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Carbon Infusion Technique at Sven Akermann Werft’s

Karel Overlaet, RIB Advocate

The Infusion Technique is Widely Used

I got in contact with Sven Akermann about the infusion technique and provided the photos above.

The carbon infusion technique, especially vacuum infusion, is used to create strong and lightweight composite parts.

Dry carbon-fiber mats are placed in a mold and liquid resin is drawn in under vacuum pressure. That’s actually how the infusion technique works.

This process ensures dense impregnation and minimizes air bubbles.

The resin spreads evenly, producing high-quality, lightweight parts with an excellent fiber-to-resin ratio.

Here’s another application of infusion technique using fiber glass: Exclusive: The Making of GEMINI WR880 Hull in 12 Steps.

About Sven Akermann

Sven Akermann, boatbuilder, yacht designer and constructor, began designing and building special carbon boats in 2007.
Under the YSA label, fast racing sailboats and catamarans were developed.
The label grew with several investors into the SAY Yard until the company was sold at the end of 2015.

In 2020, a fresh start followed with an enthusiastic partner and team in Hergensweiler near Lindau, Germany.
Sven Akermann presents a broad portfolio of highly efficient tenders with the c-Ultra boat series. The series ranges from 22 to 55 feet.
The design language is minimalist and exclusive, and customer wishes are gladly accommodated.

All tenders in the c-Ultra series are RIBs.
The fender surround removes concerns about contact and eases docking and undocking.
High-quality Hypaluron fenders provide extra protection on the water, as a system of air chambers makes the boat almost unsinkable.

From Sketch to Construction – DIY RIB Rooftop Tent

Roy Anderson

Project: Rooftop Tent Meets Rigid Inflatable Boat

A little over a year ago my son Endre and I came across a picture of a cabin boat with a rooftop tent in Canada.

The concept looked cool. However, such a setup has a high center of gravity. It would never work at sea. In fact, it would be downright dangerous.

Still, the idea stuck with us.

The best kind of vacation our family has ever had has been with a RIB on expedition in exciting waters (check out my YouTube channel)

A RIB with an outboard motor needs barely any water. Even in the middle of peak holiday season, you can find spots and anchorages entirely to yourself.

Most modern boaters avoid shallow and complex waters, preferring the safety (and crowding) of busy marinas.

We, on the other hand, prefer having an island, rock, or bay all to ourselves.

However, there’s always a bit of hassle involved in setting up a tent and hauling gear ashore.

A rooftop tent on a RIB would make life much easier and significantly more comfortable.

It would be the perfect vessel for “overlanding” expeditions on fjords and along the coast.

As many know, one of the concepts we’ve been testing is the mounting of seats on tracks in a RIB.

This opens up opportunities for creative onboard layouts and equipment—like a rooftop tent, for example.

Endre and I have been sketching throughout the winter. We’ve been thinking, and we came up with a solution we believe can work.

Our most important criteria were to keep the center of gravity low. We also needed to ensure the setup remains stable at speed.

Additionally, we wanted room in the boat for other gear. Finally, it had to be comfortable to live in while at anchor.

We now finally have a working prototype, and with a few adjustments and refinements, we’re almost ready for testing.

Overlanding with a 4 x 4 vehicle has been popular for years.

However, we haven’t seen anyone do this with the ocean’s equivalent of a 4 x 4—a RIB.

We think we may have sparked a new kind of boating lifestyle.

But what should we call it? Overfjording? Oceanlanding? Any other suggestions?

Slideshow

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Mjelde Sveis og Montasje AS for turning Jr/Endre’s drawings and designs into reality.

We also appreciate Norse Camp for believing in the idea. They contributed the rooftop tent for testing.

More How-to

More how-to articles and videos for you to discover.

2025 Inishbofin RIB Run: A Triumph of Community and Charity

William Flood
2025 Inishbofin RIB Run: A Triumph of Community and Charity @ RIBs ONLY - Home of the Rigid Inflatable Boat

Inishbofin Charity RIB Run

The 2025 Inishbofin Rib Run concluded as a resounding success, blending adventure, camaraderie, and philanthropy against the stunning backdrop of Ireland’s western coastline.

This annual event was organised to raise funds for Cancer Care West.

It brought together 57 boats and nearly 200 participants from across the country.

They were united by a shared passion for boating and community impact.

Participants of this Inishbofin RIB Run navigated a breathtaking 93-nautical-mile route.

They weaved past iconic landmarks such as the dramatic Cliffs of Turk. They also passed the rugged Bill’s Rock and historic Black Rock Lighthouse.

The fleet explored the serene islands of Inish Kea, Clare Island, Inishturk, and Inishbofin.

They made a stop at Achill Island’s picturesque Keem Bay.

Covering such a vast distance in a single day highlighted the participants’ dedication.

The favourable weather also played a crucial role. This was a “fantastic bonus” celebrated by organisers.

Record Participation and Fundraising Milestone

This year’s Rib Run marked its largest turnout yet, with 57 boats carrying enthusiastic passengers.

The event’s true triumph, however, lay in its fundraising achievement.

It raised € 12,430 for Cancer Care West.

This is a Galway-based charity providing vital support to cancer patients and their families.

The announcement followed a brief delay as organisers finalised contributions, including last-minute donations received the morning of the reveal.

David O’Connell of Cancer Care West expressed profound gratitude, emphasising how the funds will directly enhance their services.

Over its three-year history, the Rib Run has donated an impressive € 32,197 to the charity.

This reflects the boating community’s unwavering generosity.

Media by William Flood.

Enjoy more photos of this RIB Run organised by Dermot Concannon & Family: Instagram Photos.

Alternative approaches to organizing a charity run: RIB BRIG Fantastic Hankø Pokerrun 2019 Norway.

My Goofy Results RIB Images Using AI

Karel Overlaet, RIB Advocate
Ongoing Results for RIB Images Using AI @ RIBs ONLY - Home of the Rigid Inflatable Boat

RIB Images: There’s No Thing Like the Real Thing

That said, my journey with AI image generation has been a fascinating ride of trial and error.

During my creative journey (I didn’t know I had one), I focused on RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) images.

I also worked on mug designs and birthday cards. Gradually, I expanded into video content which is only just starting to pick up.

The process of creating with AI is rarely straightforward—prompt refinement is essential to match the intend.

While ChatGPT offers helpful starting points, further tweaking is always needed.

I’ve explored several AI tools—Adobe Firefly, Google Gemini, Midjourney, DALL·E, Leonardo AI—each with unique strengths and quirks.

I know there are more tool but that’s not the focus of this blog post.

Currently, Gemini by Google provides the best RIB-related results.

However, its persistent square format requires post-editing in Photoshop. This editing is necessary to achieve a 16:9 aspect ratio.

I need to generate extra content to fill in those gaps between square and 16:9 which is a challenge.

DALL·E initially struggled significantly with RIB images. It often produced awkward, crazy, out of this world, unusable results.

This highlighted the complexity of the “RIB formula” and the insufficient training of the language model.

Still, it’s rewarding when everything aligns.

I must ad that he environmental impact of generative AI is something to be aware of.

An MIT article on this topic is particularly insightful. It’s worth reading.

Here are my funkperiments.

PB Europe: Cool Protector Boats and Scorpion RIBs

Karel Overlaet, RIB Advocate
PB Europe: Scorpion RIBs and Protector Boats @ RIBs ONLY - Home of the Rigid Inflatable Boat

PB Europe

The company is the exclusively appointed European Distributor for Scorpion RIBs and Protector Boats (Rayglass).

Ian (Andy) Andrews is the Brand Manager for PB Europe and Ancasta for Protector Boats and Scorpion RIBs.

In this post I’ll focus on the Protector RIBs.

Protector RIBs have a track record of proven operational excellence in extremely challenging waters worldwide, this watercraft serves as a robust platform for a range of commercial applications.

Encounter them in action at prestigious events like the America’s Cup and Sail GP races, where they serve as indispensable support vessels.

I’ve posted articles and videos of the British built Scorpion RIBs as well as of the Rayglass brand that build Protector RIBs in New Zealand.

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