{"id":138055,"date":"2026-01-21T06:45:33","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T06:45:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/?post_type=review&p=138055"},"modified":"2026-01-21T06:46:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T06:46:14","slug":"arksen-discovery-8-review-is-arksens-first-ever-rib-the-adventure-boat-it-needs-to-be","status":"publish","type":"review","link":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/reviews\/adventure\/arksen-discovery-8-review-is-arksens-first-ever-rib-the-adventure-boat-it-needs-to-be","title":{"rendered":"Arksen Discovery 8 review: Is Arksen\u2019s first ever RIB the adventure boat it needs to be?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ever since its inception, British adventure company, Arksen, has felt different. Yes, there are now all kinds of trawler yachts, pilothouse boats and RIBs that adopt \u201cadventure\u201d as a key part of their marketing profiles but here was a company that backed up its hardware with a proven infrastructure of adventurers from all kinds of disciplines that enabled you to use your boat in a more ambitious and rewarding way than you might ever have thought possible.<\/p>\n

But even if you disregard that critical element of the package, the boats themselves have been impressive. At the top of the Arksen tree is the Explorer series of serious long-distance expedition platforms \u2013 not least the all-aluminium flagship 85 with its extraordinary 7,000-mile range; in the middle are the Adventure sportsboats, which are derived from XO\u2019s tough four-season aluminium pilothouse craft; and in terms of open boats, there\u2019s also now a RIB line known as the Discovery series. We\u2019d already seen this boat a year ago at its Southampton Boat Show debut but here, on a brisk and lumpy sea off Chichester, we finally got the chance to put it through its paces.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Expect huge acceleration, a 52-knot top end and an easygoing 2L\/mile cruise<\/p><\/div>\n

Big, bright and beamy<\/h2>\n

Before we get to the drive though, it\u2019s worth a look at the design because it makes really interesting use of the space. In the cockpit, for instance, the aft bench conceals a vast (and beautifully lined) 450L drained storage locker. That\u2019s flanked by cushioned armrests with wireless phone chargers recessed into the lateral mouldings. And ahead of that, a pair of fold-down seats built into the back edge of the transverse wet bar can be strapped up to free up the deck space or dropped down for extra sociability at the dining station.<\/p>\n

The wet bar itself is also cleverly conceived. There\u2019s a fridge as standard, plus space for an electric Kenyon grill and a sunken wine cooler. There\u2019s also room for a pair of optional Igloo cool boxes beneath the unit, which makes plenty of sense if you want to take your food, drink and seating ashore for a beach picnic. However you choose to spec it though, the fact that you get a wet bar and some central seats rather than just one or the other is a major plus on a boat of this size.<\/p>\n

Where this boat really scores over the show boat we saw a year back, however, is in the detailing. There are sturdy gas rams on the lids and hatches and a long low-profile ladder that extends out from the starboard swim platform.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Strong build, high-grade fit-out and SUV styling give it a distinctly premium feel<\/p><\/div>\n

The tables are also cleverly devised. Built light and manageable with right- angled struts and flexible fastenings, you can lift and drop, rotate and pivot, so you can keep your dinner front and centre or shift your drinks and nibbles out of the way above the inflatable collar to open up the space. There are fore and aft infills for the two dining zones too, and these are similarly lightweight and easy to handle.<\/p>\n

Further forward, the console is offset to port, opening up a very secure walkway to starboard, but thanks to some well designed grab rails, it\u2019s perfectly easy to climb up and over the tube on the portside too. There\u2019s also excellent access to the heads compartment, thanks to a door that encompasses the entire starboard corner of the console moulding.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s plenty of space in there for changing your clothes, as well as for using the loo and washing at the compact sink, and the natural light in this space is also uncommonly strong.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Nestle in at the bow seat and the tube comes right up under your armpit<\/p><\/div>\n

Surprising security<\/h2>\n

When you reach the bow, the impact of that substantially raised sheerline adds tremendous depth for a far greater degree of security than you would tend to expect of a RIB.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s space for a convertible four-man bow lounge up here and the fact that there\u2019s a compressor in the console\u2019s forward locker, with a hose long enough to reach all five chambers of that wide-diameter Hypalon collar, and sufficient power to inflate your high-pressure SUP boards, is particularly good news.<\/p>\n

The forepeak, however, is a bit of an anomaly. On the one hand, the anchor is mounted on the stem to enable easy disembarkation. On the other, there\u2019s an aluminium box section to add rigidity in the forepeak that is currently unused for any other practical purpose and remains open, creating a trip hazard directly behind the step-through bow.<\/p>\n

\"\"

You can also opt for a single rig if you\u2019re happy with 40 knots<\/p><\/div>\n

Clearly, a lid would be a positive step, and so would a bow ladder, but either way, in addition to providing space for up to 12 people, the Arksen 8 combines its tough SUV styling and heavyweight build with quite a premium finish.<\/p>\n

There are slick orange accents to ramp up the aesthetic impact, plus neat detailing in the stitched upholstery. The Esthec decking features some cool custom Arksen branding and while the catches for the fold-down seats are unlike any we\u2019ve seen before, they\u2019re also stylish, low-profile and brilliantly simple to operate one-handed.<\/p>\n

Tough, dry and rapid<\/h2>\n

In line with its role as a proper sea boat, the Arksen uses a deep-vee non-stepped hull with a raised bow, a fine entry and a rugged 520mm Hypalon collar that retains a 490mm diameter even at the slightly squared-off forepeak. That provides plenty of splash deflection in a lumpy sea and we need that today because the winds are stoking up the swells into chunky four-footers.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Fold-down seats at the wet bar make loads of sense<\/p><\/div>\n

The raised bow isn\u2019t just dry though. It\u2019s also confidence-inspiring from the helm, not least because, even when you sit down behind that elevated console, the step-through rails on the forepeak act like crosshairs in your eye line. And when you combine all of these traits with strong stability and excellent sensitivity to leg angle adjustments, the Arksen 8 delivers a really superb performance in a big following sea.<\/p>\n

In fact, we find ourselves surfing a 4ft following sea at 20 knots with such composure that we feel perfectly comfortable throttling on to 42 knots and outrunning the ramps as they roll in. It\u2019s a tremendous amount of fun and the ergonomics of the helm station certainly help with that. You get twin suspension seats and a pair of 12in MFDs as standard and the shelter provided by the console\u2019s height is again very reassuring.<\/p>\n

\"\"

If the tables are a shade fiddly, they\u2019re also extremely versatile<\/p><\/div>\n

Oddly enough, the wheel isn\u2019t adjustable on the test boat but the seats are \u2013 and while we\u2019re getting plenty of protection from the helm, we\u2019re also getting some good shade from the optional T-top, which keeps things simple and lightweight by using stretched canvas over a skeletal black frame.<\/p>\n

And as for the engine choice, that\u2019s also quite interesting. While you can spec it with a single 300 or 350, you can also have a twin rig totalling up to 500hp \u2013 and happily, we have the maximum twin 250hp 4.2L V6 outboards right here on the test boat. That means the single 495L fuel tank is replaced with a pair of 250L tanks for extra redundancy and that makes good sense. But it\u2019s the sheer squirt on tap that really hits home.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The easy-access loo is big and bright but there\u2019s no shower<\/p><\/div>\n

There is simply no point in the range where the surge isn\u2019t utterly immediate so you have to be quite circumspect with your throttles, particularly in lively seas like this. But just as you can control the pitch of the boat in a very positive and responsive fashion, so you can leap from 20 to 40 knots in the blink of an eye. That\u2019s fun of course but it\u2019s also a very handy trait when you want to pick a safe and progressive path through challenging waters.<\/p>\n

As luck would have it, though, there was also an Arksen 8 with a single 350 in attendance, so we jumped at the chance to have a play with that too. And equipped with the new 4.3L V6 model (rather than the big block V8 of old), it did a great job.<\/p>\n

Even in these seas, we pushed on to 42 knots and while the outright grunt wasn\u2019t the same, the fact that it reduces the price, while still delivering a top end of around 48 knots suggests it\u2019s a rig that will get plenty of takers. Just don\u2019t expect massive fuel savings. At 30 knots, the 500hp test boat was running at just 2L per mile, and while the single rig might nip a fraction off that, the differences are almost too minor to be significant.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The Arksen marries heavyweight build quality with some mighty poke<\/p><\/div>\n

Arksen Discovery 8 specifications<\/h2>\n

LOA:<\/strong> 26ft 3in (8.00m)
\nBEAM:<\/strong> 9ft 6in (2.90m)
\nDRAFT:<\/strong> 1ft 8in (0.50m)
\nDISPLACEMENT:<\/strong> 2,500kg (light)
\nFUEL CAPACITY:<\/strong> 500L
\nWATER CAPACITY:<\/strong> 60L
\nENGINE:<\/strong> 1 x 300-350hp \/ 2 x 200-250hp outboards<\/p>\n

Arksen Discovery 8 costs & options<\/h2>\n

Price:<\/strong> from \u00a3199,995 inc VAT. Test boat includes the following options\u2026
\nTwin Yamaha V6 F250 outboards:<\/strong> \u00a328,575
\nStretched canvas T-top:<\/strong> \u00a318,810
\nHelm Master joystick control:<\/strong> \u00a35,028
\nCushion infills forward and aft:<\/strong> \u00a32,850
\nScanstrut compressor:<\/strong> \u00a3922
\nSBS trailer:<\/strong> \u00a37,560<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"If you enjoyed this\u2026.<\/h2>\n
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Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn\u2019t affect our editorial independence.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever since its inception, British adventure company, Arksen, has felt different. Yes, there are now all kinds of trawler yachts, pilothouse boats and RIBs that adopt \u201cadventure\u201d as a key part of their marketing profiles but here was a company that backed up its hardware with a proven infrastructure of adventurers from all kinds of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4647,"featured_media":138068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[1620,1593],"review_manufacturer":[],"review_category":[3068,47],"review_type":[],"review_award":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/138055"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/review"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4647"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138055"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/138055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":138071,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review\/138055\/revisions\/138071"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/138068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138055"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=138055"},{"taxonomy":"review_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_category?post=138055"},{"taxonomy":"review_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_type?post=138055"},{"taxonomy":"review_award","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mby.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_award?post=138055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}