Zodiac Cadet Aero Versus Fastroller

[jimbo747]

Hi All,

The difference between hard deck and air floor is clear, but i'm struggling to understand the differences between the floors in the Cadet Aero versus Cadet Fastroller. Can anyone shed any light?

I'm drawn to the Cadet Aero as the same size boat seems able to carry more people.

Really i want something that i can handle on my own but which can take up to 5 adults (although mostly it will only be me or me and a friend) and i think 35-40kg is probably at the top end since i have no trailer nor place to keep one!

James.

[Fenlander]

James.

Zodiac have fiddled about with the names and subtle design changes over the past 15yrs that can make the air floor range confusing.

In the Cadet range (i.e. not the sportsboat type like the Futura) the first air floor models just replaced the wooden or alloy hard floor with a high pressure air floor but the low pressure sausage keel was retained. This was inflated through a "hole" in the air floor in the same way as the hard floor boats had a cutout left.

Then after a few years they developed a deeper high pressure keel which was connected to the air floor by a hose and it all inflated as one. These were called Fastrollers or Acti-V models and broadly speaking replaced the previous low pressure keel models in the 3m+ size.

I've owned a 360 Fastroller in the past ( http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/zodiac-...iew-42937.html ) and currently have a 340 model ( http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/zodiac-...iew-64881.html ). In my opinion there is a slight improvement in directional stability and ability in a light chop with the high pressure keels.... but not enough to choose the HP keel over a LP keel if other factors were important.

After the HP keel design was introduced the LP keel remained on the sub 3m models for yacht tenders etc.

For 2015 Zodiac have reintroduced the HP floor with LP keel in the 3m+ sizes with the name Cadet Aero.

In a broadly similar size the Aero models are about £250-£300 cheaper than the Fastroller type.

I can't find the exact spec sheets online but the overall performance and carrying capacity of the two types is likely to be the same in real life use.

If you are looking at an inflatable around 3.5m then you only want 5 people in it for a very short distance in calm conditions... as a tender from larger craft to pontoon for example. Once you get out on the sea any distance in this size of craft then 2 adults great, 3 just OK, 4 more than you want and 5 emergency only.

[jimbo747]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

James.

Zodiac have fiddled about with the names and subtle design changes over the past 15yrs that can make the air floor range confusing.

In the Cadet range (i.e. not the sportsboat type like the Futura) the first air floor models just replaced the wooden or alloy hard floor with a high pressure air floor but the low pressure sausage keel was retained. This was inflated through a "hole" in the air floor in the same way as the hard floor boats had a cutout left.

Then after a few years they developed a deeper high pressure keel which was connected to the air floor by a hose and it all inflated as one. These were called Fastrollers or Acti-V models and broadly speaking replaced the previous low pressure keel models in the 3m+ size.

I've owned a 360 Fastroller in the past ( http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/zodiac-...iew-42937.html ) and currently have a 340 model ( http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/zodiac-...iew-64881.html ). In my opinion there is a slight improvement in directional stability and ability in a light chop with the high pressure keels.... but not enough to choose the HP keel over a LP keel if other factors were important.

After the HP keel design was introduced the LP keel remained on the sub 3m models for yacht tenders etc.

For 2015 Zodiac have reintroduced the HP floor with LP keel in the 3m+ sizes with the name Cadet Aero.

In a broadly similar size the Aero models are about £250-£300 cheaper than the Fastroller type.

I can't find the exact spec sheets online but the overall performance and carrying capacity of the two types is likely to be the same in real life use.

If you are looking at an inflatable around 3.5m then you only want 5 people in it for a very short distance in calm conditions... as a tender from larger craft to pontoon for example. Once you get out on the sea any distance in this size of craft then 2 adults great, 3 just OK, 4 more than you want and 5 emergency only.

Many thanks, sir. Size wise it seems to fit (i'd just like the ability to ferry the kids 500 yards along the shore to a beach with no land access, probably twice a year, the rest of the time it will be me, or me + one, and never more than a few hundred yards off shore). I live in the Weymouth area, so unless you venture out to Portland, the tides and waters are pretty benign. I'd like something bigger, but with no driveway or garage i'm not going to end up paying a boatyard £600+ a year to store it, so it has to be portable and that really rules out aluminium decks and larger sizes.
Appreciate the explanation.

James.