RIB dinghy

Monique

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Anyone own one? I intend to have it in davits on overnights at anchor but to stow it onboard when on long passages.

Personal choices and experiences sought...

TA
 

Hadenough

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I have a 2.7m aluminium hulled RIB made by 3D. It only weighs 30kgs but has big tubes so is very stable and dry. We keep it in davits all the time. It performs well, albeit slowly with a 2.5 outboard but rubbish with a 6hp (makes it plough). I now use it with a 10hp 4 stroke with which it will plane easily one up and just, two up. The ride on the plane is good but once it gets swelly it tends to porpoise (because of the light weight if think). It rows surprisingly well. The build quality and materials are good and overall I am pleased with it. I don't think they make my model anymore but the Highfield lightweights are similar. The after sales from my supplier in the UK was rubbish, PM me if you want to know who to avoid.
 
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Anyone own one? I intend to have it in davits on overnights at anchor but to stow it onboard when on long passages.

Personal choices and experiences sought...

TA

We have a heavy Avon 280 Airdeck Rover which we lift clear of the water overnight amidships on a spare halyard, keeping it off the hull with two fenders. No need for davits and it's quick to deploy. In harbour we often carry on winching and lift it onto the foredeck. A mainsheet tackle from a 22 footer is used as a Handy Billy between the halyard and the dinghy sling to enable the operation to be performed single-handed.
 
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rotrax

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We dont yet live aboard but have kept two ribs-a Caribe-which was fabulous but too big-a Walker Bay Genisis270-great features-and a Honwave 240 v-floor, all on davits or strapped across the transom.

Good davits are best.

We also inherited an outboard crane with our boat which makes lifting and lowering the motor a doddle.
 

TQA

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I have an AB 9ft Rib with double floor. I am happy with it and would by another. It lives on davits at night and on short sheltered passages. Interisland it goes on the foredeck inverted.

I had a Tohatsu 18hp which was a great engine till it had a seal problem. 15 months later I am still waiting for a warranty decision from them so much for the 5 yr warranty. A Yam might be better for after sales service. See what the local fisheman run.
 

Monique

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I have a 2.7m aluminium hulled RIB made by 3D. It only weighs 30kgs but has big tubes so is very stable and dry. We keep it in davits all the time. It performs well, albeit slowly with a 2.5 outboard but rubbish wi......

3D is one of the finalists. Planning an XPRO 290 capable of handling the Yam 15 HP 2 stroker I just bought...

Thank you for the insight.
 

Monique

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Rotrax & TQA,

Also considering both your choices. But 290 is best for me. MUST handle 15 HP.

:)

Thank you both for the comments.
 

Monique

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From Steve C Cronin QUOTE We have a heavy Avon 280 Airdeck Rover which we lift clear of the water overnight amidships on a spare halyard, keeping it off the hull with two fenders. No need for davits and it's quick to deploy. In harbour we often carry on winching and lift it onto the foredeck. A mainsheet tackle from a 22 footer is used as a Handy Billy between the halyard and the dinghy sling to enable the operation to be performed single-handed.UNQUOTE

Avon now bought by Zodiac apparently... Thank you also.
 

geem

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Caribe 9ft. Had it ten years. Bought new with a tohatsu 9.8hp two stroke. Planes with two easily. Both have done sterling service. Caribes come in heavy or light spec. Mine is heavy spec and is in great condition after ten years of abuse. Would buy another. Incidentally, the 9.8hp tohatu two stroke is lightest on market at 26kg! That is only twice weight of the tohatsu 3.5hp two stroke! It's also a lot easier to start.
 

Gerry

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Our Caribe is now 14 years old, looks a bit tatty but still going strong! We stow it upside down behind the mast, hauling it aboard using the main sail halyard. Quick and easy to get it aboard ( which we do every night at anchor) and safe and secure at sea. It hauls us and all our gear easily with a 5hp outboard, even getting on the plane with only one up.....
Considering we spent 10 years in the tropics it has done extremely well, would certainly buy another one.
 

RichardS

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260 cm aluminium hull Highfield Ultralight 29kg Hypalon. Has interior and exterior davit attachment points so can be hung upside down when not using boat. Agent in UK is Seaswift. Expensive but very popular in Croatia due to Hypalon construction. Made in NZ I believe.

Richard
 

Monique

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260 cm aluminium hull Highfield Ultralight 29kg Hypalon. Has interior and exterior davit attachment points so can be hung upside down when not using boat. Agent in UK is Seaswift. Expensive but very popular in Croatia due to Hypalon construction. Made in NZ I believe.

Richard

I will check yours out too. Thank you for the comment.
 
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grafozz

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Pihrana ribs in Hayling island make a nice 2.9m aluminium rib , very strong and about 38 kg .
I have the ex boatshow model with a 4 hp 2 stroke and it gets very close to planing !
 

RupertW

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Old patched 3m Caribe. Tough as old boots and we haven't had to do any more patching in last 4 years.

It's great when we have guests but wished we had gone for 2.3m one with just two of us until we sorted out a simple way of lifting it aboard.

Not into davits at all as when wanting a swim at anchor or when moored stern to its a bit like hanging your car across your front door. We use the spinnaker pole (always rigged on the mast) as a derrick to lift rib and swing aboard leaving it upside down on the foredeck when we are not using it.
 

KellysEye

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We had an AB aluminium floored dinghy which is much lighter the a GRP floor, we always kept it on deck because we didn't have davits. But as TQA says on passage he moves his AB from davits to the deck on passage. He may also may have read the book 'Heavy weather sailing' where a ketch in the Med had it's dinghy on davits in bad weather, a wave broke over the dinghy and tore the stern off the boat.
 

Monique

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Old patched 3m Caribe. Tough as old boots and we haven't had to do any more patching in last 4 years.

It's great when we have guests but wished we had gone for 2.3m one with just two of us until we sorted out a simple way of lifting it aboard.

Not into davits at all as when wanting a swim at anchor or when moored stern to its a bit like hanging your car across your front door. We use the spinnaker pole (always rigged on the mast) as a derrick to lift rib and swing aboard leaving it upside down on the foredeck when we are not using it.

My new to me is a ketch. Mizzen boom equipped to lift dinghy out when distance cruising. IF we stern to and dinghy is in the davits, we launch it and tie it to the bow. New boat is quite large...
 
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