Mike Pullen makes the annual pilgrimage to Cowes for a look at the UK’s only dedicated RIB exhibition.

You can always tell that summer has arrived when RIBEX opens its doors. Now in its 11th year, the specialist on-water RIB exhibition has always continued to develop fresh ways to entertain visitors and the first illustration of that came in the form of a RIB race between the show organiser, Hugo Montgommery Swan and extrovert adventruer, Bear Grylls. In their dash across the Solent from Gunwarf Quay to Cowes, things were very closely contested. Using identical Coastline seven-metre RIBs powered by Suzuki DF150 engines, visitors saw a predictably diplomatic loss by Hugo, allowing Bear to bathe in the limelight.

Meanwhile, at the show itself, Bear had his very own RIB on display. His ten-metre Ribquest, sporting twin Suzuki DF300s, is a boat he uses for assorted adventures in and around the UK and Europe. It’s a gorgeous boat and a fine training platform for his attempt to navigate the treacherous North West Passage later in the year.

Elsewhere, the new Patrol RIB from Redbay (again with a pair of DF300s) was quick to catch the attention, as was the Yamaha stand, where the company’s four new engines put in a debut appearance. Of these, the F70 looks like an ideal candidate for those with small RIBs and cuddy boats, while the most potent of the new entries, the 4.2-litre V6 300hp outboard, enjoyed plenty of attention in its own right - and deservedly so. It’s easy to forget just how much technology modern outboards contain, and yet they cram it all into a tiny cowling and still manage to offer five-year warranties in the viciously hostile marine environment. It’s magical stuff.

Evinrude were also to be seen down on the water, on the new Humber Sports RIB (in 300hp version on the ten-metre boat and in 250 format on the eight-metre craft), while Honda were in action on the transom of the striking Zodiac NZO.

The public reaction
As I watched people’s reactions to the various boats, the new Renegade with the unique Caudwell engine system was like a flower to the bees. This is the first boat in the world to be designed and built to accommodate the Nissan-based powerplant and, though the nature of the new drive demands an entirely redesigned back end, it is to be hoped that more such craft follow suit with built-for-purpose mouldings. With the engine mounted at 45 degrees to the transom, magnificently high-grade manufacturing processes and the promise of radically increased efficiency, to see the Caudwell in action really is to want one.

Talking of desirable items, the new Wahoo was also on show, with a pair of monstrous Verados waiting patiently for the keys to be turned. She is expected to be competing in the next Round Britain Race so you can expect to see plenty of her in the coming months. And in tune with the somewhat surprising theme of high power and cutting edge style, the Revenger 32 was busy taking people out for a taste of the sublime. This sleek British-built RIB is just so well balanced that you feel you could take on the World. They had both the twin Verado outboard version and the thundering exhaust version with a pair of Yamaha ME422HOs running through transom exhausts. The crackle and bark from the pipes created a reverberating tune that most of the marina seemed delighted to hear. We will certainly take another look on board at the Sports Boat and RIB Show.

The extra dimension
This 11th RIBEX event enjoyed the added dimension of a music gig on the Saturday night. This was the opportunity for a local band called LUCID to play a live set and, while they did a great job, the main attraction had to be RIBEX organiser, Hugo Montgomery-Swan, himself. His own band, Swans In Flight, have played at many of the great festivals around the country and, with a brand of upbeat rocky folk music, they drew rapturous applause from a slightly sodden boaty crowd.

With a finale from Seth Lakeman, you have to say that the RIBEX Show has created a tremendous array of visitor attractions, way out of proportion to the scale of the show itself. After a decade of RIBEX events, this was a great effort to keep things fresh and to generate a festival buzz. In its 11th year, the multi-faceted RIBEX event has become a truly engaging boater’s weekend.