RIB Boat as a dive boat

[2Tours N Iraq`]

Anyone ever dive from a RIB (Rigid-hull Inflatable Boat) that is about 7.8 meters in length? I am considering one of these boats as a dive platform as well as an all-around boat to handle fishing and just plain old weekend boating. Let me know your thoughts and suggestions about these boats.

 

[The Kraken]

Yep, I have.
Quite enjoyable!! They add a whole new dimension to boating and diving as far as portability, cost of upkeep, etc. go.

You'll probably have to learn a new set of skills with respect to entering and exiting the water. Gear storage and equipment etiquette comes into play also.

They're really easy to anchor over a dive site without an extensive amount of anchor line.

 

[lamont]

i've got a related dumb question about RIBs: can you tow a side-scan sonar behind them? (assuming, of course, you have access to a side-scan sonar, like this: http://www.questelectronics.com/)

 

[triton94949]

A rib is probably the ideal scuba boat.

It is close to the waterline, therefore there is little or no magnification of surface swell action to cause seasickness.

It is easy to gear up in one spot, sitting down, then just roll backwards into the water.

It is fairly easy to get back into the boat as well. Basically you inflate and ditch your B/C-harness and clip that to a small boat line, unbuckle your weight belt and heave it into the boat, then by holding onto the boat, first push yourself down, then pull yourself up, and kick, to get back into the boat. Then haul your rig into the boat after you.

A rib will never swamp and sink on you. It might turn over, but it will always be there one way or the other. Either way, you will always have an anchor line to go up and get back to the boat.

Get a pair of powerful engines and it will also be the fastest motorcraft on the water. With two engines, one will serve as a backup in case the other fails.

You need to keep it out of the sun however. A garage is best. A carport with a canvass cover works ok as well. Out in the open sun even with a canvass is a really bad idea.

 

[JeffG]

Here's one of the best Rec.Scuba posts on using a RIB

 

[ShakaZulu]

Here's one of the best Rec.Scuba posts on using a RIB

Very nice....don't know why they have all those quard rails. Just teach the guys how to pilot that boat. They can be a little challenging, especially when you start to fly.....

http://www.zodiacmarineusa.com/products/cz7.html video.....

Photo of the Mako Ballistic, on my wishlist.....will see whn I vist SA at the end of this year.

http://www.makoinflatablesusa.com/7.8M_photo3.html

http://www.makoinflatablesusa.com/7.8M_photo1.html

 

[Tom Winters]

Broward Sheriffs Office bought a nice RIB for marine patrol and diving support. A 41' as I recall. $425,000 too. I'd say that would be an excellent choice for a dive boat.
RIB's are great, but you pay a real premium for them. I like the SAFE RIB's with the solid tubes, but the price tag all fitted out might make you gack a little.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

The downside of a RIB is that the tubes take up a LOT of space.

A Boston Whaler won't sink either, and has the space.

And if a shark bites a RIB, it doesn't float very well. With a
whaler, the shark gets fibre glass in his gums and the whaler keeps
floating. Don't laugh -- I know of two instances of large sharks
biting inflatables. One was a GWS that bit an inflatable tied up
beside the Pac Star off Ano Nuevo about ten years ago, the other
was (IIRC) a tiger that bit an inflatable of Autralia about last
year. There's video of the first one somewhere.


Chuck

 

[OE2X]

I have a 7 meter Zodiac Rib. It's a great dive boat. With the open floor plan it's very easy to suit up and dive from.
The boat is very smooth in chop for it's size. It's also darn near impossible to flip.

I bought the boat because I wanted something that I could take out in big seas and still get home in. The biggest seas that I've been out in so far were 15' wind waves. We didn't have dive gear on board which was a good thing as to the fact that we were airborn off of virtually every wave.

I can't say enough good things about my boat.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Don't know about the rules here, but in SA the inflateable side of the boat needs to have at least three seperate compartments, in case of a puncture. Be that from a GW or your buddies dive knife. I do however think you will be able to make it home, even if they all blewout......just keep on the gas, the rigid part acts like a boat.

I've taken mine out in 4m swells, what a blast.....oh yes, there was no diving gear on the boat.