RIB manufacturer Zodiac-Nautic will bring what they say is a new type of boat, a center console that combines the characteristics of rigid inflatable boats and rigid boats, to the market.
The 33-foot X10CC will become available in the U.S. in January 2025. It will feature a D-shaped tube attached to the outside of the hull that allows it to be approved as a RIB and give it a carrying capacity of up to 20 people. According to Zodiac, a comparably sized rigid boat would usually be approved for use by about 10 people. The tube will provide improved stability over a traditional rigid center console and protect the boat when making contact with docks or other boats.
The company believes the XCC product will minimize some of the disadvantages that sometimes discourage buyers from opting for a RIB while also giving it a RIB’s advantages. The circular tubes on a traditional RIB tend to consume interior space and provide low freeboard. Instead, the X10CC has high fiberglass bulwarks for comfort and safety, but still has the buoyancy and lighter weight that tubes give a RIB. Because the D-shaped tubes take up less space than a traditional circular tube, it creates more interior space around the center console, cabin and seats.
At the same time, Zodiac hung onto a RIB’s low-fuel consumption by creating a stepped hull that consumes up to 30 percent less fuel than a conventional V-hull.
The X10CC will feature a cabin with a double bunk forward and a separate head. Lounge areas forward and aft provide seating for up to 13 people and can be converted into sundecks. A galley is aft of the helm inside the bolster.
Features like an electric windlass will be standard, while others like Biminis are part of a long list of options.
Power comes from twin outboards. Top speed during testing with twin 400-hp engines showed it could reach 60 knots with 7 people aboard. Maximum power is twin 450s.
