Humber RIBs have for years been associated with the offshore market, particularly popular with the enduring diver, these boats have stood the test of time and been responsible in their own way for assisting in the popularization of the RIB. Known for their straightforward and practical layout, Humber’s have always represented very good value for money and have sold strongly on this basis. To date, Humber have been responsible for building over 8000 craft and were there when RIBs first began – almost 40 years ago.

Whilst age and experience can be formidable qualities however, a criticism that has been leveled in the past pertains to the product range not reflecting the same degree of progress as made by other leading manufacturers in the industry. Up until 12 months or so ago, the influences of modern styling were less apparent in the Humber camp, but I think it’s fair to say, more aesthetic and visually pleasing designs are increasingly coming to the fore now. This is good, for the product has always been a most reliable one – a whole string of blue chip professional organizations will testify to that, as well as the intrepid and highly resourceful Irishman who crossed the Atlantic in his Humber Attaque!

Humber Inflatables is a family run business, hence, clients are benefited from `the team’ taking a pride in their work and being subject to personal accountability in the service they provide their customers. The full range of boats the company produces is extensive and covers literally every shape and size from the smallest tender through to full blown seagoing vessels in excess of 8 metres. A design attribute common amongst all boats in the range however, is the noticeably high `Humber bow’. This gives the 5.5 metre and upward category a serious offshore appearance and affords the user the feeling he’s aboard a substantial craft. In performance terms this feature also lends itself well to adverse conditions and the offshore environment.

The “Ocean Pro Offshore” models which made their public debut at this year’s RIBEX 2000 Exhibition were further evidence of this offshore slant and showed the company were out to court the serious player. Both these big RIBs were very impressive to the eye, their unashamedly colorful sponsons and hefty stature were impossible to ignore from which ever direction one cared to look across the panorama of floating exhibits. Both craft were identical, except of course for the engine systems which made them very different beasts. The highly responsive `throaty’ nature of the twin 225hp Optimax rig, stood out as being distinctly separate both in character and feel to its Mercruiser diesel rigged cousin with its wealth of smooth power and low end torque. Whilst possessing substantial differences, both these RIBs are designed to grant an impressive degree of performance coupled to a strong measure of true sea going ability.

It’s always a luxury stepping aboard a spacious RIB with generous amounts of deck space. These 8.50’s with their un-fussy internal layout, provide much in the way of freedom to utilize deck area for whatever purpose one may wish - be it leisure or commercial. In addition to this, the high set sponsons and open foredeck would make kitting up for a dive a real joy. The seating pods positioned aft of the helm console are representative of Humber’s more recent styling initiatives. A few integrated curves and cutaways really lift the appearance of what could otherwise be just another flat sided jockey seat. I liked their design and from a comfort point of view they worked well - although the seat padding could be made a little more generous in my opinion.

The “Ocean Pro Offshore” is a good beamy boat at 2.9 metres and this allows also for the inclusion of a 400 litre under-deck fuel tank which provides the RIB with a sensible cruising range. The new range whilst potentially appealing to the offshore cruiser is also capable of making the cross over into the professional market when rigged to MCA Approval Code of Practice specifications. As already mentioned, strength is a definite virtue of these craft, being constructed with a minimum 14oz lay up to the main body, other areas including the keel, gun whales and spray rails etc. are reinforced to a further 50% -100% degree. Floor deck construction is a bit old fashioned but proven nonetheless with the use of 25mm of marine plywood encapsulated in chop strand mat. The transom likewise is of marine ply construction - 36mm to be precise. On the diesel model the actual finish to the transom was poor; essentially unfinished. I’ll give Humber the benefit of the doubt though and put such down to this being a hurriedly finished boat show prototype!

Speaking critically, the other matter I feel that needs to be addressed is the design of the helm console. The unit itself is substantial in size but when one is seated it becomes quite an obstacle to either peer through or out over the top of. I’m 5ft.10’ and not exactly a `shorty’ but even I had difficulty, especially when the vessel was rising onto the plane. With this screen arrangement in place, one’s instinctive reaction was to stand up, but even this was troublesome because the console’s large sweptback screen with its wrap around s/s grab rail, met one rudely at eye level. Not only was this combination very restrictive but it was also potentially hazardous in my opinion.

The rigging of the engines to the outboard model along with the relevant controls etc. had been hasty in order to make the deadline of the show. This resulted in the control box being mounted too near to the wheel and the twin 225hp Optimax engine rig not being supplied with counter rotating props. Such items were annoyances more than problems as they were the result of too little time as opposed to not enough care being taken. Prior to customer delivery, I was assured by the builder, both these matters would have already been addressed.

Even with the disadvantages of all 450hp trying to throw the boat onto its port side at once it was clear the outboard powered version had the potential for delivering some pretty stunning performance. When fitted as planned with counter rotating props, this RIB should in my estimation run pretty much straight as a dye at speeds well in excess of 60mph. As tested in a slight sea state with a half load of fuel and two crew up, (estimated total weight = 1.8tons,) even with the current prop set up swinging 24P Bravo 4 blade props, at 5700 rpm she made good 58.6 knots with 13.7% of prop slip.

Neither boat showed any quirky traits in the manner in which it handled. The hulls to these Humbers are known for being good and I have no concerns in this area at all. They provide a very level, stable, ride which grips through the turns at speed and runs well in a following sea-state. The latter is achieved by means of the high bow and a goodly amount of lift in the forward section of the hull. These boats are astonishingly dry too, even in a severe crosswind. During this year’s Round Scotland RIB Challenge, I had opportunity of trialing the diesel model in a force 6 to 7 off Scrabster near the Orkney Isles. The wind was blowing inshore from the north causing a heavy swell to run with the odd breaking being crest thrown in. The feeling of confidence this boat gave was superb, she fairly ate these conditions up, taking the seas in her stride, no matter which direction she ran. In terms of her rough water capability then, these conditions at least showed the Ocean Pro to be highly capable and pretty much faultless in her mastery of big seas. Humber’s sea trials have produced a top performance of 42 knots at 3800 rpm with as little as 10% prop slip on this diesel rig. Fuel consumption of course is attractive at 11.50 gallons an hour at full throttle and a mere 7.50 gallons at cruising speed. In case you’re worried about an inboard being sluggish, she takes 6 seconds to fully rise onto the plane and at 3000rpm she trots along at a comfortable 30 knots.

Virtually all the components, including tubes and deck hardware, are manufactured `in-house’ and are available for customization in accordance with the client’s brief. All materials used conform to Lloyds Register of Approval Standards, as does the marine ply, which conforms, to BS1088. Like most RIB builders, Humber has the means to accommodate most requests, as all their boats are hand built individually. Therefore, whether your requirements centre on the attributes of a deep sea working vessel or an offshore cruising RIB, Humber’s new Ocean Pro 8.50 range has the potential of being worthy of your serious consideration.

HMS


BUILDER

HUMBER FABRICATIONS (HULL) LTD
246 Wincolmlee,
Kingston upon Hull,
East Yorkshire,
HU2 0PZ

Tel: +44 (0)1482 226100
Fax: +44 (0)1482 215884