The exact originator is nuanced, but Atlantic College in Wales is credited with conceiving, designing, constructing, and further developing the concept of the first rigid inflatable boat (RIB).
While a single individual isn't solely responsible, Rear Admiral Desmond Hoare RN (retd), the Headmaster at Atlantic College, recognized the value of inflatable boats for inshore rescue. The college then took on the task of developing the RIB concept before eventually patenting it.
