whale watching. The jockey is a bit short/low when there's two in bigger seas/at speed even thoughwe're both reasonably trim.

The Future: So I'd like a slightly bigger Rib so longer trips are comfier two up, so fishing trips have more space for 3-4 up. Something that is still fun, nippyish (a good 35knots+ flat out in the right conditions), durable, sea worthy, and value for money. It would still need o do some basic skiing/wake boarding. It has to be under 6m for my mooring, and given most of the time it'll be two of us not too big/heavy on fuel when not needed, yet suitable for heading a little further off for whale watching, or some longer inshore crusing up to Northumberland or trailing to Scotland. Given likely budget of about £4.5-7k (SR4 sale + £2-4k depending on saving) my thoughts are currently:

SR5.4 with some form of 90ish two stroke
An older small Osprey (tube condition dependant)
An older Humber Destroyer/Ocean Pro
Delta Dash??

Any other suggestions on rib makes/models or issues (cost/suitability/etc.) with my above ideas? Power requirements for the individual boats/suggestions would be handy too. Basically I don't want a "slammy" leisure rib with shallow v, and guess I can't afford something like a bigger Ribcraft with 100+hp

BTW this would all be next summer at the earliest, so don't pm me with offers of boats for sale now!

[Last Tango]

I went from a 75hp ELPTO on a 5.2mtr boat to a 130hp fourstroke on a 6.5mtr boat. Virtually no difference in fuel consumption.....about a litre/mile (nautical)
Much as I am a fan of two strokes I've seen what an older 175hp Yam V6 could burn and it'd make your eyes water. Food for thought ?

[pilotwillie]

Osprey Viper 5.25 if you can find one. Here's my '94 just after a full hull and deck refurb by magician Mike Whitham this year. Went from this ...

To this ...

Original package (Mariner 100hp 2s, Roller Coaster trailer) plus refurb for similar money to your top end budget.
Great hull, old skool build quality, great deck space for length. Still easily managed ashore by one.
Very happy so far.


Sent from my Aye Aye Phone using RIB Net

[HUMBER P4VWL]

Won't go far wrong with a 5.4 SR or Delta Dash. Humber won't be so solid or have tunes that last as long, but hull is good in the water.

[Tim in Yorkshire]

Thanks for the advice so far, 6m would be the max I'm allowed on my mooring. Liking the look of that Osprey. I didn't realise the Humbers weren't as solid.

[HUMBER P4VWL]

More the fittings and tubes. the Seariders and Deltas have tubes that seem to last for decades, much longer than ribs built in the last 15yrs. the fittings on some Humbers, (the ones done by Humber at the factory, can be less "exact", even compared to some modern brands. They appear to be more mid market price and quality. Decent boats though, the ride is up there with the expensive brands. We've had Searider and Humber. Still got a 6.3 Ocean Pro. Very happy, but was not fitted by Humber. ;-)

[Tim in Yorkshire]

Thanks for that, as for Delta Dash(es), what kind of power do they need to be fun, they seem to have a high bow, do they have a better or worse ride than a Searider?

[Poly]

Humbers are not as bad as suggested. They are built to a budget, but that is reflected in price and resale, so at the same price you get a newer boat than delta or Searider.

Like everything they last longer if you look after them properly. And inevitable heavier fabric, extra rubbing strake, wear patches etc mean your commercial spec boats will take more neglect.

Personally I think that for leisure use some of the ex commercial boats are over priced simply because they have a name people recognise on them or they were over priced to start with.

Oh and finally, if you are looking for a boat for four people to fish from thats value for money and less than 6m long I'd seriously consider forgetting about a rib and get something made for the job.

[Tim in Yorkshire]

We've managed 4 fishing from the SR4 before, and as this will only be 2-3 times a year when people visit I'd prefer not to get a fishing boat for just these odd occasions, so I'm hoping a 5+m boat will have a bit more space.

Thanks for the Humber notes, I must admit when I've been on one before I thought it appeared a good boat, hence on my list. Are there any other sea worthy boats that should be on my radar in this price range?

[Mollers]

Tim, you won't buy a decent 6m for £7k. It'll either be a 'project' or a lousy combination. Your budget would buy you a tidy SR5.4. My advice would be to buy a 5.4, it'll tick most of your boxes, run it for a couple of seasons and try a build a bit more of a pot should you wish to push on up the rib ladder.

[Tim in Yorkshire]

Thanks, I wasn't really looking for a 6m, hence my suggestions of smaller ribs, as I thought my budget was restricting. SR5.4 is on the list when I start looking, I'm just trying to find out what else I should consider and the pros/cons of the alternatives.

[Mollers]

Rather than the collective chuckingin a whole heap of random suggestions, how about you go on the hunt and run your shortlist by the members before laying out cash? There will be less out there to choose from than you'd imagine.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Tim in Yorkshire

Thanks for that, as for Delta Dash(es), what kind of power do they need to be fun, they seem to have a high bow, do they have a better or worse ride than a Searider?

Deltas were the be all & end all of RIBs in the mid 80s. Personally I think there are better (value) boats out there now. They were built mainly to commercial/diving spec, quite basic, few had inboard tanks (hence low deck space), powder coated steel work (not stainless) & VERY expensive. Examples within your budget are likely to be tired & tatty unless you can drop on. Most had 60-90hp engines which fitted in with the commercial spec, they ain't going to put a grin on yer mush
Mollers is spot on. When buying SH, you have to go with what's on the market rather than what you want, there will inevitably be a compromise somewhere.


PS did I mention that Deltas, certainly the 5dash5 could be a tad "wet"

[Tim in Yorkshire]

Cheers for the Dash info, the first list was a short list based on previous ads that had caught my eye, there are some ads for ribs that I tend to ignore having read bad reports on a make etc, just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything. The hardest part will be timing it all, as I'll be wanting not to be without a boat May-Sept, so when to sell (at what price) and when to buy becomes an interesting balancing act.

[alexg]

I have a 5.4m Sr5.4 for sale 2005 boat with 2004 90 2stroke mariner All great condition! I Want around 5k for it!!