What Airshipribs does

Airship Ribs (legally Adaptive Composites LLC) is a private, custom manufacturer of high-performance rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) headquartered and built at a single facility at 1151 Sunnyside Rd in Vermilion, Ohio. Founded in 2005 by three offshore powerboat racers who sought to translate race-circuit engineering into commercial production, the company operates as a build-to-order boutique with 1-10 employees, no external funding, and no institutional ownership. Its product line spans five models — the 115 Yacht Tender (11'6"), 288 (28'8"), 300 DS (diesel sport), 310 (twin-engine capable), and flagship 340 (34'10") — with a larger 380/400 model in development. The company emphasizes that no two boats are alike, configured to customer specifications with extensive options across a quote-based pricing model.

The company's core technology is Vacuum Resin Infusion (VRI) combined with foam-cored sandwich construction using vinylester resins and no wood components, yielding hulls with noted strength, light weight, and longevity. Additional technical features include twin-step deep-V hulls (up to 25 degrees on the 340), Orca Hypalon tube material, internal structural composites longitudes and bulkhead systems, and CNC-machined hull/deck/console plugs. Engines range from 40HP on the 115 to twin 450HP outboards (900HP total) on the 340. The 310 set a sanctioned single-engine outboard record around Long Island in July 2018, providing third-party validation of performance claims.

Go-to-market is direct factory sales supplemented by a single regional dealer, SLT Collection (Florida). Marketing is primarily organic through the website, Instagram, Facebook, and X. Customer segments are luxury yacht owners seeking high-performance tenders and performance boating enthusiasts; additional use cases include diving, watersports, and recreational boating. The company is not a scale franchise — it is a niche, custom manufacturer where each boat is unique and pricing is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Airshipribs

Legal name

Adaptive Composites LLC dba Airship Ribs

Website

https://www.airshipribs.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Airship Ribs (Adaptive Composites LLC) is a custom manufacturer of high-performance rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) built in Vermilion, Ohio using vacuum resin infusion and foam-cored composite construction. Founded in 2005, it serves yacht owners and performance boating enthusiasts across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) / Marine Manufacturing

NAICS

Boat Building (336612)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) & Inflatable Leisure Craft Manufacturing (IMAJAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Day Cruiser, Bowrider & Runabout Manufacturing (IMAJAEAI), Yacht Tenders & Auxiliary Leisure Craft Manufacturing (IMAJAEAO), Luxury Yacht Tenders & Support Craft Manufacturing (IMAJAMAK)

Keywords

• Rigid inflatable boats
• Composite boat manufacturing
• Performance RIBs
• Yacht tenders
• Custom boat building

Headquarters

HQ city

Vermilion

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Rigid Inflatable Boat Sales: Direct sales of custom-built rigid inflatable boats (RIBs). Each boat is built to customer specifications with extensive options and customization available. Pricing is quote-based as each vessel is unique.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Airship Ribs designs and manufactures custom-built rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) ranging from an 11'6" yacht tender to a 34' flagship, with an upcoming 380/400 model in development. Each boat is built to customer specifications using vacuum resin infusion, foam-cored sandwich construction, and premium materials such as Orca Hypalon tubes and SeaDek flooring. The company sells direct from its Ohio factory and through a regional dealer.

Product overview

Airship Ribs is a manufacturer of Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) based in Vermilion, Ohio. The product portfolio consists of five distinct RIB models spanning 11'6" to 34' in length: the compact 115 yacht tender, the mid-size 288 (the original model), the diesel-powered 300 DS, the twin-engine capable 310, and the flagship 340. All boats feature vacuum resin infusion construction, foam cored sandwich hulls, and Orca Hypalon inflatable tubes. The company also has an upcoming 380/400 flagship model in development. Products are customizable from minimalist builds to totally custom configurations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Airship 115 Yacht Tender Compact 11'6" rigid inflatable boat with a 6' beam, rated for up to 40HP, designed as a yacht tender. Built with Orca Hypalon tubes, carbon fiber dash, resin-infused vinylester construction with Diab foam core, LED navigation and courtesy lights, SeaDek flooring, and a 7-gallon fuel tank.
• Airship 288 28'8" RIB with 8'6" beam and deep V 24-degree twin stepped hull. Supports single outboard engines up to 300hp (or up to 350hp performance) and features VRI construction, foam-cored sandwich build, and Orca 828 tube material with five air chambers.
• Airship 300 DS (Diesel Sport) 30-foot diesel stern-drive sport RIB with foam-cored construction, resin-infused vinylester resin, SeaDek flooring, 67-gallon aluminum tank (upgradeable to 120 gallons), diesel stern drive up to 350hp, forward seating with storage, and oversized bolster with electric dropout seats.
• Airship 310 31-foot RIB designed for twin-engine installations or single engine up to 400hp (twin outboards up to 200hp each, 400hp total). Features a 77-gallon epoxy-coated aluminum tank, notched transom, and high-performance 2+2 racing-style seats.
• Airship 340 Flagship 34'10.35" RIB with a 10" beam and 25-degree deep V twin-stepped hull. Features twin 96-gallon fuel tanks, 21-gallon water capacity, seven air chambers, and supports twin outboards up to 450hp each (900hp total). Options include composite hard top, JL Sound Package, head system with holding tank, and refrigerator.

Quantifiable outcome

• Airship 310 beat sanctioned single engine outboard record around Long Island by half in July 2018

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SLT CollectionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDealer relationship for regional sales. SLT Collection represents Airship Ribs products, providing sales contact at 954-909-5480.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Willie Boats: Custom-built power catamarans and high-performance sport boats using advanced composite construction; directly comparable as a small, custom, performance-oriented US boat builder.
• RibCraft: US manufacturer of professional and recreational rigid inflatable boats with rigid foam-cored hulls; closely comparable in product category (RIBs) and US manufacturing footprint.
• Protector Boats: New Zealand-origin RIB builder (now US-built) specializing in high-performance rigid inflatable boats for sport fishing and recreational use; comparable in RIB category and performance orientation.
• Nautica RIBs: US-based RIB manufacturer offering a range of rigid inflatable boats from tenders to larger performance models; direct competitor in the US RIB market.
• Williams Jet Tenders: Premium jet-driven yacht tender manufacturer; comparable as a high-end tender specialist serving the luxury yacht owner segment Airship targets with the 115.

Broad incumbents

• Zodiac Nautic: Global incumbent in inflatable and RIB boats with broad product lines spanning military, commercial, and recreational; comparable as a much larger RIB brand with overlapping customers.
• Highfield Boats: Global aluminum-hulled RIB and tender manufacturer offering a wide range of models at scale; comparable as a broader RIB player overlapping in tender and recreational segments.
• BRIG (Brig Eagle): Established European RIB manufacturer with a global dealer network spanning recreational and commercial RIBs; comparable as a larger incumbent in the same RIB category.
• Boston Whaler: Iconic US boat manufacturer with unsinkable foam-cored hull construction and a broad recreational lineup; comparable in foam-core composite technology and US performance boating customer base.

Emerging players

• Scout Boats: US sport boat builder offering performance models with rigid inflatable-style designs and similar customer overlap in performance recreational boating.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AirshipRibs
• Facebookfacebook.com/airshipribs
• Instagraminstagram.com/airshipribs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adaptive-composites-lcc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Airshipribs