Northwind Delivers Patrol/White Water Rescue/Fire Pumper RIB

Northwind Marine Inc., of Seattle, recently delivered an "Extreme" model rigid-hull inflatable (RIB) to the El Dorado County Sheriff's department. The 19 ft. waterjet-driven craft will be deployed on the California county's Echo Lake, to serve the Sheriff's Department and the Lake Valey Fire District as a police patrol and fire boat. Equipped with a fire system that will deliver water at 1,000 gpm, the RIB will be used to patrol the lake. In addition, it can be used to fight fires either on the lake, or ashore, and, when needed, will serve as a white water rescue boat on the rivers in the area. The vessel measures 19 x 8.5 ft., with a 15-in. draft, and is built with tough .187-in. 5086 marine alloy aluminum welded to ABS crewboat standards. It is powered by a 225 hp 4.3 liter EFI V-6 engine from Marine Power. The engine powers the boat to a top speed of 38 mph through the American Turbine waterjet, or will deliver a stream of water though the Fire Pro FP3-1200 fire monitor, using a diverter valve system developed by Northwind Marine. The American Turbine pump will not only drive the boat, but will deliver 1,300 gpm of water at 65 psi; 1,000 gpm at 100 psi; and 580 gpm at 115 psi.