An Offshore Performance R.I.B.? Step Bottoms, V10 Engines, 90 mph!
 

I didn't realize they were into these on the other side of the pond, offshore performance RIBs (Rigid Inflatable Boat). Here is 29 footer with a step bottom, and a guy on a RIB forum is putting an Ilmore V-10 in his!

Revenger 29 Step Bottom RIB

Nearly Completed Ilmor V-10 in RIB The thread indicates they are getting about 80 knots (92 mph) out of this package in a RIB.:cool:

Michael

I don't know a lot about these, who are the major manufactures?
How about some dealers in the Northeast?

We just purchased the latest High Performance Cougar 10 meter rib for an offshore safety boat. She will be powered by 2 Merc racing 300xs. Currently being rigged at TNT Custom Marine

Marc
Miss GEICO Racing Team

Just browsing around the rib.net forum, I found three brands in the performance category which have stepped hulls, Mercury V-8s and Ilmor V-10s, and speeds of 90 mph or more:

Artic Blue

Gold Fish

Revenger

All of these manufacturers are in the UK or Europe, so I don't know if they have dealers here.

Michael

Michael are you the same person who was looking for Powerboat Mags a few months ago????? When I was involved
with Team Scarab here in SoCal we developed a line of RIB
boats called "SCARIB" it had NO connection to Wellcraft so I
beleive they are still around.
I also Rerigged a old Navy seal 33 rib for a Movie Film Group
im involved with www.cinemarineteam.com
Oh I never got a email back about the powerboats so I gave
them to the local Marine Base. Mike J.

I bet those will be fun as heck!

GB Performance Marine LLC based in Deland FL are the US distributors for Revenger ribs,we are currently finishing rigging our 30ft demonstrator with the Ilmor 625 & Imco Extreme drive,we have been blown away with the positive reactions shown by Americans who have seen our rib even in its unfinished state.We anticipate starting prop testing & setup work in the next week,I will keep you all posted as to our progress.We think that interest in ribs will go from strength to strength in the US & I am looking forward to starting demonstrating our boat really soon,thanks for the interest & enthusiasm.Gordon McMath.

Having spent many years in the SEAL teams and untold hours in both HSB's and RIBS I'll say , if ya havn't spent time in a RIB in rough seas ya might want to. They are a miserable, wet ride. End of story. Of all the different iterations of RIBS I've been in they have one ugly trait in common. They offer no protection from the elements for the crew. The HSB's with their tall gunnels and decent freeboard are hands down, such a better boat for open water. The only reason the Teams are moving away from the HSB, is due to the Fleet NAVY wanting to rid the ships of MOGAS, or gasoline. They are in the process of going to 100% jet fuel which diesels love. Even the 55HP outboards for the Zodiac 470's me eventually go to diesel when they get lite enough(in process)



Darrell.

There usually a brand at the Lauderdale Boat Show on display under the tent at the Convention Center.
Saw it either last year or the year before.
Center console version had Merc 500 or 525 with Bravomdrive. Could be had with cuddy also. Seats were spring loaded. Race them in the North Sea.
Mid 20 foot something size.
Cool Cool boat!!

Just remembered seeing some type on the channel under Kemah bridge running around Clear Lake/Galveston Bay back in August.
Had powder coated arch and large Merc. outboard and a step bottom.
Size appeared to be in the mid 20's also.

Have ya seen these built by Jim Dyke and his team in Ohio?

Pretty nice stuff and with his success in Racing both in the USA and accross the pond I'd feel very comfortable in anything they build. :D Notice even the carbon fiber Dash panels

http://airshipribs.com/

History link talks about him and his partners a little bit.

Jon

You're kidding? I know we exchanged some emails regarding the Powerboat Mags, but I the last I heard you were going to your ranch to get them. Well, that's about par for my luck. (Where's that head banging avatar when you need it?)

Mike, thanks for the offer, and trying to contact me anyway. It's much appreciated.

Michael

Michael1 I sent 1 box with my neighbor who is heading back to
IRAQ, Its very boring at times and anything that can be done
for those guys I will do, I still have another box, Will you be
in LongBeach "Scope".

DMOORE Darrel, You might send a message to the owner of
Cinemarentals His name is Jim AKA "frogmanjp" He is always
looking for Operators for Both Boats and Diveing, He is big into
Hand Signels above and under the water.
I will be 70 this Nov. And my body is falling apart, Were you
ever at the dive locker at the base in Ventura?? Mike J.

The guys in Iraq deserve those magazines WAY more than I do.
I was planning on going to the SCOPE event (although don't have a ride yet), but the guys in Iraq should get the second box, too. I'll send you an email so we can say hello.

Michael

I'd love to play around a bit, but my businesses keep me a bit too busy. I've been up to Ventura but only as a staging area for ops out of there. Never been to the locker.


Darrell.

I had the opportunity to spend a couple hours aboard this Revenger 29 (30') rigged with an Ilmor 625 and and IMCO drive package Sunday.

We decided to take advantage of the relatively rough conditions and went outside to see how it handles 5' - 7' offshore conditions. All I can say is WOW! The boat tracked perfectly through the slop with minimal pounding and a COMPLETELY DRY ride, not one drop of water inside the boat or on the passengers.

Performance was impressive with nice re-entry and absolutely no flexing. The boat flies pretty much level and handles quartering seas without a hitch. The tube seems to provide a surface that rights the boat whenever you get pitched left or right and absorbs a decent amount of energy on re-entry, especially if you aren't running directly into or with the seas. It was the levelest ride I've had in those conditions in a 30' boat. The boat road and handled like a much larger boat. In fact, at one point, running in quartering seas at about 50 mph I looked over and Bruce didn't even have his hands on the wheel. The boat simply goes where you point it and is one of the easiest boats to drive in these conditions.

Inside we did some speed and handling runs. The boat is still being dialed in so they haven't reached top speed but under less than ideal conditions with 3 men and 3/4 tank of fuel the boat was solidly into the upper 80's on GPS. The boat runs best with the drive level, over trim provides no advantage on this hull. With the motor trimmed level it pops out of the hole with minimal bow rise so you don't have to tuck it in to get out of the hole It's one of the few performance boats I've been on that doesn't require constant attention to trim. Another interesting thing, it actually ran 2 mph FASTER with me on board than it did the day before with only 2 people. The Ilmor package is between 200 - 300 lbs lighter than the diesel package the UK boats are rigged with so they are still working out the COG. As odd as it may sound they might need to add 200 lbs to the rear of the boat to hit their 90 mph target. A more permanent solution may be to reposition the rear fuel tank. A high performance boat that goes faster with more weight. I wonder how THAT would play in weight restrictedly racing classes ;)

Handling was very good with 50 - 70 mph turns carving a nice arc with no significant slip. This ventilated hull tracks and handles like the best traditional deep V's.

As for construction the boat is perfectly finished, rivaling some of the best construction I've ever seen. The engine compartment is sealed and the deck is self bailing. You could punch a hole in the bottom and take on enough water so the only thing holding the boat up is the tube and it will still run. At speed the hull will self bail like a modern fishing boat. Try that in a traditional offshore boat......

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the day. I know RIB's are very popular everywhere except in the US AND that the performance boat market has never seen anything like this so they have an up hill battle but for someone looking for something different it's worth a look.

I'll get the disclaimer out of the way, I have no affiliation with GB Performance Marine although I am a longtime friend and customer of Bruce Baker and Express Engines. Bruce is a partner in GB Performance Marine and is responsible for the rigging and setup.

Didn't Nemschoff race one of Fabio Buzzi's in APBA?

Looks like the Cougar R8 and the Airship are the same boat ... Cougar even shows the pic of the Airship from the Cleveland boat show ... I got pretty drunk there with all the usual suspects , and probably annoyed the **** outta Jimmy Dyke , but he was gratious as I spilled beer on his display , and tried to sound liek I knew what I was talking about !??!?:drink:

Nemschoff did race fabio's boats in APBA ,in super V then in A class but the boats were not RIBs. They did set a couple endurance records with one of fabio's Ribs, with twin seatek diesels.

fb has been building rib for years and yes emschoff did race a rib i have the race on tape . reggie was selling thim at 1 time . the webb page for fibo buzz is fb design .com