Foldable RIBs are not a new concept. The trick is finding one that combines durability and performance. That’s what the new Fore Runner line of foldable RIBs built on fiberglass hulls offers, according to Four Seas, a Santa Ana, California-based distributor of small watercraft, electric propulsion and marine accessories.
The Fore Runner is a reboot of the original F-RIB, which Four Seas President J. Nabs Carlson discovered while searching for a tender for the 1964 Hatteras he was restoring. After a call with the overseas manufacturer, Carlson became a U.S. distributor.
“I really wanted to deliver a product that filled this great void,” Carlson says. “It gave people the ease of having a RIB and the ability to put it away like a roll-up boat.”
He sold the boats for several years, until quality issues prompted him to step away. Still, he saw potential in the idea. For the past 18 months, Carlson and his team have re-engineered the hull and improved the design. Updates include pronounced strakes to grip the water and reduce chop; Heytex fabric with UV and mold inhibitors; and double-welded seams.
The Fore Runner 340 can be inflated in under four minutes and stows in a suitcase-size bag.3
Interlocking hull pieces, he says, feel like a rigid one-piece hull. “Trustworthiness in quality of fabrication was paramount to me because that’s what was missing in the last ones.”
The first two models in the line are the Fore Runner 290 (9 feet, 6 inches) and the 340 (11 feet, 3 inches), both part of the builder’s Adventure Series with white and dark-gray hulls. Larger 380 and 430 models are expected in the coming months.
These boats can reportedly be inflated or deflated in less than four minutes. They stow in a suitcase-size bag to make them stowable on boats with limited deck space. Built-in pad eyes are standard, allowing the boats to be secured on deck without deflating, or they can be partially folded to fit in smaller tender garages. “Imagine being able to put your dinghy away. Not only is it a benefit for space, it’s also a safety thing,” Carlson says. “So many people tow their inflatable boat behind them, and that quite often can be perilous.”
Each boat is compatible with Railblaza and SeaSucker mounts for rod holders, fillet tables, spear gun racks and champagne buckets. Clip-on launch wheels allow hauling up the beach in remote areas.
“I’m trying to infuse more fun and playfulness into the boating industry,” Carlson says. “I incorporated a lot of fun accessories on the Fore Runner, to make it the kind of boat that is right for the person who needs a tender for a Grand Banks trawler, as well as for that person who wants a RIB as his or her own primary boat.”
With a Category C rating, the Fore Runner can operate 2 to 3 miles offshore in seas up to 6 feet. Owners can choose engine options up to 15 hp (the boat planes at 6 hp). Carlson says many customers pair the Fore Runner with a 1,000-watt electric motor from Torqeedo or Temo for use around the harbor. Four Seas also sells Suzuki outboards and can ship the boat and motor together.
Prices start at $4,050 for the 290 and $4,750 for the 340. Each boat includes a travel bag, accessory bag, pump, oars, bench seats and repair kit, with accessories and outboards available as upgrades.
September 2025
