'The RIB' by David Sutcliffe
25th May 2010
In just three weeks two Atlantic College Dutch students built Psychedelic Surfer, the rigid-hulledinflatable that defied sceptics to finish 19th in Britain's first ever Round Britain Powerboat Race in 1969 and launched the rigid-hulled inflatable into the consciousness of the life-saving community across the world. With modern materials and technologies the original Atlantic boats have been developed into sophisticated variations now used in their hundreds of thousands worldwide by life-saving organisations, the offshore energy industry, the military, the marine racing world and the leisure market.
The opening speaker at the 2005 Conference of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects commented that it was "probably safe to say that the development of the RIB has been the most significant design development in the small craft area over the past 50 years"; and David Stogdon, former RNLI Inspector of Lifeboats, wrote in 1993: "Atlantic College started something which will affect all lifeboat societies in time ... there was a wonderful spirit at the college ... It was largely this spirit which helped us develop the inshore lifeboats round the British Isles."
David Sutcliffe, a member of the College's founding staff in 1962, has now told their story in The RIB: the Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Lifeboat and its Place of Birth - the Atlantic College. Profits will go to the Atlantic College scholarship fund. The book can be ordered at a price of £25 (hardback) and £15 (paperback). Postage and Packing costs will apply.
BUY ONLINE NOW!
If you would like to pay by cheque (UK ) please add £5.95 paperback p&p or £6.95 hardback p&p and made payable to Atlantic College. *For orders to Europe and Worldwide add £8.95 for paperback p&p and £9.95 for hardback p&p
Send to : Vicky Phillips, "The RIB", Atlantic College, St Donats Castle, Llantwit Major, CF61 1WF.
Thank you for your interest and we do hope that you will enjoy an extremely interesting book which has great historical significance, both for Atlantic College and the maritime world!
