JBT Marine are very pleased to announce VW Touareg as their new towing vehicle. The Touareg - Volkswagen’s powerful 4×4 combines exceptional on and off-road capabilities with uncompromising luxurious style. Towing your Ballistic RIB is easy with a Touareg. Its excellent range of diesel and petrol engines - ranging from the 2.5 TDI through to the immensely powerful V10 TDI - provide the torque required to pull loads of up to 3.5 tonnes. And the pinpoint control that’s so important when towing comes from the Touareg’s solid weight, high and low gear ratios and sophisticated traction control system.

The Touareg also has a wading depth of up to half a metre of water, helping you to launch your Ballistic RIB easily. So if you like to RIB, it’s fair to say you’ll feel comfortable at the helm of the Volkswagen Touareg.

This will be JBT Marine’s 5th year at RIBEX and their on-water-line up this year will be the 5.5m, 6.5m and 7.8m Ballistic RIBs all with Evinrude ETEC engines on the back.  RIBEX is the only boat show solely dedicated to the exhibition of RIBs and that is why JBT Marine will be taking their Ballistic range of RIBs to the show.

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.

The 5th Marine Industry Regatta was held last week with 28 boats taking part, one of which was Thornham Marina & JBT Marine. We had beautiful weather and a nice Force 2 throughout the day which was an ideal opportunity to get the legs out and shorts on!

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!