Where to Buy a Caribe or AB RIB

[KevinE]

We need to replace our well used AB 12' RIB. We are Annapolis bound from North Carolina and am wondering where I can find the best deal in this area. We are Caribbean bound in the fall - wondering if it is better to wait til we get there or buy in the states?

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by KevinE

We need to replace our well used AB 12' RIB. We are Annapolis bound from North Carolina and am wondering where I can find the best deal in this area. We are Caribbean bound in the fall - wondering if it is better to wait til we get there or buy in the states?

Depends if you really need it before heading south. If you plan to buy in the Caribbean, you might save some deck space on the way offshore!

I bought my Caribe in Tortola 8.5 years ago. They had good prices, as it's not too far from Venezuela.

In December 2001 I paid $2050 for a 9' CARIBE RIB 2001 MODEL C9-X-013 @ Tradewind Yachting Services in Roadtown.

BTW, it's still going strong.

Bill

[Vasco]

I got my AB from Suncoast Liferafts, AB Inflatables, Avon, Achilles, Walker Bay, Novurania, Outboard Motors, Evinrude, Honda, Yamaha, Mercury Nissan, Tohatsu | SUNCOAST Inflatables. Florida
Check Defender, don't know if they still sell AB's but they use to have some good end of season deals.
Don't know what prices are like today but I paid $2300 for a 10'06" AB Lite in 2004 from Suncoast.

[speciald@ocens.]

The best place by far is Island Water World in Cole Bay, Sint Maarten. The prices are about 1/2 of U S prices. AB can be bought almost next door at Budget Marine with the same pricing. No sales tax or fees and it is not neccesary to register a "tender".

[imagine2frolic]

If you are working your way south in Fall. You may find yourself in Miami about time for the boat show, or close enough to return. I bought my Carbe 12 for half price the last day of the show........i2f

[gbanker]

we did the same as speciald@ocens.

[ricf]

We had a Tunnel Hull Catamaran Inflatable Boats
dinghy - performed well but completely disintegrated and fell apart in 3 years. They told us to keep it covered but we used it everyday so that wasn't practical. Very poor materials used in construction as we were told by the local dinghy specialist. Bought it at WM and is the only thing I ever got there that I wasn't happy with. WM tried to help us with warranty be no luck.