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Delta have been at the forefront of commercial RIB design since, it would seem, the beginning of time …

Their high, sheer bows have been a feature of the RIB world, like modern-day Viking longships, in high-pressure commercial use around the world. The trend of late has been for bigger craft, but recently they completed this 680X for the Swiss police to patrol Lake Geneva with, and it has some features that are peculiar to that use which differ from those you might otherwise expect on a coded RIB. One of the first things to strike you upon initial sighting is the blue, rather than orange or grey gel coat. I happen to think it works well and fits in with the recognised police colour.

Lake Geneva is an expansive stretch of water on the Swiss/French border and is closely protected as it is a very fragile water system. The police patrol the lake and require a boat with the operational speed in rough conditions that the Delta affords. The wind coming down the mountains can churn the lake into a frenzy very quickly – I have seen a storm build waves of more than a metre in less than an hour from total tranquillity. The police patrols are not just to keep an eye on boating behaviour but also to protect the Swiss border, which runs roughly through the middle of the lake, following the shape of the shoreline to the north.

When we had the chance to see the boat it was on its sea trials to ensure all systems were fully functional before being despatched to Switzerland. Southampton Water is a far cry from the azure blue water of Lac Léman (Lake Geneva), but there was the wash of the Hampshire police launch to use for some quite exhilarating pictures and to give an idea of the performance of the 680X, especially as she was powered by one of the new breed of V6 Yamaha F300 outboards.

The 680X is a proven performer, more often powered by a twin rig of smaller outboards – the single, large outboard was specified to provide greater speed than twin 150s would have given. The police in Switzerland have their own coding rules that do not require a backup motor – they run in company with a second RIB on operations anyway. The mighty V6 dominated the after end of the RIB, even with the substantial A-frame with its inflating self-righting bag atop, but due to the lighter weight of the new V6 engines she sat perfectly.

Delta are known for the strength of their builds. The hull is built around a system of foam-cored longitudinal and transverse stiffeners with limber holes to provide free drainage to the aft bilge void. The gunwale is also strengthened and stiffened for the collar attachment and the deck is cored with foam and balsa to create a sandwich construction giving light weight with maximum strength.

The A-frame is made of aluminium to reduce weight and is enclosed on three sides by welded mesh to prevent anyone inadvertently falling into the engine or overboard astern. It also acts as a protection measure against a parted rope when towing. The protective mesh is easily removed if necessary and there is room to squeeze underneath if access to clear a fouled propeller is required. The towing winch is also fully enclosed with the controls on the side of the housing. The drum carries 15 mm rope with roller fairleads on three sides and the control panel on the side of the drum housing, out of the straight-line pull of the tow rope. There are also two D-rings fitted on the transom for towing on a bridle arrangement.

The A-frame is used to carry the navigation lights and blues and twos, with the gas cylinder for the self-righting bag carried to port. A top mast carries the white riding light, with the port and starboard lights carried 1 m below on the A-frame sides. Forward, the deck arrangement is that of a Samson post suitable for towing or mooring. The usual forepeak for anchor and warp stowage is set in the deck, is finished with a protective liner and has a strong point for the bitter end, as one would expect on a proper sea boat. Twin fuel tanks are also carried below deck, on the centre of action and centre of buoyancy; the careful calculation for weight distribution is another hallmark and the handling of the 680X is legendary.

The console is standard for this kind of application, with plenty of protection for the crew afforded by the structure and the screen. The two single jockey seats are on pyramidal bases, with radio equipment carried within one and battery switching in the other. The Swiss police have their own coding rules and the boat has been built to those specifications. Navigation equipment is supplied by Furuno and loaded with chart mapping for the Swiss lakes as this boat is destined to be used solely on those inland waters. It is some boat for a lake patrol.

How the hull works is one of the joys of the Delta. Of late, the commercial RIB market has been for boats of mostly 10m and over – now the trend for more nimble craft is coming back, and this 680X is one of the few smaller boats Delta have built recently. The strakes combine beautifully with the high sheer of the bow to keep her head up and prevent stuffing. Charging the forced large wash of the Hampshire police launch gave her the chance to show how she can handle adverse conditions with consummate ease. The tubes are placed so they are just touching the water at rest aft, thereby allowing
steep angles of heel to be attained, shortening the turning circle to that more akin to finned tournament ski boats. She will happily go about in three boat lengths at 40 knots; the limit is more that of the crew’s ability to hold on than of the boat’s to remain on the arc.

It is good to see a British builder gaining overseas orders – this Delta 680X is to complement an earlier boat delivered last year to the Swiss police, and it is testimony to the loyalty engendered by Delta customers that they keep coming back and ordering new boats. If the quality shines through, the price is justified by reliability and longevity of service. That is something Delta have managed since the early days of RIB building – their reputation is based on solid foundations and continues to grow worldwide.