Rigid inflatable boat

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Rigid inflatable boat for whale watching

A rigid inflatable boat ( RIB short for Rigid Inflatable Boat or RHIB for Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat ) is an inflatable boat with a solid hull. It has better buoyancy properties than normal inflatable boats and is suitable for offshore applications.

history

As early as the Second World War, the US Navy used inflatables and life rafts on a large scale as life-saving equipment. The French doctor and adventurer Alain Bombard came up with the idea of combining all three previously existing construction elements from the field of boat building , namely hoses in the shape of a boat, the solid floor and the outboard motor, to form a rigid inflatable boat. In contrast to modern rigid hull boats, Bombards' first experimental vehicles still had a flat bottom.

At the former French aircraft manufacturer Zodiac , Bombard found the workshops and personnel with which to start series production. At first normal inflatables and only later real rigid inflatable boats were produced.

From the 1970s onwards, many shipyards took up the RIB theme and dealt with the design and construction of rigid inflatable boats. (e.g. ZAR Formenti 1973, BRIG 1991, Scanner Marine 1993, Tecnorib / Pirelli 2005, Technohull 2005)

RIBs are used today by authorities, the military, environmental organizations, fishermen and private users around the world.

construction

RIB of the Royal Danish Navy

The hull of a rigid inflatable boat is usually made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) , aluminum or Kevlar . Such a boat is much lighter than a comparable conventional boat. Due to the buoyancy of the air tubes, it is almost unsinkable and can also be driven in heavy seas without capsizing.

The side bulges , the “tubes”, are divided into several chambers. This prevents the entire hose from collapsing in the event of damage. To steer a very small boat, the outboard motor is swiveled using a handle (technical jargon: tiller ). Mechanics with a steering rope or hydraulics are used on small boats . Oars are used on large boats .

Rigid inflatable boats are up to 20 meters long. Some of the larger models are also offered with a cabin and toilet. Usually they are driven by one or more outboard motors. There are also inflatable boats with inboard engines and Z or water jet propulsion . Very rarely they are rowed or sailed.

Most boats can reach 40 to 70 km / h depending on their design and engine. In recent years there have been numerous innovations in the construction of the fuselage, which increased the speeds and further improved driving stability. The high-performance inflatable boats from the Technohull brand even reach 100 km / h or more.

durability

Every rubber dinghy lets air over time. The hose also appears to have different levels of firmness due to temperature fluctuations. This requires regular maintenance and care, the frequency of which depends on the location and the type and duration of use.

The end of the lifespan of a rigid inflatable boat is reached when the intervals at which the hoses have to be refilled become significantly shorter and the amount of air to be refilled increases considerably. In the case of a high-quality rigid inflatable boat with a hose made of PVC material, the point at which the boat has to be refilled almost every day is reached after 10 to 15 years. The length of time, however, is strongly dependent on the weather conditions to which the RIB is exposed, such as solar radiation or wintering outdoors.

Most manufacturers give a guarantee of several years on their products.

Tubing material

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High-quality rigid inflatable boats are made exclusively from multi-layered hose material. Depending on the purpose and location, the outermost layer consists of Hypalon , polyurethane or PVC . Hypalon is not gas tight, which is why one or more of the inner layers are made of neoprene . Rigid inflatable boats of this type can be produced largely damage-proof and also bullet-resistant.


PVC

Hoses made of several layers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) have established themselves as the standard over the years in temperate climates. The PVC is usually reinforced by an inner layer of tear-resistant fabric. In areas where the boats are not exposed to strong sunlight all year round and are more likely to be used in fresh water, PVC hose is sufficient in many cases.

Hypalon - neoprene mixtures
Multi-layer hoses made of pure, high-quality Hypalon and neoprene age very slowly and are very weather-resistant. Repairing a Hypalon hose is comparatively easy if there is minor damage. An inflatable boat made from this material is usually more expensive (around 15-25% compared to a PVC model), but it will last for several decades.
PU
Polyurethane (PU) pipes are difficult to manufacture and are therefore not often used in rigid inflatable boat construction. PU has the advantage of high stability and higher abrasion resistance than Hypalon and PVC. Earlier PU pipes aged quite quickly because of their UV sensitivity, but newer types are much more resistant in this regard and are often used in commercial RIBs. High quality PU hoses have a service life of more than 20 years.
Dangers of the multi-layer fabric
If several layers of the same (PVC-PVC) or different (Hypalon-Neoprene) materials are connected to one another in order to significantly increase either the durability (PVC) or the gas-tightness (Hypalon-Neoprene) of the hose, curvatures of the multilayer material (during the Production, emptying, transport) the individual layers take up different lengths. This destroys the connections between the layers. That is why a hose should never be kinked. Only the Hypalon neoprene variants remain gas-tight even when the layers are separated.

Replacing worn, leaky hoses is feasible. With established manufacturers, this can often be done easily by a specialist. With smaller RIBs, however, it is often not economically viable.

Manufacturer

Well-known manufacturers of rigid inflatable boats include:

user

RIB patrol boat

Rigid inflatable boats are used by countless users worldwide, for example:

  • Rescue companies ( DGzRS , DLRG , ASB-Wasserrettung , water rescue service , etc.)
  • Environmental protection organizations ( Greenpeace , Sea Shepherd )
  • Humanitarian organizations (refugee rescue)
  • Police, fire brigade, technical aid organization
  • Naval forces of many countries
  • scientific institutions ( AWI and others)
  • private maritime companies (operators of oil drilling platforms etc.)
  • Professional divers and diving schools
  • Water sports clubs (support boats for regattas)
  • Sailing schools
  • Fisherman & angler
  • commercial providers of expeditions ( whale watching , island tours, etc.)
  • private users

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Company. In: ZAR FORMENTI. Retrieved October 8, 2019 (German).
  2. ↑ About BRIG | BRIG RIBs & Inflatable Boats. Retrieved October 8, 2019 .
  3. ^ Scanner> About Us. Retrieved October 8, 2019 .
  4. ↑ Tecnorib - Who we are. Retrieved October 8, 2019 .
  5. ↑ Technohull. Retrieved October 8, 2019 (Greek).
  6. ↑ The development of the RIB
  7. ↑ Technohull SeaDNA 999 G5 boat test - boats.com. Retrieved October 8, 2019 .

Web links

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