Part three of our four-part series takes us to England, where the military experience of a British Special Op’s officer spawned the idea for an electric powered compact boat that could be used for military operations, emergency scenarios, as well as used for pleasure. 

F-Rib Inflatables: England

While serving as an officer with the British Special Forces, Steve Bruce came up with the idea for a better rigid inflatable boat that relies on stealthy electric power for an efficient propulsion system. But his idea didn’t stop there, he also wanted to make it compact, easy to stow, portable and versatile. Enter the F-Rib, a revolutionary foldable rib and the first ever to win a worldwide patent design.

It is easy to row, easy to stow, safe and fast with an electric engine. Space-saving in a boat, vehicle, or motorhome, take it anywhere in the world to discover distant waters. They are used in rescue organizations, by firefighters and EMT’s, and military operations which need a boat with small dimensions and quickly inflates in an emergency.

The F-RIB can be assembled and inflated in less than 5 minutes with no hassle or extra parts to worry about. Simply fit the two bolts and inflate. Unlike their soft bottom cousins, these compact inflatable boats have a rigid fiberglass hull making them very resistant to wear and tear. 

The F-RIB 460S, is a folding sailing boat that will fit into a SUV or a hatchback. It has a deep cockpit, a centerboard keel, and a foldable rudder which will allow for a very shallow draft. 

In our final part of this blog series, tomorrow we travel to Germany where a manufacturer of marine electric power is making tremendous advance in performance, torque and battery life.