Highfield om500/540 wanted

[mbon55]

In need of a first RIB for Solent use this Summer. Have viewed new Highfield which fit the bill for ease of tow, launch and storage. Basic price with Honda 50/60 hp engine fine until one then adds on the cost of the essential extras like instrumentation, trailer, cover etc. However, very little available second hand with these items included. Locality - Lymington resident.Bit of a shot in the dark, but you never know. Budget £15k +
Any comments welcome

[Orwell boy]

pm sent

[Capt _A]

Hello I'm a Highfield Dealer,
I can send an estimate for vessel.

[Xk59D]

There is a better boat for sale on here for your budget more or less...ribcraft 585 if you can store it.

[matt h]

And a Ribcraft 5.0 which is an awesome boat

[krakenRibs]

Hi there, please check us out. I am sure we could help you with a boat for your budget. www.krakenribs.co.uk or email garreth.millett@krakenribs.co.uk

Thanks G
07712266962

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

There is a better boat for sale on here for your budget more or less...ribcraft 585 if you can store it.

is that a fact or just your opinion

[69cmw]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

is that a fact or just your opinion

Fact 🤣🤣

[Xk59D]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

is that a fact or just your opinion

Are you being serious? I never said highfield was bad, but c'mon now.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Capt _A

Hello I'm a Highfield Dealer,
I can send an estimate for vessel.

I can send you an estimate for trade membership but since you've responded to a potential buyer in the UK and you are in the US I expect you aren't going to get far with a sale.

[Orwell boy]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

Are you being serious? I never said highfield was bad, but c'mon now.

Of course i was being serious , in the same thought that with 70k to spend ,some people may choose a 4 year old out of warranty range rover and others may choose a brand new volvo xc90 ,, just personal preference ,its a forum after all , some may even buy dacia dusters for the next 15 years and throw them away after 3 years , who,s to judge

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Orwell boy

Of course i was being serious , in the same thought that with 70k to spend ,some people may choose a 4 year old out of warranty range rover and others may choose a brand new volvo xc90 ,, just personal preference ,its a forum after all , some may even buy dacia dusters for the next 15 years and throw them away after 3 years , who,s to judge

You've been here for over three years and haven't realised that the stock answer from Ribcraft owners to every wanted type post is "you should consider a ribcraft instead" ? Much like if you suggested a brand of car to tow it with the default answer is the one they own.

That said the OP would probably find it useful to explain exactly why he has "locked on" to the Highfields despite the limited no's on the 2nd hand market. e.g. if he beaches regularly or needs a very light to tow 'rig' and thus wants an Ali hull that might be key.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Poly

That said the OP would probably find it useful to explain exactly why he has "locked on" to the Highfields

Because that's what everyone is driving in the Solent this year daaaaarling[emoji23]

[MatFromPoland]

But there is not big weight difference I suppose

Mine Hihfield OM540DL with Evinrude 115 (180kg) 2 Batteries, some stuff weight 900 kg. I suppose that GRP RIB this size can weight about 1t also

Checked by police 2 times (in Austria and in Poland). Total with trailer was 1200 kg once and 1250 second time (trailer GWV is 1300 kg). Trailer weight is about 300kg

[Xk59D]

Originally Posted by Poly

You've been here for over three years and haven't realised that the stock answer from Ribcraft owners to every wanted type post is "you should consider a ribcraft instead" ? Much like if you suggested a brand of car to tow it with the default answer is the one they own.

That said the OP would probably find it useful to explain exactly why he has "locked on" to the Highfields despite the limited no's on the 2nd hand market. e.g. if he beaches regularly or needs a very light to tow 'rig' and thus wants an Ali hull that might be key.

I don't recommend ribcraft as I own one, plenty of good boats in the for sale section which are maybe worth a look. If it was a redbay or something else I would still suggest it but you can only work with what is for sale at the time.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

I don't recommend ribcraft as I own one, plenty of good boats in the for sale section which are maybe worth a look. If it was a redbay or something else I would still suggest it but you can only work with what is for sale at the time.

I reckon you touched a nerve there, some people are sooooo sensitive [emoji6]

[Orwell boy]

On a sensible helpful note my highfield om500 with honda 90 weighs in at 680 kg plus trailer ( 220kg )so 900kg with empty tank , 90 litre fuel tank so all sitting on 1000kg braked trailer ,(should be fairly safe for the future as it will still weigh same after several years ) woops
on the other issue mr P ,from the time i wrote the 2nd thread in the post ,(you have a pm ) where i suggested to the guy asking for 2nd hand highfield info that i may be considering selling mine later in the season, i did write on the post " Dont worry the soggy plywood boys will be along soon " ,but thought better of it and deleted it ,as you say its fairly predictable.

[Pikey Dave]

Unless I'm missing something, no one has said on this thread that the Highfield is a bad boat. The only person who's made an issue out of it is yerself. Xk59D just said that there is a better boat available in the RC585. Now that may be his opinion or fact, depending on what the OPs requirements are. If the OP needs a boat to fit his garage, the RC might be rubbish. If the OP wants a boat that will hold its value & have better seakeeping than the Highfield, then I would say that the RC would be "better" as would a comparable Redbay, Osprey, XS, etc. It's just that there happens to be a 585 in the for sale section at the moment.
Re. Soggy plywood. Yup it does happen & there are some horrors out there. Just as there are poor examples of pigeon shit welding on certain Chinese built ally boats that are held together with self tappers, but let's not go there. Apparently Highfified offer an option of "quality welding" but it adds £2 grand to the cost of a boat. That speaks volumes to me.

[MartynK]

Just looked at some highfield Ribs at Madog Boat Sales, they had a second hand one not a million miles away from what you mentioned?

Highfield 500 Ocean master For Sale | Porthmadog - Madog Boat Sales

[mbon55]

Thank you MartynK. I have emailed Madog and may well pursue.