Want ideas for mounting RIB on cabin top

Howdy all,

I just got a 10 foot RIB and plan to hoist it aboard and stow it sitting upright on the cabin top. Ain't no way I'm paying north of $500 for purpose-made RIB stands. I'll be fabricating my own and wonder what sort of ideas you experienced RIBbers have?

I thought about welding up some tripod-type mounts with neoprene pads, similar to the expensive commercial variety, or perhaps making up a pair of carpeted bunks similar to what a small trailer would have. I have a vast expanse of flat space available up top.

So...whatcha got?

I made a simple cardboard pattern of my rib’s bottom and made my dingy chocks out of starboard. Could have done it out of plywood but I wanted zero maintenance.

I have a heavy rib (13’ Rendova with 50 hp 4 stroke)
I use two athwart chocks (versus fore/aft bunks), one near the stern of the rib, one forward.
¾” ply bases to spread the weight, curved to match the cabin top
¾ ply verticals with corner gussets for strength, with 2x4 on the flat for the pads themselves - notched for the hull strakes. A cardboard template for getting the match. I cut a 3/4" dado with a tablesaw in the base and 2x4's.
I did not permanently mount the chocks as we use the deck space when the rib is down (in anchorage or when towing it). I simply move them to the side. I strap the rib down to the boat (not the chocks) when doing a crossing or in any sea at all.

I have not bothered covering them with carpet as the rib does not budge the slightest when on them – no need.
I like tiltrider1’s comment on starboard. I would consider that next time.

Ribs are heavy.
Need crane.

OK, good stuff! I hadn't even thought about using Starboard, but I, too, am a big fan of low/no maintenance. I also hadn't thought about simply placing the dinghy chocks up there without permanently mounting them (dink strapped down to the boat). That opens up alternatives I hadn't thought of!

I can build pretty near anything, but your creativity and experience is what I like to learn from. Thanks, guys!

Oh, hey, Eric...no, we don't have a crane, but we do have a winch boom (or "jib" as it was traditionally called), so no problemo, gracias!

Four trailer bunks and two pieces of 2x4s make a cradle the dinghy can sit it. For height I mounted the trailer bunks to a stack of three 2 x 6s running athwartship (perpendicular to the center line of the boat). Covered the two 2x4s in outdoor carpet. In salt water the standard trailer bunks (non-stainless) will need to be replaced after 15 years.

I'm also wanting to mount the RIB on top of my PH upright. It's currently flipped over on the PH but it's a pain to hoist it up and deploy it that way.

I need some very low height chocks due to the boom directly over the RIB. Because of the height restriction, I may have to hoist and store the RIB with the bow facing aft, which may look stupid. Was thinking about just making some chocks fore and aft out of Starboard in a V configuration maybe?

Check your tackle used in the mast and boom rig. Use 70mm blocks and 3/8" lines in a threefold purchase (two triple blocks)for the toping lift and just fiddle blocks between the boom and the dinghy. I added rope clutches to help with line management.

Forgot about this thread. I did end up flipping the dinghy over and it doesn’t look too stupid imo.

1" ss tubing and associated fittings.