Arksen 8 RIB Goes Above and Beyond Others in Its Class, Born of Decades of Engineering

Folks, the name Arksen is a rather fresh one on the international boating scene, having first been spotted in 2017. But according to their history, the brand has always had a finger in the metalworks and engineering pie, from as early as 1965, when the founder's (Jasper Smith) father, Ron Smith, launched Runamoke, a Mini Moke specialist crew operating out of England where only Mini Moke is spoken.

In time, the Mini Moke activity spread to other branches, including overland conversion; Arksen works with Unimog and Land Rover to give birth to some overlanders that are just insane! But, from land to sea is a rather big step, and ever since Arksen entered this industry, they've been stirring the proverbial waters with their philosophy and downright amazing ships. One important build is their Arksen 85, an Explorer yacht designed to cross the earth's oceans. Be sure to check out the smaller Adventure series while you're at it. That brings us to what is essential: the smallest sea-faring vessel in the crew's lineup, the Arksen 8.

As mentioned, this one's a RIB, which stands for Rigid Inflatable Boat. As such, we can expect a few traits to accompany the experience. The first of which is a much more efficient watercraft than a fully inflatable boat. The rigid hull is to thank for that, allowing for optimized control and friction similar to that of a fully rigid vessel.

The presence of a stem, rakes, and keel are all factors in the efficiency of such boats, and a fully inflatable version can't provide the same capabilities, mainly due to a lack of the above-mentioned traits. Then there's the subject of contact with the water and friction.

Put all that on the 8-meter-long Arksen 8, and according to the manufacturer, this hull design leads to a range of over 350 Nm, depending on the motor or motors you use. The Arksen does have a fuel capacity of 495 liters (131 gals) and is ready to handle the thrust from up to 500 ponies.

Yet, what I enjoyed most about the 8 is that Arksen aimed to create an RIB that can do it all, literally. For example, this craft can accommodate up to 12 guests, made possible by a large lounge at the bow, the cockpit, and another social area aft. It's not every day that you find this sort of layout in a boat of this nature.

With a few additional components, the Arksen 8 can be used for everything from social outings on the lake, gulf, or coastline to your go-to boat for fishing trips, scuba diving adventures, and even just lounging around and baking in the sun. The inclusion of a wet bar and BBQ only adds to the versatility of the 8. Is anyone into waterskiing or wakeboarding? Be sure to check out the anchor setup at the rear. Oh, and believe it or not, there is a head, too, perfect for use as a changing space, and it is equipped with a toilet.

The rest of the RIB is completed with high-quality materials, a marine sound system, and a Garmin navigation setup, found at the cockpit, which, might I add, is very clean and sits central to the ship with a bimini top overhead.

Last but not least, try picturing your lifestyle with an Arksen 8 in your possession. Think about the days out on the lake or coastline with your family and friends along for the ride, grilling it up, enjoying a mixed drink, and soaking up the sunshine. Some can even hitch up a tow line and zip around like a couple a couple of daredevils hanging on for dear life from the rear. Back to the sunshine afterward.

Upon heading back to port for the day or superyacht, you'll take the 8 out for one last hoorah, showing off the abilities of a rigid hull and why you should consider grabbing an 8 of your own. in port, deflate it, load it back up on your trailer, and off you go. Another benefit of a RIB as opposed to a traditional hull vessel is storage.

Yet, I understand that getting a feel for an Arksen 8 isn't so easy from behind a device screen. So, what you can do is find one in your area and take it out for a spin if there are any available. Remember, Arksen is based in the UK, so that's where you may have to go to try one out. At least, aim for Europe. Just be sure to bring around €235K ($244K at current exchange rates).