Rib for general family use

[dvshannow]

Been toying with the idea of picking up a Rib for general family trips

Would use for exploring Solent , fishing, finding quiet beaches and take on family hols when we go to Cornwall for a few weeks

Anyone else tried this? I guess a 6m 150hp is around the sweetspot for space/easy towing . Also big enough for a few longer trips if feeling adventurous (Channel Islands / France)

[stevemcs]

I guess budget is going to be the deciding factor. Dad had an Avon rib and that was very good, it was nice and stable but had jockey seats so wasn't the most practical. He changed this to an aluminium based rib with a Suzuki and although its a brand new set up i think he prefers the older Avon.

[Watchman]

I prefer the jockey seats - positions you higher up so you're further out of the spray, and you don't need to hang on with your hands.

Better still would be the suspended type but they're expensive and not common on a family run around (yet?).

I've been considering buying one this coming year too. My brother has a 6m Brig with a 120hp engine and he's totally got me addicted. I've seen a deep-V hulled Ballistic 7.8 with a 300hp Evinrude V6 which ought to be just about the largest I could tow behind my car.

Bigger is better.

[paintman]

http://www.rib.net/forum/

[chappj]

I’m also in the market for a 6m family rib so following this thread with interest.

We bought a 4.7m/60hp rib in 2018 as a starter boat and have loved using it, so looking for something that can carry 8-10 people and is more sea worthy.

FWIW, we’ve narrowed the search down to BRIG,Grand & Ribeye.

I’d be interested to know what your bother-in-law thinks of the Brig?

[gazzarose]

I work in a boat dealer in Swansea (I don't think I'm allowed to say who because of forum rules), and we sell Brigs. I'm one of the 'boys out the back', so see the real side side of boats. I think they're great boats. We'll built, loads of sizes and seat options, and colours to suit everyone. We sell alot of 4.5m up to about 7m, so right at the sort of size families want. We fit all the vast majority of ours with Suzuki. We're a Yamaha and Honda dealer as well, but the Suzukis are priced right for the Brig market, and the black goes with grey and black Brig tubes.

Depending on ages within the family, will determine what sort of seating would suit you. We tend to find that families with teenage kids get on well with jockey seats, especially if they're active/watersport type people. Either side of that, so families with younger children or older couples (one of our customers is knocking on to 80, and made the switch from an old yacht to a Eagle 580 a couple of years ago and has a new found love of speed!), tend to get on better with bench seats for the comfort and added safety with younger kids.

It's hard for me to sound sincere when I say what is best, I don't want to sound like a salesman and say that Brigs are the best, but I do think that they do exist in a sweet spot of price/value/quality.

Whatever you decide on, you'll enjoy it!

Eta, we've got a new Brig 610 with a 115 Suzuki in stock at the moment and a used 650 with a 200, so depending on your location your welcome to pop in and have a look to get an idea of size. Pm me if you want and I'll send you the details of them.

Edited by gazzarose on Tuesday 31st December 08:30

[dvshannow]

Thanks will take a closer look at the Brigs, the Ribeye A600s as it’s one of the few items where you can genuinely buy British

[Watchman]

chappj said:

I’m also in the market for a 6m family rib so following this thread with interest.

We bought a 4.7m/60hp rib in 2018 as a starter boat and have loved using it, so looking for something that can carry 8-10 people and is more sea worthy.

FWIW, we’ve narrowed the search down to BRIG,Grand & Ribeye.

I’d be interested to know what your bother-in-law thinks of the Brig?

We're not "boat people" really. Like Hammond (I assume you watched "Seamen"), we live as far from the coast on this island that is possible. However, like most people with an urge to spend a decent amount of cash on a toy, we do our research but stay open to opportunities. In my bro's case, the Brig came up at the right price and he grabbed it. That was 3+ years ago now, and he's never looked back. He launches from Salcombe, and enjoys the bay around there at every opportunity. The Brig is stored at one of the nearby boatyards when my bro is working back up here, and he drags it from the boatyard to the slip with a 1980 series II (I think) Landy - now partly restored with a galv chassis. The boatyard would provide whatever support my bro needed in regards to the Brig but I'm not aware that it's needed anything other than petrol since he bought it.

Edited by Watchman on Wednesday 1st January 17:18

[Ajsimp]

I have about 20 years experience with ribs, I have bought fiberglass boats but always come back to ribs. My advice for you would be a ribeye 650s with a minimum of 150hp. I have a 2006 and I tested a few a600s before upping budget, the extra length makes it an extremely capable package.

My ribeye has 2 double jockey seats, a suicide seat in front of the console and a 3 seater bench aft. The boat has a large beam so space is excellent for a boat of this size. I use it for family fun and also longer trips around the west coats of Ireland.

Even though I am based in Ireland the staff in Ribeye have always gone above and beyond any time I have contacted them.

To give some perspective of how much I like the versatility of this package, I also own a 8.5m 600hp rib which is used for longer trips and going over to Wales or Scotland. I intended to sell the ribeye but I now keep it on the west coast as it is better for island hopping & water sports.

My advice is to not wait around, I always buy boats from November to February and spend a month or two fixing them up. This is the time of year to pick up bargains.