Vulkan Marine made its market debut with the K-Rib 9.5, an inflatable boat featuring KYMS, a digital platform developed by Kineton for simple and intuitive boat management.
New Vulkan Marine brand
The Vulkan Marine brand, owned by Kineton — a high-tech engineering company specializing in software solutions for automotive, media, IT, telco, and aerospace sectors — was officially unveiled at the Cannes Boat Show. Kineton started Vulkan Marine to introduce its innovative solutions to the nautical world. Present at the show with the first unit, K-Rib 9.5, the shipyard is developing a range of inflatable boats between 9 and 12 meters, designed as smart boats always connected through the KYMS boat management software.
KYMS: Kineton Yacht Management System
KYMS is a digital platform designed to control basic inflatable boat functions and ensure greater safety while sailing. It offers infotainment and owner support applications. The system includes an on-board embedded system, a cloud platform, and a web/mobile application. Through the NMEA2000 network, KYMS can acquire information on the vessel’s status, including engine data, GPS, radar, echo-sounder, and anemometer. It supports navigation, berthing, controls onboard utilities, and enables advanced infotainment applications such as live and VOD content streaming and music streaming services.
Remote information management
KYMS, now finalized on the K-Rib 9.5, will soon be available to all boat operators. “Thanks to KYMS’s advanced algorithms, it will be possible to visually monitor sensitive areas of the shipboard, while fully respecting user privacy,” explains Giovanni Fiengo, CEO of Kineton. “It allows the observation of the vessel’s operating status and remote management of certain subsystems. Navigational data collection and diagnostics will also enable boat manufacturers and operators to be informed in real time of possible breakdowns, significantly improving customer service efficiency.”
How did the vulkan marine brand come about?
Vulkan is a brand owned by Kineton, a young and growing engineering company specializing in the automotive and aerospace infotainment multimedia world, producing hardware and software for these industries. Among other development possibilities, Kineton has also focused on a technological boat management system. By “technological,” we mean a connected boat with a simple user experience that enables users to enjoy the asset effectively and efficiently. Kineton is a benefits company with broader goals than just profit, emphasizing a code of ethics and values increasingly prominent in the luxury boating industry.
The birth of the K-Rib 9.5
We aimed to create a wheelable inflatable boat (2.5 m wide when deflated and 3 m wide when inflated) that could also function as a watercraft. This boat began as a demo, developed, tested, and validated in just eight months. We installed higher-than-usual equipment levels, including a bow thruster, radar, anemometer, proximity sensors, and cameras. All these devices interact within our system, working embedded and on the cloud, capable of data processing and self-learning through artificial intelligence. We currently have a constant 5G connection on board, with satellite compatibility as an option.
Motorization choices
We chose Mercury engines for their 5-year warranties and extremely low emissions. By opting for downsized power with a pair of V6s, we achieved adequate efficiency. This inflatable boat, within a speed range of 20 to 30 knots, maintains an average consumption consistently under 2.5 liters per mile. After a summer of testing, these data have proven reliable.
KYMS control and infotainment system
KYMS is open to the market and other shipyards, not limited to our boats. For manufacturers, this always-connected system simplifies aftersales service by allowing real-time data collection, making service and maintenance easier and timelier.
Future plans and environmental commitment
Vulkan Marine is based in Naples. In the next three years, we plan to produce 12 m and 6 m models. Our boats are highly customizable, using modular molds. Our goal is not to produce large quantities but to build tailor-made products with an eye toward a greener world. We strive for increased efficiency in consumption and recyclable materials. For example, the K-Rib 9.5’s carbon console includes the first layers of recycled carbon. We are also exploring hybrid and/or electric solutions, though storage issues currently complicate a 100% electric solution. For the K-Rib 9.5, we worked hard to save 500 kg, making it contradictory to add heavy batteries.
The K-Rib 9.5 Boat: performance and design excellence
With a minimal design, well-distributed weights, and an efficient hull, the K-Rib 9.5 powered by two Mercury V6 engines reaches 40 knots.
the screens of lights, batteries, anchoring, and mooring aid
The K-Rib 9.5 is a center console boat measuring 9.5 m long and 3.20 m wide. It boasts a sleek, sporty design with a tubular made of Orca 1880 neoprene hypalon that tapers toward the bow. The absence of anchor bow gear facilitates bow approach maneuvers. The hull features a pronounced variable V design derived from the award-winning Soffio boat in Endurance racing, and it is hand-rolled for quality.
Solid and efficient monolithic hull
The choice of a monolithic hull ensures particular solidity and efficiency, providing good inertia even on waves. This design choice was made to enhance performance and stability.
Less weight, excellent performance
The deck, designed by Valerio Rivellini, is made by infusion, as are the console and hard-top, which, along with the uprights, are made of carbon fiber. Major weights are concentrated at the bottom for greater stability, while the top is lightened as much as possible. The barycentric tank in the hull further enhances stability. The efficient hull and weight control allow for good performance with relatively small engines. The boat is powered by a pair of 225 HP Mercury outboard engines, enabling it to reach a top speed of more than 40 knots and maintain fuel consumption below 2.5 liters/mile at cruising speeds ranging from 20 to 30 knots. For higher performance, engines with a power output of up to 700 HP can be installed.
Facilities and services
The dashboard, located in the middle of the boat, features touch displays mounted flush on a sloping plexiglass top that bends upward to form the windshield. The console block includes two 30-litre refrigerators and a retractable sink. Toward the stern, a foldable sofa with a backrest expands the sundeck, which houses storage lockers for equipment, batteries, water tanks, and the boiler. The bow features a second settee and a large sunbathing area. A dressing room with services and an electrical panel is also provided. The plumbing system includes an 80-liter tank and a 10-liter water heater. The electrical system not only supports normal onboard use but also features underwater lights.
Heart of the inflatable boat: the KYMS Digital System
At the heart of the K-Rib 9.5 control console, alongside the classic chart plotter, is a 15.4” monitor dedicated to KYMS. This system offers both local and remote management, providing assistance and decision support with the help of artificial intelligence.
The boat’s functional groups include the management of batteries, loads (boiler, autoclave, refrigerator, fan), lights, pumps, winch, and bow thruster. Most operations can be performed remotely via a mobile device. A screen displays water and diesel levels, essential navigation data, facility status, and any failures. The console also has a parallel navigation utilities system protected by fuses.
Aids to navigation and mooring
Radar, cameras, proximity sensors, and the bow thruster form the basis of navigation aid systems. The shipyard explains that their goal is to achieve sensor fusion for an autonomous mooring system in the future. Object recognition technology is borrowed from the automotive industry. The system’s level of intervention can scale from alerts to potentially inhibiting certain maneuvers to prevent collisions.
An important aspect of KYMS is network training. This involves a neural network that must be trained using real-world video streams to recognize moving objects. The infrastructure is ready, and training is expected to finish by the end of the year.
Cruise planning
KYMS suggests optimal routes based on the user’s profile, weather, and forecasts. It is also being developed to recommend bays for anchoring based on factors like crowding, sea depth, wind, and weather forecasts. The infotainment system can be accessed through a mobile device via Bluetooth or an integrated application.
