Before I climbed into the helm of the new Highfield Sport 800 — a 26-foot, 7-inch RIB equipped with twin 150-hp Mercury outboards — I did what any prudent boater would do: I spun my cap around so the wind wouldn’t send it into the lake. Good decision. The moment I shoved the throttles forward the bow climbed, the wind hit my face, and for a few adrenaline-soaked seconds I felt like I was flying. I’ve driven faster boats, but charging across flat water at high speed never loses its appeal.
The run took place on Lake Cadillac in northern Michigan during Highfield Boats North America’s dealer meeting and demonstration event in September. The Sport 800 I piloted was the first of those 800 models to arrive in the U.S. and it proved to be a potent mix of family-boat comfort and performance-packed RIB dynamics.
The company recently opened a new headquarters and rigging facility in Cadillac, and after a three-year pause because of Covid they invited dealers and media back to reconnect with the North American market. On hand were Highfield Boats founder and CEO Julien Carussi, Christophe Lavigne, president of Highfield Boats North America, marketing lead Michael Carroll, and other members of the Highfield team.
Carussi told attendees that Highfield’s goal is to shift how Americans view rigid inflatable boats. In many parts of Europe and elsewhere RIBs are accepted as primary family boats — not just tenders — and Highfield wants that perception to take hold here.
“There was a time when Americans saw a RIB and thought ‘tender,’” Carussi said. “Our challenge is to have them see RIBs as real boats.”
Lavigne pointed out that while the Sport 800 makes an excellent yacht tender, there are far more family boats in America than superyachts. Like the larger Sport 900, the Sport 800 can be configured with twin outboards — a layout many U.S. buyers prefer, particularly in the Southeast.
On Lake Cadillac I recorded a top speed of about 46 knots. The Sport 800 jumped onto plane in under five seconds, delivering frighteningly quick hole shots and a very flat, planted ride. It also ran 30 knots on a single engine, which is a useful feature for economical cruising or returning to port if an engine problem occurs.
Highfield builds nearly all of its models with aluminum hulls; the brand offers six lines ranging from roughly 6 to 29 feet. The aluminum hull gives a light, narrow deep-V that slices through chop and keeps the ride relatively dry. During my trial the prototype felt steady crossing wakes, though it could have used a touch more lateral grip through high-speed turns — a detail the technicians were still dialing in on the demo rig. Maximum recommended power for the 800 is twin 200-hp outboards or a single 350-hp engine.
The Sport 800’s layout is far from Spartan. The example on Lake Cadillac featured a comfortable foredeck sunpad, an under-bow anchor locker, a standard hardtop, secure bolsters at the helm, and aft seating for five or six that folds down to create a second sunpad. An optional removable table expands onboard entertaining space. The decks use attractive non-slip EVA foam and the list of options is long, including a head under the console. Tubes are offered in six colors and a joystick control may be introduced soon. One practical note: at 9 feet, 8 inches the beam requires an over-width hauling permit in many places.
Highfield currently partners with Mercury, Suzuki and Tohatsu for outboards and is working to expand relationships with other manufacturers, including Yamaha. The company is also exploring electric propulsion and has already shown an electric RIB: at the 2023 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show Highfield revealed the ZeroJet 330, the company’s first production RIB with electric jet propulsion. Highfield reports top speeds up to 22 knots and run times up to 7.5 hours for that model, demonstrating the brand’s commitment to diversifying power options.
A month after the Cadillac event I sampled a Highfield Sport 760 powered by a single Suzuki 250 on a windy, choppy day on the Ohio River, and the experience reinforced the Sport 800 impression: RIBs are increasingly capable as primary family boats. Comfortable, fast, and configurable, the new Sport 800 is a strong argument that the era of the RIB as a dayboat for families is arriving in North America.
Highfield Sport 800
LOA: 26’7”
Beam: 9’8”
Weight: 2,535 lbs.
Power: (2) 150-hp Mercury outboards
This article was originally published in the January 2024 issue.