Bill Wing News

Decades of innovation has earned Wing Inflatables its place among top manufacturers of sponsons, tubes, collars and rubber craft. While the company maintains this reputation today, the Wing Group has also grown beyond it after an ownership switch set in motion a number of major changes that have helped to both expand the company and alter its DNA.In past decades, under the leadership of founder and now-former owner Bill Wing, the California company and its polyurethane rafts and air-holding tubes, and later air/foam hybrid collar, had revolutionized the rigid inflatable industry.

In the vessel construction market, small boat builder All American Marine of Bellingham, Wash., and RIB builder Wing Inflatables of Arcata, Calif. both reported a satisfactory 2010 in their niche markets, with good reasons to be optimistic about 2011. Bollinger Shipyards, a major builder in the offshore market also had a good 2010, but is bracing for the impact of the drilling moratorium going into 2011. Meanwhile, new yard, Argosy Boat Company, of Pierre Part, La., is still working to establish itself as a diesel-electric, Z-drive towboat builder.

Wing Inflatables has added a new model to its IB series of Hypalon boats designed for small craft operations. The IB-470 features a 15.5 ft overall length and a 7.3 ft beam affording an 11 person capacity. Its specially reinforced 1.5 inch transom is designed to accommodate single or twin outboard engines for a combined total of up to 60 horsepower. “The IB-470 is compact and durable — two traits that make it well-suited for small craft ops,” said Wing president Bill Wing. The IB-470 features a special through-bolted transom-to-tube construction to accommodate the optional engine weight and torque. Standard features include a transom-mounted drain assembly accessible from inside the boat, high capacity deck drains and an aluminum deck with D-rings.