However, our experience has been that the 2.5 hp Tohatsu outboard we have is about as big as we would dare go. . The only stumbling block was the cost, which, at $3,000 to $4,000 for a new boat, was well outside my budget. Smart Performance: An air floor inflatable boat is lighter, which means it needs less power to plane, yet it absorbs energy from wakes and waves more effectively than similar rigid-floor models. Its high-pressure floor/keel design makes sense, and its overall finish quality is better than the West Marine. For the price, though, I couldnt really be choosy. Except for the wimpier rubrail and some minor details, construction quality was superior. I am in a similar situation, looking for an inexpensive dinghy. I contacted Dan OConnell, owner of Inland Marine in Cape Coral, South Florida. Cover is the key. I plan to head down to WM to see the PRU-3 this weekend. A thick, abrasion-resistant fabric protects the hull bottom, but if it or the floor is punctured, repair can be expensive or impractical. Tradeoffs. If you had a motor perhaps both persons could sit on the side tubes. The keel, higher and thinner, forms a deep-V, similar to the shape of the semi-rigid boats.. We rarely use it on long trips . Deys shrimp-kabobs, shrimp Creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried It went on and on-reminding us of the list of inflatable boats on the market today: Deys soft-stern dinghies, roll-up boats, sport boats, wood-floor boats, high-pressure floor boats, rigid inflatable boats, high-pressure V-hull boats, and so on. The patches and a new air valve cost $220. He had an old 10-foot Caribe RIB in his backyard in Sarasota, Florida, that I could have for nothing if I picked it up. Heres what the companies have to say about their boats. The West Marine boat holds a substantial edge in price: $1,700 versus $2,299 for the Zodiac. They are not flat, but in our book, they are not deep-V hulls. Talk to the Manager or Assistant Manager at the store. Except for the wimpier rubrail and some minor details, construction quality was superior. This makes it more difficult to keep your balance when standing on deck and offers no floor to separate feet and gear from any water that might collect in the boat. I would not drag it on the shoreline because of the fabric floor. It tore every other dinghy, including hard ones, off the dock. This also is not unusual for a boat of this size. One chamber at a time, I injected the liquid through the valve, then half-inflated the chamber and tilted it so the liquid would run down the inside to roughly where the leaks were, on the top sections of the tubes. Especially since you have davits already. Do you know of a good place to find used hard-bottomed dinghies? Five Years, One Year Parts and Accessories, Two Years Floor Attachment and Fiberglass Hulls of RIBs, Three Years Transom, Inflatable Boat Cover, 113"-124" L, 60" Beam Width. Its award-winning Acti-V hull provides the rigidity needed for best performance. I was wondering if Dan or anyone else would mind answering a few questions about the SB-275. With our 9.9-horsepower Yamaha, the Zodiac topped out at 17 knots, which is very fast for such a small boat. Theres also a vinyl bow bag, which a more intelligent life form should be able to install. We use cookies to optimize site functionality and improve your overall experience. Only one of the three compartments held pressure, but the fiberglass bottom was in good condition. Testing was done in two stages. The Zodiak boats with the PVC all do exactly like yours did. Both boats purport to have deep-V bottoms. That doesn't look like UV damage, but more like an adhesive failure, where the adhesive holding the bottom to the tubes has failed. I wonder if towing her behind us on all our adventures caused it. It is the material not WM. Ours stays virtually dry with the cover over it and a large beach ball from the dollar store underneath it to slope it so the water doesn't pool. Privacy Guaranteed - your email is never shared with anyone, opt out any time. The boat performed fine at slow speeds and in reverse. I then emailed a couple of pictures to Dan, who suggested I should just paint the boat with their topside paint, which is available in seven colors. More than once, I nearly fell in when leaning over to stretch the cover over the aft ends of the tubes. JavaScript is disabled. The setup is, however, easier to bail and keep clean of dirt and mildew. His present project, the restoration of Britannia, a once run-down Down East 45, is nearing completion after six years (he thought it would take two at the most). 
That sucks. Both boats are a pain to inflate using the manufacturer-provided manual air pumps (particularly the Zodiac), in our opinion. FYI, West Marine branded boats are made by Zodiac on the same floor and by the same crews, and you should not see any difference in build quality. I finally decided to have it professionally inspected. I masked off the rubbing strake, the oarlock sockets, and all the handles. I wasnt optimistic; used RIBs usually sell for more than that, so I was pleasantly surprised to receive a reply from a fellow named Chris. The transom drain plug was missing when I got the boat, so I fitted an automatic scupper drain from West Marine for $20. Not only does it enhance Britannias appearance, but I also feel confident using it. Finally, we rowed each boat. Restrictions: This item does not ship to a PO Box, APO, FPO, DPO or international address. Pluses include a smart oar and oarlock design, a nifty forward storage compartment, and an easy-to-use drain. By continuing to use this website, you're agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Then again, gentlemen don't row to windward. This item will be fulfilled from the vendor. The West Marine is longer than the Zodiac by a half-foot and narrower by 4 inches. Ships from supplier, typically 2-3 weeks. The Zodiacs deadrise measures 12 degrees, and the West Marine boat is about the same. If in fresh water PVC is fine. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more! There's some decent deals on Defender like this one. The Zodiacs deck details scored a mixed review. On-the-water testing took place in moderate conditions, with 10- to 12-knot breezes and a slight chop, although there was enough wake from boat traffic to get an idea of their performance in rougher conditions. I simply filed a very small ridge all the way around the end of the oar shaft to make it slide on. Unfortunately, even though it had six adaptors for different nozzles, the foot pump didnt have the Halkey-Roberts latching adaptor used on Caribe dinghy valves. I then ordered a dinghy foot pump with a built-in pressure gauge from Defender for $36. The WM videos looked OK, but one spot where the guy was making a turn (1:55) made it obvious how the flat bottom slides sideways: Yet another reason for a cover for the dinghy is the rain. It is recommended for those who need a lightweight, but large roll-up for temperate climates. However, I am on a smaller boat and worried about space. However, my wife and I found it very difficult to hold this heavy boat in the upright position until I hit on the idea of supporting it with my stepladder. The salesguy said that the two boats they had were sold within an hour of opening this morning. Roger Hughes has been sailing for nearly half a century as a professional captain, charterer, restorer, and happy imbiber on a lot of boats. We have had a few tube leaks (mostly our fault) and at least one water leak (probably our fault again), but the patches work.
270 air floor pvc, but good pvc. I decided to roll the paint over this large area with a 4-inch nylon roller. A thick, abrasion-resistant fabric protects the hull bottom, but if it or the floor is punctured, repair can be expensive or impractical. I am in a similar situation, looking for an inexpensive dinghy. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. Apart from the West Marine HP-V 350s larger overall dimensions, the chief difference between the two boats is in the floor-keel design. A fender, however, does only one job-cushion the blow between the hull and something hard-and then it swallows up valuable lazarette or anchor locker space when that one job is not required. Because it was worth a try, I posted on the CruisersForum website, asking if by chance anyone had a small used RIB to sell for around $500. I patched a puncture in the floor from a sharp rock with vinyl tape that has held well, I did once see one where the floor had started peeling back. Both the HP-V 350 and the FR340 Fastroller can handle up to 15-horsepower outboards. For dry storage aboard, the Zodiac has a plastic container in a compartment in the bow. One small additional advantage: it is very heavy in the water. It's not "enjoyable" to row, I use a Honda 2 hp and remove it when towing. He modified the dinghys cover with grommets for the lifting strops and a zippered center section that facilitates fitting the cover onto the dinghy. Before shelling out the money for an inflatable. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo, WEST MARINE PRU-3 Performance Roll-Up Inflatable Boat | West Marine, http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-ce-wood-floor-sportboat--14272462?recordNum=7, Help Rodd & his family Recover, organized by Jay Collins, Odyssey Air Roll-Up Yacht Tender | Walker Bay, Saturn SD260 portable and affordable inflatable dinghy motor boat from BoatsToGo.com, Page 3 of 4 for New and Used Inflatable and Rib Boats for sale on BoatTrader.com - BoatTrader.com, Zodiac Wood Floor 8' 6" Lt. Gray / Blue PVC, 2015, VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. We drove the 120 miles in my minivan the next day and picked it up. Four handholds attach to straps on the tube tops. Both are constructed of PVC and carry five-year warranties (typical of PVC hulls). Thanks for the responses. My dinghy is about as old as fiberglass and the bottom has never come off. Oh that's right.. my dinghy IS fiberglass. One air valve also leaked, and five larger leaks needed patches. Most of this time its been in direct sunlight and/or hanging from my davits. Love the air floor . The boat was a bit squirrelly at high speeds-as many inflatable boats are. The owner was still rowing it around the anchorage and called it his "glass bottom" boat. I have a version of that boat from a couple decades ago, I believe it is a slat floor boat and does not have a solid floor.
Tom, I hope you took the boat back to West Marine. For a few hundred more you can get a good dinghy which will last you 10 years at least. IT weighs 56 pounds which is about as much as I can lift over the lifelines alone.
Michael: There are NO redeming qualities with PVC dinks except that they are a couple of bucks cheaper. I can work inside the flap to fit the cover, then zip it up when the boat is in the davits. Confused by the Halkey Roberts valves on your inflatable boat or water toy? Bottom line: Pluses include a smart oar and oarlock design, a nifty forward storage compartment, and an easy-to-use drain. A forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. But, the boat still works well after 16 years of being in the sun at a dock all season (6 months in North Atlantic). Ready to Go: The boat comes everything you need to head to the water including top-end Halkey-Roberts inflation valves, aluminum oars, oarlocks, lifelines, towing rings, a bow handle, a storage/carrying bag and an inflation pump. Thats a stretch. The Good Stuff: The tubes have 16 diameters and the boat is fabricated with five total chambers that are easy to maintain.
It seems to track OK, but then again, I do have rather low standards. Aside from Lorenzo's link, I'm not aware of other sources. We also took a look at the transom design and construction as well as the bottom designs. but it has a hard fiberboard 'insert' floor) continuously / daily for the past 3 years with NO problems. Our test motor was a 9.9-horsepower Yamaha four-stroke, which we reviewed in the October 2008 issue. I have had it for over 5 years and it is still going strong. Two coats covered up most of the scratches and left a very presentable semigloss finish. I do prefer to have something lightweight due to davit weight limits. Here in SW Florida no one buys anything but Hypalon. It is the adhesive that is the problem and it is heat, not sun that causes the problem. Additional shipping fees apply. Most notably, the bow rise upon acceleration from a dead stop was not as severe as the Zodiacs. I find it is just fine for the purpose intended: doodling about the harbor at anchor and back and forth to shore. My 1996 WM did the same thing last year. Testing was done in two stages. I bought this dingy in March of '16 for use during summer cruise. As I understand it, the sealant atomizes, becoming airborne inside the tubes, and coagulates in the perforations where air is escaping. BTW, seven months of UV exposure isn't good for the dinghy. Because the West Marine HP-V 350s deck is integral to the V-shaped hull it is slanted. I finally made this much easier by stitching two zippers into the cover to make a wide flap in the center. Powered by vBulletin Version 3.8.8 Beta 1. Posted by Roger Hughes | Maintenance, Projects. The blades of Caribe oars clip to the shafts with a spring-loaded button, but they were missing. Only the keel of the Zodiac is V-shaped. We rotated it in this way, 90 degrees at a time, hoping that the liquid would coat the whole of the inside of each chamber, then left it overnight. We just got back from our 5 day trip. Store it in a cool place when not in use. It's never bothered me that my dinghy has a flat bottom. (Local store has a couple in stock.) Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The oars can be feathered, and they slide inboard and outboard, giving the rower better control of the boat. The Zodiac weighs 14 pounds less than the West Marine boat. The next step was to paint the whole of the topsides of the tubes. It's still under warranty, and they will help you deal with it, or replace it if seams are leaking. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Not everyone has indoor storage for their dinghy most set them on davits or on the hard on top. Remember when Forrest Gumps friend Bubba sounded all of the different ways you can prepare shrimp? Id be wary of the 'glued' seams. Still seems OK after 3 years of 'hard use'; but, I do keep a large 'patch kit' with me - due to all the horror stories about PVC inflatables. The West Marine boat has a greater maximum load: 1,984 pounds compared to Zodiacs 1,653 pounds. The floor is plywood. That doesn't look like UV damage, but more like an adhesive failure, where the adhesive holding the bottom to the tubes has failed. BTW, seven months of UV exposure isn't good for the dinghy. This is convenient, though we wonder how the small plastic clips that secure the seats will hold up. If you leave them out in the sun 24x7 for two years I think that everyone of them would fail. The boat sets up and deflates and stores on the fore deck easily. We paint the bottom every year since it is always in the water. Water collects beneath this floor/keel, keeping feet and gear drier. We purchased a 6-year-old Avon (Hypalon) 10 years ago from a friend. Roger obtained the dinghy for nothing, which made it worth his while to try to renovate it. After completing the restoration work, Roger launched the dinghy and rowed it to the stern of Britannia. I then visited our local West Marine store where, using equipment in the store, I made two stainless-steel wire strops, along with U-bolts to attach to the forward locker, for a total cost of $25. I bought a bottle for $55. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Dan was extremely knowledgeable and helpful, even to the point of advising me not to bother with one of his products that an employee had recommended, saving me $150. For a rigid-transom RIB, we recommended the Zodiac YL 310, the Caribe L10, and the Achilles HB 315 DX. Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England. This saves having to reach over and remove the drain plug when the dinghy is in davits. The instructions for the sealant said to rotate the boat every 30 minutes to allow the fluid to coat the rest of the inside of the chamber. They needed to be tackled from the inside, using an internal inflatable-boat liquid sealer. Rigid and Portable: The high-pressure roll-up floor is made with multiple cross layers of copolymer fabric with thousands of drop stitches per inch. We had put a lot of elbow grease and cash into this project, not knowing if it would ultimately be worthwhile. With the maximum 10 hp outboard, it can plane with two people aboard, and one person can get on plane with only 4 hp. I bought one from Amazon for $7. It also offers more interior volume. A PVC boat is "good enough" for us. Enter your email address to be added to the waitlist. Expedited shipping is not available. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. At least every other weekend. I find the slat floor adequate rigidity. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You have entered an incorrect email address! West Marine and Zodiac V-bottom Inflatable Dinghies Put to the Test. Three pounds per square inch may not sound like much, but I had visions of the whole thing exploding and blowing the roof off my garage. Delivery time varies typically 23 weeks. I just row it. It will make a good back-up even if you get a new dinghy. I had ordered one yesterday just in case of this, and it will come Tuesday, so I can think about it until then, and they'll put the boat into inventory if I don't want it.
I began by masking all around the rubbing strake, then gave the strake two coats of blue, using a throwaway brush. I have only rowed it, no motor yet. The West Marine reached a top speed of 15 knots. The newspaper picture showed a lone Avon still tied up. Testers checked the following performance points: quickness to plane, dryness and comfort, and high- and low-speed handling (also in reverse). Improved Capacity: Weight capacity has nearly doubled from previous models and is now best in class at 5 persons or 1,322 lbs, but the boat itself is a svelte 73 lbs. He recommended I start with their Inflatable Boat Sealant, which is injected into the boats chambers through the air valves to seal leaks from the inside. If you do not receive an email contact Customer Service. Larger tubes generally mean a drier boat, and the Zodiac tubes are 2 inches larger in diameter than those on the West Marine, but the latters tube are higher at the bow, which helps deflect spray. West Marine: Unlike regular high-pressure floor boats, these do not have a flat floor or inflatable keel Instead, two sections of high-pressure fabric are joined into a V-section that, when inflated, creates the deep-V hull shape., And Zodiac: The FR340 has a high-pressure air floor and keel that are inflated from one valve. Mounting lifting strops to the solid hull of a RIB is easy. Do the math: Is a "disposable" boat really worth it? Lasted 2 summers in the sun and the bottom fell off. The Zodiac has the advantage when it comes to oars and oarlocks. I do not have davits. The Zodiac delivered a rougher, wetter ride than the West Marine boat, in part because it is smaller. For RIBs with folding transoms, PS picked the Walker Bay Genesis Light 310 FTD. Signature required for receipt of shipment. I then rowed the dinghy to Britannias stern and hooked it to the carabiner hooks on the davits. It's firm to step one, stiffens the whole boat, and allows for an inflatable keel which improves rowing and tracking under power. In this shootout, the West Marine HP-V 350 stands out as the Budget Buy, with its superior ride, multiple handholds, and beefy rubrail. Note it is slatted floor, not solid. Get the best sailing news, boat project how-tos and more delivered to your inbox. This delivers the rigidity that lets the boat get on plane and still offers the ease of setup and compact storage you want in a traditional inflatable boat. Did I say dry enough times. I didnt like the idea of a single spring button holding the blade anyway, so I also screwed a stainless- steel self-tapping screw through the blade into the oar for extra safety.
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