10 BASIC POWERBOATING. SAFETY & RESCUE FOR SAILING INSTRUCTORS


Soft-Inflatable Hulls These inflatables tend to be flat-bottomed with the same rough and wet ride experienced in the pure flat-bottomed boat, perhaps even a little wetter. Their ability to hold a steered course (directional


Soft-inflatables are popular for their light weight and convenient storage, but can be difficult to steer and are vulnerable to puncture.


stability) is notoriously poor, particularly with any wind. The plastic impregnated fabric can be sliced by sharp objects and is susceptible to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and chafe when dragging the hull up a rough beach or rubbing against a dock. In spite of these shortcomings, they continue to be very popular due to their light weight, excellent buoyancy, and stability at rest.


Their characteristics include: E Light weight and portable E High stability E Very high buoyancy E High load carrying capacity E Easily affected by wind E Low ability to hold a steered course (sideslips or drifts) E Rough, wet ride at speed E Relatively short life E Soft contact with other boats, but vulnerable to damage


Rigid-Inflatable Boats (RIBs) These boats combine many of the advantages of the Vee-hull with the soft-inflatable. They have a rigid Vee- bottom (usually fiberglass), combined with the side buoyancy chambers of an inflatable. They have excellent


A rigid-inflatable boat (RIB) combines the advantages of an inflatable with the control and seakindliness of a rigid Vee- bottom hull.


sea keeping capabilities, good directional stability, along with the buoyancy and initial stability of the inflatable. They are heavier than the soft-hull inflatable and do not fold and store as conveniently.


Their characteristics include: E Combined advantages of Vee-hull with inflatable E Good ability to hold a steered course E High buoyancy E Exceptional seaworthiness in rough water E High load carrying capacity E Soft contact with other boats E Not as vulnerable to damage on bottom of hull as soft-inflatable


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