Take your time to maintain your RIB. It’s worth it.
To keep a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) functioning and looking new for many years, you need to take proper care and maintenance. Perhaps you enjoy frequent RIB rides on saltwater. With some extra care, you will maintain its performance and quality. How to maintain a RIB top-notch is not that difficult.
When you buy a RIB, part of the after-sale service should incorporate how to care for the boat and ways that can impact its longevity. It is not a rigorous process that consumes hours of your time. On the contrary, it is about consistent maintenance.
In this article, I will cover 5 main tips to care for your RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat).
The 1st Rafnar Day held at the Olympic Marine S.A in Greece. Showcasing the incredible sea-keeping capabilities of Rafnar whilst enjoying good food and drinks!
Getting on plane with the 300SR trim tabs activation. The RIB was standing on plane at slower speed, keeping its bow clearly lower without even increasing fuel consumption significantly.
Lowering the trim tabs by 50%, we measured 3 seconds less time of planning with the minimum raise of the bow on starting.
Then we focused on our recordings in low cruise speeds with which we will usually travel most hours of the day. Keeping the engine trim constant at 40%, we started experimenting with the position of the vertical 300SR trim tabs.
It was obvious that when the trim tabs were completely pulled up, the bow insisted on standing very high and in no case could we have a decent cruise in the area of 15 to 25 knots.
n contrast, by lowering the trim tabs by 50-70%, the behavior of the RIB changed completely. The bow was lowering considerably, the hull began to cut the water from its bow section and our cruising became softer while at the same time we ensured a very good cruising angle.
We were surprised when we found out that while traveling at 23 knots, our speed increased by 2 knots when we lowered the trim tabs by 50%, without even increasing fuel consumption, which leads to greater autonomy.
It was obvious that we have in our hands a great tool that will enable us to travel comfortably at low speeds, improving the fuel consumption and ride quality, elements that are extremely important especially in bad weather conditions.
For the last two years we have been working very hard to make real another feat that is about to take place in the summer of 2022.
It is a truly great journey, most of which will take place within the Arctic Circle. We will navigate on the wake of Vikings and great 18th-century explorers who dedicated their lives to discover the shortest passage to the Pacific Ocean.
In more detail, we will attempt to navigate the North Atlantic Ocean in order to reach the west coast of Greenland and afterwards try to cross the legendary North West Passage.
The Northwest Passage is the sea route, approximately 5,780 kilometers, located north of Canada and Alaska, linking the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean.
It is considered to be the world’s most dangerous passage since its history is marked by danger, shipwrecks and missing sailors. For centuries, capable seafarers like Henry Hudson and James Cook have failed to cross it. The harsh weather, the thick ice, and the treacherous shallows forced many missions to turn back.
The tragedy, however, was the expedition of British naval officer John Franklin in 1845 who got lost with his crew of more than 120 sailors.
Of course, nowadays the Arctic Ocean has lost much of its ice surface due to the global warming, so there are a few ice-free summer days.
However, crossing the Northwest Passage remains extremely dangerous because its eastern and western entrances may be ice-free for some time, but the narrow canals at its center remain a huge obstacle.
In some water areas the thick ice is impassable and reaches up to the shore while wind and currents can move the ice around within a few hours and trap every ship or boat for many days, even in summer.
Navigating the Northwest Passage is as extremely difficult as the commander’s decisions on which routes to choose each time to avoid being trapped by the ice masses are.
A great video by our RIBAlex.dk from Copenhagen, showcasing his Tornado Fleet. It’s four Tornado 9.5m High Performance RIBs with 300hp Suzuki and Yamaha engines.
The Lorient Passion Pêche – Fishing Guide Zeppelin is finished, it is now time to see Sylvain Garcia’s first sensations on the water! Thanks to WAKAL Films and Yoann Thoreton for the participation Suzuki Marine France Ullman Dynamics Lorient Marine.
In this episode follow the preparation of the Zeppelin of Lorient Passion Pêche – Fishing Guide at Lorient Marine with the installation of the equipment and in particular the assembly of the Suzuki Marine France engine and the Ullman Dynamics seats.
