FUNKY 500 – DF 90hp Suzuki
MAR.CO e-Motion 36 – 3 x 400hp 2.6L Verados
FUNKY 500 – DF 90hp Suzuki
MAR.CO e-Motion 36 – 3 x 400hp 2.6L Verados
RIBCO Seafarer 36X – Twin 2.6L 400hp Verados
These are the deeper reasons why Ribco Marine has been at the forefront of the global market for many years, constantly seeking to upgrade its vessels without resting on the very high level it has already conquered.
So, on the way to the pursuit of perfection, Seafarer 36X was designed consisting the evolution of our well-known Seafarer 36 and is the best seller of the company.
After 10 years of very successful course of Seafarer 36, Ribco marine creates Seafarer 36X, further improving the deck in terms of functionality, ergonomics and of course aesthetics, while maintaining the philosophy of the "pure" inflatable boat that characterizes it.
With a total length of 10.90 meters and a width of 3.30 meters, our test boat reached 5 tons along with fuel and engines.
Seafarer 36X runs on the same hull as its predecessor but has a completely renewed deck. The main differences of the new model are the second row of seats behind those of the pilot-co-pilot with the most important of course the redesigned T-Top which is made entirely of carbon fiber.
On deck
With two hidden cabins, two large sundecks, two rows of seats and a separate bathroom, Seafarer 36X, at its 36 feet long, ensures luxurious and comfortable living at sea, making it an ideal open Rib not only for day trips but also for multi-day holidays with capability of overnight 4 people on board.
The small and elegant hard nose offers the necessary step to enter or exit the boat, while the recessed cleats are perfectly placed without any risk of injury. A small hatch at the back gives access to a very limited storage space, but ideal for the bow lines of the boat.
The bow sundeck is very large and ideal for moments of relaxation and sunbathing. In the front part is the small hatch that leads to the space that houses the windlass and the chain of the anchor, which comes out of the stem and fits perfectly on its stainless steel base.
A large hatch is raised with an electro-hydraulic mechanism and reveals the spacious double berth of the bow that can comfortably accommodate two adults.
The console is centrally located leaving comfortable passageways to the port and starboard for the easy movement of the crew, while inside it houses the independent bathroom area whose large door is located at the front.
The bathroom is very comfortable, has a toilet and sink, while at the back there are inspection cabinets for the electrical installation of the console.
The instrument panel is made of carbon fiber and has an ideal inclination for easy and direct reading of the screens even when choosing to drive in an upright position, though we would prefer it a little shorter in height to ensure more direct visibility to the bow.
The level of the pilot station finish is Excellent, with the E chapter, and I could not find out even the slightest imperfection, although I confess that I was observing it intensely for quite some time.
It has plenty of room for placing large navigation devices while we particularly liked the two very useful cabinets for placing small items on the starboard side.
The two independent helm seats have a particularly large backrest to support the whole body, have a damping mechanism with adjustable height while providing very good lateral support which we will appreciate especially when attempting abrupt maneuvers or when traveling in heavy weather conditions.
Behind the helm seats, there is a large three-seater sofa under which the boat's refrigerator and the sink are housed, while on its back there is a cleverly designed compartment and a coffee table.
In the photo above, you can see the beautifully designed T-top which in combination with the crystal windshield offers excellent protection from wind, rain and spray of both the panel instruments and the boat crew.
There is no doubt that the T-top is perhaps the strongest feature of Seafarer 36X that matches very well with the overall layout while it is made entirely of carbon fiber, weighs at least 100 kg less than a conventional one and of course keeps the center of gravity of the boat lower.
This is a true masterpiece of aesthetics, perfectly finished to the last detail, which immediately attracts attention and indicates the high level of innovation and development that characterizes the Ribco marine yard.
The stern sofa can comfortably accommodate 4 adults, while in its center it leaves a very useful passageway for our movement to the area of the engines.
Its two independent backrests, a trademark of the company for many years, are modular and raised forward, helping to create a huge stern sunbed that can accommodate several people.
Below the stern sundeck there is a huge storage space that can easily be converted into a cabin where two adults can comfortably spend the night.
Further back, we meet the swim platform, the surfaces of which are free of obstacles ensuring complete freedom of movement of the crew.
On its port side are the recessed ladder and two stainless steel handles for our ascent from the sea.
At sea
Our test Rib was equipped with two 2.6L Supercharged 400hp Mercury engines which with a maximum rpm range of 6200-6800 and a gear ratio of 1.75: 1 were turning 16"x20" ECO Enertia three-blade propellers.
With a crew of 2 people, 550 liters of fuel, 100 liters of fresh water and all the equipment of the boat, Seafarer 36X was standing on plane at 2300 rpm maintaining a speed of 13 knots.
The planning mode was coming instantly with the bow standing low, while the Rib accelerated to 30 knots in 5.5 seconds and reached 40 knots in 8 seconds.
Although our loads were excessive, the accelerations were very good and the throttle response immediate with no signs of lags or slips indications.
We headed far enough from the shore to see the behavior of Seafarer 36X hull in the waves. Of course, the waves that did not exceed one meter in height passed unnoticed under the deep V of the boat, so we focused mainly on its behavior at high speeds and sharp turns, which was really excellent.
It is worth noting that its stability was impressive, the response to tight maneuvers was immediate while in no case did we receive any spray on deck or any annoying noise due to improper application of the moving parts of the boat.
The ride attitude of the boat at both cruising speeds and high speeds was also excellent, as you can see very well in the photos of the text and in the video at the end of the article.
This in itself shows a very well boat set up and of course quite-well properly balanced.
As it has already been mentioned several times in our technical articles, in addition to the correct mounting height of the engines and the selection of the appropriate propellers, the weight distribution is also an extremely important factor that affects a boat΄s running attitude.
If we want to achieve the ideal setup for our boat then we must keep in mind that each individual factor must obey certain principles and not negatively affect the other factors, since all together must complement each other and aim to achieve the ideal cruising angle, which only when located between 3 to 5 degrees will give us the maximum possible performance.
We also have to remember that as our speed increases, the dynamic center of gravity shifts backwards, which must be very close to the static center of gravity so that the hull travels steadily and therefore can be effectively controlled by the trimming of the engines its cruising angle, which is the best indication of an ideal set-up and a crucial factor of handling in both calm and rough seas.
The best combination of engine mounting height/ propellers / weight distribution will give us the best running attitude through which we will be able to get the maximum performance in any condition.
At 3000 rpm, we were traveling at 23 knots burning 2.3 liters per nautical mile, while at 3500 rpm our speed was 29 knots with the fuel consumption remaining constant at 2.3 liters per mile.
But even when we ran with 35 knots at 4000 rpm, the fuel consumption remained almost the same and so we were burning just 2.4 liters per mile.
So we can maintain cruise speeds between 23 and 35 knots, depending on the weather and our mood, keeping the fuel consumption low and increasing our autonomy which reaches 240 nautical miles when we have 550 liters of fuel in our tanks.
At 4500 rpm, Seafarer 36X was traveling with 40 knots and the engines started to ask for more fuel with the consumption reaching 2.7 liters per nautical mile, while at 5000 rpm we ran at 44 knots burning 3 liters per mile.
At wide open throttle we reached 56.5 knots with the engines not exceeding 6300 rpm, staying away from the maximum rpm limit recommended by the manufacturer.
The detailed numbers we recorded can be seen in the following table:
Taking a closer look at the slip values of the above table we will see once again the amazing numbers achieved by ECO Enertia propellers, remaining much lower than 10% after 4000 rpm to reach the wonderful 4.2% at 6000 rpm.
Really impressive slip numbers that are undoubtedly due to the excellent stern lift they provide, indifferent to the heavy loads carried by our test boat.
Of course, the engines reached just 6300 rpm at WOT, which requires to go to at least two inches of pitch shorter propellers so as to allow them to approach the maximum limit of 6800 rpm recommended by Mercury.
In this case, fuel consumption may increase, but we will have more explosive accelerations and significantly greater ability to navigate in rough seas, while our engines will run more smoothly throughout their whole rpm range.
Manufacturer:
RIBCO Marine
178 Agias Marinas - Koropiou Ave., 19400 Koropi
Tel.: +30 22910 90800, Fax: +30 22910 92159
email:sales@ribcomarine.com
www.ribcomarine.com
