F-Ribs And Sibs - Inflatable Boat Community

some advice from the more experienced among you if you please . i find myself in the fortunate position of being able to go out on thursday and rather fancy weymouth for a change, however the wind seems to be building and is forcast as anywhere between 11mph up to 20 mph with gusts a possible 30 mph generally from the south. bearing in mind i drive a 5.2 rib pushed along with 60 horses. i dont mind going and not getting out usually but this is the thick end of 180 miles each way . so will i be pushing my luck given the wind forcast , what do others think.? thanks in advance

My best advice NO GO . My reasoning ;

The wind is picking up through to Thursday - generating in the next 24-36 hours some decent swells from the SE forecast tomorrow ( weds) .

Weymouth in a straight southerly (which is what I'm seeing forecast) offers shelter only very close in or in the harbour .

I know the commercial guy in West Bay is planning NOT to run his 10m / 4 ton Rib & and has today advised he has had the entire boat airborne by accident off a ' a big wave' - even in todays sea state.

While it would be 'doable with care & experience' ( and whole lot of waterproof kit / helmet etc) I'd not think it will be in any way 'fun'

Save the drive for a nice day when you can launch into a calm air with nice sunrise & return with a nice sunset in the rear view mirror.

Not boated out of Weymouth so may be talking bollox.

With forecast at present indicating southerlies of 17 to 27mph and 2 metre swells....that’s enough for me to stay on terra firma.

No problem for the rib to handle it, but no fun either in my book.

Edit; Agree with @PeterM... local knowledge and vast experience.

thanks @PeterM and @harrison . truth is, i didnt really need to ask. but hoping in vain for some more knowledgeable person to pull a rabbit from his hat and tell me all would somehow be ok. thanks to you both anyway for taking the time to talk sense

head to the solent and launch there in the shelter of the IOW.

You must be tripping on something. The Solent gets vicious at the best of times. It would be less hassle to just sit in the shower and pay someone to break your ankles.

ChrisParish wrote: ↑

19 Aug 2020, 14:15

The Solent gets vicious at the best of times.

Not sure it would bother @Si Crowe in his lil’ ol’ tub!!



Me. I’ll be playing it safe, and taking ‘Stumpy’ for a sedate run down the Trent tomorrow.

hey @ChrisParish i am truly belly laughing at your last post , when i saw the suggestion
"solent ! " shelter ! " i thought this doesnt sound like good advice, but thanks to @Si Crowe for taking the time and trouble to offer advice . ive decided to still go to weymouth but without the boat

sonny1 wrote: ↑

19 Aug 2020, 15:59

hey @ChrisParish i am truly belly laughing at your last post , when i saw the suggestion
"solent ! " shelter ! " i thought this doesnt sound like good advice, but thanks to @Si Crowe for taking the time and trouble to offer advice . ive decided to still go to weymouth but without the boat

depends on where you launch.... been boating in small boats in the solent for 40 years and you just to pick your location depending on wind... i crossed the solent in a tinker tramp sib with 4hp, went round the entire isle of wight in a 3.4m avon and 14 foot fletcher.... and went to cherbourg in an avon 4m searider...

you guys may think i'm being obtuse but i've noticed a huge decline in SEAMANSHIP and bottle! the sibs and ribs you have these days are far more capable than the vast majority of the owners it seems.

you make dig's at the vessel i own now but you seem to forget i started in things smaller than most of your sibs with far less power. the solent waters haven't changed just the people who use it have. very sad