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

[Fenlander]

For several years we've owned a mint never patched or painted 3m Zodiac Mk.1 from the mid 70s. Inflatable keel type with wooden floorboards. Has been used as a second boat to a Bonwitco so we would take both on holiday with teens using the Zodiac and us (parents) in the GRP Bonwitco. Mostly exploring sea lochs in the west coast of Scotland during summer holidays.

Last year we sold the Bonwitco so just have the Zodiac. At 3m it's not really large enough to take out 4 of us unless it's pretty calm so an upgrade seems in order. I still want to be able to pack the inflatable into our Mondeo sized estate so wondered if 4m would be the max we could have?

We have a Tohatsu 9.8hp 2-stroke s/shaft which I want to keep as it's the max I feel happy carrying over wet rocks at random launch sites. Happy to accept non-planing performance when we're 4-up.

I'd wondered about an Avon S.400 or similar. Any ideas much appreciated.

[azzurro]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

For several years we've owned a mint never patched or painted 3m Zodiac Mk.1 from the mid 70s. Inflatable keel type with wooden floorboards. Has been used as a second boat to a Bonwitco so we would take both on holiday with teens using the Zodiac and us (parents) in the GRP Bonwitco. Mostly exploring sea lochs in the west coast of Scotland during summer holidays.

Last year we sold the Bonwitco so just have the Zodiac. At 3m it's not really large enough to take out 4 of us unless it's pretty calm so an upgrade seems in order. I still want to be able to pack the inflatable into our Mondeo sized estate so wondered if 4m would be the max we could have?

We have a Tohatsu 9.8hp 2-stroke s/shaft which I want to keep as it's the max I feel happy carrying over wet rocks at random launch sites. Happy to accept non-planing performance when we're 4-up.

I'd wondered about an Avon S.400 or similar. Any ideas much appreciated.

Aluminum floors do not always fit on a Mondeo boot. I guess wooden plates neither.

Maybe a High Pressure hull fits your needs better, 3.8 to 3.6 meters.

The forum seems to be mad about Bombard Aerotec (special hull design), as it works fine with bigger engines (hull stays stiff) but I guess with a 10HP engine you can choose another brand.

Cheers!

[Flyguy]

A 4m inflatable won't be much better. The internal space on ribs is poor. A 9.8 wouldn't get it on plain with 4 on either. I have a 9.8 and 3.4m zodiac and I wouldn't go out with 3 in let alone 4 unless it was for short distances..

[Fenlander]

Appreciate the thoughts.

Not sure I want the deep V of the Bombard for pulling the boat through shallows... are they all that design?

I know a 4m isn't that big but it is 33% bigger than the current Zodiac and the rated carrying weight is often 50% greater so more of a safety margin. Our 4-up load is two average adults and two small teens so no more than 3 normal adults overall. I really don't mind that it won't plane 4-up.

The other use configuration is one adult and one or two kids or two adults no kids... I'm sure it will plane OK with that load at 14-16mph which is fine.

Floorboards of the current Zodiac fit in our estate car OK but (and another reason to change) the newer inflatables are a little wider so may be more of a problem.

Thinking of getting a car roofbox for the floorboards, oars, lifejackets and other bulky kit so perhaps just the boat itself and outboard in the estate area.

Do want to stick to Hypalon if possible.

[Starovich]

Id be looking at the .
Zodiac Futura Range
Spec sheet
Very shallow draft, options of both Ali and inflatable floors. Good brand well made.

[Flyguy]

Well my zodiac 3.4 fastroller and 9.8 fits in the boat of a Mazda 6 estate easily. I inflate/deflate each trip. 20mins tops.
So what about the newer 3.6 zodiac fastroller?

[spartacus]

You could consider a Zodiac MKII Futura. It's available with HD (aluminium floor) or H2P (high-pressure air floor). The aluminium floor version is rated for 20-50hp or the air-floor, 10-30hp. Not cheap though.

The MKIIC uses a standard shaft outboard, where the MKII and MKIII (4.7m) require a long-shaft outboard as the tubes are oversized, deeper transom, etc.

I still have a mid-80s Zodiac MKIIC GT and it can be transported in 2 bags. The floor-boards are heavy, and this bag is isn't for the faint hearted. Fine if you're building the boat at a slipway and launching for the day. I used to run it with a Yammie 25hp. That was right on my weight limit and is easier to handle with 2 people, although I've assembled the boat lots of time on my own. Will fit in an estate car with the rear seats folded down, but ideally you would be better off with a box-trailer, or better still a bunk-trailer so you can arrive and launch.

Prices and spec here: http://www.zodiac-boats.co.uk/downlo...202011.doc.pdf

[Fenlander]

Further thoughts much appreciated as it's really helped me pin down our needs. Our inflatable gets just 1 or 2 weeks intensive use each year plus another 5-10 odd days out so we don't need heavy duty spec. It is really important too that we keep to the 9.8 2-stroke Tohatsu we already own.

The current old Zodiac weighs about 120lbs assembled with its wooden floorboards and in truth is plenty heavy enough for some of the places we want to put it in the water so I'm really attracted to the Cadet Fastroller as a 3.6m model is only 97lbs. Compare that to a Futura where the 3.7m model is 159lbs for an air floor or 214lbs with alloy floor.

100% don't want to trouble with either a boat or box trailer for our type of use so the heavier models are out of the running. I guess the Cadet Fastroller is a cheaper construction than the Futura or Classic as it's a much lower price? If bought new/nearly new that Strongan material should last a bit though?

How do you get on with the deepish V keel on your Fastroller Flyguy? What about blowing up an HP air floor... elec pump off the car's 12v?

Wondered about this deal not too far from me..

ZODIAC CADET FR 360 FastrolIer Inflatable Boat Air Deck on eBay (end time 25-May-11 12:05:14 BST)

[TIMO]

Honwave do a 4m airdeck cheaper than that//£1000 ish .. can put 25hp on it too . Prettier than the zodiac too.. but im biased because i have one,,,lol but mine has solid floor .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2nfz...layer_embedded

[TIMO]

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