While RIBCRAFT's focus is on building commercial quality RIBs for professionals, I thought it would be fun to highlight some of the recreational uses of every day RIBCRAFT owners. One such owner is Dave Pettigrew, an outdoor enthusiasts who purchased a 5.85 as a means to seek adventure for his family in the British Virgin Islands. Because Dave uses his RIB for a wide number of activities, I've broken his posting into several parts. I hope you enjoy the stories and if you would like to share yours with us, we’d love to hear them as well.

Posting # 1 – Fishing Experiment “19’ RIBCRAFT versus 38’ PowerCat”
As an avid fisherman I have often toyed around with the possibility of quitting my day job and starting a little fishing business. Talking with other fishermen, it was apparent that the biggest costs were boat maintenance and especially fuel. With the fishing grounds 20 miles out to sea, the thought of even venturing out so far in such a small craft as my 5.85 was frowned upon by those not familiar with the seaworthiness of a RIBCRAFT.

So, I decided to conduct an experiment to test the feasibility of trying to make a little side money by being a part time fishermen. I wanted to see what the results would be by spending a day on my RIBCRAFT versus a 38 foot power catamaran which local fishermen were calling the “ultimate” fishing vessel.

First up was the RIBCRAFT. We left before sunrise and cruised directly into 10 knots of breeze and 2 foot seas. Averaging about 15 knots we arrived at the fishing grounds and fished 2 rods until the sun went down. In fairness we had a very good day. Result: $450 worth of fish against $125 spent in fuel. Net profit = $325

Next up was the power cat. Over 38 feet in length, a wide beam, plenty of deck space, this boat was rumored to be the ultimate fishing boat. We loaded up and were quickly into 15-18 knot winds and 3-4 foot seas – in fairness we encountered larger seas this time. Clearly the longer length of the hull provided a smoother ride, but there were still some good jolts. Had I been on my RIBCRAFT, I know that I would have to cruise near 10 knots for a comfortable ride, but being on a boat with twice the length I was surprised to see that our speed was only about 13 knots. After arriving at the fishing grounds we set up the outriggers and downrigger and fished all day just like before. With 5 lines out you would think we would have a greater chance of landing more fish. After fishing until sunset we returned home with about $180 worth of fish which was not a bad day. Our fuel cost was $780. Net loss = $600.

Business lesson learned: Regardless of the day or catch the RIBCRAFT would have been profitable and the PowerCat would have been unprofitable.

But, how do those inflatable tubes hold up to big fish and especially sharks? Stay tuned for my next story.

From Dave Pettigrew, a RIBCRAFT 5.85 customer

Posted by ribcraftusa at 06:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Not wearing a life jacket is like playing “Russian Roulette” with your life.

I'm still amazed by how many people still don't wear lifejackets when on the water. I just read how last weekend the Coast Guard and other rescuers searched the waters about 100 feet from a breakwater in southern California for a man who fell overboard from a small boat. The man was not wearing a lifejacket. Unfortunately stories like this are not that uncommon, boaters and their passengers unexpectedly find themselves in the water all too often. Some survive and unfortunately some do not. This man did not survive. Not wearing a life jacket while boating is like playing “Russian Roulette.”

That's why all Coast Guard personnel are required to wear lifejackets at all times when on vessels under 65' and why all of us at RIBCRAFT always wear lifejackets whenever out sea trialing a RIB. Though we can all swim, not wearing a lifejacket is just an unnecessary risk that we will not take. Chances are if you do go overboard, it will be unexpected, it won't be calm, you might panic, or perhaps you'll be injured and won't be able to manage on your own.

Being in the marine industry and around the water my entire life, I've heard all the excuses for not wearing a life jacket – "I can swim", “they're uncomfortable”, or "too expensive". As I've written in a previous posting, life jackets come in many shapes, sizes, and prices. Many are extremely comfortable and prices can range from as low as $15.00 to about $400.00 for the top of the line inflatable. But, even the most expensive life jacket is of no value if it is not worn.

Too often in our own harbor we see people not wearing life jackets and what's most shocking is most of the marine professionals in our waters, even those who are there to rescue us if something bad happens, aren't wearing lifejackets either.

It's a simple thing that really works. As I've said before, you wouldn't get in your car without buckling your seatbelt, so why get on a boat without a lifejacket?

Posted by ribcraftusa at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Check out this footage of a standard 7 Meter shipboard RIB with a foam hybrid tube after successful sea trials.

Posted by ribcraftusa at 02:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

People always ask me for advice whether they're an agency, yacht club, or recreational boater whenever they're in the market for a new RIB. Because of this, I've been meaning to post the top things people should consider when buying a RIB, but my colleage Matthew recently beat me to it. He was asked by WindCheck Magazine in their October issue for the top things people should consider when buying a rigid inflatable boat.

For those of you thinking about buying a new RIB for yourself or business, take a look at what Matthew had to say - he has some good advice.

Posted by ribcraftusa at 01:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of our customers that offers whale watching and eco-tour adventures on the big island of Hawaii posted some beautiful shots of a new tour they're offering to the windward side of the island to Waipio, Waimanu and Pololu Valleys. Truly stunning scenery! Just another location a RIBCRAFT RIB allows you to get to that other boats can't!

This location is rarely visited by boat on the big island as the trip is long (over two and half hours) and the entrance to the valley can be dicey. Luckily they're running a USCG Certified RIBCRAFT 9.0.

Click Here for a few photos from the tour.

Posted by ribcraftusa at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)