Advice on best conditions for a RIB

[The Professional]

I've been on a RIB a couple of times before in some rough seas and strong winds and was getting absolutely battered.

Can anyone with good experience advise what sort of wind speed and wave heights would be acceptable for a relatively smooth ride on a RIB?

I'm talking for in the Channel and the North Sea so please be realistic

 

[jwfrary]

Totally dependent on the rib!

You might find a better answer on ribnet!

 

[Hacker]

It would also depend on whether it was wind against or with tide and the direction you are travelling.

 

[James_Calvert]

Why does it matter?

 

[duncan99210]

I've been on a RIB a couple of times before in some rough seas and strong winds and was getting absolutely battered.

Can anyone with good experience advise what sort of wind speed and wave heights would be acceptable for a relatively smooth ride on a RIB?

I'm talking for in the Channel and the North Sea so please be realistic

Done a fair bit of driving a dive rib in Northern Ireland and round Anglesey. For a 7 - 8m rib anything much more than 50-75cm waves needed a moderation in speed to be comfortable. The greater the wave height, the more you need to reduce speed to remain comfortable and avoid injury to crew (who may be sitting in the tubes....).
It is wave height that is the determining factor, not wind speed. It is entirely possible to have fairly high wind speeds going with a tidal flow and without much fetch leading to fairly smooth sea conditions: round a headland into more open seas but the same wind and suddenly you’ve got significant waves and will have to moderate your speed.

 

[Hacker]

Why does it matter?

Because the different wave patterns will effect the ride. Try motoring with and against the tide/wave pattern. Differ RIB hulls and engine configurations will be different but all will have different handling (and therefore subjective comfort) characteristics depending on angle to tide/wind/wave form. I’ve handled RIBs in some pretty hairy conditions in the past.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Done a fair bit of driving a dive rib in Northern Ireland and round Anglesey. For a 7 - 8m rib anything much more than 50-75cm waves needed a moderation in speed to be comfortable. The greater the wave height, the more you need to reduce speed to remain comfortable and avoid injury to crew (who may be sitting in the tubes....).
It is wave height that is the determining factor, not wind speed. It is entirely possible to have fairly high wind speeds going with a tidal flow and without much fetch leading to fairly smooth sea conditions: round a headland into more open seas but the same wind and suddenly you’ve got significant waves and will have to moderate your speed.

Not sure whether or not this is thread drift, but powerboat instructors , in my experience, have always emphasised that passengers should never be allowed to travel sitting on the tubes.

 

[RJJ]

I've been on a RIB a couple of times before in some rough seas and strong winds and was getting absolutely battered.

Can anyone with good experience advise what sort of wind speed and wave heights would be acceptable for a relatively smooth ride on a RIB?

I'm talking for in the Channel and the North Sea so please be realistic

How long's a piece of string?

The RNLI have RIBs that they use in near-catastrophic conditions. Bet those babies have a nice smooth ride in conditions that give the average recreational rib-user a broken back. Then some of us have 3-4m RIBs as tenders that bounce like hell in 30 cm waves.

For most average recreational RIBs of 5-8m, I'd be surprised if it's much fun planing towards waves >50-70cm. Going with the waves, any RIB can give you a smooth ride if you drive it skilfully enough.

 

[James_Calvert]

Because the different wave patterns will effect the ride. Try motoring with and against the tide/wave pattern. Differ RIB hulls and engine configurations will be different but all will have different handling (and therefore subjective comfort) characteristics depending on angle to tide/wind/wave form. I’ve handled RIBs in some pretty hairy conditions in the past.

Yes of course and thanks.

I was really wondering why the original poster had asked the question, but I didn't make that clear.

 

[Hacker]

Ok no problem.

 

[gus]

I think the answer is 'how hard to you want to hold on?'. Ribs and inflatables are capable of weathering a wide variety of sea conditions so if you are uncomfortable, then get a bigger boat. Thereafter it is down to your experience and boat handling skills. I have personally driven an inflatable for 3 miles straight into a force 8 with 6' waves and loved it. But then we were prepared for it and in company.

 

[lustyd]

Totally dependent on the rib!

Much more down to the helmsman on a RIB than the boat itself. Understanding the hull is key to understanding when to apply power for a smooth ride. If you're on a RIB and the helm doesn't have their hand on the throttle then you'll have a terrible ride

 

[Zing]

I’ve scared myself badly in a 4m rib in inconsequential seas on a few occasions. To go in open water in moderate or above conditions you will need a bloody big rib, or a proper boat.

 

[Rappey]

You can get quite a battering in many solid hulls too.