Oops, I may have been thinking of the original Outrage vessels that Boston Whaler introduced, ...and they were not foam-collared vessels.
Boston Whaler Impact Now I remember, it was the "Impact' model that was aimed at commercial interest. I suspect that at that time this model ran into some patent conflict with Safeboat
NYCAP123 must be thinking about the competition. http://home.comcast.net/~agatepass/Whaler_vs_Wahoo.jpg He could cut it in half. http://www.bostonwhaler.co.uk/images/design/insetUnsinkable2.jpg Here's a 22' with a few people. http://www.brunswickcgp.com/site_media/boats/boat_images/22Guardian.jpg
Could have been but I suspect just didn't appeal to the Whaler customer. What one person will look at and see as awful, another will think what a great idea. A Whaler customer is use to a particular look and feel. Also Whaler was a volume manufacturer and the volumes of sales it was capable of providing might be very good for some manufacturers and inadequate from their view.
It made a lot of sense for them, if they simply stuck the inflatable cushion rub rail on an existing model. I think many people would prefer the lack of maintanence of a whaler for a tender if they didn't have to worry about crashing into their yacht with it. I don't think they marketed it enough or gave it enough of a chance.
Very difficult to market a feature on one boat. They have an entire line to market and go for overall volume. I agree great idea, but figuring out how to use great ideas like that in the context of your entire business is hard.
It's just a 6" tall Cushioned rubrail. I think they could offer it as an option on their existing boats or a model and it would work. But who am I to say.....
The first thing I think of is when you drop anchor there, day or night, is the smell of coffee wafting across the water. We too found a 70' sailing yacht dragging it's ground tackle across the harbour. If you go right to the back of the bay, there's a lovely anchorage nobody goes to. I did a lot of soundings there for an Imray Cruising Guide.
Something went wrong. That video above was suppose to open up about time frame 14;31 or near-abouts. Somehow I am having trouble posting that exact link? ???? And I was unable to edit my post above even while it was only made a few hours ago??
I would def. cosider some of the Kiwi products... All ally with "pontoon" sidewalls like frewza. and a few others, 3.8m highside goes for 5500nz$..i presume tax incl.. Then Wavebreak, ally semi with some kind of textile sleeves into which the bladders go, should be very robust and easy to replace youreself. If a rib, i wld go for those! Can be fitted with Outboard or inboard jets of var. makes. If import doesnt make it too expensive, It looks like the better deals also due to exchange rate of 1:1.4
Check out the Edgewater 158cs, a great unsinkable 15' cc with a way better ride than a 13' whaler or Carolina Skiff.