CAPABILITIES
Creating the future outdoors
1005 DELUXE SOT KAYAK
RIBER PRODUCTS
Designer — Michael Hinchliffe
Designer — Stuart Burns
Company — Riber Products
Launched — SS15
THE CHALLENGE: Riber Products Ltd. were a fledgling company entering the water sports market and wanted to produce a kayak that would take the market by storm, competing on both price and performance to position alongside some of the bigger names in the industry.
THE OUTCOME: A kayak that enhanced the user experience by offering brand new features, such as an underwater viewing window and compatibility with Riber’s unique, collapsible kayak trolley ‘Bugzy.’
THE SCIENCE:
On the face of it, a kayak can appear relatively simple with only a few or obvious features visible but it’s in the science where the true beauty of these products subside.
Understanding buoyancy and fluid dynamics was key to producing an amazing product; how the kayak would cut through the water, allow amazing control and manoeuvrability and be buoyant enough in the right places to allow it to float.
3D CAD ENGINEERED:
The kayak was modelled in 3D CAD which provided the basis of most of the information required to produce the final design. We were able to model large flowing surfaces that would cut well through water, calculate the volume of air inside the kayak in targeted areas to understand how well it would float and remain level with the weight of a person on board. Not to mention the drainage of water from the cockpit.
FEATURES:
The kayak had an array of features that you come to expect, such as carry handles, oar lash points and a hatch for valuables but it was features like the viewing window that stood this kayak apart from the competition.
The base of the nearest hatch was transparent which gave a great view under the surface, allowing the user to observe the marine life below.
