Aria RIB Dinghies: Anyone Own One Yet ?

[Christian Van H]

Hey all! We've been looking at this listing on the Defender site: http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?...159&id=1583661 These are aluminum hulled light weight RIB Hypalon (generic) dingys which look quite sweet. I've never seen one in person, and they are slightly on the expensive side, but damn they look good! They are manufactured by AB inflatables. Anyone have any experience with these yet? They look like a great idea...

[ColdEH]

Hey , they really do look good , they must be new to the market. At least they are not painted, I wonder what grade of aluminum they are built with ..

Regards

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by typhoon

Hey , they really do look good , they must be new to the market. At least they are not painted, I wonder what grade of aluminum they are built with ..

Regards

5056 aluminum I would hope. It's pretty common these days. It's even use for box assemblies for truck cabinets.

My question would be, how small can this be folded up to, for storage?

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

5056 aluminum I would hope. It's pretty common these days. It's even use for box assemblies for truck cabinets.

My question would be, how small can this be folded up to, for storage?

Well, it can't be any smaller than the aluminum floor, that's for sure... That's always the conundrum with an RIB, and I'd love to have a roll-up so I could stow it in the rear locker...

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

I'd love to have a roll-up so I could stow it in the rear locker...

That's what I have now but after 25 years it's starting to get a bit tacky so I'm keeping my eyes open for a replacement.

.

[Mark Johnson]

I just got to look at one in front of a boat store, right next to the fiberglass bottomed 9'6" VL.

The VL is 5" longer and 17" tubes. (= 1" larger) The VL is also like other ABs with a DEEP veed bow and a lot of up sweep.

The UL, Aluminum 9', (listed @ AB as 68 pounds), is about 30 pounds lighter!!! It is also much more flat, less rise in the bow, less V, and smaller tubes. It is therefore more tippy, wet, and harder ride.

I'D STILL LIKE TO HAVE ONE! There are several bits on You Tube showing how it performs and the features. The lighter weight would mean a lot to trimariners like us!

Now... IF I had confidence in the glue joint to bare aluminum, over 15 years... Our current AB is 11 years old, and getting long in the tooth.

Mark

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Mark Johnson

The UL, Aluminum 9', (listed @ AB as 68 pounds), is about 30 pounds lighter!!! It is also much more flat, less rise in the bow, less V, and smaller tubes. It is therefore more tippy, wet, and harder ride.

Actually, a flatter bottom would make the boat less tippy than a deeper V, all other things being equal. The plus is the flatter bottom typically planes with a smaller motor.

The flatter bottom would certainly have a have a harder ride. Wet could depend on other factors like the shape of the tubes, bow and rub rail.

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Actually, a flatter bottom would make the boat less tippy than a deeper V, all other things being equal. The plus is the flatter bottom typically planes with a smaller motor.

The flatter bottom would certainly have a have a harder ride. Wet could depend on other factors like the shape of the tubes, bow and rub rail.

Much of your logic makes sense to me too, but...

I was making my points based on the review done by their agent, on You Tube. As he went over the pros & cons of the boat, he pointed out that the smaller tubes, resulting in a narrower boat, as well as REALLY light weight, make it just bob on the surface of the water, thereby making it a bit more tippy than we're used too.

M.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Mark Johnson

Much of your logic makes sense to me too, but...

I was making my points based on the review done by their agent, on You Tube. As he went over the pros & cons of the boat, he pointed out that the smaller tubes, resulting in a narrower boat, as well as REALLY light weight, make it just bob on the surface of the water, thereby making it a bit more tippy than we're used too.

M.

Ah, additional details gives a different conclusion. I was thinking that all other things being equal flatter bottom less tippy. Add the narrower beam and smaller tubes that reduce the buoyancy then certainly could give a very different result.

Once again it comes down to the performance and characteristics of a boat are based on a complex interaction of all total design, not just one feature.

[Mark Johnson]

Check out the performance here:

YouTube - ‪AB Inflatable 9' Alumunum Hull Ultra Light RIB Boat‬‏

M.

[Mark Johnson]

This was the review:

YouTube - ‪AB Inflatables 9-Ultra Light.wmv‬‏

M.

[delmarrey]

The thing that I don't like about it is the lack of hand holds. Trying to muscle an inflatable around on the foredeck, if there is nothing to hold on to, it's hard to move around or one could end up in the water them selves. Plus, where are the lifting points? The video says they have them. And what about towing, a single line or a bridle?

[ColdEH]

Hey I wonder what HP outboard he has on that dinghy ??? Seems to go good with two up !

Regards

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

The thing that I don't like about it is the lack of hand holds. Trying to muscle an inflatable around on the foredeck, if there is nothing to hold on to, it's hard to move around or one could end up in the water them selves. Plus, where are the lifting points? The video says they have them. And what about towing, a single line or a bridle?

The one that I recently looked over, did have top handholds, and 3 inside lifting eyes, "welded" to the floor and transom... (as was the towing eye on the bow).

I didn't like that the two eyes on the transom were not as widely spaced as they should be. I would install a pair, a few inches outboard of the factory transom eyes, for my three legged lifting bridle.

Also, this model, unlike the fiberglass VL (5" longer), did NOT have "D ring" eyes glued onto the underside of the tubes, for a towing bridle. Since we seldom tow, I don't consider it an issue.

It is rated for an 8.

I also wondered if the motor in the YouTube was just an 8. Could be... Our 119 LB (= heavier/bigger) AB, will plane two with an 8 quite well.

This model having a milder V and flatter run aft, promotes quicker planing, presumably at the expense of a harsher ride.

M.

[sdcornwell]

Re: Aria Dinghies. Brad Wilson at Suncoast Inflatables explained that he orders a slightly simplified AB 9' and 10' fiberglass dinghy from AB in large enough quantities that he gets great prices. I'm seriously considering one to replace my 14yr old Caribe:
http://www.suncoastinflatables.com/c...at-sales/aria/