RIBEYE 10.5 REVIEW : Boats : ribs : fast rigid hull inflatable power boats : inflatables : hotribs

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# 009

Ribeye 10.5
Review by Paul Mahy - Courtesy of Sportsboat & RIB Magazine Visit their site www.sportsboat.co.uk

Power on
Power is supplied by a Volvo, via a TAMD 73 WJ rated continually for use with a jet at 430hp. The jet itself is a Kae Me Wa K28 with hydraulic bucket and steering. All the instrumentation is from Volvo.

On her inaugural day at Torquay we short circuited the queue and managed to get her out for a little play, something I have looked forward to since I had heard she had been commissioned. So, off we went for a little meat mustard and relish!

Handling
As expected the 10.5 handles impeccably,

thanks to the good marrying of engine and jet.

Moving from the quay, she was responsive without being flighty, her length perhaps helping to do away with a lot of the wandering commonly found with jets at low speeds.

Once clear of restrictions, we throttled up and found ourselves on the plane in around five seconds.

Feeling nice and tight on the water, the 10.5 blasted along at 42 knots and, although Ribeye say she is good for 48

knots, we did have quite a few on board at the time. In fact, a full load plus a full tank of fuel, of which she holds a total of 150 gallons. A common problem with many jet craft is that they tend to fall off the plane in turns due to the change in forces at the nozzle. However, I'm pleased to report that Leviathan did no such thing.

Displaying plenty of punch, she banked into the turns gracefully gripping well and holding her speed.

All the controls are well placed and the passenger seats very comfortable. All in all a very together package that serves its masters perfectly.

Extras
The extras that Riviera chose to go on their basic RIB are a Simrad CP 32 GPS, a Ritchie compass, Icom M59 VHF, GME full balance control stereo, Raytheon 430 loud hailer system and a JCR radar which has yet to work!

Verdict
I have looked forward to this craft from Ribeye for some time and it really is impressive. Word is abound that it won't be long before the cabin version is out of the stable something that I also eagerly await. So, well done Ribeye, good luck Riviera Watersports and keep watching this space for the latest.

Length Overall:	34'5" (10.54m)
Internal Length:	30'5" (9.4m)
Beam Overall:	10'8" (3.30m)
Internal Beam:	6'5" (1.99m)
Fuel Capacity:	150 gals (681.9 litres)
Seats:	12
MCA Code:	III and IV
Power:	Volvo TAMD 73 WJ Jet Kae Me Wa K28
Price From:	£69,000 (ex VAT)

Review by Paul Mahy - For further information contact: Ribeye