RIBs : Rigid Inflatable Boats - Rugged...Invincible...Brave !

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You can blame us to make something so ordinary sound uber-cool!

Considering what these boats can actually achieve with ease, the adjectives used in the title of this post would sound like an understatement.


Rigid Inflatable Boats...better known as R.I.Bs (RIBs) are your everyday, 'friendly' kind of boats that seem to be made out of some kind of rubber and an engine attached at the aft. Though it may be that simple in design and form...these can function from something as simple as a tender to a multi-million yacht, or something as complex as braving storms in order to rescue stranded sailors - that too with amazing dexterity.

Although developed from inflatable boats, RIBs have come a long way and are available in many shapes and sizes and some are built with specific purposes also.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Though light-weight, RIBs are about high performance and high capacity. They are constructed with a solid, shaped hull and flexible tubes at the gunwale. The design is stable and seaworthy.

One of the main advantages is that due to the inflatable collar the buoyancy is not lost if a large quantity of water is shipped aboard.


Though they look similar in terms of shape, RIBs come in varying lengths from 12 feet to 55 feet, generally.

Engines varying from your favorite '9.9' HP to 500 HP are fitted on to many manufactured RIBs.

Practically, the best option on water, since sometime fixing a puncture can be as simple as fixing a puncture of your cycle tyre - RIBs find their way into uses such as rescue boats, military and defence, water-sports and tourism boats, fishing boats, and the most glamorous that it could get is being a tender to a super-yacht.


Their versatility and cost advantage is one of the most important reasons for this all-round use, further aided by ease of transport and in inflating/ deflating.

Lately, modern technology has helped develop 'inflatable keels' that increase buoyancy further and aide a smoother ride.

HISTORY OF RIBs

The combination of rigid hull and large inflatable buoyancy tubes seems to have been first introduced in 1967 by Tony and Edward Lee-Elliott.

Though it was patented only in 1969 by Admiral Hoare, after research and development at Atlantic College in Wales.


For practical use, RIBs then were introduced for the first time as lifeboats on the England in 1970.

WAVE-JUMPERS

YIPPEEEE!...its fun-time...and what fun it would be to 'jump' waves! Many resorts have found a novel use for RIBs where these come fitted with 2 parallel rows of seats, the RIB being 10 meters in length.


It is propelled by two powerful engines, with the aim being to get the craft to roughly 30-40 knots before jumping off the tops of waves.

'WHEELHOUSE' RIBs

An 'extension' to the RIB family is the Wheelhouse RIB - larger RIBs can have hard-tops or wheelhouses made of GRP or aluminium.


Wheelhouses offer protection from the elements to both the crew and passengers - and can also protect equipment such as suspension seats and navigation equipment.

Some RIB manufacturers, provide optional canopies which form fabric and perspex wheelhouses but can be easily removed in good weather.

Increasingly, RIBs are becoming available with small cabins (usually with accommodation for 2 people and in some cases sea toilets or chemical toilets), widening the application of RIBs as cruising craft.

Looking for the most practical and versatile option on the water...and at the most reasonable price...look no further...the RIB is yours for the taking!