FC 470 ride vs. Achilles SIB

entropy · 29 May 2015, 20:25

I've been considering the purchase of an Achilles SG-156, but there is a used FC 470 not too far away with a reasonable price. Much cheaper than a new 156, and just a bit smaller.

I'm wondering if the 470 guys on here could weigh in with an opinion on the handling and ride of their boats vs. experience they may have had with SIBs not intended for military use. Achilles advertises the Trigon keel, Zodiac their speed tubes. Just wondering how the 2 different designs would handle choppy waters. Would love to hear from anyone about how their 470s handle in general. I'm guessing the military design is for carrying lots of weight, and not necessarily built for comfort.

Thanks,
Greg

cgoing · 30 May 2015, 00:47

The Zodiac F 470 is only an inch shorter and is the same width. The big difference us gonna be the speed tubes if you are using close to the maximum horsepower where the performance would be noticed. The Fc may have either a 15", 18", or 20" transom so you need to be careful and know what you are getting. If this is a former military boat it may be a mish mosh of parts and not have the correct floor for the specific boat. If the floor is not tight, the boat will flex and perform like crud.
zodiac has offered numerous generations of the FC for different "missions". Fabric is another big difference between the two. The Zodiac has been offered in a few fabrics weights all of which are heavier than the Achilles.
That being said the Achilles is an excellent boat and requires less maintenance due to the simplistic valves. The SG boats are not all that expensive new so if the F 470 is a bit less, I would be leary considering the start around $20,000.00 new and go up from there.