RIB vs Fibreglass vs Allum?

[aberglas]

My RIB needs replacing. It goes OK now I have patched most of the holes, and with 15hp it flies along.


However, it is just too heavy. I can barely get it up a beach or back if the tide goes out a long way and I am on my own. The 2 stroke Yamaha is a great motor, but in any seas I need to get it off the tender (which is on davits) and put it away. It is then too much work to put it back so we row a lot instead. And it rows like a dog.


So I am looking for something smaller, slower, lighter and more practical.


And having become somewhat of an expert at patching hypelon I really do not want more practice at it.


Lots of coral up here.

So what do people think of a non-RIB tender?

[Dan GB]

I am really interested in this thread. I had a fibreglass, purpose made catamaran thing that was heavy, almost too much to handle. Looking at the pt11 nesting dinghy with a lot of desire but no time to build it

[tkeithlu]

Having wandered in circles in search of the ideal tender I'm inclined to believe that a solid bottom, whether RIB or dinghy itself is the way to go. Inflated bottoms just do not hold their shape well and take a bunch of maintenance. I think they should be relegated to use where there is not enough space to stow something rigid.

Rowing an RIB is a problem. They are about as wide as they are long and the collars get in the way. Could you consider a dinghy, perhaps non-planning, and a smaller engine?

[dfelsent]

I’ve used roll up floors, wood panel floors, fiberglass rib, dyer midget, dyer dhow, pt-11, and hypalon air floor. Plus more.
The pt-11 rows like a dream and is really fun. Sails too. But for two people and a 75 pound dog the Achilles hypalon air floor has been the most practical. Wife any I agree on that.
I’ve got a Suzuki 2.5 four stroke, and a Johnson 9.9 two stroke.
We’ve ended up using the small engine exclusively. Won’t plane with more than one aboard but we are not in a rush.
We carry both the inflatable and the pt-11

[Bill O]

Always draw backs to any type of dinghy design.

We had a 2 part nester (spindrift 10') and was good, not perfect. It stored on deck well, towed well, rugged and rowed well w/one person. Cons were low freeboard/low carrying capacity/only 2 adults and didn't have good range/slow.

We sold it and have a 12' inflatable catamaran. This has more carrying capacity, uses a smaller ob to get up on a true plane, handles chop/waves much better than the hard nester and a smaller footprint on deck stored. Con, it's an inflatable. Some companies in Aus/NZ had solid hull cats that were interesting, but was too costly to ship to the US. (we were trying to have them make us a nester version for better deck storage)

An aluminum tinny would be good if you have room in the davits to store it.

[donradcliffe]

An aluminum RIB is significantly lighter. Just be careful who you buy from, because some builders have had real problems gluing the tubes on aluminum. Shorter RIBS don't plane well.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

An aluminum RIB is significantly lighter. Just be careful who you buy from, because some builders have had real problems gluing the tubes on aluminum. Shorter RIBS don't plane well.

Are they lighter than a single floor fiberglass?
Hard to compare on line due to length differences, but a quick search says 113# vs 104# the aluminum 104# in a 10 Ft+

[Phyrcooler]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Are they lighter than a single floor fiberglass?
Hard to compare on line due to length differences, but a quick search says 113# vs 104# the aluminum 104# in a 10 Ft+

I believe single floor aluminum are the lightest. I had an AquaPro 8.5’ that only weighed 70 - 75 lbs. It was fine for short to moderate distances with a 3.5 hp. I could muscle it around pretty easily.

One good tip I learned is to carry a couple 6” dia. fenders. These can be slipped under the bow one at a time to allow you to roll the dinghy forward a few feet at a time. Just keep grabbing the fender as it popped out from the stern as you dragged the boat forward. Took a couple minute depending on distance, but really made moving the dinghy up onto the beach, or returning after tide withdrew almost effortless.

[Russ]

I have a DuroBoat 10 foot with 6 hp
The boat weights 110 lbs
Perfect
Unfortunately, Duroboat ceased operations during COVID
This is NOT an aluminum inflatable type design but essentially a rowboat.
Its only problem is using it as a dive boat to board from the water.
It won't rust, leak or care about the sand and gravel beaches.

Metal Forever!!!!!

[Rickdowe2]

Rolling the dingy is a excellent idea!

[sogin]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Are they lighter than a single floor fiberglass?
Hard to compare on line due to length differences, but a quick search says 113# vs 104# the aluminum 104# in a 10 Ft+

Four years ago we purchased an Oxxean alluminum 275 ultra RIB which has a DOUBLE FLOOR! The tubes are 16 inches, 9 foot length, capable of 10 HP engine, 4 people, and a total weight of only 75 pounds. I don't know if Oxxean is still in business but this boat has been terrific. The only down side is the tubes are supposedly a high-tech new PVC. It cost north of 3K. I'm not sure it would last in the tropics without protective chaps. We have seriously abused this boat but it is still going strong. The hull design I'm told came from AB but I don't know for certain that this is correct.

[cr180]

Instead of downsizing dinghy, here are some things we’ve learned to overcome problems noted.
1. Keep the dinghy floating off the beach with bow and stern anchors.
2. We have Kato Davits with the re-enforcing tubes to the transom and lateral support bar between the davits. We carry an AB 10’ fiberglass rib with 20 hp 4 stoke outboard attached in the ocean. The dead load ratings of the davits are 300 lbs each, so plenty strong. BUT must strap dinghy securely to keep from swaying side to side. Note that we wait for weather and calm seas. Have made numerous Gulf Stream crossings.
3. We have found numerous uses and conveniences from having a dinghy that will plane and has some horsepower. From moving big boat (side tie), emergency medical transport, long runs into town, to island hopping without moving big boat. And will plane with four adults

[JPA Cate]

We have a dedicated dinghy fender for rolling ours up the beach. Works quite well, have been doing it for years.

Depending on where you live (if in the northern part of Australia, for instance) you may do better with a "tinny" (all aluminum) than any kind of inflatable, which crocs do bit and there goes the dink! If you are happy with a RIB, the aluminum hulled Swifts are really good boats. Hypalon (which last longest) is heavier, usually, than PVC, although some of the pvc is better than other. And chaps help both, longevity-wise.

You could consider making a dinghy, too. Plywood and glass and vinylester or epoxy. You can also get plans for sailing dinghies, as well as just rowing. Friend of ours has a nesting one that breaks down into two separate dinghies, nice for when he and his good lady wife want to go to different places. His, when in one piece is ~ 14 ft. long, narrow, easily driven. They live where there is coral, but the beaches are sand or mud.

Ann

[qwert]

Friend of ours has a nesting one that breaks down into two separate dinghies,

Ann[/QUOTE]
What a great idea, do you happen to know the designer, or if plans are available ?

[kavw]

I have a plywood pram ashore right needing repairs. Also bought an 8’ roll up that takes a 9.9 Tohatsu.
I wish just have taken a day off work to fix the pram and bought a 2-3 hp. If cruising full time, I’d roll up and store the sib, and 9.9, and primarily use the pram and row/sail.