When it comes to South Florida, Nautical Ventures is your F-Rib dealer for Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. Here’s what we like about the 275 model: 

F-Ribs are revolutionary Folding RIBs that have 3 articulating folding sections to form a rigid hull. Assembly of the hull is very simple. The hull sections have interlocking tabs and slots, held together by the pressure in the tubes. Once assembled it’s difficult to tell they fold. Inflation of the tubes is also fast and once you get the hang of it assembly time is under 5 minutes.

But the real beauty of these ribs lie in how easy they are to transport and store while retaining the performance, stability and durability advantages of a conventional RIB. That means you can store or transport a proper RIB where you thought it was impossible; for instance, on the deck of a yacht, or in the back of a car or motorhome. It also means you can choose one that’s a size or two larger than would otherwise be possible; which means greater carrying capacity, comfort and speed. Folding down to just 35” x 33” x 15” the 275 is the most compact of the F-Rib line.

The biggest difference you’ll discover will come under power, when you’ll tend to find small engines achieve higher speeds, whilst with larger engines you’ll be able to push along at higher speeds even when conditions are a bit choppy. Testing the 275 with a 2.5hp motor produced six knots with two adult crew on board, and eight knots with just one. A 5-hp motor produced 8 knots two-up and planed at 14 knots with just one person aboard. They also tested the 275 with a 9.8hp and one person aboard reaching an impressive 22 knots and still had throttle to spare. She zipped straight up on the plane and was very smooth and dry at speed, with no sign of movement between the hull sections. With a Torqeedo 1003 electric outboard on the 275 they got about 4.5 knots flat out and 3.8 at half power, giving a realistic range of at least 4 nautical miles.

The F-Rib 275 weighs in at 79 lbs, about the same as a soft floor dinghy. But the F-RIB is a more efficient hull so it can achieve the same speed, or even faster speeds, with a smaller, lighter motor. Therefore, the total weight will be even less than that of a comparably rigged boat. 

Sailing Today tested the 275 and gave it a 5-star rating: “Handles just like a standard RIB… more stable than a simple inflatable boat… can carry a greater payload and take a bigger outboard… with a 5hp motor we were making 8 knots with two on board and planing at 14 knots with one” Sailing Today also point out that all four sizes of foldable RIB will fit in the back of a car or motorhome etc. – impossible with a conventional hard-bottomed RIB.

275 Specifications:

Length: 9’ | 2.75 m

Beam: 5.25’ | 160 cm

Weight: 79 lbs | 36 kg

Tube Dia.: 15.75” | 40 cm

Max Load: 661 lbs | 300 kg

Max Persons: 3

Max Engine: 15 hp

Folding Size: 35” x 33” x 15” | 90 x 85 x40 cm

F-RIB Prices include as standard: oars; foot pump, hull and accessory storage bags; repair kit; and removable seat. Options include: Bow Canopy; Transom Wheels: Seat Cushions and Bags that hang underneath, cushions and 1 bag; Higher-capacity Foot Pump; 12V-powered Electric Pump.

Nautical Ventures can supply/fit buoyancy aids, davit lifting points, additional towing eyes, etc – please call. We are also carry Torqeedo electric outboards, Lehr propane outboards, Mercury, Yamaha and Tohatsu outboards. 

Nautical Ventures is your official F-Rib headquarters for Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. We can help you navigate the ins and outs of pairing the right electric or gas motor to your F-Rib boat. We’ve been helping boaters in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach stay on the water with trouble-free enjoyment for over 30 years.