Aluminum Hull RIB - is it worth it?

[GregSaiz]

I'd be interested in opinions on the value of an Aluminum hull inflatable 11' boat for 2~3 divers in Monterey and Carmel. Currently have a 15 HP motor, trailer paired with my buddies "no name" Chinese HP floor 11' inflatable boat. The exiting HP floor boat has some problems with water entry via the floor. For that reason and others (insurance on partial ownership is tough), I'm going to replace his boat and keep my 15HP and trailer.

The combination of an alunimum hull RIB is appealing to me because it's tough (for hand launches), light, gets on plane and seems virtually indestructible. The down side is they seem more expensive and harder to find. I hear fiberglass RIBs will rot if scratched and exposed to sea water but wonder if the fiberglass floor would outlive the tubes anyway.

Let me know if you've had positive or negative experiences with Aluminum RIBs.

 

[Peter_C]

The place that knows all about ribs. Most folks are based in Europe.
RIB talk - RIBnet Forums

How much do you want to spend $,$$$? New or used?

For RIB's fiberglass is way more common than aluminum, and more cost effective. SIB's are even more common in that size. Fiberglass will outlast two sets of tubes. In fact I was working in Oakland one day and there was a RIB on the sidewalk completely stripped of it's tubes, and probably 15 years old. It looked like the hull was still serviceable.

Now as far as I am concerned there is no reason to own a RIB that small. The biggest benefit of a small boat is it's portability, and how small they fold up. I like the idea of a high pressure floor boat with a 15hp for carrying around inside a vehicle.

For around $10K you can get a nice boat, motor, and trailer. Which is about what you will spend on a new aluminum RIB.
Achilles SU-18 Inflatable

14 Ft Sport Inflatable w/Trailer, extras

My personal thoughts on boat size. Anything less than a 14' inflatable is too small to be sea worthy in our ocean. Preferably larger than 16' and a RIB would be best. Where do you put a battery, depth finder, dive flag, anchor and rode, along with all your dive gear for three divers? I know folks use smaller boats for places like Lobos etc. but what about Ball Buster? Or around the Mendocino Coast? I often wish I had a bigger boat.

 

[GregSaiz]

Thanks Peter, great info. I'd like to spend less than $3000 for the boat new or used. I found one new model in that price range here. Good input on the fiberglass vs Aluminum durability.

Some limiting factors on the size for me are a) already made the investment in the 15hp outboard and trailer. b) I have a station wagon so my total tow capacity is limited to 1000lbs - I'd like to stay well under that. c) lobos launching via transom wheels is much less stress than backing up my wagon on the boat ramp. I have nightmares of the surge taking it out and future divers wreck diving my VW!

It does limit my boat site options to protected locations in Carmel and Monterey but at this stage, I'm not experienced enough as a captain or diver to try Ball Buster! I guess that should be a consideration - this boat will likely be a stepping stone so probably best not to go overboard on the cost of the boat.

 

[Peter_C]

What you posted looks like a decent boat. I know nothing of the particular brand though.

I figure my 14' Zodiac, with a 40hp, including the trailer weighs around 640lbs. I tow with a Prius, and have never had a problem launching or recovering from any decent boat ramp (Did see a Dodge P/U get stuck on the ramp at BW since he couldn't get traction on the slippery ramp). I did build a trailer tongue extension to keep my vehicle far away from surge...well after watching my bumper get half covered in salt water at the BW. I also built launching wheels for my Zodiac, that hopefully will allow me to launch at Lobos no matter what the tides are. Much like the rescue boats there.



What kind of vehicle are you towing with? Sounds like a Jetta, or? Which motor? What size and type of trailer do you have? Is it galvanized? Picture?

You could also buy a pretty nice boat for $3,000 with outboard and trailer. Then sell yours. Or just buy a larger hull and use your motor for now, upgrading down the road. Of course you could also just get a boat like you are talking about and use it for many years to come. Once in a while you can also find just the inflatable hulls for really cheap. Heck I am on my fourth boat and looking forward to number five. I will get something bigger next time.

Achilles Inflatable 14'

Diving some of the outer dive sites is really not a big deal if the conditions are right. Someone was kayak diving at Ball Buster one day. Knowing how to find your anchor line is important at times. More importantly is knowing when not to dive, or to call the dive early. Hopefully you carry at least a handheld VHF?? Don't be like this guy, with a non running boat and no VHF. At least they were wearing life jackets. I just started carrying a Nautilus Lifeline, since like you we dive off an unattended boat, and it does pose some risks.

 

[GregSaiz]

It's good to see you pulling your 14' with the Prius but I hate to think what your 60-0 times are! I have a 2010 Jetta TDI - plenty of touque to tow but the limiting factor is the DSG transmission. In any case, I'm not near the limit with my current setup so I can move up to a bigger boat when needed. My trailer is a CE Smith rated for a 12' but I think it would fit a 14' with some minor mods.

Have you hand launched the 14'/40HP setup at lobos or do you car launch there? If you car launch on the lobos ramp with the Toyota, I'm going to feel much more bold! I do have a handheld marine radio and depth finder - just picked up a Nautilus Lifeline to replace the marine handheld. My GPS system is low budget - iPhone 4 with Navionics app in a waterproof case. As you know, the Lifeline displays current location but I'd hate to nav by it. I have a confession to make: I never carry lifejackets when I'm wearing a wetsuit or Drysuit. Bad idea?

Would love to see a closeup pic inside your rig - always looking for suggestions on layout, etc. Here is my setup.

 

[Peter_C]

I do not have a power problem at all. The little Prius will accelerate up any hill I point it towards. It may not be as fast as a Porsche, but it is faster than most any industrial truck.

Lobos is a pretty easy launch ramp. The only time we had a problem is when the tide was completely out. Had to manually put the boat back on the trailer. Not something I ever want to do again, as it is hard on the boat dragging it up onto the trailer with the winch. The motor doesn't really come off and it weighs 200lbs. As I said above I do have a trailer tongue extension for when the tide or surge are not as conducive to launching.

A good GPS is worth it's cost. Nothing wrong with a hand held though. I really like having a depth finder though so I know when to drop the anchor.

Legally you have to carry lifejackets for everyone so yes you need to get some on board. They will write you a ticket immediately or not let you launch if you get inspected at the BW for instance.

Why not fix the floor on your boat? Some glue and a lot of time would save you thousands of dollars.

I don't really have any closeups. I quit using the tub below in the boat as it only takes up room. Usually we don't bring a cooler either, but we were lake diving and brought lunch. The bin in the front is permanently mounted for the anchor and rode.

 

[GregSaiz]

Thanks Peter, I think most of my water-logging problems were solved by removing the self bailer plug and resealing it. I've also found the self bailer works pretty well if you pull the plug while on plane and then replace it back when idling down. One last question, how many feet of anchor line do you carry for your Monterey trips? I larger boat certainly is high on my priority list - one with a stand up console would be ideal.

 

[Peter_C]

The self bailers kinda suck to say the least. Mine will completely fill under the boat deck if left open. I have two. They also take a long time to drain once back on plane. Typically I just leave them in until the boat is back on the trailer. I am in process of building a 3" elephant trunk mounted above deck (Might put part of it under the deck) to quickly drain off a lot of water in case I swamp the boat. Since I have a 750 gph pump I might install it to drain under the deck. With four divers and their tanks I run heavy, and the last thing we need is water ballast.

So I was over by Wallin's Dive Center in San Carlos and stopped in to see what they had. The lady asked how I was doing and I said great! "I just bought a Hooker next door for $25." She goes "WHAT?". Then she realizes I must be kidding in some way and starts asking questions like what kind of hooker, and such. After playing along for a minute it was explained I owned a small boat and bought an anchor at West Marine a couple doors down. Hey she remembered me a long time later

That blue milk crate I bought and mounted in the bow has 320' of anchor line, 15' of chain, and a Hooker anchor. It just happens the ends of the anchor fit perfectly into the milk crate. The anchor bounces a little on the edge of the milk crate, but NEVER flies out. I went overkill with bigger than I need on everything except length. I wanted a rode that stayed on the bottom so the anchor could dig in. I have watched half the chain come off the sand on a rough but diveable day. With a 3:1 scope that means 300' min in 100' of water. Usually since we are diving in calmer conditions and it is a light boat I run closer to 2:1. The anchor line came from Amazon (About 1/4 the price of West Marine), and I put a thimble on the end. The other end is tied to the milk crate. To attach the chain and the anchor I used a couple small galvanized clevis'. Chain and clevis' came from Home Depot. Make darn sure to either tie the clevis bolt in with stainless wire or something fairly strong. I used pink zip ties since I had them and can see them easily. Probably should redo it with stainless wire at some point. They have been known to unscrew dropping whatever is attached on the bottom of the ocean. I put in the anchor rode markers which are really nice since anyone can read, them. Using colors works, but it is harder to explain to someone not familiar with the system. Anchor Rode Markers at West Marine

Center console boats are nice, but take up much more precious interior room than a tiller.

 

[trolon]

This is late in coming. I'm sure you've made a choice. I've lived aboard boats and used RIBs as tenders and dive boats for years. I've had roll-ups, fiberglass hulls and aluminum hulls. For me the choice is a no brainer: aluminum is the only way to go. Roll-ups are a pain, fiberglass are fine but heavy. You can get a 120 lb aluminum rib rated for a 20 hp outboard and fly with a full load. You can plane with two adults and their gear with a 9.9 hp outboard. Weight and speed are the most important issues for me and the AL RIBs are clear winners.

tr

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I dive Monterey off my 17' Boston Whaler all the time. 250' of anchor line has been fine. If you are going to upsize anything in the anchor rode, use more chain.

Make your anchor line and dock lines different colors. It's much simpler to tell a newb to grab the red dock line than to stop and explain everything.

Lack of PFDs is a zero tolerance offense for the USCG. You WILL get a ticket. The fact that you didn't know this says you really need to take
a USCG Auxiliary or US Power Squadron class. And it will save you on your insurance.

You can strap PFDs top of the tubes on an inflatable. On my whaler, they are in a bag that's attached to the side rails, and can get flipped
over the side when we are at anchor so they are out of the way.

You should also get a USCG Auxiliary or US Power Squadron vessel safety check. They will make sure you have everything you are
required to have and then some. There are no repercussions for not passing other than you don't get the sticker.

The USCG is doing a lot more boardings in Monterey. I went 13 years without a boarding (it helps to have a Bristol boat, they have cop instincts
about where to check) but have now had two in a year and a half. Passed both no problems. In both cases they had run out of other boats
to do.


Chuck