Boat International takes note of Life Proof Boats latest design!

Life Proof Boats to begin construction on 15m flagship

4 May 2021by Holly Overton

With sketches for a 15-metre set aside for a rainy day, Life Proof Boats didn’t need to look far when an owner came knocking in search of a successor to his 12-metre RIB.

It is not uncommon to see a six or seven-meter RIB zipping guests from ship to shore, but big RIBs are relatively few and far between. The current market starts to trickle off when you pass the 12-metre mark as owners make the leap from runabouts to larger cruisers - so for those who enjoy the power of a rigid inflatable and are looking to upgrade, eventually there is nowhere left to go. This was the position one owner found himself in and turned to US boatbuilder Life Proof Boats to realize his dream of a 'mega-rib' made for adventuring the northeast coast in search of surf.


Based in Washington, Life Proof Boats seemed a natural choice, specializing in aluminum performance hulls that are fast, comfortable and ultra-durable thanks to a foam-filled collar. The current range starts with a five-meter (17ft) open center console and taps out at a 12.5-metre (41ft) full cabin model, but this owner was after something bigger still. “There's a lot of RIB center consoles out there but there's not very many full cabins, especially over 40 feet,” says Micah Bowers, CEO of Life Proof Boats. Luckily, the builder already had a design up its sleeve.

“We have had the 50 on paper for two to three years now,” explains Bowers. The flagship model started out as an extension of the builder’s Yachtline series but began to evolve into a category of its own. The 33 Yachtline and 39 Yachtline flaunt an aggressive profile, but the new design opts for a more “classical north-eastern look”, says Bowers. It might then be pitted against the 41' Full Cabin, the current flagship of the fleet, but there are still some key differences. For example, the 50 is designed with a walkaround cabin with space set for entertaining at the bow. “That was a big part of this boat’s design,” explains Bowers, pointing to the bow. “The owner loved the bow and wanted to have a boat that had a lounge in the front.”

As a keen surfer, the owner would require the boat to carry all the kit which included stowage for surfboards. The solution was to create a hinging x-frame that sits above the three outboards. “They may run three or four hours out to find good surf so that was a big part of this boat,” explains Bowers. An al fresco dining area and BBQ make up the aft cockpit area - the entertainment center on board - with a good-sized galley and second interior dining area. Below deck, there’s a master suite located forward while the main sofa in the saloon can convert to a day bed with bunk space for a further two guests hidden beneath. A separate shower on the port side and a master bathroom on to starboard complete the interior layout.

As an aluminum boatbuilder customizing a boat to the owner’s requirements is part of the appeal of Life Proof Boats hulls. “We could create in an endless amount of boat designs," says Bowers, "and as people come to us with more requests the product line continues to grow."

“By going to 50 it allows our brand to grab those clients that are looking to grow into that bigger boat... but I think that's where we're going to stop as far as overall length." Construction on the new 50 design is set to begin this summer with delivery in 2022.

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Life Proof Boats Expands into Northeast USA

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BREMERTON, WA. (July 21, 2020) – LIFE PROOF BOATS, renowned for their robust ‘virtually un-sinkable’ boats crafted from aluminum deep vee hulls and a patented foam/air collar system is expanding into the Northeast USA through a partnership with LC8 Marine as their first Official Sales and Service Center. Located in Plymouth MA, LC8 Marine has over 20 years of expertise with all-weather best in class boats, with a specialty in performance RIBS, and is perfectly aligned to strengthen the Life Proof Boats brand in New England.

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 “After exhibiting at the Newport International Boat Show last year, the popularity of the Life Proof Boats brand has continued to grow in the Northeast”, says Micah Bowers, CEO Life Proof Boats. “Our strategic partnership with LC8 Marine allows us to better serve current and future boat owners in the region, while providing the unparalleled level of service our owners expect.”

The unique characteristics of Life Proof Boats make them particularly well-suited to the Northeast USA. Purpose-built for performance in rough and unforgiving seas, each boat includes standard options like stabilized buoyancy collar systems, shock mitigation, and self-bailing decks, rendering them virtually un-sinkable and indestructible.

“These boats fill a niche that is currently unmet in New England,” says Scott Dyer, LC8 Marine Owner. “The line of boats from 17-50ft are constructed from commercial-grade premium materials with a full package of amenities to provide some of the world’s safest and stable boats on the water today.”

ABOUT LC8 MARINE

LC8 MARINE provides sales and service support to premium marine brands in the New England area. Specializing in performance RIBS and luxury brands we are committed to providing an exceptional level of service and management. www.lc8marine.com

 

(401) 714-2925

At your service. Call us today.

From our full service capabilities to our ‘white glove’ yacht management option and amphibious technology solutions, LC8 Marine can help every boat owner. We look forward to hearing from you.

New! 31FC132 PRO Full Cabin Hits the Water

31 FULL CABIN - 11’ BEAM


This new 31’ Full Cabin really hits on a lot of high notes for commercial operators no matter what field they serve. With a beam 12” wider than most vessels of its size it provides unmatched room and operational space for its crew. It also provides a safe platform to side tie with larger vessels for transferring crew members. Key design features shown below help achieve this.


With collars that are 24” longer and the engine taft rail installed the engines have a lot of protection when side tying to other boats.




Inside the boat you will find a very accommodating layout that can easily fit 10 adults.


The drivers and navigators seats feature the best from Shockwave Seats. they are bulkhead mounted and have the ability to flip the seat pan down for operations in a standing position or egress through the two large slider cabin doors.


As you transition into the cuddy you will find lots of spaces designed for gear storage, and a very accommodating bathroom location on the Port side of the boat.


The bow of the boat is specifically designed to accommodate passenger transitions onto larger boats. The large handrails were specifically located for personnel to have ample handholds while not blocking the operators eyesight when controlling the vessel. With the 12” larger beam, the gunnel flange depth was increased to allow easier transitions around the cabin of the boat.


Conclusion : This boat was designed to be the ultimate work boat for a variety of applications. Its foam collar offers safety, stability, and a soft side to interact with. The increased beam is immediately apparent with the added deck space, and wider flange for FWD egress around the cabin. Ergonomics and features make this boat perfect addition to any fleet.


Vessel Details:

Model Name——— 31FC132 PRO

Length —————- 31’

Beam —————— 10’

Weight ————— 10,500 lbs

Speed —————- 52+ mph

Engines ———— Twin Suzuki 350 Dual Prop’s

Fuel Capacity —— 200 Gallons

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DIESEL OUTBOARDS & A HOT TUB

 
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You may be scratching your heads here wondering if the title is a ploy to just get your attention or if this is actually true! Well believe it, it is! Last year this project was proposed to us, and when asked if we could put a hot tub in the boat we said “sure thing” and then with the opportunity to add the new diesel outboards on the transom we jumped with excitement. You don’t get many of opportunities like this!

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What did we think about the new OXE diesel outboards! In a nutshell we were impressed. They alter the expectation of what a diesel should look, sound, and perform like. If the cowling didn’t have the word diesel on the side, a novice boat owner might not even think to question what type of fuel to put in the tank.

Our 31’ GT Coupe would of paired better with the larger 300HP Diesel Outboards coming to market over the next year but due to the timeliness of the project the 200’s were the biggest we had to work with. The overall weight of the boat came to 10,200 lbs which is normal for our other GT Coupe builds, but those vessels normally also have a pair of 300HP Outboards at a minimum. The top end speed definitely suffered from the 200HP delta on this hull. We topped the boat out around 36 mph, which still allowed for a comfortable 28mph cruise speed. That cruise speed is comparable to other vessels we build in this category.

The vibration of the 4 cylinder diesel block is noticeable. To most at idle it will be apparent this is not a normal 4 cycle gas engine. Almost similar to that of the older two-stroke engines. But it quickly goes away with a little throttle. Once you reach 2,000 rpms the engine smooths out to a quiet purr. It rivals that of any other outboard on the market with little to no vibration at speed.

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Throttle response was also a two sided situation. If idling and looking for a quick punch of acceleration, you find a fairly long period of throttle lag (2-3 seconds), due to the turbo spooling up. But once it get spooled up, it is on point. Throttle response goes from melancholy to exhilarating. You can really feel the punch from the turbo at speeds over 2,500 rpms. Even with a big heavy boat like ours.

The overall integration of the engine rigging was quite similar to that of other outboard brands as well. The digital throttle allowed for us to mount it on the Shockwave Seats armrest. We do this so that it moves in suspension with the main operator. The engine display is shown here in the top right of the dash. It is a nice 7” display that gives all the engine data you will need.

We found the best fuel efficiency to be around 1.7 MPG on this boat. We obviously know the engines were a little under powered on this size vessel so they were not at the most fuel efficient RPM when we did reach our 28mph cruise speed. On a smaller 8000-9000lb vessel I think we would find a real fuel savings over other traditional gas outboards. But with all that said the recorded 1.7 mpg is still on par with the larger HP gas motors.

Conclusion

These OXE diesels are right there knocking on the door of the large gas outboard market. They have proven you can take a diesel engine, and apply the technology in an outboard application with success. For a lot of users this is what they have been waiting for. It now can eliminate the necessity of having gasoline on a larger yacht or fuel depot. Hats off to OXE for showing us that a diesel can be quiet, smooth, and responsive. It will be fun to see how the shoot out continues with the larger 300HP variants coming out from both OXE and competitor COX.

NOW THE FUN PART - THE HOT TUB

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With two diesel boilers circulating hot water through a heat exchanger we were able to create a replica model of your at home system. With temperature able to reach 100+ degrees you can relax all evening after a long day out on the water. And with enough space for 4 adults you can invites your friends over as well!

The primary principle of the system works due to the amount of flotation we generate with our collar systems. In fact even with the hot tub full you will see how flat and stable the boat looks in the water.

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This boat really was complete and ready for any adventure. We incorporated our drop bow door, in deck fish boxes, two top of the line suspension seats, seating in the main cabin for 7, a full electric flushing head, and of course the hot tub!

We will continue to offer this option for clients on a case by case basis. Overall this option will add an additional $19,000 to the bill. But it all depends on what else is incorporated into the build and if we need to account for any other unique options.


The GT Coupe is a must see!

GT COUPE

LAUNCH OF GT COUPE SERIES

 

May 2018, brought the completion of LIFE PROOF BOATS first ever GT COUPE.  A sleek stylish 31’ vessel designed to compete heavy in the pleasure craft market. With a 3/4 cabin style (optional canvas bulkhead) the cabin space of the boat is open and inviting. The interior space is smart in its ability to be reconfigured for entertaining under the shade of the roof or open to the outdoors on the rear deck of the boat. Its fundamental features allow this boat to fit a wide range of boating lifestyle choices.

There are 3 optional configurations of the space behind the driver seat which allow the design of the boat to fit a galley, a 3rd suspension seat, or 2 additional bench seats. With the 2 additional bench seats there is room for 8 in the main cabin, and an additional 4 outside on the rear bench seat.

The cuddy interior offers opposing bench’s giving 6’7” of lay down length and with the center drop in filler panels the cuddy space is transformed into a single large berthing space. When nature calls there is also a full electric macerating toilet located on the port side of the cuddy.

Other key features that make this boat stand out, is the optional drop bow door, in deck fish boxes, optional FLIR camera, and designed to incorporate the very best in suspension seating. And for the fisherman out there, two Burnewiin universal accessory mounts are included in the base boat. They work great for grilling out as well since they double as a BBQ mount.

The GT Coupe Model starts at $300,000 and with options like paint, synthetic teak decking, and joystick piloting pricing can reach over $400,000.

 

Vessel Details:

Model Name ------------------- GT COUPE

Length --------------------------- 31’

Beam ---------------------------- 10’

Weight -------------------------- 10,500 lbs

Speed --------------------------- 55+ MPH with twin 350HP Outboards

HP Rating ---------------------- 1,250 HP (twin or triple configuration available)

Fuel Tank ---------------------- 200 Gallons

Water Tank ------------------- 40 Gallons

Black Water ------------------ 40 Gallons

Diesel for Heat -------------- 3 Gallons

 

 

Design Features of Note:

Self-Bailing Decks (even while static)

Optional Diesel Heat

Optional AC (with reduced holding tanks)

Galley Arrangement (sink, fridge, Microwave)

Windlass

Drop Bow Door

Electric Toilet

Large Holding Tanks

Gyro Stabilized Trim Assist System

 

CONTACTS FOR MORE INFORMATION

 

Micah Bowers – Sales

(360) 674 -7019 ext. 200

Micah@InventechMarine.com

 

Jenson Charnell – Sales

(360) 674 -7019 ext. 201

Jenson@InventechMarine.com

Destinations to Explore - Blind Channel Resort

Two years ago at the Seattle Boat Show we were approached by a wonderful group passing our boats and they stopped to take an in depth look. Getting to know more about where they were from, we came to find out they were from Blind Channel Resort! A beautiful spot north of Desolation Sound, Blind Channel Resort is an oasis for travelers making their way on the inside passage passed Vancouver Island.

Well they purchased a Life Proof Boat and we have had a great relationship ever since! They group of people that are warm and welcome to guests passing by. Make sure plan a trip to explore all it has to offer. There isn’t a better way to do it than with your Life Proof Boat!

Can you spot the Life Proof Boat?

Can you spot the Life Proof Boat?

Here is a brief description of Blind Channel Resort and what services they offer.

“Blind Channel is a multi-generational, family-owned marina and resort on West Thurlow Island in heart of British Columbia’s wild coast. The Richter family has owned and operated Blind Channel Resort since 1970. In the early days, the small government dock and coastal community boasted a cannery, shingle mill, and two large dance halls with the population peaking in the 1940s. By 1969, when Edgar and Annemarie were cruising by, Blind Channel had little left to offer but they were captivated. The for sale sign was taken down and Blind Channel Resort was built from the ground up with love and hard labor.

Today the Richter family invites you to explore tidal waterways and ancient forests rich in wildlife and coastal history. Enjoy fresh coastal and German cuisine, cruise into the full-service marina or stay in a comfortable private cabin. Whether it’s a stop as you cruise North or an all-inclusive package you’ll find yourself enjoying comforts on the wild coast.”

Full-service marina for vessels up to 150 ft with 15, 30 and 50 amp power as well as clear spring water hook-ups at every finger.

  • Fuel dock with Marine Gas, Diesel, and propane

  • Restaurant Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • Live music and wine tasting events held throughout the summer

  • General store well stocked with groceries, liquor, gifts, clothing, and more.  As well as a post office.

  • Laundry and Showers

  • In house water taxi service, a float plane dock with regularly scheduled flights

  • Onshore accommodation, fully self-sufficient cabins with two bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens.

  • Hiking trails

  • Tours and all-inclusive packages

See everything they have to offer at www.blindchannel.com/