- Hull design
- RIB materials
- RIB vs SIB
- Buying your inflatable boat
- Insurance for your RIB
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Hull design
When it comes to buying an inflatable boat it is important that you choose the right design of hull to suit your needs.
SIB
The soft hull of a SIB means that it is very lightweight and easy to transport but it is also much more prone to flipping at speed and is far lower in the water which can make for a wetter ride. One of the main benefits of buying a SIB over a RIB is that its soft hull is suitable for beaching which makes it ideal for those looking to go beach-hopping in the summer and do some shallow-water fishing. It also makes SIBs ideal to be used as tenders to reach other vessels in a harbour.
RIB
The hard hull of a rib makes it safe at high speed and far more stable in choppy conditions. However, the complex design of the hull also makes RIBs far more expensive than SIBs and the weight of the hull means that they can be very heavy to launch and bring ashore. RIBs are considered to be far more comfortable as they often have secure seating and storage space.
Some RIBs have long and narrow, deep V-shaped hulls designed for very high performance. Others have wider hulls with a shallower V-shape at the bow, flattening out at the stern, which provide a more comfortable ride. It is worth checking out both to find the one that suits you.