Paul Lemmer provides an overview of the Aquapro cabin RIBs, vessels suited to both professional and private offshore use.

I t is not often one gets the opportunity to travel in a RIB larger than10m, but to have been able to watch the Americas Cup in New Zealand last year from an 11m Aquapro Wheelhouse RIB, and at the same time watch an 18m RIB act as the tender to the NZ team, really was a little bit special.

At the time, I thought the Aquapro 11m would probably be the biggest RIB that I would have the opportunity of travelling in. I was wrong. A few months later I was asked to trial a RIB with some friends and it turned out to be none other than the famous 95mph 12m + Fabio Buzzi Tecno 40 fitted with a couple of 850hp Seatec diesel engines. This would be the craft I would go on to race in the prestigious Harmsworth Trophy event, which includes the Needles Trophy race, the Twice Round the Isle of Wight race and the legendary Cowes-Torquay-Cowes race!
The waters around Auckland become quite interesting when the ‘fleet’ of over 100 boats of all types and sizes, including a cruise liner, heads out from the dock to the start line. Those who have travelled down the Solent at the start of a major sailing event in a stiff breeze in company with an armada of spectator boats, will know the seas can become very steep, confused and totally unpredictable. Sitting in the shelter of the Aquapro’s wheelhouse, we hardly noticed the chop as we watched other vessels around us wallowing, getting pooped and generally struggling with the conditions. One 30ft cruiser actually sank through taking several waves over the stern and the somewhat frightened crew had to be ‘rescued’ by the police RIBs patrolling the area.

It probably comes as no surprise to learn that big well-designed RIBs give a better ride that their smaller siblings, and when combined with the luxury of a fully enclosed wheelhouse and cabin, there really is no comparison with ‘normal ribbing’. Firstly the Aquapro 11m rides like a semi-displacement boat, except it gives a dry, stable, non-wallowing ride. There is no banging, no jumping from wave to wave, no water in the face, in fact no sensation at all of being in a RIB; it just cruises comfortably at between 30 and 40 knots with its twin Yamaha 250HPDI outboard motors purring quietly somewhere in the distant stern - all with no drama!

The larger Cabin Aquapros, that start at 9m and go right up to a mighty 14m, are all available with the optional ‘wheelhouse’ helm position and it is here that these craft really excel. With up to three people able to be seated facing forwards and a further four facing aft, all within the protection of the wheelhouse, it is easy to see the attraction of his configuration when the weather is inclement. Down in the Southern hemisphere the reason for the protection is mainly to keep out of the sun - but for the UK, northern Europe and other wetter climes, the wheelhouse affords tremendous comfort and protection from the elements when the going gets tough.

Forward of the helm position is a spacious cabin accessed through a conventional door in the cockpit. Inside there are bench seats/berths down each side providing seating for up to eight people and with the optional berth infill, cosy sleeping for four with stacks of dry storage space for the crew’s kit. To port there is a separate self-contained toilet compartment with standing headroom and a ‘proper’ sea toilet, and forward is a large ‘deck hatch’ door unit that provides easy access to the deep bow working area. In the bow is a substantial sampson post and fairlead for mooring and enough room for six adults to move around in.

Aft there is a large self-draining open cockpit which can have an optional rear bench seat/sun bed arrangement; although not fitted to this particular craft, it would undoubtedly prove popular for family use. The cockpit is big enough to accommodate eight people without falling over each