The new Ribcraft 7.8, with an LOA of 25 feet, 7 inches, is second in size only to the builder’s 29-foot, 5-inch flagship. Both RIBs, and the smaller models in the Ribcraft line, are built with the knowledge Ribcraft gained during 15 years of earning a reputation in Europe before starting U.S. operations in January.
The 7.8 is designed as a commercial rough weather boat, can carry as many as 14 people and can be configured in a variety of ways, including with an open deck or with a fully enclosed wheelhouse. She has a long, steep sheer toward the bow of her deep-V hull, an egg-box inner hull construction to ease pounding in rough seas, and five air chambers, each with its own pressure relief valve.
The 7.8’s standard tubes are bonded to the top and bottom of an extended tube flange, instead of being secured in a more conventional tube-hull attachment. Standard tubes are built of Heavy Duty 1100 Dtex Hypalon, and Ribcraft offers other materials should an owner have specific needs.
Other standard features include an industrial-grade nonslip deck, a stainless-steel bow cleat and a stainless-steel transom-mounted towing eye. All wires and control cables are routed belowdecks.
Ribcraft USA, (866) RIBS-USA; sales@ribcraftusa.com; www.ribcraftusa.com.
