RIB Hull Design
RIB Hull Design
RIB Hull Design
68 Hull Design
HULLDesign
to produce the consummate form that
could cope with everything from a single
100hp outboard weighing just 140kgs,
to a pair of Yanmar’s 300hp inboard diesels
weighing in at a stern-sinking 1,052kgs
with their Mercruiser outdrive legs. On a boat
weighing no more than 1,000kgs without its
HULLDesign
‘Deep Vee or Round Bilge’?
That is the Question...
Paul Lemmer has had more experience than most when it
comes to understanding what determines a sound hull design.
For some thirty years, he’s raced them, broken them, built
them, established records with them, flown them out of the
water, driven them under the water, repaired them, stuffed
them and as many of you will know, continues to this very day,
to sell them. For good reason then, we ask him to elaborate on
the question, ‘Deep Vee or Round Bilge?’
Hull design on RIBs - due to the round bilge hull, the efficiency tails
off very quickly at anything over 20knots and it
well there’s an emotive requires a significant amount of power to drive
subject if ever there was one! this design any faster. So there are not very
many, if any, semi displacement RIBs because,
I cannot keep track of the number of times I have although comfortable in a seaway, they are slow
been asked which is the best RIB hull design but by comparison with planing hulls, and very wet
on every occasion, the answer is the same; ‘it under way.
depends on what your requirements are, how Wave piercing hulls are a relatively new
fast you want to travel, whether load carrying concept and there are currently some new RIB
or high speed is more important to your needs versions being tested. The advantage of this
and most importantly, on the size of RIB you are new concept is that, like the semi-displacement
contemplating’. design, the hull is designed to cut through the
Back in 1998 I was asked to produce waves rather than ride over them, however,
a paper for RINA (Royal Institute of Naval that is where the similarity ends. Whereas the
Architects) regarding the development of RIBs. semi-displacement hull is usually heavy and
It was presented at a forum in conjunction with relatively slow, the wave piercer is very light
the inaugural RIBEX boat show in Weymouth. and capable of very high speeds. A number of
Part of this paper touched on the subject of RIB modern fast ferries use a form of wave piercing,
hull design, and it is interesting to look back at mostly catamaran designs, but a small number
my comments and see what progress has been use monohulls and it works very well. However
made. it would appear that it is difficult to get the
Basically, size generally determines comfort, dynamics right on smaller craft, and it will be
but not necessarily seaworthiness; the bigger the interesting to see if the enterprising builders
vessel, invariably the more comfortable and drier currently working with a new type of wave
it rides, although it never ceases to amaze me piercing RIB can succeed.
just how wet some of even the larger RIBs ride! So onto the ‘V’ hull configuration that is
One of the most comfortable and seaworthy used by 95% of the RIB industry. The term ‘V’
hull designs of any type of conventional non-RIB is used to describe the angle of the hull sections
craft in the last decade must be the semi- at the transom, from the keel to the chine that
displacement Thornycroft designed ‘Nelson’ borders the beginning of the topsides, just
range of cruisers, pilot boats and harbour below the buoyancy tubes. There are a number
launches. These round bilge hulls are known of different terms used when describing this
as semi-displacement because they fall between angle, but generally they are known as, shallow
displacing the water, like slower conventional ‘V’, medium ‘V’ and deep ‘V’. Usually a deep ‘V’
vessels, and planing, which is the term used should be an angle of no less than 20 degrees
for a craft that lifts itself out of the water and and may be as steep as 26 or even 28 degrees
‘skims’ (planes) across the surface. Because the in certain radical designs - but all too often the
semi displacement hull is cutting the waves and term ‘deep V’ is used to describe hulls that are
shouldering them out of the way rather than only moderate ‘V’ and in some instances almost
bouncing from the top of one to the other, it flat at the transom. On small dinghies it is not
seldom bangs although it does roll around a fair uncommon to see a flattish hull at the transom,
amount and usually throws up a considerable which increases to a shallow ‘V’ in the bow and
amount of spray. In all probability, this design this system works quite well. However, once
is the most comfortable in bad seas at speeds the RIB gets above 4 metres in length, the ‘V’
up to around 25knots, but here is a down side; at the stern should increase so that the shape
71
Photo:Paul Lemmer’s Round Britian record breaking hull design shown above
of the hull cuts through the waves as the speed on it goes! There are a great number of RIB owners for their views and if still in doubt as
increases. There is no set angle that is considered manufacturers trying to tell you that their hull whether a hull design is suitable for your needs,
to be the optimum as there are far too many designs are the best and assuming you have why not give the RIB International editorial desk
other imponderables that cloud the issue of hull already decided that you like the look and layout a call to see if they can advise you or supply you
design. As a rule of thumb however, the flatter of a particular RIB, then take it on a test drive with a review from the Magazine’s archive?
the hull, the harder the ride, the deeper the ‘V’ in the environment and conditions you expect PaulLemmer
the smoother the RIB rides at speed but a very to use it. You will soon learn which hulls work Next Issue Part 2 - Expert Info on Hull Design
deep ‘V’ can have certain drawbacks - and so and which do not. Also try speaking to existing from Lorne Campbell and Tony Lee-Elliott.