Inflatable for shore dives(budget dive boat)

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I've actually taken a boaters safety course and I have a boating liscense. I've had it for years actually, just never owned a boat. I have a few buddies with multiple bass boats which we use to go play in fresh water with - just nothing in surf.

I'll be taking a little boatride in a Zodiac this Friday to see how she fits me.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Little smaller than I had planned, but for what I paid I'm not complaining Took it out with 2 divers + gear and still managed to plane it out in choppy water.

10'2 Zodiac Zoom w/Tohatsu 9.8 worked out well fits in my BroncoII and only took me ~25-30min to get it set up on my first try. I'm sure once I get the hang of it I'll be throwing it together in no time.

 

[Richard Kruckenberg]

I have a 2422 MK 11 Gr Zodiak for sale. Alaska air would probablly fly somewhere close to you. I need 1200. I priced a pump out of orlando a few months ago and was only 3 hundred all the way here. No motor . Just all the floor and wheels for lanching. Boat looks new. reply to rkruckenberg@okace.com

I looked at the seaeagle web site. They do not say what the boat is made out of. They say "1000 Denier". But what fiber is the fabric made with and what is the coatiing. Heck it could be vinyl coated polyester. They don't say.

Avon by far has the best material and you can count on 10 years of solid frequent use out of an Avon. Zodiac uses PVC coating and is not as good with UV light as Avon but lasts maybe 2/3s as long. Both are good.

With an inflatable after size, material is everything. You pay more for a material that will take abuse and the Sun's UV radiation.

By sure to plan you budget for Radio, GPS, Flairs and other signalling devices. an anchor and plenty of rode. Nav lights and battery
The anchor is a safty device that
will keep you from drifting either int the surf or to China when you
engine quits.

 

[gbc0010]

Alabama minds race in the same direction. I too have been looking at inflatables as a diving option. I am curious about your Zodizc ride. What was your experience. I have been looking at Sea Eagles. What have you learned from your research?

 

[gbc0010]

Have you purchased an inflatable? I am thinking about a SeaEagle 9 (1200 lb capacity 4 HP0, 10.6 SR Sport (1200 lb capacity 15HP), or 9.2 SR Sport Runabout (1000 lb capacity 10HP) ...Or perhaps a used AVON inflatable with a 15 HP Johnson Motor (no other info on the Avon)...Will use to dive 2 or 3 people....and some fishing with the 2 kids......Any thoughts or words of wisdom....

 

[cool_hardware52]

My 2 cents worth as an owner of a ~13' Avon.

I'm not current on the various pros and cons of the different manufacturers but the following should apply to all.

Think about a trailer, assembling, inflating and the reverse gets old fast.

Don't know if they still sell em, but I use to have a fuel bladder, not tank. One less thing to stumble over, used to stow it up in the bow, ran long hose back to motor. (Another good reason for a "long hose")

Big motors = fast, fun, HEAVY. Best way is 2 motors is you got the money, 10-15 HP for when weight is the issue, More HP if you have enough help.

Inflatables remain my fav way to "dinghy dive" as they are just about impossilbe to tip over climbing when climbing back in.

Inflatables are BIG fun.


Regards,


ch

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Alabama minds race in the same direction. I too have been looking at inflatables as a diving option. I am curious about your Zodizc ride. What was your experience. I have been looking at Sea Eagles. What have you learned from your research?

I did look into them. They are made of a PVC material like Zodiacs. They seem to be able to take slightly larger motors than their Zodiac equals. Other than that, I only know what I read off their website and brocheurs that they mailed to me.

I've taken my 10'2 Zodiac Zoom out a half-dozen times now out of Orange Beach. I've had it out in choppy water and even take it out into unprotected water(no more than a few hundred yards - I'm still weary as this is my first time actually owning a boat and driving one around in open water - all other experience has been in rivers). I'm not gonna tell you its the most stable ride in the world, because you DO feel every sizable wave, but its friggin fun! If any of you have been to Perdido Pass in Orange Beach, you know its trafficed alot by boats and yahts of a variety of sizes. Some of them throw up quite a bit of a wake and riding the crest of them can be a fun and quick way to get where you are going

Have you purchased an inflatable? I am thinking about a SeaEagle 9 (1200 lb capacity 4 HP0, 10.6 SR Sport (1200 lb capacity 15HP), or 9.2 SR Sport Runabout (1000 lb capacity 10HP) ...Or perhaps a used AVON inflatable with a 15 HP Johnson Motor (no other info on the Avon)...Will use to dive 2 or 3 people....and some fishing with the 2 kids......Any thoughts or words of wisdom....

I wouldn't get anything smaller than the 10.6 SeaEagle. My 10'2 Zodiac Zoom + 9.8HP has JUST enough room to fit 2 divers + equipement + a bubblewatcher. As of yet, I haven't gotten it to plane out with that amount of weight, but it will still cut through chop and small surf(be prepared for a bumpy ride though ). It will plane out with 2 divers + gear or 3 people, the extra weight of the gear tends to be break the camels back as far as getting the little boat to move on the water quickly.

The Avon's use material that weathers better than the PVC materials our Zodiacs/SeaEagles are made suppposedly.

I ended up with the Zodiac for the simple reason that I found someone getting rid of their practically brand-new Zodiac w/motor/tank/paddles/seat/patchkit/ect for a good price(about the price of a new motor alone). Less than 5 hours on both the boat and motor.

It takes me about 20 min to setup completely(pumping and floorboards and everything) and less than 15 to get deflated and rolled back up and into the back of my little Bronco II. Perhaps it will get old, but its not that much of a hassle to keep me from taking it out a few times each weekend.

 

[cool_hardware52]

Superbugman,

New boat looks cool. Should be lots of fun.

My point regarding a trailer really centers on post use service.

At the end of the boat ride you have to deflate / dissasssemble / pack up boat, frequently without benefit of abundant fresh water.

At home you then have to virtually reassemble in order to wash down the boat and purge the seawater form the motor. You can of course get / make / stand for the outboard, but you still have to handle every thing all over again.

Maybe I'm just lazy or obcessed with washing everything I use in the sea with fresh water.

Downside is of course all the negs of trailers, storage, registration, driving at 55MPH

In the first month you don't even notice, but I'll bet you'll find a year later that you'll use your boat more if you have a trailer.

Enjoy your new boat


ch

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

I know a several people who have gotten an inflatable,
planning on carrying it in the trunk of their car or back
of their truck. Not one has persisted. Most buy a trailer
after about three trips to the ocean.

Coolhardware is right on, except that the trailer speed
limit varies by state. Most are higher than California's
55, one (Maine?) is 45. Check your local laws.

 

[Wildcard]

I have a 14 Mercury and it's been on a trailer since day one. The only time I ever broke it down was to put it in the truck with the trailer on top to move from island to island. Great size for 2, 3 with only one tank is still good, 4 becomes sort of a pain. First person suits up and gets out, then the second, finaly the last two can move. But it's still fun and so much better than shore dives.

Rember to keep it covered when storing and always was it and the motor good. As a final point, let some air out when storing it. Not a lot, just some to prevent 1over pressure from heat. Enjoy your boat.