Future Technologies and RHIB design features

[Delta Rich]

Hi, here goes my first post since signing up here!

What future design features and design concepts are bracing the RHIB world. Where would you like to see the RHIB industry heading; both with commercially operated and privately used boats.

Are VSV/Wave Piercing Hull forms a good direction to take or are the more traditional deep V's better.

[Cookee]

Originally Posted by Delta Rich

Hi, here goes my first post since signing up here!

What future design features and design concepts are bracing the RHIB world. Where would you like to see the RHIB industry heading; both with commercially operated and privately used boats.

Are VSV/Wave Piercing Hull forms a good direction to take or are the more traditional deep V's better.

Good question, and as a RIB manufacturer I am very interested in the answer!

I would say not wave piercing for leisure use as they require a fairly watertight cockpit for a fully wave piercing hull - this would be expensive to produce and that is not what people want (I believe!)

Don't forget stepped hulls - they are becoming more and more common place now, although our latest model has no steps!

[PeteSmith]

Originally Posted by Cookee

Don't forget stepped hulls

Pardon my lack of knowledge but whats the difference between a "Deep V hull" and a "Stepped Hull"

Pete
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[codprawn]

Stepped hulls are just that - like an old flying boat hull - nothing really new. As with most things it's swings and roundabouts - stepped hulls are better for some people but not others.

As to the way RIB design is going I think designers need to be very carefull not to stray too far from the concept - a hard boat with inflatable fenders is not a RIB!!!

[Pete7]

Had the VSV Fujifilm go flying past me on route to the IOM about 15 years ago. It was very impressive as we struggled with a big swell but it did rock side to side a bit, you would want a good recaro. Saw the Reddyhoff VSV Mary Mouse the other day in Haslar but the cover was on so couldn't get any good photos. M/M has had tubes fitted possibly to give some side to side stability.

How about catamarans? there are a couple about and potentially they could use smaller engines for a given size and speed therefore smaller fuel bills. That has to be worth looking into. What they need is the Banana shark treatment by Cookee and Kitten to really give them some styling, or possibly an over night cabin and loo. Remember the lads might buy the boat but your girlfriend (and Garfish) will expect a loo on board.

Pete

[blimp]

Anyone else here looking forward to the introduction of Yellowfin - might make things a lot different in the future

http://www.yellowfin.com/video_0.asp

[Simon B]

I have yet to see one in use though video "appears" to be quite impressive. I did wonder if the film ran at different speeds? Still keeping an open mind.

[blimp]

Simon - I've no association with yellowfin whatsoever but I did email them some time back to see when they were going to market with the product. Looks like it will be pretty soon, but almost certainly as new installations on inboards to start with - retrofits for o/b to follow from what I understand. On the link above there are 4 (I think) videos of it in total, click the bits on the left.

[Adam Younger]

Overall I believe that design will be concentrating on improving efficiency of hull forms and total packages. The world is changing and the boat world needs to change with it.

There is still much that can be done with developing hull forms - whether they are stepped or more conventional deep V. At the same time this needs to be combined with using new materials and also taking full advantage of the characteristics of modern engines.

For example through my own design comapny we have done a lot of work on stepped hulls and have made a lot of progress with our tapered step system - a step design for production leisure boats rather than out & out race boats.

We also have done a lot of work with modified spray and chine rails - so there are still developments ahead with monohull design.

Also very interested so see multihull designs develop - and we have a couple of possibilites that could tie in with the RIB world as well.

Adam

[Adam Younger]

Forgot to add - just launched our new website at

www.adamyoungerdesign.com

in it's early stages and will be developed as year goes on!

Shameless self-promotion!