Where to Hire RIBs on the Solent

Intro

This articles provides a list of the best places to hire RIBs on the solent. Also, an overview of what to expect when hiring a RIB. The typical boats and equipment that come with a hire. Costings to be aware of and the most common types of hire/charter. Just looking for places to hire from? Jump to our list of Bareboat RIB hire or Assisted/Skippered RIB hire options.

Jump to section

• Hiring a RIB on the solent
• What to expect when hiring a RIB
• Boats & Equipment
• Hire Requirements & Costs
• Bareboat RIB hire options
• Skippered RIB charter options
• RIB charter by location

Hiring a RIB on the solent

The Solent is a prime location to hire a RIB. Nestled between the Isle of Wight and the southern coast of England, it’s sheltered but vibrant stretch of waters offer a great day out for boat lovers.

Whilst the list of things to do on the solent are endless, knowing where to hire a RIB from is a much harder task. This was something I quickly realised when I first started doing my research. Especially as someone who hasn’t chartered a boat before. There are a number of options, boats and equipment to consider, qualifications, requirements and additional costs.

To help speed up the process for someone else looking to hire a RIB, I’ve condensed the key things I found out and importantly a shortlist of the best places to charter a RIB from below.

What to expect when hiring a RIB

There are a few different options when it comes to chartering a rib. For the purpose of this article, I’m focussing on three of the most popular options that most RIB hire companies offer which are:

Skippered RIB charter

Firstly, skippered RIB charter means that as part of the hire, you’ll have a qualified skipper who will drive the boat for you for the duration of the hire period. Depending on how much you’re looking to spend, these can sometimes be group hires, where you might buy a ‘seat’ on the boat and be joined by a larger group. Or you can also choose to charter a boat privately for yourself or your group. Obviously the latter generally being more expensive.

Assisted RIB Charter

Secondly, there is what’s called an assisted RIB charter. This is where you will be accompanied by a qualified skipper/instructor during your RIB hire. Exactly where you go and what you do is up to you but you will have the added benefit of an experienced skipper on board, to provide advice and learn from if you’re relatively new. This usually comes at an additional cost but is great way to build up your confidence and learn the basics before going out on your own.

Bareboat RIB charter

Finally, a bareboat RIB hire is for people who are looking to hire just the boat and self-drive it themselves. Naturally this is for those that are much more comfortable with boating but the benefit is that the RIB you hire is yours for the period of time and you can use it as you wish (with the limitations of your hire agreement of course!) The main thing to be aware of for this is that all legitimate RIB hire places will require you have a minimum Powerboat 2 license and sometimes they will want you to have a VHF license too.

Boats, equipment and hire requirements

Boats

Naturally this article is focussed on RIBs specifically which are Rigid Inflatable Boats known for their versatility and safety. The smallest RIB hire I came across was 6m with a 100hp engine which is usually comfortable for around 4/6 people. The largest RIBs I’ve seen for bareboat hire are 8.8m with 250hp engines which, depending on configuration, can fit up to 8 people.

Equipment

Most, if not all RIB hire places I’ve found on the Solent include things like GPS chart plotters, anchors, life jackets and VHF radios as part of the hire cost. You will usually need to provide your own suitable clothing e.g waterproof jacket and trousers but these are often also available for an additional cost too. Some also provide water toys at an additional cost, such as donuts, wakeboards and paddleboards.

Hire requirements and costs

The first thing to be aware of is that to hire a RIB to self-drive yourself, you will legally be required to hold a suitable license or certification. The most common one is a Powerboat Level 2 license but this can vary and some RIB hire companies will also require you to have had a minimum amount of experience on a similar boat and be of a minimum age.

The other thing to be aware of is that the vast majority of hire costs will not include fuel in the hire price. This will be an additional cost that you will be required to pay for on top of whatever the hire cost is. It’s worth noting that on the solent unleaded fuel prices vary from between around £1.60p a litre (Usually only for marine members) to £2 a litre. It would be pretty normal for a full day out on a RIB to cost in the region of £50-£100 in fuel, depending on boat speeds and conditions.

As a very rough example, on a 6.5 rib with a 100hp engine, you could expect to use around 14 Litres of fuel travelling between Bembridge and Cowes (~12nm) in a light boat at a cruising speed.

Bareboat RIB hire options on the solent

Whilst there is quite a bit to consider, fortunately there are also quite a few good options when it comes to a bareboat (self-drive) RIB hire on the solent. Here are the most reputable hire options I found during my research:

Skippered RIB Charter options on the solent

If you're not ready to hire a boat on your own, there are also a number of companies that will offer private charters that include a skipper for the duration of your hire. Below are the options I found for this:

RIB Charter options by location

If you're looking to hire a RIB from a specific place, we've separated out RIB hire into main locations in the Solent including Southampton, Portsmouth, Isle of Wight, Chichester, Lymington and Chichester