Alabama builder delivers RIB daughter craft to NOAA

Alabama-based Silver Ships recently handed over a new rigid inflatable boat (RIB) that will be used as a daughter craft on the larger oceangoing research vessels of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The custom-built RIB measures just under 28 feet (8.5 metres) long and is powered by two Mercury SeaPro outboards. A lifting point in the centre will enable the boat to be safely deployed into the water from a larger vessel.

A specialised feature is a bow-mounted folding pulpit. This platform allows researchers to more closely observe marine life such as whales and sea turtles without leaving the relative safety of the boat.