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Guide — Choosing · two types of boat compared, without taking sides
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Hull · tubes · rough seas · space · costs · berthing · updated 25 September 2026
A RIB like the NAVY is a boat with a fibreglass hull and inflatable tubes running all along its sides. Up to 10 metres of hull, Italian law treats a RIB and a boat alike: both are natanti, small craft, with the same rules on licence and insurance. How much sea they can take is not decided by the word ‘RIB’: it is decided by the design category on the builder’s plate. The real choice comes down to how you use the boat, the space you need and where you will keep it.
PLATE 02
The short answer
Is a RIB better than a boat? Neither type is better in absolute terms, and we say so as people who design RIBs and fit them out. A NAVY RIB has its hull, deck, stern platforms and console in fibreglass, just like a boat; on top of that, along its sides, it has tubes in ORCA Hypalon-neoprene by Pennel & Flipo. That is where the whole difference between the two types lies: in the inflatable sides, and in what they mean on board, in harbour and on the road.
For everything else, Italian law makes no distinction. Up to 10 metres of hull, measured to the UNI EN ISO 8666 standard, a RIB and a boat are both natanti, small craft (art. 3 of the Italian Recreational Boating Code). Whether you need a boat licence depends on the engine and on the distance from the coast (art. 39), and insurance is compulsory for both as soon as there is an engine on board (art. 123 of the Italian Private Insurance Code). And how much sea they can face is not set by the name of the type, but by the design category written on the builder’s plate.
| Item | RIB, like the NAVYs | Fibreglass boat |
|---|---|---|
| The hull | Rigid fibreglass hull; on the NAVYs the deck, stern platforms and console too | Fibreglass |
| The sides | Inflatable tubes: on the NAVYs from the 4.80 to the 7.60 in ORCA Hypalon-neoprene, 1.3 mm thick | Rigid fibreglass topsides |
| In law, up to 10 m of hull | Natanteart. 3, Recreational Boating Code | Natantesame rule |
| Registration and navigation licence | Not compulsory; registration is voluntaryart. 27, paras 1 and 2 | Same rule |
| Boat licence | Always needed beyond 6 miles; within 6 miles it is not needed only if the engine stays within 30 kW (40.8 hp) and within the cylinder-capacity limitsart. 39, paras 1 and 3 | Same rule |
| Insurance | Compulsory with an engine, detachable ones included, of any powerart. 123, Private Insurance Code | Same rule |
| How much sea | The design category on the builder’s plateDirective 2013/53/EU | Same rule |
| How far out | CE-marked natante: within the limits of its category, never beyond 12 milesart. 27, para 4 | Same rule |
| How many people | Those on the builder’s plate and in the owner’s manualart. 34, para 3 | Same rule |
| On the road | Above 2.55 m of width an authorisation is requiredarts 61 and 10, Highway Code | Same rule |
| Rules of its own | Replacement of the tubes and the liferaftMinisterial Decree 146/2008, art. 57 and Annex V | — |
Rules read in the Gazzetta Ufficiale, the Italian official journal, and in the Official Journal of the European Union on 19 September 2026 · Recreational Boating Code = Legislative Decree 171/2005 · Private Insurance Code = Legislative Decree 209/2005 · the legal texts are in Italian.
PLATE 03 — What really changes · Naviglia vision
Underneath, the same fibreglass as a boat
HULL · DECK · STERN PLATFORMS · CONSOLE · IN WHITE OR BLACK
Beneath the tubes there is a rigid hull. On the NAVYs the hull, deck, stern platforms and console are in fibreglass with increased thicknesses: it is the material of a boat, not an alternative to it.
The difference: the inflatable sides
ORCA HYPALON-NEOPRENE · 1.3 MM FROM THE 4.80 TO THE 7.60 · 3 STANDARD COLOURS OUT OF 29
The tube is what turns a boat into a RIB. ORCA fabric by Pennel & Flipo has a polyester core and a tensile strength of over 500 daN per 5 cm; every tube goes through a pressure test.
The space runs from tube to tube
NAVY 7.60 · UP TO 15 PEOPLE · 7.60 BY 2.89 M
The beam of a RIB includes its tubes: on the 7.60 they are 52 cm in diameter. Inside there is a centre console complete with gauges, a helm seat with grab rail and retractable table, full upholstery and EVA synthetic teak decking.
The builder’s plate decides the sea
CATEGORIES A · B · C · D · DIRECTIVE 2013/53/EU
A RIB does not take more or less sea than a boat simply because it has tubes. What counts is the design category of the CE marking, written on the builder’s plate: always ask for it, whatever the boat.
The engine decides the licence
WITHIN 6 MILES · UP TO 30 KW, THAT IS 40.8 HP · WITHIN THE CYLINDER-CAPACITY LIMITS
In Italy the boat licence does not care whether you have a RIB or a boat: it looks at the engine and at the distance from the coast (art. 39). That is why the 40 hp outboard is the choice for those without a licence: with the 40 hp we recommend RIBs up to 6 metres.
When you need a licencePLATE 04
The material · RIB or fibreglass boat
Anyone searching for ‘RIB or fibreglass boat’ often pictures two opposite materials: rubber on one side, fibreglass on the other. On a rigid-hull inflatable like the NAVY, that is not how it works. The hull is in fibreglass with a marine gelcoat, hand-laid or infused, with increased thicknesses; the deck, the stern platforms and the console are in fibreglass too, in white or black. The fabric is only where the tube is, that is, along the sides.
The NAVY tubes are in ORCA fabric by Pennel & Flipo, Hypalon-neoprene with a polyester core: 1.3 mm thick from the NAVY 4.80 to the NAVY 7.60, and ORCA Hypalon-neoprene on the NAVY 9.50 Cabin as well. The fabric is cut by hand or by machine and glued with two-part adhesives, the critical joints are hand-welded two or three times, and every tube goes through its pressure test and a visual inspection.
PLATE 05 — Stability and rough seas
Design category · Directive 2013/53/EU · Italian Legislative Decree 5/2016
‘Is a RIB or a boat more stable?’ The honest answer is that the name of the type is not enough to tell you. How much sea a pleasure craft can face is set by the builder, through the design category of the CE marking, and written on the plate fixed on board, together with the maximum load and the number of people the boat has been designed for.
There are four categories. Category A is designed for winds above force 8 and a significant wave height above 4 metres; B for up to force 8 and 4 metres; C for up to force 6 and 2 metres; D for up to force 4 and 0.3 metres, with occasional waves of up to 0.5 metres. The NAVY 4.80, the NAVY 5.50, the NAVY 6.00 and the NAVY 7.60 are in category C; the NAVY 9.50 Cabin is in category B.
Then there is distance. Under Italian law a CE-marked natante sails within the limits of its category and in any case no more than 12 miles from the coast (art. 27, para 4, of the Recreational Boating Code), whether it is a RIB or a boat. The category tells you how far the boat is designed to go; how you feel on board only the sea can tell you, which is why it pays to try one before you choose.
Detail — 01 · The tube of the 7.60 at the waterline · Naviglia vision
PLATE 06 — Four figures that apply to RIB and boat alike
10m
of hull: up to there, a RIB
and a boat are both natanti
Art. 3 of the Italian Recreational Boating Code.
12miles
from the coast: the limit
for a CE-marked natante
Art. 27, para 4, of the Recreational Boating Code.
2.55m
of width: beyond it, on the road
an authorisation is needed
Arts 61 and 10 of the Italian Highway Code.
1.3mm
the thickness of the ORCA tubes
from the 4.80 to the 7.60
ORCA Hypalon-neoprene by Pennel & Flipo.
“Because the sea makes no allowances,
and neither do we.”
Space on board · people, deck, cabin
Space is the second question for anyone torn between a RIB and a boat. Adjectives are no help here: what you need are the number of people written on the builder’s plate, the measurements of the deck and what lies below it.
The people
The number of people a RIB or a boat can carry is not something you judge by eye: in Italy, for a CE-marked natante, it is the number on the builder’s plate and in the owner’s manual (art. 34, para 3, of the Recreational Boating Code). On the NAVYs it ranges from 6 people on the NAVY 4.80 to 15 on the NAVY 7.60 and the same number on the NAVY 9.50 Cabin; in between, 9 on the NAVY 5.50 and 10 on the NAVY 6.00. The life-saving appliances, in turn, must be sufficient for everyone on board, crew included (art. 54, para 1, of Ministerial Decree 146/2008).
The deck
On a RIB the stated beam is measured from one tube to the other, and the tubes are part of the outline: the NAVY 4.80 is 1.82 metres wide with tubes 48 cm in diameter, the NAVY 7.60 2.89 metres with tubes of 52 cm. When you compare a RIB with a boat of the same length, look at the deck plan and not only at the overall dimensions: sunpads, console, lockers and walkways change from one model to another, and they are what tells you how it feels to be on board.
The cabin
If you are leaning towards a fibreglass boat because you want somewhere to sleep, bear in mind that cabins are not only for boats. The NAVY 9.50 Cabin is a RIB 9.80 metres overall and 3.20 in beam, in category B, with an interior cabin with berths and a separate heads, a 500-litre fuel tank and a 150-litre fresh-water tank. List price: from €86,900 + VAT · engine not included.
The smallest
At the other end of the range is the NAVY 4.80. 4.80 m RIB with centre console, up to 6 people; with a 40 hp outboard it may be used without a licence within 6 miles of the coast (Italian limit 30 kW / 40.8 hp). It is 1.82 metres wide, so it stays below the 2.55-metre limit of the Italian Highway Code and travels on an ordinary trailer; its 5-metre trailer costs €3690 + VAT. List price: from €13,924 + VAT · engine not included.
PLATE 08
Costs, berthing, road
On costs we give you the figures we can put our name to: our own. The NAVY range starts with the NAVY 4.80, from €13,924 + VAT · engine not included, and goes up to the NAVY 9.50 Cabin, from €86,900 + VAT · engine not included. We will not quote you the price of a fibreglass boat of the same size: we do not sell them, and a figure taken from elsewhere is not one we could stand behind.
After the purchase, many costs are the same for both types: third-party liability insurance, compulsory in Italy for every motor craft and for every detachable engine of any power (art. 123 of the Italian Private Insurance Code); the safety equipment to be carried on board ‘in relation to the navigation actually undertaken’ (art. 54 of Ministerial Decree 146/2008); fuel and engine servicing. The berth, afloat or ashore, and storage are priced by each marina on its own tariff.
Where you keep the boat is the other half of the choice. A boat that stays within 2.55 metres of width travels on an ordinary trailer and can stay at your home between outings; beyond that, on Italian roads it becomes a transport in exceptional conditions, subject to authorisation from the body that owns the road or from the Region (arts 61 and 10 of the Italian Highway Code). The rule looks at width, not at the kind of hull. For towing, mass counts too: with a category B driving licence you can tow a trailer of up to 750 kg, or a heavier one if the combination stays within 3,500 kg; for a combination of up to 4,250 kg an additional practical test is required, and beyond that you need a BE licence (art. 116).
| Model | Beam | On the road | List price | Trailer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAVY 4.80 | 1.82 m | ordinary trailer | from €13,924 + VAT · engine not included | €3690 + VAT |
| NAVY 5.50 | 2.35 m | ordinary trailer | from €15,900 + VAT · engine not included | €4800 + VAT |
| NAVY 6.00 | 2.50 m | ordinary trailer | from €17,987 + VAT · engine not included | €4800 + VAT |
| NAVY 7.60 | 2.89 m | exceptional transportwith authorisation | from €33,000 + VAT · engine not included | €8228 + VAT |
| NAVY 9.50 Cabin | 3.20 m | exceptional transportwith authorisation | from €86,900 + VAT · engine not included | €12228 + VAT |
Naviglia Yachts price list in force from 9 September 2026 · prices plus 22% VAT · the NAVY 6.60 has measurements on request (from €28,800 + VAT · engine not included) · the written quote is what counts.
PLATE 09
The rules · what Italian law says
Italian law on recreational boating classifies craft by length and regulates them by engine, distance from the coast and use: a RIB and a fibreglass boat fall under the same rules. Only two exceptions apply to RIBs alone, and both have to do with the tubes. We set them out with the article beside them, because they are the first things anyone selling you a boat should be able to explain.
Guide written by Naviglia Yachts, a brand of Michelessi Corporation Srl · updated 25 September 2026 · rules read on 19 September 2026 · prices from the price list in force from 9 September 2026 · the legal texts quoted are in Italian
Questions about the choice
Each answer stands on its own, with its figure and its source. One at a time: open one and the other closes.
Neither a RIB nor a fibreglass boat is better in absolute terms: it depends on how you use it, on the space you need and on where you will keep the boat. A RIB like the NAVY has a fibreglass hull and deck and, in addition, tubes along its sides. Under Italian law, up to 10 metres of hull, a RIB and a boat are both natanti, with the same rules on licence and insurance.
Whether a RIB or a fibreglass boat is more stable is not decided by the name of the type, but by the builder’s plate and a sea trial. The objective figure is the CE design category: the NAVY 4.80, NAVY 5.50, NAVY 6.00 and NAVY 7.60 are in category C, meaning wind up to force 6 and significant waves up to 2 metres; the NAVY 9.50 Cabin is in category B.
In rough seas what counts is the design category, not the word RIB or boat. Under Directive 2013/53/EU, category B is designed for winds up to force 8 and significant waves up to 4 metres, category C up to force 6 and 2 metres. In Italy a CE-marked natante, RIB or boat, may in any case go no further than 12 miles from the coast (art. 27, para 4, of the Recreational Boating Code).
In Italy a RIB follows the same licence rules as a boat, because they depend on the engine and the distance, not on the hull. Within 6 miles of the coast no licence is needed if the engine does not exceed 30 kW, that is 40.8 hp, or the cylinder-capacity limits of art. 39 of the Recreational Boating Code; beyond 6 miles it is always required. With a 40 hp engine we recommend RIBs up to 6 metres.
Under Italian law a RIB with up to 10 metres of hull is a natante, exactly like a fibreglass boat of the same size: it is exempt from registration in the central electronic register, from the navigation licence and from the safety certificate (art. 27, para 1, of the Recreational Boating Code). It can be registered by choice, and then takes on the legal regime of an imbarcazione, a registered pleasure craft (art. 27, para 2).
After the purchase, a RIB and a boat have the same running costs: compulsory insurance with the engine, fuel, servicing, the berth and storage, which each marina prices on its own tariff. The practical difference is the beam: the NAVY 4.80, the NAVY 5.50 and the NAVY 6.00 stay within the 2.55 metres of the Italian Highway Code and can be kept at home, on their trailer.
Yes, a RIB can have a cabin too. The NAVY 9.50 Cabin is a RIB 9.80 metres overall and 3.20 in beam, in category B and for up to 15 people, with an interior cabin with berths, a separate heads and twin outboards at the stern. List price: from €86,900 + VAT · engine not included.
NAVY RIBs have their hull, deck, stern platforms and console in fibreglass with increased thicknesses, in white or black, and tubes in ORCA Hypalon-neoprene by Pennel & Flipo: 1.3 mm from the 4.80 to the 7.60, and ORCA on the 9.50 Cabin as well. Every tube goes through a pressure test and a visual inspection, and we build every boat to order, one at a time, with no assembly line.
PLATE 11
See also
If you have decided on a RIB, the next questions concern the tube fabric, the hull and, for those who want to sleep aboard, the cabin. The pages below answer in the same way: with the real figures and the source beside them.
Materials
What the two tube fabrics are, and why the NAVYs use ORCA Hypalon-neoprene by Pennel & Flipo.
Read the guide
Materials
Fibreglass, marine gelcoat and increased thicknesses: how the part of the RIB that sits below the waterline is built.
Read the guide
Choosing
Cabin, heads, size and category: how to choose a RIB you can also spend the night on.
Read the guide
PLATE 12 — In person
The tables tell you what changes between a RIB and a boat; a sea trial tells you which one suits you. Step aboard a NAVY, feel how it moves and what it is like to be on board, then we will choose the size and the engine together, with every item written in the quote. What use do you have in mind?
Book your visitBook a sea trialRequest a quote
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Naviglia Yachts — Aprilia (LT), Italy · 380 173 0961
