When we think of RIBs, we think of the fun inflatables that make beach dropoffs easy and afternoons bouncing around harbors even more fun. “Bouncing,” though, is often the operative word. Technohull has staked a reputation in combating that image, constructing sporty RIBs with sturdy hulls. They are more like chase boats or mini cruisers in their own right. Simultaneously, they are fast on the water, for exhilarating rides. The Technohull Explorer 40 is the newest to combine these concepts. While it pledges to exceed 61 knots, it also pledges a 250-nautical-mile range.
The RIB measures 39’7″ (12.1 meters), with a beam of 11’5″ (3.5 meters). A party of 10 can climb aboard for a day of visiting shore, or sunning and hanging out in secluded bays. For your entertainment pleasure, a Fusion Apollo sound system and JL speakers are standard. In company tradition, the Technohull Explorer 40 allows customizing the deck arrangement. Therefore, you can have settees and a table aft, for instance, or just one big sunpad. You get to choose the upholstery, too, plus request a hardtop or a bimini. Regardless of choice, you automatically benefit from a day head and berth beneath the helm console. Plus, a refrigerator, wetbar, and espresso machine sit down here. All of this makes the Technohull Explorer 40 more like a center console boat than a RIB.
What really sets Technohull apart, however, is performance. Its in-house naval architects designed a variable-stepped, deep-V hull that is an evolution of its previous successful stepped hulls. The company claims the Explorer 40 will be 10 to 15 percent more efficient than its predecessors. (Stepped hulls provide better lift, among other benefits.) In fact, Technohull tank tested both a scale model and a full-size model to analyze performance. The RIB should plane at just 14 mph, while seeing upwards of 70 mph (61 knots), the latter depending on what power package you choose. The standard is a pair 350-hp outboards, with the highest spec being twin 627 hp. Inboards are available, too, with twin 440-hp engines being the most powerful.
With either inboards or outboards, the Technohull Explorer 40 reportedly has a range exceeding 250 nautical miles due to the 198-gallon (750-liter) fuel tank. This lets you have sandwiches in St. Tropez, followed by magnificent dinners in Monaco.
The first Technohull Explorer 40 RIBs roll off the assembly line this summer. Besides the above-mentioned custom touches, you can style yours to match your yacht.
Technohull technohull.com
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