DOUBLE TROUBLE
Rigid inflatable boats (RIBS) — a solid hull with inflatable pontoons — are not at the top of the popular boating charts in Australia, and that’s a real shame as they are one of the most versatile styles of boat around. Having run commercial RIBS in the dive industry back in the days, I can vouch they would have to be one of the safest, most forgiving, and well-suited hulls to numerous commercial operations and recreational boating — scuba diving, snorkelling, adrenalin joy rides, family cruising, and even fishing can be done off RIBS.
My time on RIBS was in the early stages, launching 7–9m rigid inflatables from rugged beach terrain out through the angry surf of the east coast of Africa. I still quiver at memories of some of the launches — 1.5 plus tonnes of pax and gear onboard, 10–15ft mongrel surf, a cloud of 2-stroke smoke coughing from the wornout twin outboards, a set of shivering knees, and mouth as dry as the Aussie outback. The RIBS took a constant thrashing, stood up to it, and enabled us to do what we did best without severe consequences.
Big, bullet-proof RIBS are commonly used in commercial sectors like rescue boats, military chase vessels, Police, Fisheries and research, support vessels, and as high-powered tourist boats. The recreational side has changed significantly, with numerous import brands now available, and that from the common tiny tenders to some luxurious and stylish 40-footers. The new age RIBS out there definitely include the chips, salad, and extra sides.
A prime example of this would be the Protector RIBS manufactured by Rayglass Boats in New Zealand, a global name renowned for the quality and innovation
