Jet v outboard tenders

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MartinTilbrook

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Looking at small RIB tenders, I like the look of the Williams and Avon jet boats but they're a bit pricey compared to an outboard boat. Does anyone out there have experience of the pros and cons of jets versus outboards as tenders? How about keeping an outboard-powered RIB in a tender garage - do you find storing the outboard awkward? I guess the motor in the up position, projecting beyond the transom, further limits the size of the boat? Also, any thoughts on how jet boats compare to outboard boats in terms of handling and performance? Interested to hear your views.

Cheers,

Martin
 
If you use the search function, this has been discussed many times. It comes down to personal preference but if you do a search you will at least understand the pros and cons of each option.
 
Jet drive is superb, there is nothing quite like it.

However, in small boats (tenders size) the technology has its own problems. Dont just consider size, weight is also a big trade off.

Is it the drive type that apeals or the steering wheel and seating part?
 
It's partly the drive type but also the style! Maybe some outboard boats out there with similar looks?

If anyone could suggest the search keywords to use that would be a great help, 'tender' and 'jet' don't seem to bring anything relevant up (but I am new to this so apologies if I'm being dense).

Cheers

Martin
 
I've just been through all this very recently and as other say there are many pros and cons to both. Look at the recent threads where I got loads of advise.

The jet is sexy and stows in the garage easier (size for size) but really needs to be used in 'blue water' conditions.

I want mine for the river and the leasure types Avon/Williams are not suitable. I ended up with a Seasport with outboard which gives all the design advantages of a jet - good seating and consul etc but with a 4stroke O/B.
 
If you can stretch to a 3.8m then the heavy duty inflatables (rather than a RIB) are proving very popular, pop a four-stroke engine in the 8-18HP range on there and a jockey console and you have a comfy, fun and capable boat on your hands.

Please PM me for specs etc., but price wise the above bundles come out around 3k.
 
Try searching "jet rib", if you don't come up with anything then you're doing the search wrong!

My, slightly biased, summary of pros of each option:

Jet Rib - faster, more stylish, safer in some ways 'cos no prop

RIB + o/b - lighter, quieter, more reliable, cheaper, easier to steer, manual start back up if battery flat, bigger capacity, plenty fast enough for skiing/ringos etc., don't dissapear in a cloud of your own smoke at low speed.

Just changed my jet rib for a 3.1 RIB with Honda 20 hp 4 stroke, much better IMO as a compromise for all the things you want a tender to do. Jet rib better if you just want to go fast.
 
we're in the med where jetribs became de rigeur a few years ago.

Ours is a novamarine 340 (3.4 m) with mercury 175hp v6 two stroke, fearsome thing but generally reliable, and it cam with the boat. We did have have a switch problem whilst in solent two years ago though and the ribfixing man in yarmouth spent the first five minutesd saying blimminek blimey i thought the boatwould be 9 metres long etc etc.

The novamarine is indeed incredibly overpowered. But it is also powerful enough for the kids never ever to whinge that it's a bit slow and can we get a better one. The sixteen year old can drive itwith amazing precision, much better than i can, altho this skill isn't cheap as a fillup is 50 euros and you can burn a tankful in under an hour. Well, he can anyway. One morning we are blamming along to get bread somewhere, boat leaping about, me hangingon for dearlife and he says "dya fancy going really fast dad?". No i flippin don't i thought this was fast...

We have rented other boats and seen all sorts of stuff and jetribs seem more fun/fashion than practical tenders, althoi suppose they are smart in a med way with no enginey bits visible. But they weigh a ton and if someting goes wrong you can't separate boatfrom engine ,and/or if boat or engine gets utterly broke , that's the end of the jetrib.

I wd probly not choose a jetrib again, better have an outboard imho.

Best ribs i have seen are made by Carib, as they have big big sponsons and hence keep occupants the driest for given lenth of tender.
 
For this season I replaced the Avon 320 Jetrib with Arimar 360 with outboard, steering console normal seating not jockey (that take all the space in a small boat). The Arimar has turned out to be really good. Deeper V forward than Avon. Light but still 5 yrs warranty. Check old discussions on this forum re. Jetribs. Need a toy or a tender? Thats the question.
 
We carry a 3.5m Caribe C12plus with 30hp outboard on the Davits of the Broom. Only weighs 150kg with motor. Great little tender, can also pull a skier or dugnut. Safe for the Kids to drive, I would'nt let my children drive a jet rib on their own, too dangerous for kids. They don't understand that there is zero steering without power. Folk seem to warn about maintenance issues. Jets great fun but I prefer the practicality of the outboard (with console and wheel)

Caribe C12 plus - Kids play
DergRib3.JPG


Sit snuggly on Davits weighing 150kg inc motor
Est2005.JPG
 
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