Winged Backrests, Pods, Benches and GPS

[Sav]

Hey all Been reading this forum for a few months now; doing research and am now about to purchase a RIB (hopefully).

This will be my 1st RIB, although I am an experienced Windsurfer and have owned numerous Inflatables with tiller control. I intend to use at both extremes from family cruising around sheltered inlets and estuaries to high speed in rougher conditions as well as cruising longer distances (around W Scotland, etc). Hope to do an around UK at some point. Before you say, why dont you crawl before you try running a Marathon, I fully agree; one step at a time.

My point is, this is likely to be a one off purchase, so get it right 1st time; don't wish to end up regretting buying the wrong boat.

Have tried a few RIBS and am leaning towards a RIBCRAFT 5.85, 4 POD seats, 140 outboard, heavy duty A Frame, 180L tank, Cruiser Console (with front seat). Drove one in Devon last week in a Force 5 and it handled extremely well; very impressed by build quality. Have also been to Ribcraft factory. Will make my mind up at the Boat show where I have a few more sea trials booked (also considering Avon Adventure 620 Open).

Anyway,

1) What do you guys think of Winged Backrests (see pictures). I have tried sitting in them (on land only) and they really give a feeling of comfort and security (particularly for the kids).

2) I've pretty much discounted a bench seat as they dont really seem as well suited for rougher conditions (see Pictures). Any thoughts on these (I did like them initially, I guess better for cruising, but hence my thought of front of console bench locker seat for calm conditions)

3) Grab Handles on tubes; any use? Get 2 or 4?

4) Toe straps? I have had some people recommend them for rougher conditions.

5) Finally, I've read some threads on GPS mount, Bracket or Flush. Is the bright sunlight a major issue on flush mounts. I am not really keen on bracket mount due to obstructing your view and strength of bracket to hold unit.

Sav

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by Sav

Have tried a few RIBS and am leaning towards a RIBCRAFT 5.85, 4 POD seats, 140 outboard, heavy duty A Frame, 180L tank, Cruiser Console (with front seat). Drove one in Devon last week in a Force 5 and it handled extremely well; very impressed by build quality. Have also been to Ribcraft factory. Will make my mind up at the Boat show where I have a few more sea trials booked (also considering Avon Adventure 620 Open).

Can't really help with the questions as I've not been doing it long myself, but I have been doing a lot of window shopping since I bought my Humber and my window-shopped choice is the same as you - if I found a five figure sum of money tomorrow I'd be looking for a Ribcraft 5.85 with a Suzuki DF140 on it

I got a Ribcraft price list the other day just out of interest, and the August special offers they have look quite good, end of the UK summer is definitely the time to buy one you will save a couple of grand at least, the 5.85 with DF140 normally retails at £20713 but the offer price for is £18495, though that is for a pretty basic spec (single seat) and the options rather quickly add a lot to that figure.... I have no connection to Ribcraft I just had a look and thought "oooh that was cheaper than I expected, wish I had the money"

[IanE]

Winged backrests are great, but they limit your walking around the boat - you may as well have a bench which would give you more storage than 2 pods.How about one of these

Ian

[Windchill]

Winged backrests are superb, especially for helm as your hands need to be driving as opposed to hanging on!

Having been involuntarily ejected on landing awkwardly from am short flight, I would recomend toe straps every time. Correctly positioned, and combined with a wing backrest, you can "ride" your rib with your bum on the backrest, knees absorbing the motion of the boat like a jockey, and hands free to drive.

DO NOT buy a setee!! At my wife's insitence, we had a bucket style two seater on the after end of the last Humber RIB I owned. I was very comfy going slow, and afforded plenty of storage. However, in any sort of chop, sitting with your legs forward means severe jarring of the spine.

[DJL]

1) What do you guys think of Winged Backrests (see pictures). I have tried sitting in them (on land only) and they really give a feeling of comfort and security (particularly for the kids).

Very good in rough weather - they give a huge amount of support. I have them on the front two seats of my 5.85 but not on the back two. As said they do make it slightly harder to move round; you can't get through the middle you have to go round the out side.

2) I've pretty much discounted a bench seat as they don’t really seem as well suited for rougher conditions (see Pictures). Any thoughts on these (I did like them initially, I guess better for cruising, but hence my thought of front of console bench locker seat for calm conditions)

Great for storage, but I personally think they are useless (dangerous in the rough) in anything but very calm conditions. If you expect to be going out in choppy conditions then i'd stick with jockeys and go with the console bench for storage


3) Grab Handles on tubes; any use? Get 2 or 4?

None - you get idiots tying up to them and ripping them off.

4) Toe straps? I have had some people recommend them for rougher conditions.

Never ever used toe/foot straps. Never felt I needed them, especially in the 5.85. Personally I feel that if you need them you not reading the sea/driving to hard for the conditions.

5) Finally, I've read some threads on GPS mount, Bracket or Flush. Is the bright sunlight a major issue on flush mounts. I am not really keen on bracket mount due to obstructing your view and strength of bracket to hold unit.

I have one flush mounted on the navigators side - works great and its nice not having to take it home with me or worrying about it being nicked – no problems with the sun. The gps for the helm position is mounted on the top of the console on the navigator’s side but angled towards the helm - very easy to read/glance down at while driving. It’s a pain taking if off all the time though.


Ribcraft 5.85 is a great boat – you won’t be disappointed.

[Nauti Buoy]

Originally Posted by Sav

Will make my mind up at the Boat show where I have a few more sea trials booked (also considering Avon Adventure 620 Open)

Having had a 620 Adventure last year, then having the Ribcraft 585 this year both with the Suzuki DF140, I think the Ribcraft kicks the Avons backside as far as ride and build quality go.

[ollyit]

sweet lookin boat there danny boy!

[jyasaki]

For the GPS, most of the new color screens are daylight-viewable from pretty much any angle you can see the screen from. Not true of B/W units.

One thing to check before mounting (either bracket or fluch mount, and color or B/W) is to make sure it's readable while piloting the boat *with your polarized sunglasses on*. I haven't seen too many that create a problem straight on (or nearly straight on), but if you have your eyes at 30 degrees or more to a horizontal line through the screen, you may get polarization interference (meaning everything on the screen goes black, which makes it really hard to interpret.)


jky

[Tim M]

Is it possible to buy the wing backrests on their own? I really fancy the look of them for my 4.8. Its funny; I received the Ribcraft brochure in the post this morning but there's no mention of a price for them on their own. Anyone know how much?

[Bluestreak]

They are 100 and something quid on there own and come as a complete backrest. I have them on my 4.8 and on the 6.5 i drive for work and would not be without them. I drive a Harbour Patrol RIB (6.5 with Honda 225) in all Seas 45 Knots max speed and have never felt the need for toe straps and personally don't like the idea of not being able to move my legs quickly. Also i think bench seats are dangerous. /2p

[Tim M]

That's pretty good value! Might have to get a pair I think

[Sav]

Some other things spring to mind.

6) What about tie down points. I note you can get ones which are flush with a flip up bit. Would you add lots, maybe 2 in bow, 4/6/8 behind seats to tie stuff down. I am thinking of getting an Aux as well and wouldn't want to carry it on the transom at speed, therefore tie down behind seats in a nice protected bag.

7) Does the fuel tank have baffles or chambers which prevent fuel sloshing about too much? Is this an issue with fuel full/half empty?

8) Am considering Garmin 298C Chartplotter/Fishfinder/Sounder using the CD bluecharts as I fancy planning on PC at home then load up with datacard to take to RIB and flush mounted GPS. Anyone use this combo?

Sav

[DJL]

Originally Posted by Tim M

Is it possible to buy the wing backrests on their own? I really fancy the look of them for my 4.8. Its funny; I received the Ribcraft brochure in the post this morning but there's no mention of a price for them on their own. Anyone know how much?

I believe they were listed as £125 + VAT each, but thats the upgrade price on top of a jockey seat which includes the normal backrest.

Originally Posted by ollyit

sweet lookin boat there danny boy!

Cheers Olly



7) Does the fuel tank have baffles or chambers which prevent fuel sloshing about too much? Is this an issue with fuel full/half empty?

As far as I remember it does. I've never had any problems with fuel even when running fairly empty in rough conditions.

8) Am considering Garmin 298C Chartplotter/Fishfinder/Sounder using the CD bluecharts as I fancy planning on PC at home then load up with datacard to take to RIB and flush mounted GPS. Anyone use this combo?

I do the same, although not with the 298C. Saves a lot of time inputing data into the GPS once you get to the boat. It's also quite nice to be able to take your track data home so you can see where you've been, distanace of each leg, max speed etc. Its also handy for loading software updates.

[Sav]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I am really looking forward to the boat show and hopefully ordering a RIB.

Sav