We transformed an old 6m RIB into a tender fit for a private island

For the team at Rayglass there’s no bigger compliment than when a client returns for a second time. That’s why Tim Tsoumas, head of Rayglass Premium Restoration, was over the moon when the owner of an 11m RIB we’d previously refurbished came back with a new refurb project, a 6 metre Caribe. 

The client lives on a private island in the Bay of Islands and is a keen yachty so this little runabout was set to be their commuter to Russell and yacht tender. 

 

Caribe before refurbishment

Introducing RIB number two - The Caribe

 

The first project was a complete transformation - we took the vessel from a shambles to brand new. Tim reckons the Caribe was no different:

 

“He [the client] sent a picture of it and this thing was a lawn ornament. I asked what’s going on with that, and he said it could do with a groom and the bilge pump doesn’t work.”

 

“We went and picked it up and right away I thought, here we go again! At the same time we picked up the Aquapro to give that a tidy up”

 

The vessel was a Venezuelan brand with a great reputation, but it was in a sorry state so Tim got her up on a forklift to take a better look. She was all green underneath so the team started poking around and noticed she was in worse condition than expected. 

 

“The transom was all soft and rotten. I let the client know and we decided it needed a full teardown.”

 

Caribe before refurbishment

The rebuild begins

 

The refurb team did a number on this one. They cut out the side mount and console, added a new floor and transom, a thumping great stereo, storage, a chilly bin, a custom centre console and LED floor lighting. 

 

In typical Rayglass fashion we grossly overpowered the vessel with a 200hp Mercury engine, run via brand new Simrad electronics. Meanwhile the client would pop in whenever he was passing through and Tim says he had the same great attitude as he did with the Aquapro:

 

“He’s an entertaining guy, a big character. He’d stop in for a look on the way to the airport and have a chat. He’d just say, look if you’re happy, I’m happy. There’s never any hassles, never any problems.”

 

Caribe after refurbishment

A hovercraft is coming next

 

With the vessel finished Tim’s desperately trying to get it up north to the Bay of Islands to the client’s island so that he can enjoy it over summer:

 

“He’s going to love it. It really came together. It’s a little hotrod really, such a great boat and the ride’s incredible. So easy to manoeuvre, light and fast, which makes it the perfect boat for zipping from the island to the Duke Of Marlborough Hotel in Russel.”

 

“It’s twice as fast as most boats its size. She runs at about 58mph.”

 

Our client has a summer zooming around the Bay of Islands in his two good-as-new RIBs to look forward to. But it sounds like he can’t get enough of his projects:

 

“He just told me there’s a hovercraft coming next. I said what am I going to do with that? And he just says you’ll think of something!”

Two RIB refurbishments, one proud owner.