A RHIB has many unique handling and performance characteristics, which make it the craft-of-choice for many varied mission profiles. Compared to a standard, hard- sided boat of the same length and power, a RHIB is generally lighter in weight and has a lower center-of-gravity. The ASIS Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) hulls use a unique, concave chine design; as the ASIS RHIB hull moves thru the water and impacts waves, the concave chines act to direct the water downward thereby creating extra lift and reducing the wetted surface and friction drag of the hull. The lighter weight and unique hull design also make the boat’s handling much more agile and responsive to helm input. RHIBs in general have a better “hole-shot” with less time and speed/power to get the boat up on plane.

The combination of lighter-weight and reduced friction, translates into increased overall top-speed with reduced fuel consumption/ fuel cost and which increases the RHIB’s overall operational range per gallon of fuel carried and consumed.

The inflatable tube-set (also sometimes referred to as a sponson or collar) does many great things; it provides the craft with wonderful lateral stability and abundant reserve buoyancy.

Even when the vessel is deliberately overloaded to one-side with unevenly distributed weight, the air holding tube could then be forced by this weight to touch the water, but its inherent and abundant buoyancy prevents the vessel from tipping further or capsizing.

Also a RHIB generally has a higher load carrying capacity than comparably sized boats of hard-sided design. And the tube-set allows for ancillary seating positions.

To dispel a common misconception about RHIBS; when a properly designed RHIB is at rest or underway in nominal operating conditions, the tube-set or collar does not contact the water except to deflect occasional sea-spray, and it is NOT required for buoyancy to keep the vessel afloat.

In fact all of the ASIS RHIBs undergo rigorous certification testing to insure that they stay afloat and remain operable while carrying full-loads with no tube-set inflation.

Where a RHIB boat’s tube-set really shines is when the vessel encounters significant sea conditions. When the RHIB repeatedly encounters significant wave action, it is then, that the RHIB’s tube-set becomes a dynamic, intrical part of the vessel, greatly aiding its performance characteristics; as the tube-set impacts the wave-action the flexing action of the tube-set absorbs and mitigates the shock of these impacts, it lessens the depth by which the boat submerges during successive waves, and it also serves to lessen the chance of accidentally burying the bow into a rouge or miss-timed wave.

The tube-set also provides the RHIB another hydro-surface to aid stability and agility during high-speed, high-angle turns.

A RHIB, whether using a pneumatic, a foam-filled, or a foam-air hybrid tube-set, enjoys built-in, prominent rendering on all sides (no additional fenders needed). This makes a RHIB the ideal platform for underway boarding operations, crew and equipment transfers and law enforcement stops all with relative ease and without incurring damage to any vessels or adjacent objects. As many mariners involved with any type of water rescue and recovery operations will tell you, a RHIB’s lower freeboard height and soft-sided tube-set makes personnel rescue and recovery easier and safer and is ideally suited for the recovery technique of par buckling.