Upgrading from 3m SIB to 4m? Must fit in car. - Page 2

John Kennett · 26 May 2011, 15:38

The reason that the Bombard Aerotecs are popular here is that they outperform anything comparable. If you're going to be putting it onto the boot of a car then an inflatable V floor is simply the best option.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

But I don't want that deep V when pulling/walking through shallows

You've mentioned this a couple of times now, but I don't understand why you think it will be an issue. It's really not going to make any difference.

Quote:

I don't want the V shape floor inside it gives either.

Have you tried it? The V floor actually gives a lot more usable space because you're not wasting all the area that would be underneath a flat deck.

Quote:

I really don't want something where its optimum outboard size will be so heavy it negates my portability requirement.

I think you must be mistaking the Aerotec for something else. It will easily outperform a similarly sized inflatable with a hard floor because it weighs significantly less.

Of your short list, the Zodiac Cadet Fastroller has a flat air floor which is OK, but won't be as good when you're on the plane and it's only 3.6m. The Zodiac Cadet 340 with a wooden floor is smaller, heavier, and more hassle to put together. The Honwave 3.8 has the same shape floor as the Bombard that you don't like.

To be honest, none of the options that anyone has come up with here are going to be very good with four people and a 9.8hp motor. You won't be going fast, so a flat air-floor would do if you really don't want the v floor. Whatever you choose, I would definitely go for an air floor of one sort or another.

Fenlander · 26 May 2011, 18:33

Here's the type of rocky foreshore we launch from where wheels are no help and any boat over 120lbs and any outboard over 60lbs is a struggle...

John we often end up trolling, pulling or walking the boat through shallows which may be part sand with boulders/stones/rocks so it was my impression that deep V might be more liable to damage. Perhaps I'm wrong?

Appreciate what you say about interior space with a deep V floor but I'd rather a flat floor for the way we carry stuff. Actually from the stowage/carrying stuff point of view I like wood the best.

>>>none of the options that anyone has come up with here are going to be very good with four people and a 9.8hp motor

In truth any of the ones I've shortlisted, and any of the models mentioned by others will be brilliant when in Aug we are exploring remote beaches around the Scottish west coast like this one :-)

As I've said above I'm 100% happy for it not to plane 4 up... we only nip about when 2 up mostly and I know the Tohatsu will give a lively performance when we dump a couple of the crew!

Thanks for the heads up that the Honwave air floor is a deep V... I'll look at some images again to suss that out.

I see there is a very tasty looking 2yr old red Aerotec on ebay at the moment which I'm guessing will come in budget...

Inflatable Boat Bombard Aerotec 380 | eBay UK

BTW if it helps to know what we are upgrading from here's a better view of our Zodiac Mk.I

Slaphead · 26 May 2011, 21:52

What a smashing set of pics. If you were trying to convince someone on the virtues of sibbing then they just about sum it up

azzurro · 27 May 2011, 09:36

What shaft length is needed for the Bombard Aerotec 380? That transom looks like it needs a medium sized outboard leg.
By the way, lovely pics. I wish I ever get there.

Nick Hearne · 27 May 2011, 12:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by azzurro

What shaft length is needed for the Bombard Aerotec 380? That transom looks like it needs a medium sized outboard leg.
By the way, lovely pics. I wish I ever get there.

Normal leg & most raise the outboard by about 3cm too (well I have!)

Fenlander · 29 May 2011, 10:28

I've pretty well decided an Aerotec 380 isn't what we need but I struggled not to bid on the 2yr old minter I linked to above..

Inflatable Boat Bombard Aerotec 380 | eBay UK

Only made the min bid of £1000.... if as described looked a bargain to me.

rik_elliott · 31 May 2011, 12:23

Does whatever you buy need to be newish? There are older hyperlon Avon sibs that sort of size for dirt cheap with wood floors? I had a sportboat s400 that was really good and about the size you suggest. That flew along three up with an ancient 15hp, probably be nippy enough two up with your 9.8. It could handle a 25hp apparently. Heavier than an air deck though but we used to lift it from the car to the sea between two of us just fine, then toddle back for the motor. The package with motor and a junk trailer was under 800, boat alone on eBay would probably have cost about 400 and had no patches or repairs. Looked a bit dated but really was the best boating bang per buck I've had. I've passed it on to my brother now who continues to enjoy it. We did get caught out by some nasty wind on tide once and had to pack it in a vw polo, managed to get it all in with the seats folded down so can be packed fairly small.

If an aerotec is an absolute no go then I'd be looking at a honwave personally. They get a good write up and although they are v deck, it's not as deep as a bombards and consequently doesntnperform quite as well. Lots cheaper though.

I'd personally avoid a flat air deck - they just aren't as good as the newer v deck designs. With the keel tube up on one of those I can't see it drawing hardly any less than a v deck anyway. My old 280 air deck was flexy as you like once on the move.

Fenlander · 31 May 2011, 12:48

Rik some good ideas there. Our current old Zodiac is a minter so I don't want to go backwards and buy a restoration job. I'm happy to buy new or almost new PVC and I guess Hypalon up to 5-10yrs old. I really like those Avon S400 boats.... I don't want a fixed bow dodger though so I'd be looking at the Typhoon model which I think is the black one with red bits and no dodger.

I think there was a lady member on here with a really nice black Typhoon a year or two ago??

Fenlander · 03 June 2011, 21:41

Rather unexpected result from thinking about the ideas that have been posted here. Realised it was probably unrealistic to limit the size/weight of boat to one we could easily lift in over any foreshore type. So we've decided to change our launch locations to slipways where we can use transom wheels so a slightly heavier inflatable will be OK. Crucial to a slightly heavier boat was sourcing a larger (but still manageable by hand) outboard than our 9.8hp, found a mint 15hp 2-stroke which I pick up tomorrow so the boat choice will be a bit more flexible.

Fenlander · 20 June 2011, 19:09

An update that might help others deciding on what to get. As I said a shift in thinking made us realise we could change our launch locations to hard slips etc using transom wheels and so use a slightly larger outboard giving better performance with a larger boat so the family wasn't quite so crushed up for space.

The 2001 Mariner 15 2-stroke we bought has turned out to be a great find for its immaculate condition. For a very short while it was paired with a Zodiac 3.4 Fastroller which we never actually got to the sea. Just inflating and handling it at home made us realise how much we appreciated the very light weight and ease of inflation/packing away from the air floor design.

I also found the PVC far tougher than I'd expected so all worries that perhaps I should be going for Hypalon dissapeared.

Then on something of a whim the Mrs said she'd noticed the 3.6 Fastroller was quite a bit more roomy inside than the 3.4 so why didn't I treat myself to a new 3.6. Well you never turn down encouragement like that so with a fair deal and fast delivery Pennine Marine of Skipton sent me a new one.

It seems very long and VERY white after our original old Zodiac Mk.I but I really like the space and features.

First run will be on the river in a few days and we'll give the outboard a few such river runs so I know it's 100% reliable ready for the sea..... and then off to the West coast of Scotland for our Summer hols for a proper report on this particular air floor's handling/performance.

Thanks for all the ideas and advice.

Nick Hearne · 21 June 2011, 14:14

Looks like you will be having a lot of fun in that, reckon you should see over 20knots!

Fenlander · 21 June 2011, 17:57

Thanks Nick... the places it will take us will be exciting for sure. It's perhaps the pensioner's version of a Bombard Aerotec though :-)

riverandocean · 28 June 2011, 14:48

Good decision!

Nice boat.

Once on the water...... I have found the bigger boat/motor to always be worth the extra effort on land.

Patrik · 01 July 2011, 00:39

Nice and interesting reading here! I hope you're having lots of fun with your new boat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

For a very short while it was paired with a Zodiac 3.4 Fastroller which we never actually got to the sea.

Now I wonder about this quote above, how come the 3.4 never ended up in the water? Wasn't it even worth trying? How much did these two boats set you back financially respectively? I suppose the 3.6 is easy to look up what it costs so I'll give that a try.

You were having very much the same wishes as I do after all, so it's been really interesting. And also interesting that you ended up with the same boat that I've been looking at lately. However I'm looking at the 3.4 so that's why I'm curious.

Fenlander · 01 July 2011, 10:02

Patrik,

I've PM'd some extra info for you but basically it was because I liked the 3.4 so much when I first inflated and handled it that it gave me the confidence to buy the 3.6 brand new. I'd been considering buying a new boat anyway but I just didn't have the confidence to go for something new first time when I'd not spent some time handling it at home.

In many ways a clean used 3.4 with all its kit/instructions etc (as mine was) at half the cost of the new 3.6 is a far better deal.

Patrik · 01 July 2011, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Patrik,

I've PM'd some extra info for you but basically it was because I liked the 3.4 so much when I first inflated and handled it that it gave me the confidence to buy the 3.6 brand new. I'd been considering buying a new boat anyway but I just didn't have the confidence to go for something new first time when I'd not spent some time handling it at home.

In many ways a clean used 3.4 with all its kit/instructions etc (as mine was) at half the cost of the new 3.6 is a far better deal.

Thanks a lot! What made you decide not to go for the Bombard Aerotec 380 even though everyone seems to celebrate it? I saw your comment about the V-shaped floor in it, but I suppose there was more to it?

Fenlander · 02 July 2011, 07:05

As I said in the thread I fully accept the Aerotec is a great boat but I wanted a flat floor inside for family/dog and I didn't need the deep V type handling for our use. They are also slightly smaller on internal space than my 360 Fastroller. Finally I'm convinced the Aerotec deep V shape would need more power to keep on the plane than the flatter profile of the Fastrollers.

Patrik · 02 July 2011, 19:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

As I said in the thread I fully accept the Aerotec is a great boat but I wanted a flat floor inside for family/dog and I didn't need the deep V type handling for our use. They are also slightly smaller on internal space than my 360 Fastroller. Finally I'm convinced the Aerotec deep V shape would need more power to keep on the plane than the flatter profile of the Fastrollers.

Sounds reasonable. I've read some about the Honwaves having problems with flexing and stuff because the V-hull isn't all the way back to the engine, as opposed to the Aerotec. What happens with this on a Zodiac which hasn't got the V-hull at all? No problems? No problems planing?

Fenlander · 03 July 2011, 08:54

The earlier Zodiac Cadet Fastroller has the air floor taking place of a wooden/alloy floor with an LP (same pressure as tubes) sausage keel underneath to give a mild V. The later ones like my 360 have the sausage keel replaced by a high pressure keel section that is connected to the air floor and inflates through the same valve. It's my impression this is a slightly deeper/firmer V.

The Honwave has a V almost as deep as the Bombard but you do hear grumbles from some that the floor flexes and the floor does have a mild V section inside the boat.

Of course the Bombard has the ultimate SIB deep V with a pronounced V shape inside... and you don't hear complaints of them bending.

I've come to the conclusion some folks are over sensitive to the slight wobbly nature of air floors and they should go for a wood/alloy deck.

To me the whole concept of inflatables makes them a bit wobbly compared to a hard hull GRP boat so I'm happy with the air floor idea... comfy to sit on too.