Ribcraft, Marblehead, Mass., recently delivered a specialized 25' Ribcraft 7.8 RIB to the Edgartown Harbormaster. Located on the eastern side of Martha’s Vineyard, the Edgartown Harbormaster provides search and rescue operations, routine patrols, and mooring management duties to the town. The RIB, designed for year-round all weather operations, expands the harbormasters capabilities while providing a safe and reliable vessel for their officers.
Featuring a two-person console enclosure, the 7.8 provides open deck space for patients or equipment, easy access for officer boardings, unobstructed views, and most importantly a comfortable platform for long hours on the water. Powered by a 250-hp Yamaha outboard, the RIB will reach speeds in excess of 50 mph safely and efficiently.
The RIB also features a forward positioned three-sided console enclosure with hard top, safety glass windshield, and canvas drop down sides (port, starboard, aft), tow posts (fore and aft), mid-ship tie-off bollards, dark grey Hypalon tube with heavy duty rubstrake and two sets of boarding wear patches, tube mounted swim ladder, and a full set of electronics including VHF, GPS, radar, hailer/siren.
Ribcraft worked with the harbormaster to understand the operational requirements and built a boat that meets all of their demands. The town not only needed a reliable and improved rescue and enforcement vessel, but needed a stable and safe platform to manage the town’s 900 moorings spread across six locations.
“When Edgartown searched for a company to build and deliver their new harbormaster patrol vessel, Ribcraft worked with us to configure the boat to our exact needs,” Charlie Blair, Edgartown’s harbormaster, said in a statement announcing the delivery. “The specifications we required were very different from a stock layout. Ribcraft designed, built and delivered on time and on budget.”
Designed specifically as a surf rescue craft, the Ribcraft 7.8 greatly expands the town’s on water response capabilities with its increased maneuverability and rough water performance.
