About this tender
The BS 120 is the build we ask Novamarine for when your programme requires a 12-metre RIB that operates at genuine chase-boat pace without trading away passenger capacity. Twenty-five persons on the water, a top speed of 56 knots in the outboard configuration, and a hull length of 12.14 metres - this is the Black Shiver line at the size where military operators have already validated the platform in demanding conditions. That record matters when you are putting it alongside a significant yacht.
Novamarine offers two distinct driveline configurations on the BS 120. The outboard variant runs 1,350 hp and reaches 56 knots, with a cruising speed of 40 knots and a draft of 0.7 metres. The in-outboard variant is a longer hull at 12.5 metres, runs 880 hp, and settles at a 45-knot maximum and 35-knot cruise, with a draft of 0.75 metres; the stern arrangement gives markedly better access to the water at the transom, which is the point of the configuration choice for owners who prioritise swim-platform use and tender operations over peak sprint speed.
Deck layout on both variants is configurable. Novamarine references side doors and stern access points as standard design features, along with seating, sundeck areas, and awning options. The payload ceiling is 1,000 kg across both configurations, which gives the captain enough margin to carry a meaningful water-toy load alongside a full passenger complement. We would position the BS 120 against other 12-metre Italian-built performance RIBs where the in-outboard option is a genuine differentiator.
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Highlights
The four details we'd point out first to a captain who hasn't seen one on the water yet.
The outboard BS 120 is rated to 56 knots maximum and 40 knots cruising, with a combined engine output of 1,350 hp. At 12.14 metres LOA and a draft of only 0.7 metres, it sits in a performance bracket that few production RIBs at this length can match, and the military pedigree of the Black Shiver line gives operators confidence in the hull's structural margins.
The in-outboard variant stretches the hull to 12.5 metres and rearranges the propulsion to free up the transom, improving water-level access for guests and crew. Top speed reduces to 45 knots and power to 880 hp, but the configuration is the correct choice when swim-platform and boarding-ladder functionality takes priority over absolute pace.
Both configurations are rated for twenty-five persons and a 1,000 kg maximum payload. That combination of headcount and load capacity gives the programme genuine flexibility: a full guest complement plus water-toy equipment, or a reduced guest count with safety and support gear for a more demanding operational brief.
Novamarine lists side doors and stern access points as part of the BS 120 deck design, alongside seating, sundeck, and awning arrangements. The ability to configure these elements means the boat can be specified differently for a leisure tender role versus a crew-transfer or chase assignment, without requiring a hull change.
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The full specification
Specifications, prices, availability, and performance figures are supplied for guidance only and remain subject to confirmation by the yard, seller, broker, survey, contract, and final specification.
Questions, answered
Last call · Available
Novamarine · Olbia, Italy
Tell us about your yacht, your programme, and the missions BS120 Inboard needs to handle. We come back within 48 hours with a written assessment - fit for the brief, lead time, and trade-offs against alternatives in the same band.
Prefer to talk? +44 (0) 77180 88055 · other ways to reach us
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