Willard Unveils New RHIB in Australia
Willard Marine, Inc. unveiled its new SEA FORCE 777 this week at the Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney, Australia.
The military-grade, fiberglass, rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) is 7.77-meters long, 2.74-meters wide and designed with a deep-V hull. The Steyr SE306J38 diesel engine with ZF-63 marine gear powering a Hamilton Jet drive HJ-274 provides 300 horsepower for a nine-member crew and can achieve 32 knots. Nine Ullman Dynamics shock-mitigating seats are installed.
The 40-ounce polyurethane WING inflatable collar is UV-coated and includes a seven-panel bow cover and rub-strakes to reduce risk of boat damage upon boarding and stability during weight shifts.
International military representatives can now rely upon the new 777 the same way the U.S. Navy has relied upon similar shipboard RHIBs from Willard Marine over the last 25 years.
The 777 can support a variety of blue-water missions including rescue, patrol and visit, board, search and seizure. Built to ABYC standards, the new SEA FORCE 777 can also be made in aluminum and can accommodate various seating configurations, law enforcement equipment, electrical packages, weather protection and navigation devices.
Willard Marine President and CEO, Ulrich Gottschling, said, “ Willard Marine has built hundreds of mission-proven boats for American and international militaries around the world, and the new SEA FORCE 777 is a larger version of our military-grade RHIBs that government agencies can depend upon the same way the U.S. Navy has for 25 years.”
