RIBEX will be based again this year at the Yacht Haven in Cowes, Isle of Wight. Cowes is recognized as playing host to some of the most famous international powerboating and yachting events in the world. There will be over 100 RIBs exhibiting at the show with the potential to sea trial literally dozens of RIBs back to back some of which could include Cobra, Ribcraft, Ribeye and Scorpion. A number of engine manufacturers will also be present at the show this includes Evinrude, showing their Evinrude ETEC range of engines, Yahama and Suzuki.

JBT Marine sold six RIBs during the RIBEX show in 2007 and are hoping to beat that this year!

RIBEX will be packed full of lots of things to see including the:-
new Ilmore-engined Arctic Blue 29, new Scorpion 10m Sting, world launch of Redbay’s very first eleven metre fly-bridge RIB, new 10 metre Stingher from Italy making its public debut at the show, Evinrude outboard engines past and present, Evinrude E-TEC 300hp engine, Ballistic RIBs powered by Evinrude E-TEC outboard engines will also be on display in the show’s marina and the waterside tented village area of the show site, including Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, BRP, KMO Chandlery, RIB Shop, Gecko, Scorpion, Shock Mitigation, BHG Avon, Raymarine, Navico, Plastimo, Garmin and a whole variety of other exhibits.

List of Exhibitors at the show are Armstrong Nautical Products, Asis RIBs, Ballistic RIBs, Bembridge Outboards, BHG / Avon, Boat Register, Brig RIBs, British Antarctic Survey, BRP Recreational Products UK Ltd, UK Marine, BWM Ribs UK Ltd, Clearwater Ocean Craft Ltd, Cobra RIBs, Cummins UK, Drake Marine International Ltd, Dronfield Marine Ltd, Evinrude ETEC, Garmin, Gecko Head Gear, Henshaw Inflatables Ltd, Hockley Marine, Honda (Uk), Hunton Powerboats, IBS Boats International Ltd, Icom (UK) Ltd, JBT Marine Ltd, Kevin Mole Outboards & Chandlery, Lnyx Sports Management, Marine Av Ltd, MRL, Navico UK, North Atlantic RIB Marine, Outboard Covers UK, Parker RIBs, Pennel & Flipo, Powerboats Ltd, Predator RIBS, Raymarine Uk Ltd, Raymarine 2, Redbay, Ribcraft Ltd, Ribeye Ltd, Ribquest, RIB Shop, Saver Boats Holland, Scorpion RIBs Ltd, Shearwater RIBs, Scorpion RIBs, Shock Mitigation Ltd, Solent RIBs Ltd, Suzuki GB Plc, Southampton Dry Stack, Stingher RIBs, Suzuki Sponsorship, Valiant RIBs, Wahoo RIBs, Wittey Marine, Westfield Sub Aqua & Marine and Yamaha Motor UK

RIBEX is running from 9th – 11th May 2008.

We had a crew of 8 with us finishing a very respectable 4th. Our crew consisted of (from left) Quint, Audra, Justin, Simon, Jonny, Jeanette, Andy and Mark.

We had a fab days sailing – you can’t beat the Solent on a sunny day…. except maybe the Caribbean!

Pure Latitudes aim is to meet a broad range of sailing requirements. They have boats that can be sailed single handed through to boats that comfortably carry eight. They have relaxed and easy cruising boats through to boats offering a bit more performance. We principally offer sailing yachts but for those days when you are in more of a hurry or you just want something different, we have motor boats and RIBs. Regardless of boat, we place quality, performance and style at the heart of what we offer, so our fleet has been carefully selected from manufacturers with a strong track record.

The RIB that Pure Latitude have available is the Ballistic 6.5m RIB, purchased from JBT Marine. The Ballistic is fast but is also one of the safest and most stable RIBs on the market, with proven capabilities in commercial, leisure, high performance sport and race use. The Ballistic is tough, durable and great fun. The combination of jockey and bench seating, the hull design and the award winning E-TEC engine make this the perfect all round RIB.

The other boats that Pure Latitude have available are Beneteau First 27.7, Bavaria 31, Dufour 34, X Yachts 37, Swordsman 30.

Channel Island dealers, MW Marine Ltd, based in Guernsey, had a 7.8m Ballistic and a 6.5 on display in a great position next to St Peters Port. MW Marine Ltd have been recently appointed by JBT Marine Ltd as Ballistic dealers in the channel Islands. The feed back from the boat show was fantastic as the Ballistic RIB is ideally suited to island use and the sea conditions that you find round there.

Visitors came to the show from Jersey, Sark, Herm and Alderney. If you didn’t manage to get to the boat show over the weekend why not visit the Jersey Boat Show that is on next weekend (3-5 May 2008) which is being organised by Jersey Harbours in association with Colin Stewart.

The only other RIBs on display at the Guernsey Boat Show were Edward Pedley’s Predators and Stinger RIBs made in Italy. I think there is a dealer on the island for Ribeye and Avon. But sadly they did not make it to the boat show.

Those that came to the show will have also seen a great selection of fishing boats, powerboats and sailing boats.

The site describes them as :

Professional Bullet Camera Kits
They say that their motto is
“if it moves, stick a camera on it”.

Here is an extract from their website:

Our mission is to supply the very finest quality video equipment backed up by top quality service.
You can use our helmet cameras for whatever sports activities you get up to.

Much better than simply trying to hold a camcorder. Make your own professional quality video recordings using outrageous movie style angles capturing every exhilarating moment. Keep your memories alive forever!

Show your friends and family exactly what you experience with tiny video cameras giving them a “Your eye view” of the all things you get up to at the weekend.

Stogdon set out to design a lifeboat which could not be sunk and which would not capsize and trap its crew.

Please follow this link to read the full article.

Knowing that Our Ballistic RIBs are some of the only boats capable of crossing the Solent safely in these very unpleasant conditions, JBT Marine were contacted by Mr Harmesh Pooni who was in need of a ration pack containing his favourite breakfast cereal. (Crunchy nut cornflakes)

JBT Marine like a challenge, so we immediately got our Ballistic 7.8 RIB ready for the mission and made the epic high speed trip across the Solent to No Mans Land Fort where we delivered the rations in perfect condition for Mr Pooni’s breakfast.

Whilst we were at it we decided to try our hand at making a RIB video, Have a look below.

They tried to refloat the Portrush lifeboat Katie Hannan but it has not been possible. The stranded 17m craft, which has a 3m long by 10cm wide hole along the, will now be lifted on to a barge for removal.

Katie Hannan was left high and dry on Rathlin Island by a freak wave while trying to save the crew of a RIB that had got into difficulties. Coastguards rescued the RIB crew and also helped the lifeboat crew ashore.

A relief lifeboat has already been placed on station at Portrush, but it is reported that Katie Hannan may be damaged too badly to repair her. Portrush is in Northern island.

I have made my first attempt to create a “you tube” video of all of the RIBs that I saw at the show, so please look below at the video if you are interested in seeing what you might have missed on the RIB front.

Look out for the New Ballistic Police RIB that our dealers have sold to the Oslo Police for Patrol work in the Oslo Fjord. We are told that it is used for marine patrol checking for skippers for speeding and drink driving.

Some of you may have been lucky enough to experience this for yourself as I did once when INDIA JULIET was on excercise early one morning. I was crossing the Solent in a Cougar called a Cat 900, when they decided to drop in!

India Juliet is the coast guard helicopter thatis based at HMS Daedelus, Lee on solent. Somtimes they pick passing RIBs and speed boats to Land their winch man on……. Maybe if you are out and about in the solent it could be you next time?

It seems like only yesturday we supplied a RIB to the previous owners of No mans land fort, and now having been empty for over 2 years it looks unlikely that the Fort will be open for business in the near future due to an ownership dispute.

Here is a link to the BBC video report that I found on there website yesturday.

BBC News Report

No mans land fort is only accessable buy air or water and in the past the tool of choice has been a RIB.

The details of this boating event are as follows:

High Speed Boat Operations Forum 2008
on
http://www.hsbo.org

Topics for HSBO Forum 2008

Defining future requirements
Acquisition procedures and experiences
Boarding operations - Hostile boarding
Stern launch - Technologies and methods
Clothing - How to stay dry and warm
Legal and Regulatory issues - EU directives - ISO Standards
New boat designs
Human factors – Shock &Vibration Exposure
Best practice and Guide lines
Sea trials

HSBO Forum is a non-profit network event, connecting people from all over the world, interested in professional use and improving working conditions onboard and efficiency of High Speed Boats.
The object is to exchange knowledge and experiences the field and to learn about new technologies, methods and routines, developed to enhance performance and reduce dangerous exposure and risks of injury.

The presenters represent the highest specific expertise in their fields.
Registrations and preregistrations have already been received from US, Canada, UK, Holland, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, South Africa, Singapore and Australia.
The final program is still under construction. This year more time is allocated than before. Presentations will be brief and rich opportunities for discussions and networking provided. Several yards will bring boats for the boat trials, which is an important part of the Forum.

Here is a promo video that i found on you tube for Ullman

Ullman Dynamics contact details are as follows:
Ullman Dynamics
57° 40.1′ N, 11° 51′ E
Talattagatan 16 SE - 426 76 Gothenburg
SWEDEN
Tel +46 31 708 26 00
USA +1 757 383 8386
Mob +46 705 20 15 00
Fax +46 31 708 26 09
www.ullmandynamics.com

We realised that when you are trying to do research on different makes of RIB it can be extremely difficult to access information regarding history of the brands and just what exactly sets one RIB boat builder apart from another, so we have been busy writing a little bit of useful information.

To do this we have spoken to the boat builders themselves and added a little information from our years of experience buying, selling and using RIBs. For the most part, all of the RIB builders have been extremely helpful in providing us with information and photos. Thank you…..you know who you are!

Please click the links below to access the new information about these different types of RIBs

Avon, Ballistic, Tornado, Revenger and Cobra RIBs

Each page has very useful information for any potential buyer or user of RIBs.

For each brand we have tried to cover : history of the boat/ RIB builder, designs used and what they are well known for and then the range of products / models that they produce. oh and then some photos.

Over the coming weeks we are hoping to make more useful information about some other makes of RIBs like Ribeye, Ribcraft and Ribtec.

From what I can see you need to take this speed boat race seriously: This summer we will see a mixture of cruisers, speedboats, powerboats and RIBs taking part in this demanding boating challenge. We will see high speed machines with both outboards and inboards taking part from all over the world.

Those taking part will need a huge amount of support: land based teams, marine engineers, spare parts, lots and lots of fuel and a stack of cash! Have you got what it takes to enter a RIB or a speed boat?

Here is an extract that I found on the Round Britain Race website that was written last year:

“THE ‘MOUNT EVEREST’ OF POWERBOAT RACING REACHES ITS PLANNING ZENITH!
It is now a little more than 12 months to run to the eagerly anticipated Official Start of the ‘Round Britain Powerboat Race’ on June 21st 2008. The organiser’s plans for this huge maritime motor sports event are well advanced at RB’08 Race Control in the UK, with a series of announcements to come, starting with today’s release about the number of race entries.
Event Director, Mike Lloyd confirmed that registered entries and expressions of firm interest from international competitors are now in excess of 75 race boats, activating a reserve listing for Teams internationally. “It would seem that we have struck a chord with Adventurers, not only in Europe but from racers in the United States also. This is more than simply a race. It is an adventure on a grand scale which will not be undertaken by the faint-hearted. In fact this is the ‘Mount Everest’ of powerboat racing, requiring serious planning and financial commitment just to get to the Start Line and even more to get around the 1,600 miles endurance racing course along Britain’s beautiful coastline. Powerboat racing just does not come any tougher than this - and it seems that we now also have a competition to get into the Race!”

The Race is open to monohull pleasure navigation open-top boats only and the rules have been agreed and approved with the UK Governing Body for powerboat racing, the RYA. There are six categories into which the Teams will fit according to pre-agreed strict criteria and more information can be found on this in a useful download available on the classes link.

The Round Britain Powerboat Race last took place 23 Years ago and was, very appropriately, title sponsored and funded by ‘Everest’ Double Glazing. The outright winner was the world famous Italian racer and boat builder, Fabio Buzzi, in the equally famous ‘White IVECO’, completing the course over the 10 days in just over 27 hours of the toughest sea conditions and competitive powerboat racing. Fabio has already committed to return to defend his title and has confirmed that the Buzzi factory will be represented by more than one boat. It will be interesting to see if new technology can beat the clock as well as the notorious British sea. But technology aside there will be literally hundreds of stories generated by the human endurance required to finish and the people supporting the racers from the land.
The commercial and Media impact of the Round Britain Powerboat Race is being assessed by venues and business partners alike. With some 500 people expected to be following their Teams around the UK, the need to fuel and house the people is just as big a logistics challenge as looking after the race boats.

“Excellent value-driven Business Partner Packages have been developed by the event Commercial Team,” continues Mike Lloyd, “and discussions are under way for other Companies to exploit the Round Britain Race, joining Marine Track™, Host Venues and other partners already excited at the business prospects of this unique and challenging adventure that is sure to become the maritime equivalent of the Dakar Rally every year.”

It will be extremely interesting for fans and sponsors to experience the difference that instant communications, especially broadband and mobile phones will make to the way in which this adventure can be followed in real time not only in the UK but around the globe. 23 years ago the sophistication of these channels simply didn’t exist! ”

And here is a promotion video that Mercury marine made for the last Round Britain Race in 1984

This is a question that people often ask us at our boatyard when they are looking at our RIBs. I am sure that there are lots of highly technical answers and specialist gadgets that could be used to give you the correct pressure for your RIB, but for the most part if you are a leisure I recommend a simple solution:

The tube should be firm to the touch. If you are going along through the water and it flapping about then it is too soft and you should pump it up some more to avoid damage. Most good quality rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) will be fitted with pressure release valves, which should prevent you from over inflation.

Bear in mind that the pressure will vary a lot from day to day as the tube on your RIB is effected by temperature changes in the air. For this reason if you are in a very hot country it is a good idea to make sure that your RIB is fitted with pressure relief valves. This means that you will avoid blowing seams if it suddenly gets very hot!

Some people use a foot pump like this one . its called a Bravo 1

and some use an electric one, I think the BRAVO BST12 HIGHSPEED is quite good.

Large air flow: 450l/minAutomatic: stop when the choosen pressure is reached

Reliable: the combined solution “” turbine and piston”" allows to eliminate those parts wich are subjects to mechanical wear and tear.

It can inflate and deflate, complete with connectors, much more reliable, more powerfull motor, motor gear made of brass, 3 m cable of bigger diameter. 12 volt only.

Not bulky (155X230xh115mm) and light (1,5 Kg)

Others might prefer to blow their tube up like this chap in the video below,

*****WARNING: Be careful or you might end up like this chap.

Click here to see a funny you tube clip from an American boating TV channel that covers all sorts of Powerboating activities. The video goes on to show a very funny clip from a Evinrude Etec advert involving to guys out in their powerboat.

For those that don’t already know what a poker run for Powerboats is, heres the answer that I found on a website called http://www.loch-sport.net/pokerrun/what_is_a_poker_run

“What is a Poker Run?

A Poker run is not a race for Powerboats. It’s a game of chance and an assembly of vessels of all pedigrees and proportions. A Poker Run is fun on the water, powerboating at its most enjoyable, and a chance to renew old acquaintances and make new friends.

Each participating Powerboat navigates a carefully charted course, stopping at 5 checkpoints along the route to pick-up a sealed envelope containing a single playing card. At the final checkpoint, the envelopes are opened and the crew holding the best poker hand is declared the winner!

A Poker Run is an organised, activity orientated, fun filled safe event. Naturally it helps to have a great body of water, but equally as important are the card stops and special hosts that cater to Poker Runners throughout the run.

Poker Runs are for the entire family on your powerboat. At each of the five checkpoints, host communities/organizations provide unique and entertaining activities, sometimes linked with waterfront festivals and other powerboating events.”

Of course Poker runs are not just for hard powerboats but also for RIBs.

Somewhere up in the most norther parts of Norway is a company Valhall. Valhall is an adventure centre located on the island Krottoy just outside Harstad in Northern Norway.

From what we understand they use one of our Ballistic RIBs for boat trips in and around the Islands if you click the links you will be able to see this amazing place.

Here is a picture of our Ballistic RIB flying along with snow capped mountains in the background.

This place is famous for its views of the Northern lights and midnight sunshine at the right time of year.

Northern Lights, or aurora borealis as it is called in Latin, is most commonly observed in the winter season and best viewed from 70 degrees North. The phenomenon is caused by electrically charged particles (electrons and protons) emitted from the sun. When these particles reach the Earth, they are caught by the Earth’s magnetic field and directed towards the magnetic poles. In the upper layers of the atmosphere the particles collide with atoms and molecules, and the energy released is emitted as visible light.

The intensity of the Northern Lights varies with sunspot activity in a cycle of 11 years. Northern Lights have been observed at an altitude as low as 90 km above the ground, and as high as 1000 km. The Northern Lights are especially intense when there is high solar wind activity, causing huge amounts of particles to be ejected from the upper atmosphere of the Sun. When these particles reach the Earth within 20 to 40 hours, the result is a spectacular light show on the night sky.

Valhall is an adventure centre located on the island Krottoy just outside Harstad in Northern Norway (see map). We offer a wide range of experiences and activities in the world’s northernmost archipelago, and accommodation in a newly renovated building that used to be part of a coastal military fort.

Ballistic RIBS in conjuction with JBT marine have already formed a good working relationship with BRP and the Evinrude Etec ever since the announcement of there Strategic Partnership. The strategic partnership means that all JBT Marine Ballistics sold in Europe are sold with the BRP Evinrude Etec product.

If you are coming to the London Boatshow in excel (not the london Boat show in Earls court) Why not come and check out the Ballistic RIBS on the BRP stand (S021D)

Here is a list of Exhibitors from the RIBS and inflatables section on the Collins Stewart London Boat Show at Excel that might also be of interest;
Adec Marine(ADEC Marine Ltd) Tel: 020 8686 9717
Web www.adecmarine.co.uk
British Marine Federation member Avon Inflatables Ltd Tel: 01554 882000 Web:
www.avonmarine.com
British Marine Federation member Barnet Marine (Barnet Marine Centre Ltd) Tel: 01707 331389
Web: www.ribs.co.uk
British Marine Federation member Barrus EP (EP Barrus Ltd) Tel: 01869 363636
Web: www.barrus.co.uk
British Marine Federation member Cobra Ribs (Picton Boats Ltd) Tel: 01656 724444
Web: www.pictonboats.com
British Marine Federation member Cooney Marine (Simpson Davit)
(Cooney Marine International Ltd) Tel: 01536 484481 Web: www.coon…ne.co.uk
British Marine Federation member Crownline (Blue Water Horizons Ltd) Tel: 01305 782080
Web: www.blue…ns.co.uk
British Marine Federation member Doral (Simco Marine Ltd) Tel: 01803 866986
Web: www.simcomarine.com
British Marine Federation member IBS Boats International (IBS Boats International Ltd)
Tel: 01621 744250 Web: www.ibs-boats.com
Ice Marine (Ice Marine Ltd) Tel: 01420 520770 Web: www.icemarine.com
Lodestar UK (Roche Marine ) Tel: 01562 777200 Web: www.roch…ne.co.uk
British Marine Federation member Lomac Ribs (Blue Water Horizons Ltd) Tel: 01305 782080
Web: www.blue…ns.co.uk
Mersea Trailers (Mersea Commercial & Leisure Trailers Ltd) Tel: 0870 9099887
Web: www.mers…lers.com
British Marine Federation member Premium Liferaft Services Tel: 01621 784858
Web: www.liferafts.com
British Marine Federation member Raeline Boats
(Picton Boats Ltd) Tel: 01656 724444 Web: www.pictonboats.com
British Marine Federation member Ribeye Ltd Tel: 01803 832060
Web: www.ribeye.co.uk
Sealegs Amphibious Boats (Amphibious (UK) Ltd) Tel: 020 8870 5514
Web: www.amph…ribs.com
British Marine Federation member Seamark Marine
(Hobie Cat Sport Ltd) Tel: 07710 416487
Web: www.hobi…rt.co.uk
British Marine Federation member Suzuki GB Plc Tel: 01908 336600
Web: www.suzu…ne.co.uk
British Marine Federation member The Boat Shop
(Yam Tech Ltd) Tel: 01708 631116
Web: www.yamtech.co.uk
VersaDock International Ltd Tel: 01208 841001
Web: www.versadockuk.com
British Marine Federation member Williams Performance Tenders
(Williams Performance Tenders Ltd) Tel: 01865 341134
Web: www.williamsmarine.com
British Marine Federation member Zodiac International Tel: 01604 497637
Web: www.zodiacmarine.com
www.pontoonboats.co.uk (Highland Ventures Ltd) Tel: 01764 685323

Some people think that getting to the London Boat show is hard work now that it has moved from Earls court out to Docklands, But its not that bad. Here is a link that will help you on the London Boatshow website

The first is that our RIB insurance Brokers Heath Lambert tell us that we should not give advice about Rib insurance???? Sounds strange I know but its all to do with the Financial regulations to do with the Insurance industry.

The second thing that we tell our RIB buying customers about Rib insurance is that we always make sure that our Rib insurance covers us for underwater gear. The main reason for this is that if you think about it the most likely accident to happen that you simply can’t avoid is hitting something that you can’t see… so it make sense that insurance for what is underwater on your RIB might be a good thing to insure!

We also have a good look at our Rib insurance Policies to make sure that it really covers us for what we want to do weather it be Channel crossing or water skiing.

Other than this I think it makes sense to deal with reputable insurance companies and Brokers that have a good track record for sorting things out when they go wrong. Lets be honest its only when things go wrong that you need your RIB insurance anyway, so it might as well be good. Unfortunatly this is not always the cheapest, like so many things in life, you get what you pay for!

Here is a video of an out of control Ocean Rib in the Solent that has lost its skipper, I suspect he wasn’t wearing his Kill cord? Lets hope he had good Rib insurance.

At JBT we use Heath Lambert insurance brokers for our Rib insurance quotes, Why not click here and get a quote now!

Yamaha Fourstroke or Evinrude Etec Twostroke outboard motor?

If you have done much research in to the age old subject of two stroke or fourstoke outboard motors for your RIB or Speed boat, you will probably be rather muddled now.

The main reason for this is that people always try to sell you what they have. Personally I think that both types of modern outboard engine technology have some merits.

The main differences between Yamaha Fourstroke outboard motor and a Evinrude Etec Twostroke outboard motor?
are:

Four-stroke engines are generally:
Heavier
More moving parts
Quieter
Higher service cost

Modern two-stroke engines are generally:
As efficient if not more (e.g. Evinrude ETEC)
Lighter
Quicker to get going
Less expensive to maintain

Here is a great video that I found on youtube showing some of the major benifits of a modern Evinrude Etec twostroke engine over a Yamaha fourstroke.

To be clear we are talking about the comparison of a Modern directly injected twostroke Etec outboard engine (not the same as the traditional inefficient, noisy engine) verses a modern Fourstroke like a Yamaha outboard motor.

As time goes by we seem to be getting our RIBs and speed boats further and further around the world.

Next week we are due to ship a very special custom built Black Ballistic RIB to Hong Kong. I think we will probably send it in a 40 ft container with Peters and May or maybe IMS from Southampton UK. I was amazed at just how cheap it is to send a RIB in a container from here to Hongkong… Under £1000.00 . I guess that there are a lot of empty containers going that way around the world due to all of the exports from China.

The boat was a very special custom build that we made as an eye catcher for the RIB show in Cowes, Isle of wight. Not only was it a good looking boat but also a very very fast bit of kit capable of speeds up to 70MPH

The basic specification was as follows:

Not bad for a retail price of £68k !
Ballistic RIB Fitted with Twin Evinrude 200hp ETEC, 70 mph

GPS with chart plotter & Chip, Icom VHF, Depth/Fishfinder,Clarion CD/Stereo, compass and multiple engine instruments.

Seating: Seating consists of 6 single man jockey seats behind the console, 2 man front console bench seat, front sun bed seating and bathing area.

Included Standard Extras: Double A-frame, navigation lights, deck and spot lights and drink holders. Extensive locker space under console, all seating plus ski lockers under sun bed. Comes with console cover and all over cover. Sits on roller trailer.

Non Standard Extras Included Twin 250 litre fuel tank, power assisted hydraulic steering,

I think that the new owner is planning to moor her along side his Motor yacht ( a De Fever) in the marina. It should be ideal for zooming around HongKong Harbour (If the police don’t stop him!)
He also plans to make high speed boat trips to Macau for the weekend….sounds like fun.
Having spoken to the Chap that is buying this boat, I am not sure that RIBs are very well understood in Hong kong yet. Hopefully when this one gets there, people will start to realise what a practical form of high speed water transport a RIB is and what fun it can be!

If you fancy getting a RIB shipped to you anywhere in the world, Give us a call and maybe we can help

+44 (0) 8709089336

We have just arrived back from Amsterdam Mets (the marine equipment trade show) I think that this is one of the largest if not THE Largest Marine Equipment shows in the world. As the name suggests this show is for the trade only .
The best way of explaining what you might see there is to say that you will find almost anything to do with boats and boat building but not really any boats themselves……. except for maybe the odd speedboat tender or RIB.

Things that you might find there include:

Flares, lifejackets, rigging, glues, composites, rigging, hypalon, PVC, trailers, RIBs, plywood suppliers, boat builders, widgets, a-frames, GRP suppliers, paint, tubes, grab handles, consoles, steering systems, throttle cables, Batteries, tables, chairs, upholstery materials, fabrics………..in fact you name it its probably there. etc.

If you are in the Marine trade, this show is really a must go as it gives you a world wide perspective on the fixtures, fittings and ideas that are out there in the World wide marine market.

The first thing that you might want to consider if you are surfing around the internet trying to do some research in to different types of boat, is which type is best for you?

There are many many different types of speedboat, powerboat, sailing boat, sports boats and RIB (Rigid inflatable boat) out there for you to consider.

What is best for you?

I must start off by telling you that I am Bias, I love RIBS. But you must bear in mind that this is for a few very good reasons:

RIBs are:

Immensely safe (the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat institution) Use them)
Dry riding

Stable at rest

Fun to use in a wider range of conditions than almost any other type of Boat

Enjoyed by all the family

Towable behind you car or you can leave them at a marina or dry stack

Capable of some serious long distance cruising if you want or simple harbour use, RIBs are very versatile.

More and more we see people selling their speedboat, sports boat, powerboat in favour of a RIB, all because in general RIBS are more practical and more fun.

But don’t take my word for it, Why not contact the office 0870 9089336 and try a RIB for yourself on one of our test days. We run a RIB Test day on the first Saturday of every month.

Paul lemmer has written an article for the RIB Magazine that might interest you:

Why sell a Sportsboat & Buy a RIB, here is an extract from it:

“Fortunately, most RIBsters are like most other people interested in boats; however, they like to know that their waterborne transport is capable of putting up with a lot more abuse than a similar sized cabin cruiser or speedboat and just in case they get `caught out’, they have the assurance that the RNLI use similar vessels for offshore rescue and a twin of their boat is doing stalwart service around the North Sea oil rigs often in a Force 8 gale. RIBsters generally take their boating seriously and are often diligent about getting proper training. However, many can be likened to the four-wheel drive vehicle brigade who although owning a “go anywhere”, semi-utility vehicle capable of traversing the worst off road conditions, never see anything more testing than a school run and the daily commute! There’s nothing really wrong with this, enjoyment of one’s craft in whatever way one wants to is uppermost.”

The deal agreed yesterday was really good news for Ballistic Norway who has negotiated the deal with the water based side of the crime fighting police force in Oslo.

We are told that the Police tested no less that 7 other makes of RIB and high speed boat before arriving at the decision that the Ballistic really was the best for their needs! Other RIBs up for consideration included the Goldfish 25, Valiant 850, Rupert RIB, Arctic blue, and the Zodiac.

The Ballistic high speed patrol boat is due to be in action in March 2008 when hopefully we can show you some more pictures.

For those of you that can read Norwegian here is a link to an article produced in Oslo.

Fetest på fjorden

Fetest på fjorden

RASK: Follo politidistrikt blir blant de raskeste på fjorden neste sesong. (Foto: Båtliv)
Rib
Rib står for rigid-inflatable boat eller stiv, oppblåsbar båt. Skroget i en rib kan være laget av stål, tre, aluminium eller kombinasjon av tre med glassfiber på overflaten.Rundt skroget ligger det en oppblåsbar slange av gummibelagt, syntetisk duk.

Follo politidistrikt dekker kysten på østre side av Oslofjorden, en strekning som omfatter kommunene Vestby, Frogn, Nesodden og Oppegård, inkludert byene Son og Drøbak.