RIB Zen 39’s single stepped hull delivers high levels of stability in rough seas and a smoother, drier ride with unmatched manoeuvrability!
Rather than create bubbles, the goal of designing a step into the bottom of a modern deep V powerboat is to reduce wetted surface (and thus reduce friction) by creating a pocket of air under the boat in an area that would normally be wetted surface.
As the Zen 39 moves forward the height transition in the hull causes an area of low pressure, behind the step. This creates vertical pressure, which pulls in air through the hullside notches and down along the step.
As the boat moves faster and faster, the pocket of air behind the step becomes linear bigger.
Wetted surface goes down, and speed goes up offering unmatched performance in terms of speed and fuel economy.
