Rigid hull inflatable boat

Vital, as a rule, have a length of 4 to 9 meters, although their length can vary from 2.5 to 18 meters. Vital gears are often driven by one or more motors, outboard or stationary. As a rule, engine power is from 5 to 300 horsepower (from 4 to 220 kW).

VSS are used as lifeboats , safe pleasure boats , scuba diving boats ( diving ) or as traveling boats on larger vessels . This is facilitated by their small draft , high maneuverability and speed, as well as sufficient resistance to damage in a collision at low speeds.

VSS up to 7 meters long can be easily towed on a boat trailer , which, combined with other properties of the boat, makes them even more attractive as a comfortable and easy-to-use vessel.

Also, boats are successfully used to supply coastal structures or large ships, as well as small military boats, where they are used for patrolling, as well as for transporting troops from one vessel to another or ashore.

VML are designed with planing bodies. Due to its low weight, VNL often surpass some types of vessels of the same size and power, although a high-speed boat of the same size, made entirely of fiberglass , is usually faster due to its lower weight and more streamlined shape.

Vital drugs can also cope much better with the sea. The VML has a large margin of buoyancy; the cylinders located around the perimeter of the towers makes strong rolling less unpleasant.

The maximum speed of a vital component depends on the mass of the hull, engine power, length, hull contours and marine conditions. A typical marine 6-meter (19 ft. 8 in.) VFW with six passengers and 110-liter engines. from. (82 kW) in the wind up to 2 points on the Beaufort scale as a rule has a maximum speed of about 30 knots (56 km / h).

Large size VML with more powerful engines can reach speeds from 40 to 70 knots (from 74 to 130 km / h), depending on size and weight.

Corps

The case is made of steel, wood, aluminum, or, which is more common, from a combination of wood as a frame and fiberglass composites - this gives the case a shape and ensures smoothness to surfaces. Some manufacturers also add Kevlar (artificial aramid fiber) to fiberglass sheets to increase strength. The hull of the VSS is designed to increase the speed of the vessel by optimizing the characteristics of gliding. Deep-V lines cut through the waves easily, but require more engine power to reach the glider than Shallow-V lines that plan at low speed, but are less comfortable to swim on.

Like the design of most cases, they are a compromise between designs with different characteristics. Modern “round” hulls of VNL combine deep V-shaped contours of the hull with a wide platform in the stern. This flat section on the rear underwater of the hull allows the boat to steadily stay on planing.

Inflatable balloons

Inflatable balloons are usually partitioned, divided into compartments to reduce the effect of piercing, and each balloon has a valve for inflating or bleeding air. Large boats (7 meters or more) have six or more chambers with a valve for each chamber. The more chambers a boat has, the more reliable it is, since if only one camera is damaged, the effect of this damage on the boat is much less.

Inflatable balloons often have valves to relieve excess air pressure due to heat from the sun. This prevents balloon rupture from high pressure.

Common materials for making cylinders are chlorosulfonated polyethylene and polyvinyl chloride, although some manufacturers use polyurethane.

Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (Hypalon)

Chlorosulfonated polyethylene cylinders are easy to manufacture and can be repaired with a repair kit. Chlorosulfonated polyethylene itself is not airtight, therefore, in the manufacture of cylinders from it, neoprene is additionally used. Cylinders made from chlorosulfonated polyethylene and neoprene layers can be used for more than 20 years. Chlorosulfonated polyethylene is one of the most popular materials used for the construction of Vital and Essentials in the UK .

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

As a material for the construction of cylinders, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has insufficient flexibility. To make it more elastic polymer additives are introduced into it. This additive evaporates as the material ages, which makes the PVC brittle and may break. PVC cylinders are the cheapest option, and they can last only 10-15 years.

Polyurethane (PU)

The production of polyurethane (PU) cylinders is technically time-consuming, so the material is infrequently used for the construction of VOC. The advantage of PU is its great strength, products from it can be impenetrable with sharp objects. Previously, the disadvantage of PU was its rapid aging, but now new types of PU are much more resistant to degradation caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation . High-quality balloons made of PU have been used for more than 20 years. Polyurethane containers are often used when strength and durability are prioritized. However, replacing the cylinders when they wear out usually costs as much as one third of the total cost of the VML.

Cabin and cabin

Large rigid inflatable boats can have a rigid canopy or wheelhouse made of fiberglass or aluminum. The wheelhouse provides protection from the weather of both the crew and passengers, as well as protecting navigation equipment and outboard seats.

Some VML, in particular, popular in Ireland and on the west coast of Scotland , are made with additional awnings made of fabric and plexiglass , which can be easily removed in good weather. More and more Vital and Essential Drugs with small cabins (usually with accommodation for two people, and in some cases with the presence of latrine ) are becoming more available, expanding the use of VNF as cruising ships .

• RIB-boats , review of the magazine " Boats and Yachts "