Old zodiac - help to identify model

russiarulez · 10 June 2008, 10:09

Got this old hull and tubes for free last fall. Tubes were slashed by some idiots in the bow area on both sides (got that repaired in a professional shop). The hull measures about 12 feet, and tubes are about 16 feet. There is no transom plate on the hull, the only marking it has is "MK2" painted on the bottom. The tubes however have a serial number plate attached - see pic as far as I could tell the tubes are from year 87 and the type/model is 3432. The hull was full of water four of us couldn't even lift it. I drained the water, sealed some gouges and holes in the hull and am in the process of drying it out internally. It seems to be built very heavy duty. The guy that I got it from said that this is an ex-coast guard boat and the guy used it for diving, it has a bottle rack attached to an ugly and heavy A-frame. One of the major problems are the tubes - it appears that all four baffles are blown, I played with the interconnecting valves (thanks to this forum I figured out how those work), but I think it's the baffles. So gonna see how much it would run me to repair at least one or two of those baffles (I already paid $400 to get the tubes patched up).
I got a two-stroke Yamaha 40 that I'm thinking of putting on this RIB, hopefully the transom will hold.
So any info on the RIB would be appreciated.

Jelly · 10 June 2008, 10:37

HI Ya
Any chance of a close up on the valves, they look like the type I had on a HD zodiac. You rotate the body so you can fill either the chamber to the left or right of the baffle, both or none at all.
James

russiarulez · 10 June 2008, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jelly

HI Ya
Any chance of a close up on the valves, they look like the type I had on a HD zodiac. You rotate the body so you can fill either the chamber to the left or right of the baffle, both or none at all.
James

James yeah those are the types of valves I have on it. After a search on this forum I was able to figure out how they worked and was hoping that they were causing the flow of air between the chambers, but no, looks like the baffles are blown.

antoine · 10 June 2008, 20:12

Hello,

I put your post on french rib forum, i hope someone could help you.

It's here:http://pneuboat.com/serv-bibl/module....php?id=262031

Antoine

prairie tuber · 10 June 2008, 21:10

It's definitely not a Hurricane, since it was manufactured in France. This is my guess;

http://www.zodiacmilpro.com/product/zodiac/SRR420.pdf

http://www.zodiacmilpro.com/parts/index.html

http://www.zodiac-boats.co.uk/download/comcat08.pdf

If you've already got those tubes open, it might be alot simpler to put in non-communicating baffles and separate Halkey-Roberts valves in each chamber.

Dave Berry · 11 June 2008, 00:13

I had the same model of hull left behind my shop 5 or 6 years ago!! I kept it for two years waiting for someone to claim it before I made a tube and rigged it for a customer as a coach boat so he could be on the water when his kids were sailing. Photo attached.

I know it is the same hull by the cut of the top edge of the transom and the small knees where the deck meets the transom. I thought it was an older Avon, but seeing yours, it appears to have been a Zodiac.

I think "3432" is the Serie number for the boat. That indicates the tubeset is a Zodiac MK III Grand Raid. This Serie number was used in 1987 for MK III GR boats. I suspect the tube is made with hypalon fabric, but the baffles might be PVC. If the baffles are PVC you will be much better off to have replacements made from hypalon or neoprene fabric. Your tube repair shop should be able to tell you if they can do the job. The tube will have to be opened up, prepped for new baffles, the baffles installed and plumbed for the intercommunicating valves and the tube closed.

You will have a nice little RIB once you get it put together!

Stoo · 11 June 2008, 02:27

I think this is the same as my first RIB. It's a Zodiac MkIII Rigid Hull. The boat started as a Grand Raid Mark III as Dave pointed out. The bottom was cut out and married to a hull made by Hurricane in BC. This was before Hurricane was owned by Zodiac.

Looking at the details in your pictures, every item is the same as my old boat... the location of the scuppers, the little transom supports, the engine mounts, the i/c valves. The overall size is the same. The tube set bolted on and you should find some bolts or holes around the hull avery 1 1/2"or so.

It is my understanding that there were only three of this particular model made. I had one. A guy from Michigan (if I remember properly) had a second one, and he actually came to Tobermory where we had a visit, and now you seem to have the third!

It's a fabulous little boat. I had a 60 on mine and it went like a cat with its tail on fire. As the price of fuel climbs, I miss it!

I'm sorry I don't have any detailed pictures to show you, but here is one that you might have seen on here before...

russiarulez · 11 June 2008, 07:21

Wow thanks for all the info and the pics.
I suspected that it might have the same tubes as the Mark 3 since they looked quite alike. I guess I'm going to see if I can find a Mark 3 that has its baffles intact and maybe just rip the bottom out and glue on the flange that bolts onto the hull. I bet the shop will charge me a lot of money to have the baffles done since it's quite a labor-intensive job.
Looks like a 40 hp Yamaha should do just fine on this hull.
Does anyone know how much would a new set of tubes like these run for if I had them made?