Inflatable Rafts

A rigid-inflatable boat (RIB) or rigid-hulled inflatable boat, (RHIB) is a light-weight but high performance and high capacity boat constructed with a solid, shaped hull and flexible tubes at the gunwale. The design is stable and seaworthy. more...

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The inflatable collar means that buoyancy is not lost if a large quantity of water is shipped aboard. The RIB is a development of the inflatable boat.

General characteristics

RIBs are commonly 4 to 9 metres (13 to 28 ft) long, although they can range in length between 2.5 and 18 metres (7.5 and 55 ft). A RIB is often propelled by one or more outboard motors or an inboard motor turning a water jet or z-drive. Generally the power of the motors is in the range of 5 to 500 horse power (4 to 373 kW).

RIBs are used as rescue craft, safety boats for sailing, dive boats or tenders for larger boats and ships. Their shallow draught, high maneuverability, speed and relative immunity to damage in low speed collisions are advantages in these applications.

RIBs up to about 7 metres in length can be towed on trailers on the road, making them attractive as leisure craft.

Performance

RIBs are generally designed with hydroplaning hulls. Due to their low weight RIBs often out-perform other similarly sized and powered boats, and can also cope with rougher seas.

The maximum speed of the RIB depends on its weight, power, load, and sea conditions. A typical 6 metre RIB, with six passengers, 110 horsepower engines, in the sea in Beaufort force 2 is very likely to have a top speed of around 30 knots. 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 75 knots before jumping 10 ft off the tops of waves.

Construction

Hull

The hull is made of steel, wood, aluminium, or more commonly, a combination of wood for the structure and glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) composite for the shaped and smooth surface. 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.

Tubes

The tubes are usually constructed in separate sections to reduce the effect of a puncture, each with a valve to add or remove air. Common materials for the tubes are Polyvinyl chloride, Polyurethane and Hypalon.

Read more at Wikipedia.org