2019 Ribco R28s review

Luxury rigid inflatable boat brand Ribco propelled itself in Australia in 2018 via a Sydney-based distributor that is partly owned by the Greek brand.

At launch, it had three models: an entry-level Ribco 28ST; the Ribco Seafarer 36; and the range-topping, 100km/h-plus Ribco Venom 44 that we’ve already tested.

This, then, is our first look at the cheapest way to join the Australian Ribco family. But it comes via a boat built especially for the global launch of the SailGP foiling catamaran match-racing series held in Sydney early this year.

The Ribco R28s is marketed as a sports inflatable for harbour and offshore trips. Depending on needs it can be optioned up as a nice day cruiser with dual hydraulic-suspension helm seats, a folding dining table and teak decking.

In Greece, many Ribco R28s run a 300hp Mercury Verado outboard engine. However, this boat was ordered as a team support craft for this year’s inaugural Sydney-based SailGP race, and was fitted with pillion seating and the maximum-rated horsepower – in this case, a 400hp Mercury Racing 400R supercharged inline six-cylinder four-stroke outboard engine.

The retail price for our test boat is $197,500 including Fusion stereo system, Raymarine Axiom multifunction touchscreen and a Raymarine VHF radio.

This boat is also fitted with a combination ski pole/navigation light, removable refrigerator, dual starter batteries and separate house batteries with shore power, a removable bimini, and grey SeaDek flooring.

A trailer is available for an extra $16,680, although with the tubes inflated the 2.7-metre beam is oversize for Australian roads.

Ribco offers a number of hull colours, and our test boat was finished in a black-grey livery. There is also traditional teak flooring at no extra cost.

The Ribco R28 features a deep vee fibreglass hull lined in an outer inflatable rubber tube running along its gunnels.

Up front, the vee bends to a very sharp 60 degrees, but flattens out to just 24 degrees at the transom. Two transverse 'steps' along the bottom help to reduce drag, improving both speeds and fuel economy. It is a feature that works particularly well on this hull with its single centreline engine.

Beneath the hull’s floor are four fibreglass stringers that also form five separate bulkheads.

The Hypalon tubes wrapped in Orca 1670dtx fabric that circle the gunnels are inflated to about 4psi and are split into six separate chambers so that if one is punctured, the remaining five stay inflated. In an emergency, The Ribco R28 is still capable of hitting top speed with all the tubes deflated.

The Ribco R28s has a 350-litre fuel capacity split between a 100-litre tank forward and a 250-litre one aft that are built into enclosed underfloor chambers.

Ribco prides itself on building strong, fast boats that can stand up to inter-island sea passages in the Aegean Sea. When the Meltemi blows, offshore waters there can be white-capped.

This is why the Ribco R28s sports a slim, low-sided deep-vee hull.

The hull features fairly low side tubes and a blister-style console that makes for low windage at speed.

Quality of craftsmanship on the Ribco R28s is outstanding, and so too are the fittings. These RIBs are almost entirely hand-built and individually tested before leaving the factory.

Ribco uses the best quality materials including French Orca Hypalon fabric in the tubes and top-line composite materials in the fibreglass hull and console.

Attention to windage reduction is evident in the console’s heavily tapered front. Even the rear lounge has low-moulded backrests to reduce drag.

At the bow, the Ribco R28s features an anchor attached to an electric winch that retracts, superyacht style, into the stem.

Behind the bow is a sun lounge large enough for a couple, and with copious storage space built in below.

A large locker in the front of the console can stow a lot of gear, including a portable fridge. It's also big enough to serve as a change room for smaller people.

The self-draining cockpit runs to either side of the centre console. In our test boat, the helm is fitted with dual seats, but the Ribco R28s also can come equipped with four pillion seats.

We’d lean towards the pedestal seats, which will give you more cockpit space to set up a table.

Behind the helm, a rear lounge can comfortably accommodate three adults, and can convert into another two-person sun lounge.

The transom features swim steps and a solid stainless steel swim ladder that stows in a rear storage locker. Another feature is a stainless steel ski pole that doubles as the white navigation light.

An option for this boat is a removable folding bimini that will come in handy on hot summer days. There's also the option of an aft deck sun tent that extends off the bimini.

The Ribco R28s is easy to manoeuvre at low speeds to get out of a dock single-handed despite not having a bow thruster. The air tubes act like giant fenders, so any dockside bumps are stress-free.

Heading past the gleaming CBD towers of Sydney, the Ribco R28s was quickly up at a smooth 40 knots at 4500rpm. So easy is the slide up onto the plane, you’ll need to take care around speed-restricted areas.

Push the throttle down, and despite the rising wind chop the Ribco R28s was soon blasting along at 50 knots – safely despite the adrenaline rush it produced.

Conditions stopped us attempting 60 knots but 53 knots in those conditions felt good.

Ribco Australia’s Oliver Workman demonstrated how he could throw the R28s in hard-banking turns, with the RIB hanging on despite being roughly 45 degrees to the water. He also had the boat fish-tailing out of the turn, throwing up curtains of spray like a jet ski.

The dash of the Ribco R28s is very sophisticated, and includes a fly-by-wire throttle, along with a Raymarine Axiom Pro display for engine and navigation details. There's also electric trim tabs and power steering.

Our test boat also ran a four-blade Mercury Bravo prop for extra-strong hole shot performance.

Performance

The Ribco R28s is a rewarding boat to drive. Most surprising, though, is that despite its low sides and lack of weather protection, the boat also very dry thanks to the rubber tubes lining each side that deflect any kicked-up spray.

The Ribco R28s might be the baby of the Australian range but it has just as much character and presence as the bigger boats in the range.

It is big enough to provide a comfortable ride, but still compact enough for easy docking and beaching.

Best of all, it’s a high-end sports boat that can easily be wet-berthed or dry-stacked, with the option of a trailer.

Specifications
Model: Ribco R28s
Length overall: 8.5m
Hull length: 7.85m
Beam: 2.7m
Interior beam: 1.8m
Weight: 1050kg (dry, est)
Rated power: 300hp (min)/400hp (max)
Power as tested: Mercury Racing 400R
Fuel: 350L
Water: 75L
Passengers: 8

Priced from: N/A

Price as tested: $197,500 including custom helm station layout; four fixed jockey seats with inbuilt storage; Fusion Apollo RA770 audio system; Raymarine Axiom Pro chartplotter/fishfinder; Raymarine VHF radio; combination ski pole/anchor light; removable frige; dual starting batteries; house battery bank; shore power charging system; collapsible and removable bimini; aft deck lounge for four; aft deck sun tent; SeaDeck non-slip decking; official SailGP livery (removable)

Supplied by: Ribco Marine