Yachting Art Magazine

An aluminium hull, Hypalon-Neoprene floats, a 115 ch Suzuki engine, a very comprehensive range of equipment and a price of 35,900 euros (including VAT), ready to sail: the FOUR Seas FS6 is one of the highlights of the Port-Camargue Boat Show. In this new episode of BateauScopie, ActuNautique joins Sébastien Jacquot, sales manager at Sud Yachting, to explore this new brand of RIBs and a 5.90-metre FS6, whose positioning stands in stark contrast to the price inflation seen in the boating sector since the Covid pandemic.

FOUR Seas, a new brand of aluminium-hulled RIBs

Economy – Shipyards – Investments – The French RIB market welcomes a new brand: FOUR Seas. ActuNautique discovered it at the Port-Camargue Boat Show, with a model that is particularly revealing of its positioning: the FOUR Seas FS6.

For this new episode of BateauScopie, we asked Sébastien Jacquot, sales manager at Sud Yachting, to introduce us to this boat and, above all, to explain what lies behind its particularly competitive price.

Because the figure immediately catches the eye: the model on display, powered by a Suzuki 115 ch four-stroke fuel-injected engine, is priced at 35,900 euros including VAT, ready to sail.

And this is not a promotional price for a bare hull with a long list of optional extras to add.

The boat on display features, amongst other things, a forward sun deck, a water-ski pole, a roll bar, an EVA foam deck covering, a shower and its upholstery.

In a market where the price of motorboats has risen sharply in recent years, this pricing strategy is certainly worth taking a closer look at.

A FOUR Seas FS range from 5.50 to 7 metres

The FS6 forms part of a range of four RIBs.

FOUR Seas offers models measuring 5.50 m, 6 m, 6.50 m and 7 m, ensuring the range remains within the segment of craft that are easily suitable for day trips, water sports or family outings.

Despite being called the FS6, the boat spotted at Port-Camargue measures precisely 5.90 m.

Its design is based on a particularly interesting combination: a rigid aluminium hull and Hypalon-Neoprene floats.

The use of aluminium is one of the boat’s key distinguishing features.

A lightweight yet highly rigid aluminium hull

Beneath the floor and floats of the FOUR Seas FS6 lies a genuine aluminium structure.

The benefits of this material are well known in the boating world: for an equivalent design, it allows for a relatively low weight whilst achieving a particularly rigid structure.

Sébastien Jacquot also emphasises the presence of numerous reinforcements.

This is a particularly useful feature for a RIB, which is often subjected to fairly intensive use: family outings, water sports, fishing, transporting equipment or landing directly on a beach.

In the latter case, aluminium offers a significant practical advantage. Beaching – in other words, deliberately running the boat aground on a beach – can be undertaken with greater peace of mind than with a polyester hull, whose gelcoat is far more susceptible to scratches and impacts.

The aluminium hull therefore fits in quite well with the FS6’s overall philosophy: a boat designed to be used without excessive precautions.

A deep V-shape combined with large floats

The hull of the Four Seas FS6 features a relatively deep V-shape, combined with large-diameter floats.

This combination serves several purposes.

The V-shape is designed to allow the hull to cut through choppy water more effectively and improve comfort when sea conditions deteriorate. At the same time, the large floats act as deflectors, pushing water outwards.

But their benefits are also evident at low speeds and whilst moored.

At the stern, the floats come into contact with the water. The boat therefore rests on a particularly wide base, which contributes to its transverse stability.

When passengers move from one side to the other, the floats thus limit the amount of heel.

This is a welcome feature on a family boat under six metres, where the movements of several passengers can quickly alter the trim.

A deliberately simple design

A tour of the FOUR Seas FS6 reveals, above all, a surprisingly simple design.

And this simplicity is probably one of the reasons for its price.

FOUR Seas does not seek to transform a 5.90-metre RIB into a mini-yacht. The shipyard favours a functional and relatively uncluttered deck layout.

The console is therefore compact and slightly offset to starboard.

This positioning allows for a passageway on the starboard side, but above all frees up much more space on the port side to reach the bow.

On a boat under six metres, avoiding an oversized console frees up a significant amount of floor space.

The helm follows the same philosophy. No unnecessary fittings: a simple leaning post, a seat allowing the skipper to steer whilst standing, and easily accessible handrails.

The aluminium construction offers another advantage here: the structural elements can be welded directly in place. The roll bar, handrails and various supports are thus an integral part of the structure.

A proper sunbathing area at the bow

Simplicity does not, however, mean austerity.

At the bow, the FOUR Seas FS6 features a large sunbathing area, with a small headrest allowing you to sit comfortably.

The upholstery, in fact, was one of the pleasant surprises noted during this BateauScopie review. The foam padding is relatively firm and provides a level of support superior to what one might expect given the boat’s price point.

The bow also retains an access point allowing you to board or disembark easily when the RIB is moored bow-to at a quay.

There is plenty of storage space, which also benefits from the aluminium structure.

At the stern, a large bench seat spans the full width.

Access to the aft platforms remains easy thanks to the roll bar’s design, whilst a swimming ladder and a deck shower complete the equipment for summer outings.

A customisable FOUR Seas FS6

The affordable price does not mean that all FS6s have to be identical.

FOUR Seas offers several customisation options.

The owner can choose the colour of the Hypalon-Neoprene used for the floats, as well as the deck covering and upholstery.

The model spotted at Port-Camargue features a particularly understated design, dominated by matt black, combined with lighter shades for the deck and seating.

This scope for customisation allows the brand to maintain a relatively simple industrial base whilst offering a variety of aesthetic styles.

Suzuki 115 ch: 38 knots recorded during trials

Mounted on the transom of the FOUR Seas FS6 featured in BateauScopie is a Suzuki 115 ch four-stroke fuel-injected engine.

This power output appears particularly well-suited to an aluminium RIB of this size.

A few days before the Port-Camargue Boat Show, Sud Yachting had carried out the first trials of this vessel.

The reported result is 38 knots at top speed.

This performance is more than sufficient for the boat’s intended use. It allows you to make quick coastal journeys, go water-skiing or simply enjoy a more dynamic sailing experience.

The favourable power-to-weight ratio, thanks to the aluminium construction, naturally contributes to this performance.

The FS6 therefore does not need an oversized outboard engine to easily exceed 30 knots.

35,900 euros including VAT with a Suzuki 115 ch

That leaves the one thing that immediately caught our attention about this boat: its price.

The FOUR Seas FS6 on display at Port-Camargue is priced at 35,900 euros including VAT.

This price includes the Suzuki 115 ch, as well as the configuration showcased at BateauScopie: forward sun deck, ski pole, roll bar, EVA foam deck covering, shower and various fittings ensuring the boat is ready to set sail.

At this price point, it’s worth comparing it with many polyester or aluminium RIBs of similar dimensions.

This is all the more so in the current economic climate.

Between rising raw material costs, supply chain issues and the surge in demand during the Covid period, the price of many new boats has risen sharply since 2020. Part of the market is now faced with boaters who are much more budget-conscious.

The FOUR Seas FS6 appears to be specifically designed to respond to this trend.

FOUR Seas focuses on value for money

This new BateauScopie feature, produced at the Port-Camargue Boat Show, offers an insight into a brand that does not seek to revolutionise the RIB sector through an overabundance of technology.

FOUR Seas’ approach ultimately appears far more pragmatic.

A sturdy yet lightweight aluminium hull, Hypalon-Neoprene floats, a deep V-shape, generous buoyancy, a simple deck layout, good accessibility and a 115 ch Suzuki engine capable of propelling the boat to 38 knots.

Added to this is a genuine scope for customisation, particularly regarding the floats, deck covering and upholstery.

But it is undoubtedly the price of €35,900 including VAT, ready to sail that is the FOUR Seas FS6’s main selling point.

In a boating market where price rises since 2020 have at times put new boats out of reach for some of their traditional clientele, the arrival of FOUR Seas raises an interesting question: are we finally witnessing the return of simple, well-equipped boats offered at prices more in line with the economic reality of recreational boaters?

That, at any rate, is the gamble taken by FOUR Seas and Sud Yachting with this FS6. And that is precisely why Yachting Art wanted to dedicate this new episode of BoatScopy to it.