Yacht Charter Blog

MIAMI, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's modern, high-quality inflatable boats are being used for a wide variety of applications as primary vessels -- doing everything from pulling waterskiers and fishing to serious coastal cruising and more. Of course, the design attributes of modern inflatable boats -- including their lightweight design, safety and capacity -- still make them ideal for use as yacht tenders. But today's breed of RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) has proven itself a popular alternative to traditional fiberglass boats for many activities and are now available in a wide range of sizes, from eight-foot tenders to 28-foot luxury models.

Here are four reasons offered why people are choosing inflatable boats over their fiberglass counterparts from the industry leaders at AB Inflatables:

Safety:

Inflatable RIB-style boats offer several inherent safety advantages over fiberglass boats. Heavy duty, air-filled tubes around the circumference of the vessel make many RIBs practically unsinkable. The added buoyancy provided by the air chambers also improves the stability of the boat and greatly increases the vessel's load-carrying capacity. Common maneuvers like rafting up with other boats or docking are much less stressful and dangerous when your entire boat is surrounded by a forgiving cushion of air.

Comfort:

Compared to traditional fiberglass center console boats, RIBs offer a smoother, more comfortable ride. Air tubes help absorb the impact and deaden the noise of running through rough water, as V-bottomed rigid hull entries slice through the waves. Air filled tubes allow for a deeper V hull back to the transom, for superior wave cutting action without sacrificing stability at rest.

Efficiency:

Most RIB models are designed to provide exciting performance with smaller horsepower outboard engines -- their overall lightweight and hull designs allow RIBs to plane faster than fiberglass boats with smaller engines. This not only means a lower initial cost, but also lower operating costs thanks to greatly improved fuel efficiency. At a time when high fuel prices represent one of the biggest expenses for small boat owners, this benefit can't be underestimated. Proportionally smaller, lighter and less expensive outboards also make these boats easier to tow, store and transport, as well.

Ruggedness:

RIBs are built to take punishment, evidenced by the fact these boats are used in law enforcement and military operations. Some are made with rugged UV-resistant 5-ply Hypalon(R) Neoprene coated polyester fabric, and boaters can even find RIBs with tube seams that are overlapped a full inch and reinforced by taping on the inside. RIBs with hand-built tubes have rounded ends (rather than easier to make, less expensive pointed ends) that allow the rub rail to extend all the way around. Hulls can be made of double-molded, hand-laid fiberglass or high quality marine aluminum.

For more information about the AB Inflatables, contact AB Inflatables, Poba International #1-20031, P.O. Box 02-5255, Miami, FL 33102-5225. (845) 918-2100 * Or visit http://www.abinflatables.com/ or our online press room at http://www.bearemg.com/.

CONTACT: Amy Brown, +1-818-865-6464, abrown@bearemg.com, for
AB Inflatables

Web site: http://www.bearemg.com/

Web site: http://www.abinflatables.com/