[killarney_sailor]

Anyone know anything about these RIBs, we may be replacing our Walker Bay POS and this is one of the possibilities.?

 

[tdw]

Bruce ... not much help here cos I've never played with one but where do they sit in overall price range ?

Is the Avon/Zodiac with the folding transom on your list ?

 

[brokesailor]

Kill: I have one, the smallest aluminum hull they make. I can almost manhandle it myself over the lifelines. Negatives imho: very light so they feel very unstable when moving around and loading/unloading. And they are rated for a small outboard so they won't go on plane. I'm talking about the light aluminum hull models.

 

[aeventyr60]

They seem to be all the rage here for a less expensive version of the higher end models. I have heard comments about the very light construction. I think I'd put a sunbrella cover on and be good to go. Since they are a relatively new product here, nobody has any length of service stories to tell. Too bad Caribe has suffered a reduction in service/quality problem, if they were made to the same standard of years past, I'd get a Caribe.

 

[Faster]

Nice big tubes, but so light that without enough load to put the tubes in the water they seem tippy. A couple of friends have them here in BC, they seem content.

 

[capta]

All the Highfield RIBS I've seen down here are labeled "Highfield for Lagoon" right on the side, so I assume they are being produced specifically for Lagoon. That might be an indication of their quality, I don't know. Just thought I'd pass it on.

 

[bvander66]

Friends on Anneteak just bought (Dec 2014) the 10' light and have a 15 hp outboard. About the same wieght and size as the AB al 10' for almost $1K less. The are in Exumas and very happy, but their previous was a leaky airfloor. No idea on longevity, ruggedness yet. Let me know if you want their email to ask them specific questions.

 

[tdw]

Does anyone have an air floor that doesn't leak ?

I'm very much moving towards a rib of some kind simply to get away from the soggy shoe syndrome.

 

[westsailpatti]

Does anyone have an air floor that doesn't leak ?

I'm very much moving towards a rib of some kind simply to get away from the soggy shoe syndrome.

Hey mate , check the Greg Norman shoes at the course . HAHA come on that was funny .
We have a Achilles with a air floor , it's awesome .

 

[bvander66]

I have been looking at new ribs and was leaning to al hull.
rethinking that, present rib is going on 13 years and while tubes have many patches the fiberglass hull is perfectly intact. Only thing I have done was glued on a skid pad along first 3 ft of the keel.

 

[flyingwelshman]

Going into our 4th season with our UL 260.

So far: so good.

It tracks well behind as we tow it. It seemed unstable at first but, once you get your centre of gravity low it gets less wobbly.

It is light enough to lift easily. I would love to be able to fit it onto my foredeck but it interferes with access to the anchor locker etc.

We push it along handily with our Honda 2hp 4-stroke. We won't break any speed records though.

The lightness has caused one problem though. This incident happened about a week after I had bought the new dinghy.

I don't know how durable the rigid aluminum bottom is, but, in our area, with no coral etc. she looks as good as new.

 

[tdw]

Ok Patti .... I'll give you a chortle or two.

It does seem that the weakpoint is the transom. Not sure if this is any different in a rib.

Glass v Aluminium ? Hadn't even thought about that.

Bruce .... I'm thinking we've hijacked your thread and its morphed into a general rib debate. Let me know if this irks you and I'll hive this off into an alternative thread.

 

[killarney_sailor]

A general RIB discussion is fine. We have vane steering and hence no davits so we need a lightweight dinghy. We have mostly stopped the water leaking into the boat (5200 fast cure is great stuff for this kind of thing) and are stumped on an air leak from one tube. Fixed one small leak but there is another one and we can't find it. if we can get back to Canada with this dink still (sort of) working we might built a nestable dinghy, or we can get a better dinghy selection, and likely price in the US.

 

[aeventyr60]

After looking at a few of the Highfiield dinks here and talking to the owners....I'd just buy one and get over it..waiting til you get back home? Enjoy the Caribe while you have time in a new dinghy..how much longer are you really going to be using a dink anyway?

 

[killarney_sailor]

After looking at a few of the Highfiield dinks here and talking to the owners....I'd just buy one and get over it..waiting til you get back home? Enjoy the Caribe while you have time in a new dinghy..how much longer are you really going to be using a dink anyway?

There are virtually no dinghies (as in perhaps one) in Grenada. Will check in Martinique where I imagine the selection is great. Also St. Martin is a possible source but we will be almost out of the Caribbean by then. We are thinking about Lake Superior for next summer and certainly would like something that keeps the water on the outside.

 

[tdw]

A general RIB discussion is fine. We have vane steering and hence no davits so we need a lightweight dinghy. We have mostly stopped the water leaking into the boat (5200 fast cure is great stuff for this kind of thing) and are stumped on an air leak from one tube. Fixed one small leak but there is another one and we can't find it. if we can get back to Canada with this dink still (sort of) working we might built a nestable dinghy, or we can get a better dinghy selection, and likely price in the US.

Same problem with our Zodiac. I've replaced the valves, soaped all over and still cannot work out why that one tube leaks. Driving me crazy.

I've found that part of our water leak is the drain plug. I'll replace that in the next week or so.

 

[killarney_sailor]

Well, after almost two small tubes of 5200 quick cure, the dinghy is basically not leaking now. I am impressed. Looks like we will be able to get north without buying a dink. Won't need one once we leave Bermuda in three months or so.