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INTRODUCTION<br />
The first three Rhino Craft were built in 2003 for a Nigerian diving contractor needing a relatively<br />
indestructible workboat for use in offshore bow-catchers. Thirteen years later these original craft are<br />
still in operation and in good working order. HDPE structures and pipelines have been successfully used<br />
in marine environments for periods exceeding 30 years without showing signs of deterioration.<br />
If these HDPE Rhino Craft are damaged as a result of extreme abuse they can be effectively repaired by<br />
semi-skilled personnel. Based on our experience we contend that with reasonable maintenance Rhino<br />
Craft could continue to be employed as robust offshore work-boats for periods exceeding 30 years.<br />
Rhino Craft are primarily fabricated from ultra-violet resistant High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and<br />
have been designed, developed and tested to create a robust and virtually indestructible workboat for<br />
use with outboard motors as well as inboard diesels with stern drives or jet drives.<br />
The Rhino Craft are manufactured at the Rhino Marine Products (Pty) Ltd factory in Cape Town. Rhino<br />
Marine are ISO 9001:2015 compliant and are undergoing CE Class B classification. The craft generally<br />
are designed to comply with the IMCA recommendations for offshore use.<br />
Though we have a standard range of craft we are well geared for undertaking customised and<br />
specialised designs to suit client needs.<br />
Generally the Rhino Craft are supplied as either a heavy duty (HD) model or an extra heavy duty (EHD)<br />
model. The hulls have been proven in harsh offshore conditions impacting with solid and floating steel<br />
structures and the EHD models incorporate a customised forepeak structure for engaging into<br />
standardised offshore bow-catcher boat landings.<br />
Over the 13 years that the Rhino Craft range of boats has been evolving we have continually improved<br />
our products to better suit client needs. The new designs are developed in co-operation with our Naval<br />
Architects Icarus Marine and in conjunction with our sister company Wale Marine – who have over 25<br />
years of offshore design and contracting experience.<br />
The hulls and sponsons which are foam filled are made from extrusion welded HDPE pipe and sheet, and<br />
the craft generally incorporate side seating with up-stand gunnels, lifting pad-eyes, deck lashing pad<br />
eyes, consoles and lockers. The EHD craft are fitted with a forepeak incorporating a bow step and hand<br />
rail system that is compatible with conventional offshore bow-catchers. The craft are fitted with bowstorage/chain<br />
lockers, rubber D-fenders, pontoon roping and scupper flaps for the self-draining decks.<br />
The forepeaks of the Rhino Craft EHD range, which is designed for offshore bow-catchers, has been<br />
specifically designed to be welded atop the main hull structure in such a way that should the craft be<br />
subjected to extreme over-loading then the forepeak itself will be damaged without impairing the<br />
structural integrity of the hull itself. In the event of this type of damage to the forepeak welded repair<br />
works would generally be easy to effect by suitable semi-skilled personnel.<br />
Rhino Craft are designed to operate effectively in extreme offshore conditions where GRP would<br />
shatter, aluminium would tear and conventional RIB’s would destruct.<br />
Some of advantages of HDPE relative to other hull materials are listed on Table 1 overleaf:<br />
Contact us: info@rhinomarineboats.com Tel: +27 (82) 960 0591 3
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