RIBs
RIB or Rigid Inflatable Boat, is fast inflatable boat with a solid planing hull. The type of fast boat was originally thought of in 1967. By 1968, Paul Jefferies had developed a GRP hull called the X10. Although that particular hull was not a success, it led to another version called Psychedelic Surfer. This newly designed RIB was 21 feet long and powered by twin outboards. The new RIB was entered into the Round Britain Powerboat Race in 1969.
RIB or Rigid Inflatable Boat, is fast inflatable boat with a solid planing hull. The type of fast boat was originally thought of in 1967. By 1968, Paul Jefferies had developed a GRP hull called the X10. Although that particular hull was not a success, it led to another version called Psychedelic Surfer. This newly designed RIB was 21 feet long and powered by twin outboards. The new RIB was entered into the Round Britain Powerboat Race in 1969.
Although it did not win it was one of the few to finish the race.
Having completed such a gruelling race, the RNLI became interested and developed the design to form the Atlantic 21
class of Inshore Lifeboats. These RIBs entered service in 1972 and continued to save lives for the next 30 years.
Avon Rubber Company, who I worked for 2 years in the late 1980s, were the first to offer for sale a RIB to be used
as a Rescue boat, Safety boat or Dive boat. It was called the Avon Searider and the public viewed it for the first time at the 1969 London Boat Show.
RIBs up to about 7 metres in length can be towed on trailers on the road, this coupled with their other properties RIB design is stable and seaworthy. The inflatable collar allows the vessel to maintain buoyancy even if a large quantity of water is shipped aboard due to bad sea conditions. I used them extensively in the North Sea when they were launched from the ship to retrive items from Oil Platforms and Rigs. Often out in Force 6 sea at high speed, these boats inspired real belief that you were completely safe aboard them.
These fast boats are designed with hydroplaning hulls. Due to their relatively low weight RIBs often out-perform some types of similarly sized and powered boats, especially in rough seas. Although this may be partially due to an increased level of confidence, in knowing that a RIB is hard to sink, and better absorption of heavy loads by the flexible tubes. High performance RIBs may operate with a speed between 40 and 70 knots, depending on the size and weight. Certain companies operating out of holiday destinations use RIBs as a "wave jumper". This is a standard RIB of about 10 metres in length, with two parallel rows of seating down the centre of the craft. It is
propelled by two engines, with the aim being to get the craft to roughly 30-40 knots before jumping off the tops of waves. When I was training at Stonehaven south of Aberdeen to achieve a RGIT certificate in Boat handling, we often used to wave jump using the huge swells that occured just outside the harbour. Great fun, until one of the crew hurt his back when we landed back in contact with the sea! That was the end of his training!
Glass reinforced plastic (GRP) composite is used for the shape and smooth surface of the hull. Some manufacturers also weave Kevlar into the GRP sheets for extra strength. The hull of a RIB is shaped to increase the performance of the boat in the water by optimising its hydroplaning characteristics. "Deep-V" hulls cut through waves easily but require greater engine power to start planing than "shallow-V" hulls, which plane at lower speed but with a more uncomfortable ride. As with the design of most boat hulls they represent a compromise of different design
characteristics.
Modern "all round" RIB hulls combine a deep v hull at the bow which flattens out to present a broad "Planning Pad". This is a flat area on the rear of the hull designed to allow the boat to have a stable surface to plane on. This stabilty inspires trust in the safety of the RIB.
The RIBs tubes are usually constructed in separate sections to reduce the effect of a puncture, each with a valve to add or remove air. Larger boats (7m+) have 6 or more chambers with a valve for each chamber. This is because if only one chamber is damaged then the impact the damage has on the boat is much less. Dark tubes often have pressure relief valves as the air inside them expands when exposed to sunlight. The usual common material for the tubes is Hypalon.