| Article Index |
|---|
| Shopping for an Inflatable Boat |
| Caring for Your Inflatable |
| Choosing the Right RIB |
| HBI |
| PROTECTOR |
| Sea Eagle Boats |
| All Pages |
Determine your needs. Are your requirements limited to getting to and from your moored boat, or do you also want to be able to spend a day exploring outside of protected anchorages? Do you want to use your inflatable boat for fishing, spearfishing, snorkeling, diving, skiing or wakeboarding? Where will you be stowing your inflatable when it’s not in use? Depending on its size, type and intended use, your inflatable might be kept inflated and lashed on deck, deflated and stowed in a locker or lazarette, held above the transom by a set of davits, or towed behind the boat. A larger rigid inflatable boat (RIB) may need to be kept on a trailer when it’s not in use.
Many people are concerned that their new inflatable boat will be too heavy to hoist or too big to stow, and they end up buying one that’s too small. A model that’s ideal for a cruising couple might be inadequate when guests or kids (and the extra provisions required) are present, possibly requiring more than one trip from boat to shore. If you’re looking for a tender for a cruising boat, ask yourself how many people will you need to carry on a regular basis, and how much gear will you need to transport. In addition to having more passenger and cargo capacity, longer boats plane earlier, handle better and are less sensitive to steering inputs.
Fabrics
Most inflatable boats are constructed with either polyvinylchloride (PVC) coated polyurethane cloth or Hypalon, which is neoprene- coated nylon. Both are durable and very puncture-resistant, although Hypalon is less susceptible to degradation from ultraviolet rays. PVC is more airtight than Hypalon, and a boat made of the latter will require a periodic pumping up.
Types of Inflatable Dinghies
Inflatables are categorized by their floor construction, which determines the trade-off between rigidity (which delivers better performance when motoring or rowing) and portability (the ease with which the boat can be quickly assembled for use and disassembled for stowage). Inflatable boats that fold to a compact size are generally slower than those with stiffer floors, which take longer to set up and can’t be stowed in a small space.
Soft-stern Dinghies
The most basic inflatable boats, soft-stern dinghies are small (about 8 feet) and best suited for exploring protected waters, but they can also serve as tenders aboard a pocket cruiser. Their capacity is usually limited to two adults (three in a pinch) and a minimal amount of gear. They have inflatable floors that don’t need to be removed for storage, and they’ll fit in the cockpit lazarette of the average 22- to 24-foot sailboat. They usually come with oars (although they don’t row well), and sometimes a removable motor mount that will accommodate a small (2 horsepower or so) gasoline outboard engine or an electric trolling motor.
Roll Up Boats
Roll Up boats have a floor comprising wooden salts enclosed in fabric pockets. Like soft-stern dinghies, they can be unpacked, inflated and launched in a very short time, and they also stow easily. These boats have a solid transom (wood or fiberglass) and can be powered by a slightly larger outboard (up to 4 hp). Because they have flat bottoms, their use is generally limited to the protected waters of a harbor.
Sportboats
With a removable rigid floor system made up of plywood, plastic or aluminum floorboards held in position with aluminum extrusions, and stringers running fore and aft to hold the floorboards in alignment, sportboats are stiffer and faster than roll ups. They have an inflatable keel that gives the bottom a shallow V-shape for better tracking in turns and improved ability to handle choppy water.
High Pressure Inflatable Floor Boats (HPs)
Essentially sportboats with high-pressure inflatable floors instead of floorboards, HP inflatable floor boats combine good performance (and excellent planing ability) with light weight and compact stowability. The floor rolls up inside the boat and doesn’t need to be removed. Because of the higher air pressure required (11 psi; most hull tubes take about 3.5 psi), inflating an HP with an electric pump (12V DC or 120V AC) will be easier than with a foot pump.
High Pressure Inflatable V-Hull Boats (HP-Vs)
The newest type of inflatable boats on the market, HP-Vs evolved from HPs and offer better performance. Instead of an inflatable keel, HP-Vs have a V-shaped integral, semi-rigid one-piece inflatable floor that provides good shock absorption for a smooth ride, and a lower center of gravity for greater stability.
Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs)
RIBs combine the performance and strength of a conventional moderate or deep-V-hulled boat with the stability and buoyancy of inflatable tubes. With hulls and floors made of fiberglass, RIBs can handle rough water and carry lots of gear. Some of the larger models on the market have center consoles and large outboard engines or even jet drive systems. While many of the smaller RIBs are excellent tenders, the trade-off is that they cannot be disassembled, so they’re best suited to davit storage or towing.
Folding RIBs
Another recent innovation, folding rigid inflatable boats have a fiberglass of injection-molded polyester hull with a hinged folding transom, so they can be stowed more easily than a standard RIB. The floor is connected to the transom by a flexible fabric “hinge,” so that the transom will fold flat.
Caring for Your Inflatable
Inflatable boats have a well-deserved reputation for toughness, and with care, they can last a decade or more. However, because these rugged boats will shrug off the jostling at a crowded dinghy dock, many owners see them as indestructible workhorses that can take anything, subjecting them to unnecessary abuse. The sun’s rays are an inflatable boat’s worst enemy, and prolonged exposure to sunlight significantly shortens their lifespan. UV rays will cause the fabric to fade, discolor and eventually break down, and varnish to peel.
Sure, it’s easy to inflate a boat at the beginning of the season and leave it that way, but you’ll extend the boat’s working life if you deflate and store it when it’s not in use. If you’re going to keep the boat inflated for an extended period (in davits, for example), a fitted cover will keep it looking new by blocking UV radiation, sheltering it from bird droppings and dirt, and keeping water out of the cockpit.
There are bottom paints on the market made specifically for inflatable boats, including Pettit’s Hydrocoat and MDR’s Inflatable & Dinghy Bottom Coating. These water-based coatings can be applied to PVC or Hypalon fabric, and they’re flexible so they won’t crack or peel when the boat is folded. This paint sells for about $45 a quart (enough for two coats on an 8- to 10-foot boat), and it’s absolutely essential if you’re going to keep your inflatable boat in the water for an extended time. If barnacles are allowed to get a purchase on an inflatable boat, they’ll destroy the fabric.
Varnished plywood floorboards and transoms will require an occasional coat of varnish (on some boats, these parts are painted with hard epoxy coatings, which will last longer).
Choosing the Right RIB
Rigid inflatable boats, popularly known as RIBs, are becoming more popular among recreational boaters in the United States, with smaller models seeing more widespread use as yacht tenders and larger ones as coach boats. Europeans, however, have preferred RIBs to traditional hard-sided boats for a long time because they offer better fuel efficiency than their all-fiberglass counterparts. Gasoline is much more expensive in Europe than the U.S. because of heavy government taxation, and while the idea of getting the most out of a tank of gasoline has only recently caught on with many American boaters, Europeans (who now pay close to nine bucks a gallon) have favored fuel efficient RIBs for decades. The lower fuel consumption of RIBs is primarily the result of lighter weight – the lighter a boat is, the less horsepower is required to move at a given speed. Let’s 
compare the specs of Boston Whaler’s popular 150 Montauk with the RIBCRAFT 150 Recreational model. Both are about 15-and-a-half feet long and can be powered by up to a 60 horsepower outboard. The Montauk’s dry weight (without engine) is 950 pounds, while the RIBCRAFT tips the scales at 685.
To learn how RIBs stack up against hard-sided boats, and how to pick the best RIB for your needs, we spoke with Matthew Velluto, Director of Marketing at RIBCRAFT USA in Marblehead, MA.
What are the advantages of a RIB over a conventional fiberglass boat?
Matthew Velluto: A RIB offers exceptional performance and safety over the conventional hardsided boat. With a RIB, you get all the benefits of an exceptionally deep V hull (smooth ride, soft entry through the water) combined with the benefits of an inflatable tube (stability, dryness, and ability to carry heavy loads). Because of the tube, a RIB can carry a much more aggressive V-hull than conventional hardsided boats because the tube provides the needed stability lost by a severe V. The tube also delivers a very dry ride as well because it deflects any spray that comes off the hull down and away from the passengers.
In addition to the tube offering stability, it also acts like a giant shock absorber. As the boat goes through the water it absorbs shock from hard landings. The combination of the tube and hull working together delivers a boat that is meant for rough weather. A RIB is truly a performance craft – we often refer to it as the SUV of the sea. To use another car analogy, a RIB is like combining all the benefits of a sports car with those of an SUV. We’re sometimes asked at boat shows ‘What do you do with a RIB?’ My reply is quite simply, ‘Everything you can in a hardsided boat, only more.’
Not only does a RIB deliver excellent rough water performance, they are also incredibly fuel efficient. With today’s high fuel costs, more and more boaters are looking for economical options – a RIB does just that. RIBs sport a lightweight design and sleek hulls with far greater planing capabilities. They require less horsepower to achieve the same speeds as solid sided boats because they are lighter weight and have less drag through the water. These design characteristics lead to fuel savings.
What are the most important things to consider when shopping for a RIB?
MV: When shopping for a RIB, first and foremost it’s important to know that not all RIBs are the same. Some are designed to simply take you from your large yacht to the dock while others are designed for all weather performance and safety. The following are, in my opinion, the three biggest things to look for. How you plan on using the boat? Will you be using the boat for work or pleasure? Do you want a boat that can handle anything Mother Nature throws your way and is super safe and easy to use for your family, or are you looking for one that’s comfortable for lounging around on? Perhaps you want a boat for diving or fishing, watching the kids sail, or simply cruising around? This simple question will make your decision much easier and your search more focused.
Tube Material: There are several tube materials on the market; PVC, Polyurethane, and Hypalon. If you’re looking for the best all around product that will last the longest, require the least amount of maintenance, and is most UV resistant, then you should go with the only time-tested material, Hypalon. When looking at a tube, be sure that all seams are overlapped. Any areas where wear could occur should be reinforced and every tube should have a heavy duty rubstrake around the perimeter of the tube to provide protection.
Reputation: Ask around and look to see who’s using RIBs. What does the local harbormaster, fire department, yacht club, or even Coast Guard station have for a RIB? Go online - I recommend RIB.net, HotRIBs.com and R.I.B. International Magazine (online at ribmagazine.com) – even sites like YouTube can provide great insight into RIBs.
Look at the valves on the tube. All manufacturers provide individual fill and deflation valves for each air chamber, but what you should be looking for and should require are pressure relief valves. These allow excess air pressure to escape from the tube without damaging it. Pressure can build in hot temperatures – as the air in the tube get hotter it expands and the air needs someplace to go. Without pressure relief valves, the air will find the weakest point in the tube to escape. Pressure can also build up from a sudden impact from hitting another boat or a dock, or simply dropping something on the tube. A tube rarely “pops,” but if it does, it’s because it doesn’t have a pressure relief valve. These relief valves are a must and should be standard on all tubes – unfortunately, not all manufacturers offer them as standard.
How long will a high quality RIB typically last, and what can an owner do to prolong its life?
MV: A RIB’s fiberglass hull will, for all intents and purposes, last forever. We generally tell our customers that the life expectancy on a tube is approximately 10-15 years depending on how you care for your boat and your geographic location. Here in the Northeast, it’s closer to 12-15 years. The best thing you can do for your tubes is to give them a quick hose down after using them in salt water and cover your RIB in the winter.
RIBCRAFT manufactures RIBs from 15 to 30 feet for recreational and professional use, including custom-built models for military and law enforcement, rescue, tour operators and offshore dive excursions. For more information, visit ribcraftusa.com.
HBI – RIB Pioneers
Sometimes it takes a while for a significant innovation to be recognized as the great thing it is. When Hardbottom Inflatables (HBI Boats), based at R.B Rodgers Yacht Sales in Noank, CT, launched their first boat about 20 years ago, a lot of boaters didn’t know what to make of it.
“No one knew what we were doing,” recalls Bob Rodgers. “We went to boat shows and people asked, ‘What is this?’ and ‘Why would I want this?’” That first HBI, a 20’6” center console model, mated a fiberglass deep-V hull with inflatable tube topsides. Designed by C. Raymond Hunt Associates, the boat combined the performance characteristics of a deep-V with the lower weight, stable, smooth and dry ride and sheer toughness of Hypalon tubes.
Another unique feature was that the inflatable tubes could be removed and replaced by the owner, thus extending the boat’s working life. This system, which employs channels on the rigid hull and twin boltropes on the tubes, was created in the early 1980s by Bill Cochran of Groton, CT. Rodgers, who was then selling Avon inflatable boats, saw the potential for larger rigid inflatable boats and bought Cochran’s patent.
Today, HBI offers models from 11 to 40 feet, all Hunt-designed with field-replaceable tubes. In fact, replacement tubes, which are available in several colors, are available for every HBI ever built. HBIs are typically supplied without engines or electronics, although the company will deliver a turn-key boat built to the owner’s requirements. Power options on larger models include outboard or inboard engines (including diesel) and outdrive or jet drive systems, and a wide variety of seating options and custom deck configurations (including teak decks) are available.
Among the new projects at Hardbottom Inflatables (incidentally, no other boat can be called an HBI – they own the name) is a 30-foot diesel-jet drive model. This boat’s standard equipment includes a Volvo D6 powerplant mated to an Ultra jet drive unit and a bow thruster. Owners can specify a traditional steering wheel or a multifunction joystick. For more information, visit hbiboats.com.
PROTECTOR Introduces New Luxury Cabin Line
PROTECTOR Boats of Auckland, New Zealand has launched its new line of luxury cabin RIBs with the Targa SL 38’. Engineered for speed, comfort and safety in any weather conditions, the Targa SL has an extra large cabin, open deck space, refrigerated storage, fully enclosed head, hydraulic shock absorbing pilot and co-pilot seating, extended hard top, teak decks and sleeping accommodations for two.
“Performance, our customers tell us, is what sets PROTECTOR apart from other boats in this category,” explains Gary Rolfe, General Manager of PROTECTOR USA in Tiburon, CA. “PROTECTOR boats handle rough water more safely and comfortably than traditional hardsided boats. Additionally, they are faster.
Powered with twin Mercury 300 HP Verado engines, the Targa SL can comfortably hit 40+knots if you need to reach your destination quickly.”
PROTECTOR Boats were originally engineered for the N.Z. Coast Guard. The company builds commercial and recreational RIBs, all with solid laminate, fiberglass deep-V hulls and chambered hypalon tubes. Custom-equipped commercial PROTECTORs have been built for police, fire and search and rescue teams across the country, and the boats are favored by owners of large ocean racing sailboats as high capacity tenders that can handle rough conditions.
PROTECTOR’s current recreational line includes a Center Console (22’, 25’, 28’), Targa (28’, 35’), Targa SL (38’) and the Hauraki (40’). For more information, visit protectorboats.com.
Sea Eagle Boats - Inflatable Fun
Sea Eagle Boats, based in Port Jefferson, NY, has offered a wide range of rugged, inexpensive inflatable boats since 1968. Models include an 8’10” yacht tender, runabouts from 9 to 14 feet, kayaks optimized for touring or whitewater use, FoldCats for fishing, the versatile PaddleSki catamaran/kayak hybrid that can be paddled, rowed, motored or sailed with an optional Sail rig, and the 14-foot SailCat catamaran.
At a featherweight 97 pounds fully rigged, the SailCat can easily be cartopped, and kids will have no trouble transporting and launching it. Assembly time is under 15 minutes. The twin 1,000 denier “crocodile hide” hulls are connected by three cross benches, with trampolines fore and aft. A 45-square foot lateen sail is rigged on an aluminum mast and fold-up spars, and the centerboard and center-mounted rudder and tiller are made of aluminum and plastic.
An optional motor mount accommodates a small outboard. The SailCat deluxe package, including a pair of oars, two cushions, foot pump and storage bags sells for $1,499. Every Sea Eagle boat has a three-year, bow-to-stern warranty against manufacturer’s defects. For more information, visit seaeagle.com. ✦
