Aerotec 380/Futura's questions

[TomKat]

I am seriously considering selling my 5m rib with 75HP Mariner 2 Stroke engine and getting either an Aerotec or a Futura. For most of the year I would trailer them but I have a camper van that I could deflate them and bring them with me for a bit of fun while away. Too much of a faff to trailer behind the camper.

Anyway couple of questions:-

- how compact do they deflate?
- can a 100kg person actually ski/wakebaord behind one of these wee things? I had a TomKat (thus the user name, very small jetski style rib) with a 30HP (may have been a 25) and there was no way I could ski or wakebaord behind it!
-am I mad?

I am most attracted to an Aerotec with a 25HP as i imagine it to be easier to deflate reinflate etc but have come accross a well priced Futura Mk2 with a 30HP Suzuki 2 stroke. Fair age but seems in good enough condition.

Will normally be used with 2 adults and 2 kids. Would hopefully sell the rib for £4-5kish and maybe be quids in and get more use out of the one smaller boat.

£2ish should hopefully get a used version of either with a fairly fresh engine - is this realistic?

Thoughts and advice much appreciated!

[PeterM]

I think you are right in your thinking about the ease of (or lack of) being able to ski behind a 380 or futura . I’ve ski’d behind things from 8m & 200horses to 4m & 50 and jetskis , and really do think you would struggle.

Of course it would be the getting going that stuffs you. Of course the rigs of these boats with remotes etc allow for bigger engines , but that defeats the object of having them and being able to deflate them. I think even if you got up ( from a deepwater start) the boat would be pulled all over the place if a skier or wakeboard was out to one side. I think Kelson ( ? ) on here kneeboards ( I just recall stunning pics) behind his zodiac but not sure what HP he has or if he deflates it.

I think kneeboards or Ringos will work well with 20 -30 hp - no need for a ‘quick’ or ‘powerful’ start - I have sort of given up on skiing now as the sea is never smooth enough & I suck at wakeboarding.

As is always said – it’s the carrying engines that will kill you so invest in decent wheels etc and think about getting the engine and out easily – maybe on wheels etc. My 25 is not one of the ‘heavy’ ones , but I have set up so I only actually carry about 2meters - stand to boot and then boot of car to boat- which is then wheeled about.

I was very lucky - I ½ own my 380 with a very trustworthy friend. We both have spent time together on the water in all sorts of conditions so think ( hope!) we both know we can be trusted not to bugger things up but we also both know that sometime stuff does happen through no-ones fault . Is there someone you could share with to give you the lower cost but still the advantages ?

I do think 2k ish ( if only £2 !) is bang on for what you want and no matter what you think they never go as small as want them too !

Pete

[TomKat]

Thanks Pete

I can't see how you could ski behind a 380 but a Futura might work with a bigger engine. Have read of a lot of folk skiing and wakeboarding with 380's with folk in the boat, if it is possible it would make the whole think more easily justified to me.

[Nick Hearne]

How about this Bombard 420 Aerotech with 25hp MERCURY , Inflatable Boat/ Rib. Air Floor | eBay
I have used my 3.8 with a 15 hp to tow 3 people around on a 6’ ring with out a problem but dought I could ever water ski off it!
I do water ski off my SR4 with a 50 2st on it!

[Stubber]

I bought a Futura last year and it was rubbish.

Looked ok when i picked it up, got it home and blew it up quickly and not to full pressure seemed ok and gave it a clean.

The next day I finished blowing it up to correct pressure and noticed the fabric coming away from the transom board in a few places, gave the fabric a tug in more places and it come away where all the glue had dried out, then noticed a bubble in the fabric on one of the back tubes where it had become delaminated and it was growing in size the longer I left it.

This boat ended up cut up in the bin as it was crap and would not buy another Zodiac from my experience and from what other people say about them. You would think at the price of them they would last like an Avon or Achilles. So do your homework before buying and it might save you money, wish I had but thought you trust a make like Zodiac

Good luck

[Sharkbyte]

Why would you buy a rubbish Futura?

You should have bought a good one. ;-)

[Peter_C]

Being spoiled having owned a Nautique I wouldn't call anything like a RIB or SIB a good wakeboarding/waterskiing boat. The smaller and lighter you get the easier it is to pull around. If you aren't going to be trying to run buoys, you can ski behind anything you can get up behind, but if you need 34+ mph (55kph) speeds (depending on rope length) well, the boat better go that fast. Wakeboards allow you to get up behind almost anything with at least 15 hp. Again the boat has to maintain 24.2 mph (39 kph) to really ride hard, but if you just want to screw around being able to go 20 mph (32 kph) is a good thing. The rider will be able to pull the back end of the boat all over the place, but it can be fun to go out and land some tricks behind a tiny boat just for fun. I was able to land air rolls, etc behind a 13 Boston Whaler with a 25 hp motor. I could also almost stop the boat with a hard cut, and turn it 45 degrees LOL

The 25 and 30hp engines are going to be tough to handle with just one person. They are heavy! The boat also only folds up so small, but should fit into one of the compartments on your caravan. Do you drive your camper or tow it?

The glue on older Zodiacs will fail, not typically the tubes as they are thermo welded. The poster above had some unusual stuff happen (Of course he could have sold parts of the boat had he not cut it up). Worry most about the glue!

Personally owning a SIB there are many times I wish it would morph into a RIB like yours

[TomKat]

Thanks guys, will only be for messing about - not expecting much but being able to get pulled out of the water is kind of essential!

Has anyone on here of adult proportions (15stone plus!) ever skied behind a 380?

[Landlockedpirate]

I have skied behind a Zodiac Futura Sport (Jockey seat version) with a Yamaha 50.

I would have been about 15 stone at the time, it wouldnt deep water start me on a mono, but I did manage a couple of scooter starts. It would pull me on a pair from a deep water start. I could virtually stop it on a mono, a good turn would slow it by 10mph.

There is no way the 380 with a 25hp will ski an adult, but it would ski a competant junior.

[TomKat]

[QUOTE=

There is no way the 380 with a 25hp will ski an adult, but it would ski a competant junior.[/QUOTE]

I thought so - ah well I'll use my RIB till I get bored with the skiing etc then maybe go down this route next year!

[BumbleAbout]

We had the 4.2m Futura with a 50hp and that was ok for an adult waterskier, but too big/ heavy to put in the boot - so you might as well trailer a RIB as a SIB (which we now do !).

[davenport5]

I have towed and have been towed on a wakeboard by my 380 Aerotec with a mariner 25. You have to use full throttle to get them up, but once up, you can back off to about half throttle. I am not exactly small at 6ft 4 and 16 stone! I mainly tow my 12 year old daughter.

[TomKat]

OK, wake boarding would do me! Will see how I go with the RIB over the next month. If the family don't like it I may cash it in and go down the 380 route!