NO LONGER THE UGLY DUCKLING AND THE WORKHORSE OF THE MOTHERSHIP, MANUFACTURERS ARE DELIVERING A HUGE RANGE OF LUXURY AND MULTI-PURPOSE RIBS.
Inboard, outboard, jet powered, electric, amphibious or with foils – the list goes on. It sure is a long way from the humble orange painted rescue boats demanded by SOLAS, for today the RIBs offer a level of luxury only previously seen in the limousine tenders that were smashing the market nearly 10 years ago. And, the prices are as varied as the size and shapes on offer too, from the very reasonable 3-4m jet power RIBs you might see on the back of a 20m Sunseeker to incredible 15m plus chase boats with four Mercury racing outboards strapped to the back.
Diversity is the key word when we now talk about RIBs. I still believe the versatility of these tenders is key and the platform certainly affords a very wide scope of usage for the crew, guests and owners. It all comes back to the space available onboard and in the tender garage – but we are now seeing more input from tender suppliers in the build process, so the motherships are not left with a little envelope opening where they are meant to stuff the bosses favourite tender.
As with the upturn in explorer yachts driven by a new breed of owners coming into the market, we are seeing (I believe) a shift away from the over luxurious tenders towards a market that is looking for a little more life and adventure in their tender and this is where the RIBs can deliver fun, versatility, diversity and power in bundles. As a platform the RIB can still offer complete luxury with large sun lounging areas and plenty of space to enjoy a sip of something fizzy, and then it can quickly be changed into a diving boat with the central console and plenty of room to move around and store equipment.
Got a decent off road vehicle or a couple of quadbikes? No problem – load her up on the tender, head ashore, bring down the transom and off you go. Of course this is a specific beach lander type craft, but we’re now seeing every want and need covered by the line of RIBs hitting the market.
Dependent on your view point for power solutions, whether you are a traditional outboard nut, like the hidden attributes of the inboard, hanker for the manoeuvrability of the jet tenders or are looking for electric options – it’s all out there.
Are RIBs getting larger? Well I think like everything in this world – people just want everything bigger and of course with the size of the motherships on average increasing, the tenders they can carry are following in this trend. Carrying a dozen guests in complete luxury while keeping the salt water splashes off their cocktail dresses is a breeze for these luxury utility tenders, and then the next morning, you pack up the kids and a few toys and off they go for a mad day exploring the wonders under our precious ocean waves. Safety, well no need to go into too much detail here – RIBs have long been known as one of the safest craft on the market and with all the added research and development by the manufacturers this is only getting better.
In conclusion, whether you want to pack two, three or more outboards on the back and scream down the coast to the bosses next lunch engagement, have a tender that can whisk the guests in divine comfort over the waves to their dinner appointment ashore, have a little run-about for crew trips ashore, jump on the electric bandwagon if you are travelling to regions where this is more pertinent or whether the boss is just looking for something a little funky – RIBs have it all and more.
Williams Jet Tenders
Williams Jet Tenders, the world’s leading jet tender specialist, has revolutionised the industry with tenders that blend power, luxury, and practicality, including the EvoJet 70. Specifically created for parent yachts exceeding 40m, the EvoJet 70 is capable of carrying 13 guests. Every detail has been considered for this semi-custom tender, which sees Williams offer the unique proposition of delivering semi-customisable tenders with shorter lead times and no compromise on quality. The striking tender has multiple boarding options and an innovative foldout walk-through transom to ensure smooth transition from parent yacht or dock. The tender also features concealed LED lighting and controllable illumination for effortless boarding. Powered by a 250hp Yanmar 4LV diesel engine and utilising Williams’ renowned jet pump, its proven Deep-V hull gives remarkable comfort and access to those remote coves and hard-to-reach areas thanks to its 200-litre fuel tank. One of the most admired features on the new EvoJet 70 is the optional folding carbon fibre T-Top, which ensures ample shade for the driver and passengers and can fold flat for easy garage fitment. As an option, the T-Top can also support fore and aft Bimini canopies. With the EvoJet 70, the superyacht experience doesn’t stop when you step aboard your tender.
For more details Tel: +44 (0)1865 341134 or visit www.williamsjettenders.com
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SEAIR
SEAir Flying Tenders are equipped with retractable and servocontrolled foils which increase comfort like never before, with surface impacts considerably reduced, less spray, less slamming, and reduced noise. Average cruising speed is increased by at least 20%, with a fuel-saving of around 30%. All this while maintaining all the classic boat features: easy handling, easy docking, and easy beaching. SEAir’s Flying Tenders are already foiling in France (Brittany and the Mediterranean), Monaco, Sydney and Noum a, Dubai and Gustavia. The specs: overall length 8m, beam 3.04m, fully equipped unloaded weight 1970kg, engines 1 x 250HP, a seating capacity for 6 to 8 passengers, with take off speed of 16 knots and ideal operating speeds of 20 to 30 knots and a top speed of 40 knots. Comfort, technology and performance all wrapped in a very nice bundle.
For more details Tel: +33 (0)9 72 60 10 84 or visit www.seair-boat.com
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SEALEGS
Sealegs is based in Auckland, New Zealand, which is one of the marine capitals of the world and founded by local boaties Maurice Bryham and David McKee Wright. Sealegs pioneered the amphibious marine sector and lead the way forward for amphibious boating since the first Sealegs came off the production line in 2004. All Sealegs are proudly designed and made in New Zealand. Using patented amphibious technology, Sealegs amphibious boats drive on land and, with the push of a button, swiftly transform themselves into uncompromised and high performing powerboats on water. No more waiting in queues at boat ramps, no more reversing trailers, no more catching the tides. Sealegs solves all these problems and more. Sealegs owners report up to 4x more use from their boat after switching to Sealegs, and it’s easy to see why. Over 1500 Sealegs amphibious boats are now spread throughout more than 55 countries around the globe, and now have dedicated offices in the United States and Australia, as well as a wide network of distributors and service agents. Our amphibious boats give unparalleled amphibious ability to our recreational customers (our “amphibians”), but they also reduce response times for rescue operations and provide a unique experience for customers in commercial applications.
For more details Tel: +64 9 4145542
or visit www.sealegs.com
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ROAM BOATS
The new Roam 8 Rib is a true multi purpose adventure Rib. It has been designed around a proven platform with the ability to be customised on deck to suit the needs of each individual client. The standard format has been optimised for a variety of water sports with its wide open aft deck offering easy access to the water and multiple toy storage options for boards, seabobs and dive gear. This rib is quite simply put, the ultimate compact toy carrier ! This Rib has been engineered to accommodate either an inboard diesel coupled to a jet or stern drive as well as a petrol or diesel out board engine configuration and offers a fully customisable seating layout depending on the engine option specified. The optional T top can be fixed or retractable offering shade and protection, matched with the generous console and raised screen which offers a safe, secure and protected space to sit even in the most extreme conditions. The Roam 8 is built in a D rib format in order to maximise the internal volume and the foam or inflatable collar offer additional safety and assurance when coming alongside. Whatever your adventure, the Roam 8 will take you there!
For more details Tel: +44 238 001 6363 or visit www.roamboats.com
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COBRA RIBS
The evolution of Cobra RIBs has spanned more than 30 years and we remain the sole designer and manufacturer of the now highly respected Cobra RIBs product. We are proud of our heritage – from humble beginnings in 1988 to the producer of the now world-renowned Deep V Hulled Nautique power boat range. Since our beginning, we have launched 5 generations of the Nautique model which today remains at the forefront of the RIB market and has become synonymous globally with the phrase the ‘Ultimate Family Adventure RIB. All of our Cobras are custom built in the UK using only the finest materials. Our handcrafted build process is something we pride ourselves on – and we strongly believe that the exceptional quality of our boats is down to the fact that we hand finish every single one
For more details Tel: +44 (0) 1202 612 712 or visit www.cobraribs.co.uk
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YACHTWERFT MEYER
The Silverline series, designed by Yachtwerft Meyer’s in-house engineering team in close cooperation with Hamid Bekradi from HBD Studios offers a semi-custom engineered platform for limousines, open tenders and D-RIBs, available from 8m to 9.5m with a broad choice of layouts. Silverline brings the finest materials together with elegant design and a wide range of customization options to deliver the ultimate in elegance, performance and practicality. The common build platform not only allows for improved quality, it also reduces build time. The Silverline family of tenders covers the full operational range of modern superyachts and provides added benefits such as interchangeable spare parts and a homogeneous set of high-quality stainless steel, timber, leather and Corian detailing. This creates an elegant and coherent design across the range of boats.
For more details Tel: +49 (0) 421/ 98 50 39 50 or visit www.yachtwerft-meyer.com
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RIB-X
Based on the South Coast, Rib-X International is driven by passion, innovation & creative design. Exclusivity comes as standard & each boat is custom designed to accommodate the exacting requirements of each owner and mutually developed to reflect the individualism and style of each Superyacht. The Rib-X International design team constantly push the boundaries of technology and design to achieve your ultimate custom tender. Using the latest design software every design and engineering challenge is resolved and tested to give you full peace of mind, from delivery to the day you upgrade to your next Rib-X International tender. Rib-X International also offer a range of SOLAS tenders from 5.0 to 7.5 meters. The SOLAS Rescue Boat is designed to act as a man-over-board recovery boat and provide a marshalling vessel for life rafts in the event of abandoning the mother ship. All rescue craft are engineered to comply with the most stringent requirements for a SOLAS tender, that said they are built to the same finish and offer the same functionality as our standard superyacht tenders, offering the yacht the capability of carrying less tenders yet still fully complying with safety regulations.
For more details Tel: +44 (0)116 247 7017 or visit www.rib-x.co.uk
