VESSEL REVIEW | Electric RIB for training and research support at Michigan freshwater science facility

The Freshwater Research and Innovation Center (FRIC) in Traverse City, Michigan, has taken delivery of an all-electric rigid inflatable boat (RIB) from UK-based Vita Power for research support and training duties on the Great Lakes.

The 7.2-metre (24-foot) RIB reached Discovery Pier Marina on West Grand Traverse Bay in September and now operates from the dock.

The boat was procured under one of five schemes selected in July by the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification through a maritime innovation grant programme.

The RIB was designed by Milan-based engineering firm BorromeodeSilva, which described the boat as having an all-aluminium hull with styling details drawn from off-road vehicles. The model has a beam of 2.3 metres (7.5 feet), a draught of only 0.5 metres (1.6 feet), and a squared-off bow.

Fast battery charging for minimal downtimes

The RIB’s hull has a shallower deadrise and additional lift amidships to carry the batteries, together with deep vertical upper chines and high collars.

The batteries are housed in relatively low-profile packs under the deck and are cooled by circulating oil, with heat rejected to the surrounding water through a heat exchanger and pump.

Vita Power specified a peak output of 120 kW for the FRIC boat's electric propulsion. For the RIB, the company quoted a cruising speed of 20 knots and a maximum speed of more than 30 knots, along with a full DC charge in one hour.

A 20 to 70 per cent top-up can take as little as 30 minutes, and Vita Power rated endurance at up to 10 hours of continuous running at port-operating speeds.

At Discovery Pier Marina, a DC fast charger supplies power to the FRIC boat. There are also charging points at Northport and Elk Rapids in northern Michigan.

Laid out for transporting an array of equipment

The RIB’s open deck is arranged around a centre console, with room forward and aft for remotely operated vehicle launch and recovery as well as dive equipment and sampling gear.

Vita Power said the inflatable collar will give divers a steady, low-freeboard edge for entering and leaving the water, in addition to providing a place to handle instruments over the side.

The company also said that because the boat produces no exhaust and has no fuel, it will not contaminate water samples or disrupt acoustic and water quality instrument readings.

Discovery Pier CEO Matt McDonough. said that FRIC's new RIB, “will be a shared platform for hands-on workforce training, research, and the testing and demonstration of new technologies in real-world Great Lakes conditions.”