You, as the customer, have the option of ordering the Wolverine to be tiller operated or, steered from a center mount console. Both options include the ability to row the boat in case of engine failure. That control will help you get the boat out of a sticky situation, or to control the boat when the motor is just too much for the situation.

The Wolverine is much more strongly built, and therefore much more robust, than traditional sport boats, which are so commonly used by rescue professionals. This robustness allows one to complete jobs not normally even attempted in traditional sport boats. You will never pull the Wolverine’s transom off in shallow, rocky water as you can with the average sport boat!

The Wolverine has a proprietary one-piece hull design, along with a vertical lip surrounding the pan edge. Our design is stiff, light, and sound; a structure that enables this boat to be powered by even modest size outboard motors.

The Wolverine uses a proprietary pan design, which develops more lift, per comparable boat size. This design feature, which we call the Swallowtail, not only provides more lift, but also decreases planing time, decreases spray, and increases speed.

The Wolverine uses a proprietary transom design, which stabilizes the ends of the inflatable tubes, canceling any flutter, and the inevitable resultant damage, to the ends of the sponsons. It also gives the boat it’s distinctive “bat wing” look.

The Wolverine has a heavily armored inflatable collar, and aluminum hull, both of which allow for a greater margin of error in dangerous use situations. Each type of armor is repairable and replaceable.

The Wolverine uses a Double Hull Inflatable Collar, which allows for extremely quick, and on the spot, repairs even under the most stressful and inclement weather conditions. Urethane tape, included in the repair kit, can be used to stop simple leaks on the spot, simple leaks as large as your wrist! In case of a catastrophic bladder failure, the adjacent bladders can be hyper-inflated to almost fill the void!

The Wolverine inflatable collar’s outer hull is made of Military Specification fabric coated with pure Urethane and is made exclusively for the manufacture of high end inflatable boats. This fabric is almost 1/16” thick because it is so robustly made; in short, this not a dock shelter or pond liner with a thick coat of cheap materials used for low end boats! This fabric is so robust it is able to withstand 420 pounds of puncture force!

The Wolverine uses a proprietary compression clamping system to secure the inflatable collar to the hull, allowing a more rapid collar replacement than traditional rescue boat designs, just in case of catastrophic hull failure. Better yet; it is a rock solid system that will not fail you.

The Wolverine’s light-weight (approximately 850 pounds) is a blessing when it is time to wrestle the boat off a sand bar. That same lightness, coupled with the welded internal/external attachment points facilitate safe towing and even more importantly, allows safe launching from non-traditional launch sites, such as bridge crossings and cut banks, without damage to the boat.

The Wolverine sports a 1/2” thick King StarBoard AS (anti-slip) floor, which floats, rejects compression, accepts impacts, and will never delaminate. This floor will help you keep your footing in trying circumstances.

One Piece Aluminum Hull – 1/4” marine grade plate throughout.

• Armor – 3/8” of hard, slippery urethane on the bottom of the hull.
  
• Batwings – Zero sponson flutter, greater performance, longer life.
  
• Swallowtail – More surface, quicker planing, and better performance.
  
• Transom – Sealed, and protected from crushing.
  
• Tunnel – Broken into place from one sheet of aluminum.
  

Inflatable Collar – Double hull tube with easy access to the inner bladder.

• Armor - Two layers of fabric on the bottom half of the collar.
  
• Bow Protection - Urethane coated bow panel.
  
• Functionality – Accessories can be hard bolted to the fabric.
  
• Mobility - Carry handles everywhere.
  
• Repairability - Quick and easy repairs anytime, anywhere.
  

Rowing System – Tiller or wheel, you have control at all times.

• Fuel Tank – Safely blocked in the aluminum seat or console.
  
• Passenger Seat – A padded spot for the passenger, with handles.
  

Light System – Two removable systems make night rescues safer.

• Bow Lights - Strap on plate for the bow facilitates close work.
  
• Overhead Lights – Stern mounted bar facilitates driving.

Ample d-rings inside and out  Two huge drains         Sling eyes
Anti-slip floor                               Gear storage            Repair kit
Secure towing systems         Five air chambers       Pressure gauge
And more….

The Inflatable Collar

The collar, for the Wolverine, is manufactured by the largest inflatable manufacturer in North America, which is AIRE of Meridian, Idaho. Though AIRE is the largest manufacturer they do not have our contract on size, but on quality. Simply put, they build the best professional inflatable system out there, and back each of their products fully. The AIREheads are professionals, and are a pleasure to work with. They were a natural to build the inflatable collar for the Wolverine. If you make it to the Boise area, take a tour of their facility. AIRE is the leader in the industry with a clean, modern approach to the manufacture of inflatable boats.

Armor

The bottom of the inflatable collar is a double layer of urethane hull material, and therefore almost 1/8” thick. The second layer of fabric, which is 16” wide, has been added to the inside of the collar. Positioning this additional layer of fabric inside the collar means there are no exposed edges, which can be lifted by contact with obstructions or river wear. The outside of the bow panel has a 1/8” thick layer of P.E. Elastomerics Flex-Tuff 50-90N liquid urethane added to protect the bow when the boat is nosed into an obstruction.

As an option, or for maintenance purposes, an extra layer of 1/8” thick P.E. Elastomerics Flex-Tuff 50-90N liquid urethane can be permanently applied to any portion of the outside of the collar. This layer serves the same function as urethane applied to the inside of a dump truck bed or rock chute, in that it protects the collar as an almost indestructible armor.  More urethane can be added as the original layer is worm away, if that ever happens! Your organization has a selection of colors to choose from, and color can be used to measure wear.

Air Chambers

The one-piece collar is separated into five independent air chambers for safety. The bow is an individual chamber separate from the two side chambers as the bow is the most likely chamber to be damaged. Any three of the five chambers will keep the boat afloat in the event of catastrophic failure.

In the event of catastrophic damage to any one of the chambers, the remaining bulkheads are designed to allow hyperinflation of the adjoining chambers. These bulkheads can move up to 30”! Simply put, a chamber which has been damaged to the point of not holding air, can be partially filled by over inflating the adjacent chambers! This incredible feature, a result of the expansion capabilities of the pure urethane bladders, is a key safety feature of this boat.

As an option for deepwater boats, permanent bulkheads can be installed between each air chamber. This option allows for quick replacement of a bladder, while on the water, without interfering with the other bladders. This option includes a pressure relief valve in each chamber. This option is not recommended for river use, but is available if your organization demands the addition.

Bow Construction

The bow has a square bow, which delivers a great amount of working room in the bow, and the feel of a larger boat. Not only is there greater room but easier and faster egress for both rescuers and “rescuees”, another key safety feature.

Collar to Hull Attachment

The proprietary internal mounting system of the collar to the hull allows for fairly rapid replacement of the collar, if catastrophic damage occurs. Rather than use a suspect track system, or worse yet, glue, to hold the collar to the hull, we use an internal/external aluminum clamping bar system secured by stainless steel bolts. A system proven, to be robust enough for craft of this nature.

Collar Construction Style

The collar is two layers thick, the outer and the inner; both of which are thermo-welded for maximum seam strength. No glue is used in the collar’s construction, as glue is prone to failure in extreme operating conditions.

The inner bladder is made of pure urethane membrane and is the air retentive part of the collar. All bladders are tested at the factory to ensure there is no air loss for 72 hours after inflation

The outer layer is 1670 denier polyester based urethane fabric designed and made specifically for inflatable boat manufacture. This outer layer means a 100% wrapped boat. This same layer is what “makes the boat” and provides wear protection to the air retentive bladder inside.

The bladders are fully accessible through a full length zipper. This zipper is actually two non-corroding zippers sewn in tandem. These zippers are rated at 10 times the force exerted by the recommended inflation pressure.

Cone Ends

Two common design flaws found on most sport boats is the use of multiple pieces of fabric to make the cone, and the placement of the closure seam on the bottom of the cone. Those methods of construction, though economical and easy for the manufacturer, exposes the fabric edge. That edge will catch on each and every obstruction it touches. Worse yet the pressure of a hard fast turn can open the seam. The Wolverine is not built with multiple panels and exposed seams. Such construction is simply prone to failure. Our seams are up out of the way. You will never have to worry about them.

Design

Rather than simply adding an inflatable collar to a hull, Wolverine boats incorporate the collar into the overall hull design. By optimizing both the tube and hull's attributes into a single design, we insure they function as one solid unit, a RHIB. We designed our tubes to rest on the waterline, to provide greater stability at rest and improved performance while powering upstream. Since the tubes are designed to skim just across the surface of the water, they provide stability while minimizing drag.  Having the tubes riding just on top of the water also helps to deflect spray down, resulting in a very dry ride.

Fabric

The fabric used to manufacture the collar is manufactured by EREZ in Israel. It is a fabric designed expressly for inflatable construction and is approved for U.S. Military inflatable boat construction.

The base cloth is 1500 denier (1670 dtx) polyester which weighs 14.4 oz/sq yd (490 gr/sq mt). Polyester base cloth is stiffer than the much more commonly used, and much more economical, nylon base cloth. This inherent stiffness delivers better performance in the final product, and the ability to withstand 420 pounds of puncture resistance! 25.6 ounces per square yard of pure urethane coating is then applied, while hot, under great pressure, via heated rollers, to both sides of the polyester base cloth. This system of application mixes the coating through the base cloth, in effect welding the coating to the cloth and to itself. Pure urethane is applied. Not a mixture or a blend, but pure urethane. That coating will withstand greater than 12,000 cycles with a Taber Wheel (H-22), under a 2.2 pound (1 kilogram) load, before the fabric is exposed!

The bottom of the inflatable collar is composed of two layers of this impressive fabric!

Fill Valves

High quality Leafield B7 one-way fill valves are used in the construction of the Wolverine. The B7 valve cap has a smooth rounded definition, which will lower the chances one will suffer an injury by being thrown against this fill valve. It is also completely rebuildable in the field without having to be removed from the collar itself. Protective caps screw down securely to eliminate debris and accidental deflation. A replacement valve is included in the repair kit. The inflation valves are plastic, therefore non-corrosive and double sealed for safety.

Handles

Nine exclusive easy carry handles are standard on the Wolverine, each spaced to allow the boat to be hand carried if necessary. All are comfortable to hold and are extremely durable.

The Hull and Transom

All of our aluminum welding is completed by Dave Kindred of Heavy Weather Boats here in Anchorage. Not only is Dave a boat builder of almost legendary status, he is an extremely knowledgeable aluminum smith and the finest “working engineer” in Alaska. If you are in Anchorage stop by his shop and have a look at the U.S.C.G. inspected 34’ Hickman Sea Sled he is currently building. It is a work of art, which will soon be working the waters of Prince William Sound.

Armor

Since aluminum takes a beating upon impact, and “grabs” gravel (sometimes called galling) the bottom of the Wolverine is heavily armored. Armored with the latest in high tech coatings, 3/8” of Hardline Urethane. Our use of Hardline Urethane on the bottom of the Wolverine delivers a seamless coating system. The lack of seams means there are no edges to be caught. This same material has been used to protect the bottom of aluminum boats used by the U.S. Marines, on the bottom of pontoons perched on sandstone shores of the some of the large Western U.S. lakes, and to protect the bottom of landing craft.

An optional protective coating is available if your organization demands a more- traditional armor. That optional armor is a material proven to out-wear carbon steel by a ratio of at least seven to one, and is commonly called UHMW.

Removable, and therefore replaceable, 3/8” thick TIVAR 1000 Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW) sheeting is welded to the bottom of the 1/4” thick aluminum floor. The UHMW is held in place with countersunk aluminum washers, which are welded to the aluminum hull. This method of attachment means no holes in the hull, and insures a leak proof hull.

Not only does the UHMW protect the aluminum hull against many damage causing impacts it also wears longer, and has much less friction than aluminum. The UHMW results in a longer life for the aluminum hull and decreased friction.

TIVAR 1000 is self-lubricating, which results in the material being constantly slick. This inherent slick-ness, results in reduced friction which delivers a boat which is much easier to get back into the water in case of grounding, or more easily launched from non-traditional launch sites. TIVAR 1000 does not absorb water and “almost” floats. Therefore it’s addition to the bottom of the hull does not lessen the boat’s freeboard, or carrying capacity, to any appreciable degree.  The edges of the UHMW are butted up against the aluminum hull/tube area. This design does not allow the edges of the UHMW to affect the performance of the boat, or to be easily caught by a rock.

Design

All parts of the hull are computer designed and engineered to fit perfectly for easy welding. All the parts are either hand cut or cut with high-pressure water jets to minimize distortion and maximize the accuracy of the computer-generated design. The tunnel is then “broken” into place (rather than welded), which delivers a cleaner leading edge than what can be achieved through cutting and welding.

In order to insure overall structural integrity, the Wolverine is a hand built, one-piece aluminum hull. This design, coupled with the six inch tall lip surrounding the pan forward of the transom, along with the full-length (longitudinal) and full-width (transverse) aluminum angle-beam stiffeners, is the lightest, and stiffest, method of construction and yields the greatest performance from the least amount of weight. That allows the use of a smaller, and lighter, out board jet needed to drive the boat.

The very aft portion of the aluminum pan (the flat portion of the hull) does not stop at the transom. Rather the one-piece aluminum pan extends past the transom then terminates in a swallowtail shaped terminus. This extended floor gives greater lift to the boat both at rest, and when under power. It also finishes with the water more cleanly, boosting the boat’s performance.

The side supports of the transom are wide, and swept back. The distinctive look not only looks great, it supports the ends of the inflatable tubes. Most sport boat designs do not have any support for the terminus of the inflatable collar past the transom. That lack of support results in flutter, which eventually results in damage, especially in high performance rigid hull inflatable boats put through the paces with a serious power head. The Wolverine will never suffer this damage.

Drainage

The Wolverine has two high volume, large oval shaped, drain socks, located through the transom. No external power is necessary for these to function. These large drain openings also facilitate quick and easy wash downs of the floor. Though no drain plugs are provided, or needed, water can be kept from entering the area below the floor by lifting the ends of the drain socks via the attached lines. If you forget to tie off the drain socks the water under the floor will drain once you start the boat motor and power forward. This boat will not sink even if the entire interior area is flooded!

Floor Material

The floor is 1/2” thick King StarBoard AS. This durable, sure-grip HDPE resin material is extremely lightweight, so lightweight it floats. It is also very rigid; rigid enough to span three-foot wide openings with negligible deflection. And since King StarBoard AS is an extrusion it is dimensionally stable. Those features along with it’s toughness, it’s resistance to salt water, and it’s UV resistance make it the best boat floor covering available today.

The surface pattern is designed to be slip resistant when wet. It passes ASTM D2047 slip-resistant testing, scoring well above the industry requirements for ADA and OSHA. This floor helps keep the Wolverine’s occupants safer in tough situations.

Though King StarBoard AS has all the features one could ask for in a floor material for boats, it’s premier features are that it is virtually non-water absorbing, and it floats. These benefits add greatly to the overall safety of the boat.

And finally, though this material is heavier than a PVC Foam Laminate, King StarBoard AS is manufactured as a continuous extrusion so there are no structural weak spots where delamination can occur, or rot can set in. This flooring does it’s job extremely well, it is very easy to clean, and it never needs refinishing.

Hull and Stringer Material

The bottom of the pan is made of 1/4” aluminum plate hardened to 5086, and extremely hard 6061 for the stringers. This higher grade of aluminum, 5086, has a Ultimate Tensile Strength (where the metal breaks) of 129%. The Yield Tensile Strength (point to which the metal bends and will not spring back) is 122%. The stringers are 135% and 152%! Our use of the proper hardness materials insures that any loss of strength, which many metals suffer when heated, is compensated for after welding.

Sling Eyes

An internal bow eye is permanently welded to the inside of the aluminum hull. Two more yes are welded to the inside of the transom. These three eyes serve as secure attachment points of the sling system, and allow safe deplyment of the boat from overhead.

Towing Eyes and D-Rings (Bow)

The aluminum bow eye permanently welded to the underside of the aluminum hull, along with the two external bow d-rings permanently welded to the outside of the inflatable collar hull, serve as attachment points for a three point forward towing system.

Towing Eyes (Stern)

Two aluminum eyes are permanently welded to the back of the transom and serve as secure points of attachment for towing another boat, or to simply tie the boat down to the trailer.

Transom

The transom is sealed, welded shut, and blocked. It will never take on water, nor will it crush under use or weight. It is as robustly built as the rest of the boat.

We have standardized the toe-in at 15 degrees, though we will consider other angles upon request.

Tunnel

The tunnel is not terminated at the bottom of the transom as is done with so many lesser built boats, it continues out the rear of the Wolverine™…past the transom. This feature ensures the water is delivered to the leading edge of the jet foot intake, with as little turbulence as possible.

Welding

A few words about welding are in order. There are many people who can weld aluminum, but far fewer who can weld aluminum correctly. Therefore the man who weld our hulls, Dave Kindred, has much more than “many years experience welding aluminum boats”; he has a clear understanding of the nature of aluminum. An example of this knowledge is our use of 5356 welding wire, rather than 4043. The more commonly used 4043 gives off less spatter and smoke, but 5356 works better for the harder alloys. Another example of our understanding of aluminum is that we weld in the transom before the floor stringers. Welding in the floor stringers first is the easiest way to control warping of the aluminum, but we weld in the transom first to guarantee a totally sealed transom. This requires extra labor but it guarantees no leaks in the hull. It is this thorough understanding of the metal that ensures your hull will keep it’s structural integrity after years of hard use.

It is our desire to build the best boat possible, and our thorough knowledge of aluminum and boat building, that demands a proper construction methodology. We therefore use hot welding, rather than the cheaper and easier cold welding process. Our hot weld process is the proper fusion of materials. This process does result in visible weld lines on the outside of the hull. These “caterpillar tracks” are your assurance of a properly fused aluminum hull, a hull which will last many years. This boat, your rescue boat, will see heavy use at times, and has the strength to complete the job; a very real safety feature.

Steering Options

Though the Wolverine is designed to be motor-powered it must also be able to be controlled in case of motor failure. Safety demands control. Therefore either steering option (tiller or wheel) includes a rowing arrangement. If the tiller option is chosen the Wolverine will be supplied with a full width rowing frame. If the wheel option is chosen the Wolverine will be supplied with rowing saddles. A pair of professional quality oars are supplied with either arrangement.

The full width rowing frame (tiller operated) seat is a vented aluminum box, which contains space for the fuel tank (12 gallon tank supplied) and space for tools and other equipment. The bolt-on rowing saddles (wheel operated) seat is the forward portion of the center mount console option, which contains space for the fuel tank (19 gallon tank supplied) and space for tools and other equipment.

The Rowing Frame (if the Wolverine is wheel operated)

Frame Construction

The rowing frame is a proprietary bolt on style of construction designed exclusively for the Wolverne. Two matching pieces of rolled aluminum are bolted together, one inside the outer hull and the other inside, sandwiching the outer hull fabric between them. The oar stands are then welded atop the outer plate. This design keeps each side of the center mount console clear of any obstructions.

Frame Style

The rowing frame is a simple, basic configuration which is customized to fit the Wolverine and it’s intended job. Our simple yet highly functional rowing system saves weight and space, but is strong enough to be used to control the boat in case of motor failure.

Fuel Tank

Rather than cluttering the floor with a loose fuel tank, the nineteen gallon capacity USCG and ABYC compliant polyethylene fuel tank is out of the way, and is safely contained in the bottom of the vented aluminum console. The polyethylene fuel tank is safely secured (blocked) in the console. Blocking controls fuel tank movement and therefore dangerous weight shifts during quick turns. The aluminum console also serves as the passenger seat. The passenger seat is permanently padded “tractor style” seat with a non-water absorbing closed cell pad for the passenger’s comfort. The seat also has a grab handle on each side for the passenger’s safety.

Oars

Two polyethylene coated 9’ Carlisle shafts, 8” wide Carlisle Outfitter Blades, black oar sleeves, and black Oar Rights all seated in silicon bronze open oar locks are provided. Each of these products are industry leaders in their fields and have been used the world over by professionals for years.

The Rowing Frame (if Wolverine is tiller operated)

Frame Construction

The full width rowing frame is of round pipe construction. All pipe is anodized 1.25” I.D. aluminum hardened to a level of T6. All fittings are Northwest River Supplies’ positive grip, fully adjustable, and very user friendly LoPros.

Frame Style

The rowing frame is a basic configuration which is customized to fit the Wolverine and it’s intended job. The simple yet highly functional frame features a removable vented aluminum box, which contains the fuel tank, and also serves as a padded seat. A quick detach safety/lean bar is included for the safety of the standing operator.

Fuel Tank

Rather than cluttering the floor with a loose fuel tank, the twelve gallon capacity USCG and ABYC compliant polyethylene fuel tank is up off the floor, and is safely contained in the block, vented aluminum box, which also serves as the passenger seat. This box seat is suspended in the rowing frame of the boat. The polyethylene fuel tank is safely secured (blocked) in the box. Blocking controls fuel tank movement and therefore dangerous weight shifts during quick turns. The top of the aluminum box is permanently padded with a non-water absorbing closed cell for the passenger’s comfort. The box also has a grab handle on each side for the passenger’s safety.

Oars

Two polyethylene coated 9’ Carlisle shafts, 8” wide Carlisle Outfitter Blades, black oar sleeves, and black Oar Rights all seated in silicon bronze open oar locks are provided. Each of these products are industry leaders in their fields and have been used the world over by professionals for years.

Light Structures

Each Wolverine™ is equipped with two removable support systems for lights (you add your own lights and power to fit your needs). The bow structure is a rolled plate, with elevated bar, held in place with four quick release straps, which grab the d-rings in the bow. The stern structure system is of double bar construction, which pins to a support plate on the Batwings. Both systems are designed to keep the light forward, or above, the boat occupants heads, thereby lowering the chances of being blinded during use.