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. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more! It also offers more interior volume. For a rigid-transom RIB, we recommended the Zodiac YL 310, the Caribe L10, and the Achilles HB 315 DX. He had to shift his weight forward to help the boat plane. In a test of seven small roll-up boats with inflatable decks and keels, the Zodiac Cadet 310FR ACTI-V was the favorite. It happened to my Zodiac, which was repaired under warranty. A wooden bench seat comes standard with the boat. Store it in a cool place when not in use. Admittedly, it is a bit of a pain to store the wooden floor and to re-oil it every year; and of course you can't roll it up. 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. There's some decent deals on Defender like this one. 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 began by masking all around the rubbing strake, then gave the strake two coats of blue, using a throwaway brush. That makes for quick and easy setup and takedown. It is the material not WM. I also painted the Dolphin logo on the bow and the Caribe logo on each side, highlighting them with white paint. For a rigid-transom RIB, we recommended the Zodiac YL 310, the Caribe L10, and the Achilles HB 315 DX. Furthermore, part of my calculations involve how long the dinghy will last forwhether I will have to buy a new one in 7 or so years when I move to a bigger boat and full-time cruising or whether I can hope that the whatever I, We recently (18 months now) bought a west marine folding transom dinghy (compact. The boat delivers a smooth, dry ride and tracks very well. The owner was still rowing it around the anchorage and called it his "glass bottom" boat. I decided to roll the paint over this large area with a 4-inch nylon roller. The V-floor has a balance of pros and cons. #{}}jc1X6fm;'_9 r:8q:O:8uJqnv=MmR 4 I probably leave it in the water for 3 months each season. Sailing Nervous "episode #60 our little dinghy" is the title. There is a humorous video review on YouTube about this or a very similar dinghy. And I wanted one made of Hypalon because it is more resistant to sunlight and abrasion than the less- expensive alternative, PVC. There are also two carrying handles in the stern quarters on the outboard sides of the tubes, plus one at the bow, below the rubrail. The only stumbling block was the cost, which, at $3,000 to $4,000 for a new boat, was well outside my budget. Delivery is only applicable within the contiguous United States. I am in a similar situation, looking for an inexpensive dinghy. The Zodiac delivered a rougher, wetter ride than the West Marine boat, in part because it is smaller. The Zodiac has the advantage when it comes to oars and oarlocks. Most notably, the bow rise upon acceleration from a dead stop was not as severe as the Zodiacs. 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. I sanded the whole topsides with 80-grit sandpaper to remove some of the paint that had been applied years ago and was now loose. Its high-pressure floor/keel design makes sense, and its overall finish quality is better than the West Marine. However a solid floor is much better in use. It is recommended for those who need a lightweight, but large roll-up for temperate climates. Posted by Roger Hughes | Maintenance, Projects. I finally made this much easier by stitching two zippers into the cover to make a wide flap in the center. Tows pretty good due to light weight, sometimes tries to catch the boat coming down big waves. I've used a WM/GroupZodiac (- dont know the mod., etc. 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. . The West Marine boat holds a substantial edge in price: $1,700 versus $2,299 for the Zodiac. The extra weight of a RIB did not faze my electric hoist, which easily raised it out of the water in 20 seconds. 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. The boat was a bit squirrelly at high speeds-as many inflatable boats are. Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. 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. That doesn't look like UV damage, but more like an adhesive failure, where the adhesive holding the bottom to the tubes has failed. Love the air floor . I find it is just fine for the purpose intended: doodling about the harbor at anchor and back and forth to shore. Belvoir Media Group, LLC. Another knock is that both boats are made of PVC material. Privacy Guaranteed - your email is never shared with anyone, opt out any time. 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. 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. It rows just fine as a flat bottom inflatable, yes it slides around a bit, but I can deal with that. For a PVC coated fabric dinghy, heat sealed seams are far superior. Thanks for the responses. The Zodiak boats with the PVC all do exactly like yours did. One bonus is the flat high-pressure floor, which makes it easier to keep your footing. I have had it for over 5 years and it is still going strong. Its head spinning. Applies to standard shipping only within the contiguous United States. I bought a bottle for $55. Adding to the weight was the 1/2 inch of water in the bottom from a slow water leak. Ratings appear in the Value Guide above. 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. Enter your email address to be added to the waitlist. 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. We're still tossed on new. We have found many uses for our dinghy on the Chesapeake on weekend trips. The V-floor has a balance of pros and cons. Both boats are a pain to inflate using the manufacturer-provided manual air pumps (particularly the Zodiac), in our opinion. Dan, I appreciate you sticking your neck out as a WM employee. Restrictions: This item does not ship to a PO Box, APO, FPO, DPO or international address. The West Marines seat must be installed when the boat is partially inflated, but the attachment seems more solid than the Zodiacs. This also is not unusual for a boat of this size. (Testers got no help from the manual here.). The boat performed fine at slow speeds and in reverse. Water collects beneath this floor/keel, keeping feet and gear drier. Even in the davits, Looks like new . In this shootout, the West Marine HP-V 350 stands out as the Budget Buy, with its superior ride, multiple handholds, and beefy rubrail. Most of this time its been in direct sunlight and/or hanging from my davits. 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. Heres what the companies have to say about their boats. Only the keel of the Zodiac is V-shaped. In fact we use it all the time. Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England. With the maximum 10 hp outboard, it can plane with two people aboard, and one person can get on plane with only 4 hp. With our 9.9-horsepower Yamaha, the Zodiac topped out at 17 knots, which is very fast for such a small boat. Obviously product specs and material availability (Hypalon discontinuation) have changed over the last 10 years. We had put a lot of elbow grease and cash into this project, not knowing if it would ultimately be worthwhile. 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. The West Marine is longer than the Zodiac by a half-foot and narrower by 4 inches. However, our experience has been that the 2.5 hp Tohatsu outboard we have is about as big as we would dare go. . At least every other weekend. I contacted Caribe Nautica, Doral, near Miami, Florida, and bought two blades for $61. BTW, seven months of UV exposure isn't good for the dinghy. It was a 16-year-old C10X model and decidedly dilapidated. Delivery time varies typically 23 weeks. Do the math: Is a "disposable" boat really worth it? Ride quality was not as good as the West Marine boat. Apart from the West Marine HP-V 350s larger overall dimensions, the chief difference between the two boats is in the floor-keel design. The patches and a new air valve cost $220. I plan to head down to WM to see the PRU-3 this weekend. The oars can be feathered, and they slide inboard and outboard, giving the rower better control of the boat. I plan on rolling it up ant re-inflating it when we get there. It is the adhesive that is the problem and it is heat, not sun that causes the problem. Roger has documented more projects on his website: schooner-britannia.com. A thick, abrasion-resistant fabric protects the hull bottom, but if it or the floor is punctured, repair can be expensive or impractical. Testers found the ride aboard the West Marine to be drier than the ride on the Zodiac. This is a PVC inflatable with 'welded seams'. I have a 2000 WM HP floor model and never again will I own a PVC inflatable, this model does hang on the davits all summer and has had failed do to seams letting go,also have a sticky substance that I cannot get rid of no matter what I clean it with. West Marine will email you when your order ships from the vendor. After leaving it in my garage for another night, I inspected it in the early morning, while the air temperature was still cool. The boat also tracked and turned well. For three days, I tried to find the leaks, using an electric air-mattress pump and the soap-and-water test method. It's never bothered me that my dinghy has a flat bottom. Roger and his wife, Kati, look forward to cruising in 2018 and using all the innovations he has incorporated into the boat, many of which have been featured in Good Old Boat. 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). If you do not receive an email contact Customer Service. Thats a stretch. 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. The entire bottom of the West boat is shaped like a V and permanently connected to its tubes. The Zodiacs deadrise measures 12 degrees, and the West Marine boat is about the same. I'm open to recommendations for what is available now. Ships from supplier, typically 2-3 weeks. When it was inflated with a commercial compressor to the correct pressure, the leaks immediately began to bubble up. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. I was wondering if Dan or anyone else would mind answering a few questions about the SB-275. Four handholds attach to straps on the tube tops. Excess liquid dries to a light film on the insides of the chambers, helping to prevent future porosity problems. That doesn't look like UV damage, but more like an adhesive failure, where the adhesive holding the bottom to the tubes has failed. It's firm to step one, stiffens the whole boat, and allows for an inflatable keel which improves rowing and tracking under power. Tradeoffs. Both boats purport to have deep-V bottoms. The roll up floor is great. I masked off the rubbing strake, the oarlock sockets, and all the handles. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Testing was done in two stages. The West Marines bow sweeps up higher than the Zodiacs, offering better spray protection, and its rubrail is beefier than the Zodiacs. When I bought my Down East 45 schooner, Britannia, she didnt come with a dinghy, but she had very sturdy aluminum davits just waiting for a new dink. My main problem with boat fenders is that they appear to violate the cardinal rule of cruising: any object you bring aboard should serve at least two purposes (the way your crewmate's favorite yellow shirt makes a great Q flag). Pluses include a smart oar and oarlock design, a nifty forward storage compartment, and an easy-to-use drain. I wonder if towing her behind us on all our adventures caused it. One air valve also leaked, and five larger leaks needed patches. Bottom line: The boat delivers a smooth, dry ride and tracks very well. . Its heavier than the Zodiac, but its also $600 less expensive. Get the repair adhesive from a discount supplier clean off the old adhesive and re-glue the floor. A deep-V keel is typically defined as 24 degrees or deeper, intended to deliver a softer ride in chop. If you had a motor perhaps both persons could sit on the side tubes. I just row it. We drove the 120 miles in my minivan the next day and picked it up. For what it's worth we just got a West Marine. Inflatable Boat Sealant, topside paint: Inland Marine in Cape Coral, FL www.inlandmarine.us, Scoprega Bravo 7M Foot Pump: Defender, #454219 www.defender.com, Halkey-Roberts latching adaptor: www.amazon.com, Scupper drain: West Marine, #1930353 www.westmarine.com. Combines the performance that youd expect in a rigid-floored sportboat with the lighter weight of an inflatable floor model in a versatile, easy-to-store boat. A nice dinghy ride after a sail is fun. PS testers examined grab and carrying handles, oars, lifting rings, seating and storage, drain-plug design, and towing eyes. Testers checked the following performance points: quickness to plane, dryness and comfort, and high- and low-speed handling (also in reverse). I am in a similar situation, looking for an inexpensive dinghy. 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. Additional shipping fees apply. However, I am on a smaller boat and worried about space. The salesguy said that the two boats they had were sold within an hour of opening this morning. I can work inside the flap to fit the cover, then zip it up when the boat is in the davits. But, the boat still works well after 16 years of being in the sun at a dock all season (6 months in North Atlantic). If you leave them out in the sun 24x7 for two years I think that everyone of them would fail. BTW, seven months of UV exposure isn't good for the dinghy. I bought this dingy in March of '16 for use during summer cruise. 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.
how to inflate west marine dinghy