Damen Shipyards Group unveiled their new rigid hull inflatable boat, the RHIB 1050, at this year’s Europort event in Rotterdam. The 10.5 x 3.35-metre multi-mission vessel can serve as an independent platform or as support for a larger patrol vessel.
The RHIB 1050 was developed at Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld.
Roel Foolen , newbuild project manager at the yard said: “For starters, it’s Lloyds approved. The hull is made of glass reinforced epoxy as opposed to polyester and provided with Lloyd’s approved closed cell, foam core.”
Damen’s use of epoxy for the hull will see the RHIB 1050 produced at the group’s composite yard in Antalya, Turkey. The RHIB will be produced in series with a standard hull, open to flexible, client-specified outfitting requirements.
The vessel uses D-shaped tubing, rather than the conventional cylindrical tubing. “Doing this allows us to combine the console and the engines into a single, space-saving unit. Usually this would not be possible as such a unit would impede access to the fore of the vessel,” said Foolen.
According to Damen, the RHIB is able to sail at speeds of over 50 knots.
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