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Let the Good Times Roll

The new tenders from SeaLegs blur the line between RIB and ATV successfully in a boat that is ready for anything.

SeaLegs

John Holfich

When the press release for the SeaLegs RIBs first came across my inbox I disregarded it as another novelty toy. It’s a boat, it’s a car, it’s a submarine — it’s a piece of garbage. Oh my, how wrong I was.

I met Jon Holfich, Vice President of SeaLegs North America, in Newport, Rhode Island, for a ride on their 7.1M RIB. Blasting out of Narragansett Bay at just north of 50 knots into a 3-foot ocean swell, the SeaLegs proved it’s merit as a tender that can handle a sea, turn on a dime with almost no chine-walk and get you from ship to shore quickly and dry. She was impressive. But it wasn’t until we approached the beach at Prudence Island and Jon said, “drop the wheels and head on up” that I really noticed her potential. After a few attempts I was moving from cruising on the water to driving on the land (and really driving, down a street) in under a minute. Operator-friendly design and controls makes the transition seamless (after a few tries), she’s as sturdy as a tank and her performance and is stellar — both on and off the water.

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