Even with a plethora of custom superyacht tenders available, owners and crew still gravitate toward RIBs. Zodiac is still a brand of choice among them, too. With its latest model, the Zodiac Open 5.5, now stateside, the company is encouraging customers to consider it top of mind for a variety of pursuits.
In fact, Gary Durnan, Zodiac Nautic North America’s president, asserts, “This is a real Swiss Army knife of a boat.” The 17’7” (5.4-meter) RIB has a variety of accessories you can choose for accommodating your favorite watersports. For example, the rollbar in the picture above has a tow eye on it. This makes the Zodiac Open 5.5 suited to waterskiing and wakeboarding. Spotters can sit on the standard aft benchseat while a crewmember takes the wheel. Do you like fishing? If so, you can wet a line forward and to the sides, thanks to rod holders. For swimming or even diving, request the addition of a rear platform. You can stow the dive bottles under the helm bolster seat, too.
On the subject of stowage, the Zodiac Open 5.5 contains a good-size compartment in the helm console. A flip-up hatch forward lets you put cushions, PFDs, lines, and more in it.
Even if you use a RIB only for your crew, note that this new model can take 12 passengers. They can spread out between the bow and the just-mentioned aft benchseat. The helm bolster, when in the seated position, is for two people. Plenty of hand-holds around the Open 5.5 give guests peace of mind if the ride gets bouncy. On a side note, a Yamaha outboard is the standard engine. Max horsepower: 130.
While it’s common to see RIBs kept on deck aboard their motherships, where there’s more than enough room, dimensions are still important to note. The inside beam is 4’7” (1.39 meters). Overall beam, meanwhile, is 8’4” (2.54 meters).
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