What was your longest journey on the rib?

[Vandad]

In the summer we did 120 miles non-stop on a 30ft cruiser in one day and I must admit it was quite tiring...

This summer I am thinking to use the rib on the same journey but not sure about the experience on the rib! Hence Asking this question:

Let's forget the refueling problem, What was the longest distance that you have managed to cruise on the rib non-stop?

Is 70-80mile (non-stop=> no place to moore; like in the middle of the sea where you don't even want to switch off your engines just in case it does not start up again!) something reasonable to think about in one day for a rib?

[Hightower]

I hope Alan P doesn't reply to this one

[sunrider]

several people have crossed oceans with ribs, and the world has been circumnavigated twice, so there really isn't a limit - here's where my voyage took me.....great fun....especially if you like RIBs!
bryan

[Channel Ribs]

I too have done 120nm in a day, in winter too. I would not be in a hurry to do that again.

I reckon 60nm is a good day's cruising, 80nm is starting to get hard and anything over needs careful thought. Though last season I did several trips of 70nm in a day, but with the all important stops - two or more in most cases.

Obviously it all depends on your boat and what you are used to.

[biffer]

i've been a fair way on a rib and a hardboat, all i would say is planning and a properly spec'd boat is the key
just looked again and in one day, same stuff applies, i've done fishgardi n wales to bangor northern ireland for fuel and then to oban in scotland in the same day in a rib, thats about 340 miles
done cowes /torquay powerboat race last year, didn't like that much

[redthunder]

I do Rye to Southampton and back three or four times a year staying over night. A couple of the return journeys have been in complete darkness and one in thick fog and darkness the whole way. The fog was very weird and played tricks on your eyes... not doing that again in a hurry. Last trip a couple of weeks ago was force 4-5 both ways. Walking was an issue for both of us for a few days afterwards. Plus lots of bruises. The Radar made a bid for freedom and the life raft webbing straps snapped and that tried to leave the boat as well.

I assume that when you race it must really hurt over long distances!!

[donald463]

First long trip was Port Logan to Belfast and back, with break for fish and chips at Donaghadee. Around 75 miles in 4.7m RIB. that was far enough for me and with no sunscreen on a rare summers day it was a few days before the cooked salmon look disappeared.

[Mollers]

Fal to Scillies, Dartmouth to Alderney. Both around 60Nm.

[willk]

donegaldan took his pornseated 4m Searider from Greencastle (Eire) to Ardbeg Distillery on Islay and back in a day - over 80Nm.

He got a few odd looks at the pontoon in Port Ellen when asked where he hailed from

[Ian Austin]

Plymouth to Port Solent (twice) once in December and again in early March, first trip on my own and the second with extra's, who rembers ACTION MAN Wish i went on my own.

[BogMonster]

I don't think there is a single answer, it depends on several factors like:

- wind and sea conditions and the predictability of any change in that
- whether your boat has a roof or not
- how many engines you've got
- available safe havens in the event of either weather or mechanical issues

In the case of these parts the answer is usually not very nice and somewhat unpredictable, no, one engine, and hardly any in that order, which tends to restrict what you do just in the interests of self preservation.

I guess my furthest is probably about 30nm out and the same back but on a nice day, the problem here is you could go that far and find you have 25kt+ of headwind to contend with all the way back which is no fun at all with that distance to go and no safe haven you can leave the boat at. I was out only a few weeks ago and coming back in I was down to less than 10 knots due to a sudden increase in wind/sea so it took me the best part of an hour to cover something that normally takes less than 10 minutes and it was very uncomfortable.

Multi engines, a roof and a bigger boat all improve the situation dramatically

[Andre]

In a single day then it was the trip in April 2008 from Helgoland to Felixstowe via Den Helden for refulling and a coffee. That was about 15 hours

as a cruise then Round Britain in 8 days in 1999 about 2000 Nm

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by willk

donegaldan took his pornseated 4m Searider from Greencastle (Eire) to Ardbeg Distillery on Islay and back in a day - over 80Nm.

He got a few odd looks at the pontoon in Port Ellen when asked where he hailed from

Your @rse cheeks must've been touching your shoulder blades after that one.

[TomLinley]

I would say in a boat of your length (Humber 6 meter) that with the right experience, kit and weather a 200 mile trip is not unachievable. I did a run of just under 240nm in a 4.8 Ribcraft in a day, cruising at 25 knots, the boat was fine although we were tired.

If your vessel is sound and sea worthy and you have taken the right kit, then a 70-100 mile trip will be fine, the humber is a great hull and will cope with big seas and rough weather fine, however if this is your first long trip then I would suggest looking for the right weather window and log your travel plans with the Coastguard.

[biffer]

Originally Posted by Andre

In a single day then it was the trip in April 2008 from Helgoland to Felixstowe via Den Helden for refulling and a coffee. That was about 15 hours

as a cruise then Round Britain in 8 days in 1999 about 2000 Nm

i've been thinking about our round britain trip, we must have been loonies, would you do it again in something like we did ?, i know i wouldn't, but we've both come a long way since then i think

[jremy]

Even with an old SIB it was possible to do big trips if your were brave

The creator of the Belgian Pneumaticlub did some great trips in early 70's (Brussels to Antalya ; Reykjavik to Bergen(Norway) ; Singapore to Australia)

You can have a look here to have an idea and some pictures of his old SIB
http://www.belgianpneumaticlub.be/MdH.php

The only lock is in the head

[HUMBER P4VWL]

We have a Humber 6.3 OP. We have circumnavigated Anglesey which is about 85 miles. Factoring in
- a variety of sea states, from confused force 4-5 off one side of the island with overfalls reducing us to 10 knots and then calm on the other side
- filling the tanks from drums half way
- a few breaks of 20 mins each
- average of about 20 knots when moving
- tidal windows
- launching/packing/recovering

All summed up for a good day, but long enough i felt, we were done in by the evening in the bar and had a few bruises from hard landings.

Obviously a flat calm day you could fly and cover 200m in 8 hours easy in a 6m ish boat cruising at 20 knots, but how often does that occur in our tidal coastal waters?

[two stroke mick]

Newport (clewbay county Mayo to Killary Harbour County Galway) total distance circa 87 NM . in a Valiant Dr 4.9. I was tired but Ok. I feel that a trip of 120 NM woould be as much as I would like to try in this boat i.e 6 - 7 hours crusing time.
This cruse tok place in feb or March. If I was doing it again I would wear a dry suit as I got quite cold

TSM

[Andre]

Originally Posted by biffer

i've been thinking about our round britain trip, we must have been loonies, would you do it again in something like we did ?, i know i wouldn't, but we've both come a long way since then i think

For sure we were but I have no regrets. What about you standing all the way by the A Frame

I would love to do it again but not racing just a cruise. Take your time and enjoy it.

[biffer]

Originally Posted by Andre

For sure we were but I have no regrets. What about you standing all the way by the A Frame

I would love to do it again but not racing just a cruise. Take your time and enjoy it.

i only stood up cause you buggers nicked all the seat

seriously i would do it again as a cruise, stop where we wanted for extended days and site seeing, yes i would do it again