Boston Whaler vs Rib: The Honest Reviews


"This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links."

Most boat buyers and fishermen are often confused when it comes to buying the right boat.

The boat is a large vessel that costs a considerable amount of money.

Thoughtful decision-making has to be made in this regard to buy the boat suited to his or her needs. If you own a fishing boat you might take time to adjust yourself to a Boston Whaler or the RIB because they are not just ordinary boats.

Every boat that you own or travel is defined by your taste and personality. There has been quite a debate regarding the Boston Whaler and the RIB.

Let us review each individually to see which one is better.

Boston Whaler

These boats are known to provide safety and reliability. Their user-friendly mechanism or ease of operation and handling in the deep waters make it quite a like boat in the world. It comes in a 13-foot large size.

In addition to getting the boat itself, you might even consider getting the Exact Fit Boat Cover Fitting (Available on Amazon).

The founder of this boat Richard Fraser when hit his whaler against the rocky rapids ended up cutting the boat in half but it did not sink.

This gives us an idea regarding its unsinkability property. The incident dates back to 1958 but to this date, the boat remains unsinkable.

Innovation in Construction:

The Boston Whaler boats come with a reflection of innovation in each of its hulls and sponson. The boat is generally 13 feet long and has a variety of features, to begin with.

It is almost the same as its original version which was invented with a twin sponsor design but there are a few variations.

Not only does it promise but delivers stability when it comes to long trips. It has a shallow draft and comes with an optimum speed range.

The horsepower is minimal to give the newbies a refreshing firsthand experience. The boat is so unique in style and construction that no other manufacturer has tried or even succeeded in making another Boston Whaler.

Quality Check:

The unsinkability feature is sufficient enough to establish the great quality of the boat. The engineers have put in the extra effort to make not just the exterior beautiful but the functioning smooth and easy.

This boat has been designed with an agenda of high quality which costs low maintenance.

The stainless steel hardware along with solid non-hollow cleats makes it premium quality. The boat comes with whale board backing and electric wiring, connectors, and other mechanical tools which allow it to withstand the strong tides and waves or marine environment in general.

Unsinkability:

As mentioned above the boat is equipped with unsinkability features owing to its sturdy construction or quality.

This means that it has good floatation features which are additives for safety, durability, and stability in event of an unpleasant incident. The founders have put the boat through torturous tests to see for themselves if the boat can withstand and tolerate the adversities.

Moving on to what RIB as we shall now see its feature and durability,

RIB: It means rigid-hulled inflatable boat RHIB (Available on Amazon) or just the rigid inflatable boat. The flotation quality is amazing because of its light weightiness.

Its lightweight does not defy its other features and it still is a high-performance driven boat. It is a high-capacity boat with a solid exterior and hull-like shape which comes with flexible tubes at the gunwale to allow floatation property.

Design and Construction:

The design is stable and concrete to make it seaworthy. It has an inflatable collar installed or built which is meant for the vessel to maintain its flotation property or buoyancy in any surprising event.

If a large quantity of water should come the boat has the tendency to still make its seaworthiness intact.

It is a modern, improvised and upscale version of the inflatable boats which makes it ever so dear to the fishermen as well. Most of the RIBs are as small as four meters 13 feet and go up to 28 feet or nine meters. The smaller customized versions could range from 2.5 and 18 meters (7.5 and 55 ft.)

Uses of the RIB:

It performs or supports various tasks. It has been built as a work boat that supports shore facilities and large ships.

It comes in handy for trade purposes over the waters, even for the military craft. In military craft, they are used as patrolling vehicles in the water.

They also aid transportation or commute of the troops from ashore to the vessels in boats. It is a giant lifeboat. They are an amazing vessel for rescue missions and serve the purpose of safety boats for sailing.

They could also be used as dive boats and tenders too which are for the larger boats.

Because of their shallow draught, high maneuverability, and magical speed they provide good use in deep waters too. They have a relatively good tolerance for collision and damage at low speeds.

Functions:

RIBs are pushed by one or often more than one outboard motor. It comes with a high-performance inboard motor responsible for turning a water jet or stern drive.

Most boats come with a horsepower of 5 to 300 horsepower (4 to 224 kW). They are used as leisure crafts too.

Unsinkability feature:

It also is almost impossible to sink because of the fact that it has good absorption of a heavy load because of the flexible tubes.

Final Verdict:

Having seen how each of the boats is in its own demeanor, it is safe to say that one would obviously go for Boston Whaler.

But the RIB is a better choice in this regard as opposed to the whaler. It’s because its light weightiness makes it desirable for long trips. The property of being the lifeboat is a bonus point as one can easily on his own drive away with it.

Moreover, the boat, as opposed to a whaler, is customizable whether you wish for an aluminum cabin or console, bow boarding rails, or the engine crash rail.

Having a RIB means a sponson boat but with customizable features. It is not going to fail you if the boat is filled with water and all the tubes are punctured as opposed to Boston. It is more apt for hard waters.

For a smooth voyage, you can go to Boston. Boston offers more stability in smooth and calm waters which RIB cannot. Apart from all this driving, a RIB is cool and affordable.

Recent Posts