Tuesday 11 September 2012

Ribs – A Great Boating Innovation



Inflatable boats are the best thing to have happened to boat sports. Not only are they inexpensive and flexible in terms of storage, they have also proved to be of great utility for recreational diving and fishing activities. However, the stability of an inflatable boat is the deciding factor for the end user, and that depends entirely on the design and the material used on the flooring of the boat.

This problem of stability has been eliminated with the advent of RIBs, or Rigid Inflatable Boats, a brainchild of innovative boat designers who clubbed the positives of inflatable sports boats and those of rigid wood, fibre or metallic boats. A Rib is just like an inflatable boat on top, and like a rigid boat made of moulded fibreglass or aluminium at the bottom. And this hard bottom is what gives this kind of inflatable boat exceptional durability, and higher performance rates. So much so that some ribs can handle outboard motors even up to a 100 horsepower.

If you choose to purchase one of these smart utility boats, make sure you fit it with a suitable outboard motor as well. It could be either a 2 stroke outboard, or 4 stroke one. But whatever you choose, make sure you do your homework before picking your combination.

For more on information about quality and ribs for sale , visit: www.billhigham.co.uk

Tohatsu Outboards

Outboard motors have been in the market for more than a hundred years now. The first four-stroke outboard motor was invented by Cameron Waterman as a student at Yale. He patented his innovation in 1905, and turned it into the first commercially viable outboard engine that ran on petroleum.

 Mass production of machines based on his design was already taking place by 1907. Waterman later sold his proprietorship off to Carl Kiekhaefer and his company Kiekhaefer Marine. Many give the credit of producing the first ready to use outboard motor to American-Norwegian inventor Ole Evinrude. However, Evinrude’s outboards actually came out two years later than Waterman’s, in 1909.

Today, there are quite a few options available in the market for quality outboard motors. But one brand has kept a consistent and reliable presence for as long as one can remember. Tohatsu outboards have led the market in the 2 stroke outboard motors arena for quite some time now. Their flagship TLDI range is known to perform like a 4 stroke engine when it comes to fuel mileage, providing the power and lightness of a 2 stroke engine at the same time. They have also been making waves, no pun intended, with their smaller 4 stroke range. Tohatsu outboards are well known for their affordable pricing as well, there products starting from less than GBP 550.

For more details, visit: www.billhigham.co.uk