Floor board dimensions for a Zodiac Mk 2C

Cthippo · 22 December 2018, 21:27

I recently inherited a 1987 Zodiac Mk 2C and I need help finding the correct dimensions for making new floor boards for it.

Apparently the floor was stored separately from the boat and became damaged sometime in the last 20 years. The boat itself is in amazing shape.

If anyone has correct dimensions they can share it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

pagick · 24 December 2018, 15:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cthippo

I recently inherited a 1987 Zodiac Mk 2C and I need help finding the correct dimensions for making new floor boards for it.

Apparently the floor was stored separately from the boat and became damaged sometime in the last 20 years. The boat itself is in amazing shape.

If anyone has correct dimensions they can share it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Keep in mind a tracing of the front sections will be needed. Or your risking the rebuild on some strangers ability to measure a trapezoidal part. I'd help but I have mk2 futura

cgoing · 25 December 2018, 01:42

Is is a MK2C Touring or GT?

Cthippo · 26 December 2018, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgoing

Is is a MK2C Touring or GT?

I'm not sure. The builder's plate says it's a MK2C / 1
Serie 2217
Code XDC
S/N EJ099
Date code M687

Unboxing video at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsuvhF5jhEM

pagick · 26 December 2018, 23:36

From the video I’m hearing that you and your buddy are new to inflatable boats. If I’m reading that right make sure you know all the details of the floor you are planning to make. I have seen the aluminum couplers and side stiffness for sale on inflatable dealer sites. The ply should be 3/4 marine ply for the main floor and 1/2” for bow. At least that’s what I remember when I made one 30 years ago.
I’ve always liked the looks of the zodiac boats with the covered bow.
As far as your electric inflator it probably only puts in a 1/2 to 3/4 lbs. you need 3.4psi, I think. So if you push your knee into the tube with most of your weight it pushes in just a little and has no wrinkling around your knee.
As far as the max hp. 40 is heavy but worth the effort in my opinion. But I trailer my boat so I don’t have Put in the effort.
If you use a 20 hp it will go well with you, ok with your buddy with you, and once you add enough beer to keep you guys smiling it might be hard to plane.
The value of the boat is not at all accurate. The boat looks to be in fabulous condition but once you finish it if done correctly I would guess $3,000 max but others reading this can probably be more accurate on value than I can. If you shortcut the floor build it will lower the value more than what you save. IMO.
The boat looks real fun. Enjoy it.

brveagle · 27 December 2018, 16:44

A few notes i jotted down while listening to your video.

1) i like the france joke.
2) It is super clean.
3) you're going to want 40hp. It's alot of fun. I have a zodiac mkii GR with a johnson 40hp 2 stroke tiller. Moves quite nicely. 9.9 on that would just be disappointing.
4) As addressed above, that should have an aluminum floor. they pop up for sale every now and then. i would highly recommend you do not try and make your own out of a sheet of plywood.
5) as addressed above, you're going to want the proper air pump to achieve 3.4 PSI.
6) Material appears to be pvc. It may have leaks from sitting so long.
7) when inflating, you want to do a little psi in each baffle to prevent the internal chambers from getting damaged.
8) you will most likely want a tiller.
9) those valves can be serviced with new rubber to make them "leak proof-ish"
10) that front bung is for a flag
11) that's very concerning that the glue for the handles separated like that. Hopefully the first time you hang a motor on the back, it does start separating from the tubes.

Here's the modern equivalent to your boat.

https://www.inflatableboats.com/Zodi...del-Z12110.htm

Cthippo · 27 December 2018, 18:52

Thanks for the replies everyone!

This was very much an accidental project. A friend of mine's girlfriend's grandfather died a few months ago and one day I got a call from said friend asking if I wanted a free boat. Information was sketchy, but I was told it was an inflatable and that it was worth $18,000 when it was new. I just had to drive 5 hours to Portland to pick it up. What a deal, right?

OK, so I'm not totally new to the world of nautical conveyances and I know that there is nothing in the world so expensive as a "free boat", but what the hell, I could use an excuse to get out of the house. When we first picked it up it looked like it was going to be an 8 foot useless thing, and so was pleasantly surprised to find it's actually something useful. A friend has a 9.9 hp outboard he isn't using that I can borrow on a long term basis.

This isn't a project I'm willing to dump a whole lot of resources into. If I can spend $100 or so on a sheet of marine plywood for a floor and get a usable boat, then fine. If it's going to be hundreds for an aluminum floor then I would rather put the money into a boat that better suits my needs.

The electric inflator is just a start to see what size and shape it is. When we're ready to actually use it we have the foot pump to get the correct inflation. The idea was to get it roughly into shape and then let it sit for a week or so at low pressure for the creases to slowly come out.

brveagle · 27 December 2018, 19:02

This floor SHOULD be the correct one. Wood goes on the nose, not on each side as pictured.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/28328159851...m=283281598513

Fenlander · 27 December 2018, 19:57

Welcome to the forum Cthippo.

I would echo point 11 brveagle made, particularly if this is a PVC boat which I suspect it is. Try hard to peel the floor to tube and tube to transom seams apart. At this age even though dry stored for years glue failure could be a real problem. The seams can look fine but come apart under load. You will do no harm trying to pull them apart because if they do separate you've saved that happening on the water.

Have a look at this thread to see the sort of failure that can happen...

http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/zodiac-...air-48320.html

There's a really good image of the floor which subject to checking dimensions does seem to be the one on that Ebay listing.

In post #13 it shows the tensioner for the spray hood. You can near enough replicate this part with a length of flexy poly water pipe.

From my experience of alloy floored SIBs this sort of weight and length a 20hp would be sufficient for lively performance 2 or 3 up and still plane with 4 average sized folks. A decade later Zodiac down rated that SIB to max 35hp but advised a 25hp was best.

If you have the proper foot pump then no real need for an electric one for now as this is what we'd regard as all low pressure.

Cthippo · 28 December 2018, 07:23

OK, floor ordered off eBay, fingers crossed!

pagick · 28 December 2018, 14:49

It was meant to be. That was Santa working overtime!
Now you need the right foot pump. The foot pumps have low pressure to fill the air then you pull a plug and it pumps less air but it can go to higher pressure. You pump until it won’t pump anymore. And the pump needs the right removable end nipple that can be bought at IBC. I have found that when you get the assortment wheel of nipples none fit my 2013 mk2
Perhaps others reading can help you with finding one that will work “used”. I only know what mine looks like and I am sure others can work. Other members have a broader knowledge about these details and surly can chime in.

cgoing · 30 December 2018, 14:36

Defintiely does not look like the completelycorrect floor. There should be one pointy board that goes up in the bow. That actually like a mix of two different floors.

Cthippo · 30 December 2018, 18:51

Floor is supposed to be here on 1/8, so I guess we'll find out then.

In the meantime, I went out and tugged on the transom joints and they seem solid. I couldn't even get a fingernail between the rubber and the wood.

pagick · 30 December 2018, 21:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by cgoing

Defintiely does not look like the completelycorrect floor. There should be one pointy board that goes up in the bow. That actually like a mix of two different floors.

My 1983 Avon sport boat had the pointy board glued in the bow. Perhaps his boat has the same?

Cthippo · 07 February 2019, 23:19

So, the floor I bought on ebay turned out not to be the correct one for my boat. It's both about 8" too short and too narrow by about the same amount. This puts me back to plan A of building a plywood floor for the boat, but I am going to use the pieces of the floor I bought to develop patterns for the new one.

Kurt · 08 February 2019, 02:43

Arghh!

Can you reuse any interconnecting hardware that is on the wrong size floorboards?

pagick · 08 February 2019, 03:14

Sure. How thick is the floor boards. Not the edge molding but the floor stock?

pagick · 08 February 2019, 03:26

Defender.com. Has a lot of parts. It seems the side rails cost $70 but those may not be what you need. Also “H” shaped splices go between the floor sections. If you make the floor one piece for the main floor area you wouldn’t need these. Probably the front 2? Boards will have smaller H molding for thinner plywood.
Can you see with your own eyes a correct boat somewhere?