inflatable boats

[captain cojones]

hi, anybody got any experience with inflatables?(not ribs).i was out last weekend with a couple of lads for a few hours and had a good few hours fishing.

i was thinking about looking for something between 3.5 and 4m.big enough for me and the missus, but easy to pack up and transport home afterwards.

any particular sort better than others? any to avoid!

cheers dave.

[AlderneyBassman]

Sharkbyte......come on down

[Brian Carragher]

A mate of mine had one and good fun it was too bombing about with your backside just off the water, surprisingly good for fishing too. Been off in it a number of times.

He always said that Zodiacs were the best

[Sharkbyte]

I felt my ears burning.

 

When I saw the thread on inflatables I was at first expecting someone to be knocking them on the safety front, I suppose there's still time.

Great bits of kit and am in full agreement with Brians mate about choosing a Zodiac, they are superbly built and as safe as houses.

 

If it's a Zodiac you want there's a choice of two models really considering the size you require.

 

The Cadet Fastroller upto 3.4m, this packs down into a large bag and is great for two people fishing. You can hook up a 15hp motor on these but in all honesty something much smaller is in keeping with the sort of fishing these boats suit best. They are around the £1400.00 mark at the moment (you pay for the quality), have an inflatable v keel and inflatable floor section that is so rigid it won't budge an inch even when standing up on it.

 

The Classic range is superb, bigger and bulkier though. They go from 3.8-4.2 m and can fish 4 without feeling too crowded. They can take upto 40hp and have a solid sectionable floor. Deflating and packing up one of these it a bit more work and they are probably best suited to life on a small trailer. These are a bit more pricey, around the £2500.00 mark for the 4.2

 

We use both of these models and I can honestly say you would not be disappointed in either.

 

Safety wise I would argue that you could knife both side tubes and still motor in without getting wet. The bouyancy is so great that they are probably one of the safest boats on the water.

 

Heres a pic of the Clasic 4.2

 

Life doesn't get better than upping anchor and being towed from pillar to post by a very big angry conger on an Autumns night.

[chesters1]

we started with the plastic "kids" versions with no problems (but do remember not to thoughtlessly stubb your fag out on the side as i did) went out a mile or so ,used with a little thought even these are safe for inshore fishing.

we progressed to an ex army inflatable with a 6 horse outboard which was fun untill a mouse decided to use it as nest material :mad:

one point though do not forget to take the slatted floor ,a inflatable with a fat bloke hanging over the front to stop it folding in half under full power (a 20 horse outboard ) is a sight indeed ,once anchored it behaved as a tame inflatable

 

[ 17. October 2005, 09:26 PM: Message edited by: chesters1 ]

[Sharkbyte]

quote:

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(but do remember not to thoughtlessly stubb your fag out on the side as i did)

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You definately made that bit up Chesters......surely you made that bit up? Never a dull moment.

 

Good point about the mice, never store it in it's bag in a shed. The smaller one I keep inflated in the loft during the winter.

[Simon Everett]

Avon or Zodiac are the ones to go for.

 

You still see plenty of 30 year old Avon Redstarts about the place - Redstart is the smallest, next comes Redcrest - like the Zodiacs (and now they are the same company!! Zodiac bought Avon, but they still sell under the seperate brand names. Avon are built in S. Wales at Llanelli)

 

I used to use one - they are all meant as yacht tenders - and I used to do some estuary fishing in it. Best was a bass of just over 10lbs! It pulled the thing all over the place.

 

Duck boards make life more comfortable, otherwise the bottom is going up and down like a water bed as it moulds itself to the water below you.

 

Zodiac also make the Bombard series - more rugged than the Zodiac brand, less fancy. Named after the French explorer who founded the Zodiac empire - Monsieur Bombard - he crossed the Atlantic in an early model of about 16 feet in length - safe as houses! The material is quite tough - especially the Avon as it is their own specification. You could put a filleting knife through it if you really wanted to, but I doubt a hook would go through - the curvature on the tubes is too great a radius, unless you are using bloody great hooks!

[chesters1]

quote:

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You definately made that bit up Chesters......surely you made that bit up? Never a dull moment. [big Grin]

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certainly not mate ,you should have seen the faces at the bognor sailing club when i landed in a 99% deflated inflatable on their ramp ,must have broken a record getting there with just a lungfull left to keep me afloat

[Seahog]

Inflatable boats tend to be a let down

[Newt]

Zodiac CZ7

 

Zodiac Dive Boat

 

Standard Zodiac

 

And one more

http://edl.engr.ucdavis.edu/images