Zodiac Pro 420 vs Naiad?

[SpearRib]

Firstly if you are unaware of Naiads. They are essentially like a small ally dinghy with high sides internally of ally and D shaped pontoons. The pontoons are double bagged, top tier PVC outer bags and a thick tyre like rubber on the inside. They have a thick rubber strip like a rub strake but thinner on the top of the outer bags running the length of each side (to add to avoiding spines etc). So essentially you can slide anything across the top and once inside the fish cannot throw its spines into the pontoons, or very unlikely.

The Zodiac uses PVC (or strongan as they like to "brand" it). It uses a glass hull. It doesnt provide the same protection as a Naiad, which were designed for commercial use in the southern ocean of NZ, but it may have better ride comfort. Although the keel entry and deadrise look both smaller and less degrees than the naiad.

Looking to buy new. I think the Zodiac would be good for water sports, where the Naiad is clearly better for fishing use but can also do the water sports etc, so thats the way Im heading.

Just thought Id get some opinions on that.

[jonp]

I had a 550pro and my daughter has the 500pro, I also use Naiad boats commercially and through marine rescue. Personally I would happily buy another zodiac but wouldn't buy a Naiad. I like the hull design and great handling of the little zodiacs and they can handle some pretty ugly sea conditions and bar crossings. Going by your name "speaRib" if you fit into the category of sperfishers I know, you will have to be a bit more careful getting them airborne as the wind can get under them resulting in a pretty hairy experience (unlike the 17 haines that Spearo's like to get airborne!!!).

What part of NSW are you from ? My daughter spears and fish's from hers solo (she likes the challenge) and has been going well on the bluefin from hers lately. We are from Narooma.

[SpearRib]

Originally Posted by jonp

(unlike the 17 haines that Spearo's like to get airborne!!!).

Qld.

v17l was my first boat many decades ago haha. Ive gone through a lot of glass brands, seafarer etc. IMO NZ builds better Ally boats (Southern, White Pointer. Extreme etc) but Aus builds better Glass boats, ie the Edencraft version of the formula 233 hull.

What is it about the Zodiac that you like more?

And why would you not use the far more less likely to get punctured naiad?

Is it more you prefer the Zodiac ride and are just more careful about slipping fish over the side, avoiding spear tips/using a tip protector while in the water before re entry etc?

Cheers mate.

[jonp]

Like you I go through lots of boats as well as commercialy skipper a few abalone, urchin and dive boats down here in NSW. I get my crew to hand guns back butt end first to avoid spear tips coming into contact with the tubes but with hooks and fish spines Im no more careful than a glass or aluminium hull. Ive unhooked some good sized sharks alongside the tubes before and not had any concerns. Braid does concern me when you have a big tuna circling just under the boat or you struggle tracing a marlin etc but to overcome that I tend to use good length mono top shots on my reels.

Yes my preference is more to do with handling, with the zodiacs feeling like they are so responsive and easy to handle. You can literally keep the speed up while picking your way through some pretty ugly seas. They perform well with small engines and return excellent economy partly due to the lift the strakes give. My daughters gets around 4km per litre from the merc 60 and I was getting around 3km per lt with a Yam f70.

The smallest naiad Ive driven is 5.5m and powered by a 250 suzuki, with the bigger naiads Ive driven being twin 250's. I would compare these to using a big fat Harley for taking off on the motocross trails compared to a little 125 or 250 motocross bike.

The tube sets are easy to slide off a zodiac with two people is you ever get a puncher that's to hard to fix on the boat. The baffles will keep 4 chambers inflated if you do damage one badly.

Do you have a budget in mind ? Will pm you another issue with naiad boats if you are considering going for a new one.

[SpearRib]

Originally Posted by jonp

Do you have a budget in mind ? Will pm you another issue with naiad boats if you are considering going for a new one.

I had a 550 gemini prior. That was a great ride, sounds similar to the Zodiac, but a much deeper deadrise and glass in the water.

Yes please do email me.

Im only looking at 4-4.5m as Im not in a house where I cannot get a bigger boat up the drive due to people parking on the road and the letter boxes being right next to the drive, making a large turning radius required, uggh. Also once I get passed 2 other houses up the drive, I have no reversing due to length restrictions, so need to take the boat off and some how push it into the garage or the bigger spot next to the house. But both are on a short 7-9deg slope :-(. Otherwise Id be buying a bigger boat.

I have considered smaller APBs like a stabicraft tiller, like the one Ben uses here for outside port phillip

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ILR6QSfcfk

[jonp]

The fella that bought my 550 was from QLD and went from a stabi to the zodiac. As for the steep drive, that's another reason Ive dropped back down to smaller boats again. The bigger the boat the less I seem to use them!!!

I did a 23km offshore run in 3m seas with the formula three days ago to deliver two drums of fuel to a commercial abalone diving boat (friend) who had run out of fuel due to incorrect fuel gauges on his twin powered Cootacraft. Not conditions you would normally head out in but I was very impressed how well the Formula handled the run. Marine rescue won't do a fuel transfer in those conditions which would of meant towing his vessel through extremely bad bar conditions, hence why I did the run in my own boat.
A few pics of my old one and my daughters zodiacs.

[jonp]

Hooked into bigger shark that ate a kingfish from the rib, the big cat is what she skippers when she isn't in her boat or commercially diving for abbs. My daughter is also part of the Aimrite team.

[SpearRib]

Originally Posted by jonp

As for the steep drive, that's another reason Ive dropped back down to smaller boats again. The bigger the boat the less I seem to use them!!!

Exactly. For me anything 5m and under is usable every day, but due to the drive etc I cannot reverse it into place, so has to be something under 4.5m and light and be cheap bahaha.

You know my worst nightmare about sharks is not below water, its one biting into my pontoons lol. Is that a tiger or a bull?

Awesome photos. I wish my ex GFs were into the ocean that much, is a hard road finding the perfect woman lol (old Speights beer ad from the 90s in NZ)

[SpearRib]

Originally Posted by jonp

Hooked into bigger shark that ate a kingfish from the rib, the big cat is what she skippers when she isn't in her boat or commercially diving for abbs. My daughter is also part of the Aimrite team.

There is an ally company in NZ called BlackDog Cats. I missed out on a really awesome one for real cheap, only 4.1m, but seen guys do a 180k round trip in one. The one i missed had pedestal seats etc. Oh well.

I left school and studied small business to run my own charter, but herniated 4 discs in a horrible accident playing league, so gave up that dream and worked in IT to chase the money.

A lot of comms divers making good coin via black gold in the SI. Thats where Stabi and Naiad were born etc as you prob know.

:-)

[jonp]

The smaller shark alongside the tubes was a bronzy which are pretty common here. Most of our spearing is around a large seal colony so great whites are our common large shark, not to many bull or tiger sharks.

Its funny, my daughter doesn't have much time for relationships, she's simply on the go all the time. She will be out of here at 4am tomorrow chasing yellowfin for a couple of days and then out hunting for pigs, deer or goats etc. If she ever gets a moment she either runs or cycles, 20k run followed by an 80k bike ride!!!!

[A1o]

Originally Posted by jonp

The smaller shark alongside the tubes was a bronzy which are pretty common here. Most of our spearing is around a large seal colony so great whites are our common large shark, not to many bull or tiger sharks.

Its funny, my daughter doesn't have much time for relationships, she's simply on the go all the time. She will be out of here at 4am tomorrow chasing yellowfin for a couple of days and then out hunting for pigs, deer or goats etc. If she ever gets a moment she either runs or cycles, 20k run followed by an 80k bike ride!!!!

Whoa.. Great whites are your common large shark!!

Fascinated by Sharks.. are sightings a common occurrence, do you have many negative interactions with them, I’ve no doubt you respect them and there environment but do they show any aggression when out there towards boat or occupants?

[SpearRib]

Originally Posted by jonp

Its funny, my daughter doesn't have much time for relationships, she's simply on the go all the time. She will be out of here at 4am tomorrow chasing yellowfin for a couple of days and then out hunting for pigs, deer or goats etc. If she ever gets a moment she either runs or cycles, 20k run followed by an 80k bike ride!!!!

Stop it haha. She doesn't enjoy having a bloke into the same things?

All relationships are work though, so I get that side. Single is easier. But being with someone is really overwhelmingly awesome if they match. As I said, very hard finding lady's into hunting and fishing. But more and more getting into hunting and spearing etc

Re the Bronzie, I didnt know about the Bronzies, that is the main shark in NZ, pretty tame compared to bulls in Qld. NZ big sharks are mostly Mako's and the occasional stupidly big whites. They caught a 23ftr 6km from Auckland in a net a few years back bahaha. People just assume because there are few deaths that they arent there.

[jonp]

Originally Posted by A1o

Whoa.. Great whites are your common large shark!!

Fascinated by Sharks.. are sightings a common occurrence, do you have many negative interactions with them, I’ve no doubt you respect them and there environment but do they show any aggression when out there towards boat or occupants?

Never had a great white hassle us but we do see them and my daughter has had them fully check her out while comp spearing where the support boat had to drive one off her, she wouldn't get out of the water though!!! I had one jump out of the water between me in the boat and my daughter and her friend about 40m away free diving with nurse sharks.

The commercial set liners tend to hook one about every 3 days targeting gummy sharks, so they are pretty common. Here's a video from our local area from a few years ago with a small great white about 4m and a little mako, my daughter is a more skilled free diver now though!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9kObF2Rrd4

[SpearRib]

Originally Posted by A1o

Whoa.. Great whites are your common large shark!!

Fascinated by Sharks.. are sightings a common occurrence, do you have many negative interactions with them, I’ve no doubt you respect them and there environment but do they show any aggression when out there towards boat or occupants?

I know you were quoting jonp, but Ill just throw my 2c in.

Bronzies will take your fish, whites are dependant on how much they have eatem, bulls are cuzzies of Bronzies but crazy and will bite anything (that is how sharks tell what is food or not after all, I mean the final tool they have), Makos generally are similar to Whites but less likely as they are a Pelagic shark not a mammal eater generally. Their main target is yellow fin tuna. But will catch and eat any pelagic, ie Kingfish (I think called yellowfin kingfish in the US).

Sharks will bite anything throwing off a electric signal, this is why bulls will ram the back of a transom and why whites will chomp on the leg of an engine, is partly to do with sacrificial metals and other metals etc. That is the theory.

Couple of fun videos, but don't buy into fear narratives. More people die from allergies etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=523KJ8pp8DU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xYiL1-y9Wo

Dang, cant find the one of a bull shark ramming back of boat like 10 times in 2 minutes, nose into transom lol. Is from a drone so looks cool. If I find it I will post it.

[A1o]

Thank you all for responses, I’d love to see a Great White one day, I live off the Essex Coast in the UK so sharks appear to be non existent.. have caught a few spotted catshark aka dogfish from beach but nothing too impressive.

Went Boat fishing couple of years back out of West Looe in Cornwall we had one Blue Shark, really wanted a Mako due to there speed and apparent fight, or a porbeagle for there close resemblance to the great white, apparently the UK get Hammerheads but I believe a real rarity.

If that footage was filmed by your daughter in such a close proximity incredibly brave and impressive.

Anyway il let you get back to the original topic of conversation - thank you all

[SpearRib]

Originally Posted by A1o

If that footage was filmed by your daughter in such a close proximity incredibly brave and impressive.

Anyway il let you get back to the original topic of conversation - thank you all

Sharks CAN be dangerous, you gotta keep your eyes on them, you have to have something to push out if too close, you gotta know what type of shark and how they typicall behave (they wont always behave the same), you gotta have a dive buddy and or boatman minimum. Thats before even attempting to film.

But yes, it is an experience. To be honest I find Mako's more fascinating, just the evolution side. They are nearly anatomically identical to their pray, YFT. Also fastest fish in the ocean.

Blues in NZ, gorgeous oceanic creatures and in trouble.

Hammerheads I not seen a lot of big ones in Auck, but they breed all the way up the eastern Auckland (city side) harbour into the inlets. Often catch small pups.

[jonp]

Originally Posted by A1o

Thank you all for responses, I’d love to see a Great White one day, I live off the Essex Coast in the UK so sharks appear to be non existent.. have caught a few spotted catshark aka dogfish from beach but nothing too impressive.

Went Boat fishing couple of years back out of West Looe in Cornwall we had one Blue Shark, really wanted a Mako due to there speed and apparent fight, or a porbeagle for there close resemblance to the great white, apparently the UK get Hammerheads but I believe a real rarity.

If that footage was filmed by your daughter in such a close proximity incredibly brave and impressive.

Anyway il let you get back to the original topic of conversation - thank you all

Im originally from the UK (IOW) where I saw and fished for sharks quite a bit back in the day. I also used to burley heavily for them and spend hours in the water trying to photograph threshers and porbeagles with an old Nikon underwater camera. It was partly my interest in sharks and reptiles that kept bringing me back to Oz.

Ive been out of the water for a few days since getting some bad jellyfish stings on my face, especially my lips!!!...back in the water tomorrow though!!!..Both Oz and NZ have some awesome diving on offer.

[SpearRib]

Originally Posted by jonp

Ive been out of the water for a few days since getting some bad jellyfish stings on my face, especially my lips!!!...back in the water tomorrow though!!!..Both Oz and NZ have some awesome diving on offer.

Geeze mate, I hope only bluebottles... you ok?

Outside sharks, crocs (north east), bluering octopus, sea snakes, the northern reefs of both sides of Aus have Box Jellies, which are a nightmare. Box jelly is just a layman term for the Family, of which there are a lot of species. Of those only a few species have been confirmed to have caused fatality. They leave a wicked scar either way. The whole family is a little under studied imo at this point in time.

I always wear full hooded suit, booties, jelly around my mask (not sure if it will work as have never been stung), but as this article points out, if you unlucky enough to get one sucked into a low pressure zone, well, yeah, not good. So this is why many use stinger suits (lycra I believe).

Here is a look for those interested in the family/species and some talk on Blues. (no not NSW, although we all know they rule haha)

https://wetsuitwarehouse.com.au/blog...biggest-threat

[jonp]

Originally Posted by SpearRib

Geeze mate, I hope only bluebottles... you ok?

Outside sharks, crocs (north east), bluering octopus, sea snakes, the northern reefs of both sides of Aus have Box Jellies, which are a nightmare. Box jelly is just a layman term for the Family, of which there are a lot of species. Of those only a few species have been confirmed to have caused fatality. They leave a wicked scar either way. The whole family is a little under studied imo at this point in time.

I always wear full hooded suit, booties, jelly around my mask (not sure if it will work as have never been stung), but as this article points out, if you unlucky enough to get one sucked into a low pressure zone, well, yeah, not good. So this is why many use stinger suits (lycra I believe).

Here is a look for those interested in the family/species and some talk on Blues. (no not NSW, although we all know they rule haha)

https://wetsuitwarehouse.com.au/blog...biggest-threat

Ive been stung by family members of the box jelly, which seem to be common diving at night in our local river and called box jimble (stunning sight to see them in their thousands though). The jelly's I was stung by I had deliberately swam through to film, most brushed against my skin without issue but one very red and almost fluffy looking specimen got me around the mouth wrapping around my snorkel. The pain went into my teeth roots and jaw with the whole sting areas turning to bloody scabs the next day!!!!....wont try that again Had that same species sting me before.

[SpearRib]

Originally Posted by jonp

Had that same species sting me before.

A shame you didnt get a pic so we could ID the species.

Yeah, Box Jelly family is huge, all of which sting, but only a few known species to cause fatality is my understanding. Had a quick look at wiki and that seems to back it up.

Not fun factor either way :-).

All this talk makes Aus diving sound horrible, its not, has some awesome things. just need to be aware and take appropriate precautions.

Also Im not an expert on sharks or jellies folks, just my opinions, so ppl disclaimer: do your own research :-). The good with the not so good as they say.