Advice on old Zodiac

AndiD · 28 January 2024, 06:21

Hello everyone,

I am new to boating and would like some advice (maybe encouragement?).
I live in FL and finally started saltwater fishing. I'm a seasoned freshwater fisherman, but only recently discovered (and got addicted to) the flats with trout, pompano, and reds. I've been wading at Ft DeSoto so far.
I spend my summers in GA and I have an Intex Mariner 4 with a 40lb MinnKota for bass. It is perfect for my needs.
Now I decided to get an inflatable for FL (SIB, as I don't have space to store an RIB - I live in a townhouse).
So I got this 1999 Zodiac CFR340 for $200. Only problem advertised was floor coming unglued. Had oars, pump, transom wheels, bench and air floor. Keel was also unglued from the floor.
What I know/ did so far, after 2 weeks.
- all chambers hold air and pressure - I left them inflated overnight and it was fine the next day. (semi-recessed valves leak on the inside, but don't with the cap on). I have insert replacement valves ordered.
- there is only 1 patch, on the bottom of the floor (no patch on air pressured chambers)
- air floor and keel hold air and pressure for the tested 24 hrs.
- I pulled / yanked on the transom but it looks solidly on, and the wood is not soft at corners or anything.
- I pulled the floor completely off (all the way to the transom - came off easily), spent 3 days cleaning with a dremel and acetone, until completely clean.
- It was obvious that the floor had been glued back before - there were marks and arrows, plus how easily it came off
- I spent another half day glueing the floor HH66 (2 part glue would have been too expensive for me). I took my time, followed all directions, cleaned again with acetone all sides, and everything looks solid.
- didn't take on the water yet, I am waiting to get some boat stuff from GA
- Intended use: I plan on traveling no more than 3-4 miles per trip, mostly in the flats, using exclusively a 40lb trolling motor.
Thank you if you read so far, I am grateful!
Now, given the age, should I be worried that it will explode or rip on me and I'll feed the sharks? What kind of seams does it have? Welded or glued? Can't find the specs anywhere. Is there hope that it'll be a decent boat if I take good care of it?
Any opinion / advice on how to make it work for a couple of years would be greatly appreciated! Pics I have taken during the cleaning process

Fenlander · 28 January 2024, 16:24

Hi And and welcome to the forum. I've owned this exact boat type and three of the closely related Zodiac models.

The tubes will be sound as their construction is welded joints. The floor peeling from the tubes is not uncommon at this age, but it is uncommon for the transom to be 100% secure if the floor is that bad assuming the transom is glued. I think it was not until after 2006 Zodiac might have somehow moved onto a way of welding the transom. In any case you will not be putting on too much transom stress with a trolling motor.

In the UK we usually advise using a 2-part glue but I know HH66 is well thought of so I hope this repair lasts well for you. I can only assume the previous repair was with a lesser glue type.

I found this SIB very compact to store and light to handle. It went well with a 10hp motor.

AndiD · 28 January 2024, 16:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Hi And and welcome to the forum. I've owned this exact boat type and three of the closely related Zodiac models.

The tubes will be sound as their construction is welded joints. The floor peeling from the tubes is not uncommon at this age, but it is uncommon for the transom to be 100% secure if the floor is that bad assuming the transom is glued. I think it was not until after 2006 Zodiac might have somehow moved onto a way of welding the transom. In any case you will not be putting on too much transom stress with a trolling motor.

In the UK we usually advise using a 2-part glue but I know HH66 is well thought of so I hope this repair lasts well for you. I can only assume the previous repair was with a lesser glue type.

I found this SIB very compact to store and light to handle. It went well with a 10hp motor.

Thank you for the input! I will definitely keep an eye on the transom, and even if I have to reglue floor and transom once a year or so, I don't have a problem with that. I like projects

Fenlander · 28 January 2024, 19:31

An OE factory glue job should last towards 20yrs but it is very variable according to use and weather exposure. A professional re-glue with two-part should last at least half this time. DIY jobs very much depend on quality of prep and attention to temperatures/moisture level at them time of bonding but I'd hope would last at least 5yrs even for a modest job.

User name · 28 January 2024, 20:38

These are a great little boat. So long as your glue job holds up, you should be fine. See if you can pick at the seam and get it to come away. If the glue job is good then it'll be next to impossible to break the bond after a few days curing.
The valves on these always have a slight leak until you put the cap on. The cap itself has a seal on it. I swapped mine out with brand new units that did the same.

If the floor is holding air for up to 24hrs then you might get away with using something like SuperSeal, Seal Flex etc. Basically just pour it in through the valve and pump up the floor. Then move it around to get a good coating of the sealer over the leaky area. It finds it way out through the air channels and goes off, creating a seal.

For fishing, you might want to look at something to cover the floor with for some added protection. You'll be dealing with all sorts of sharp objects onboard, as well as the teeth and spines on various species around Florida so the chances of getting a puncture are greatly increased.

AndiD · 28 January 2024, 20:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

An OE factory glue job should last towards 20yrs but it is very variable according to use and weather exposure. A professional re-glue with two-part should last at least half this time. DIY jobs very much depend on quality of prep and attention to temperatures/moisture level at them time of bonding but I'd hope would last at least 5yrs even for a modest job.

That would be nice. I really took my time and sanded and cleaned everything obsessively. Used a quart of acetone to remove all of the old glue. Thanks!

AndiD · 28 January 2024, 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by User name

These are a great little boat. So long as your glue job holds up, you should be fine. See if you can pick at the seam and get it to come away. If the glue job is good then it'll be next to impossible to break the bond after a few days curing.
The valves on these always have a slight leak until you put the cap on. The cap itself has a seal on it. I swapped mine out with brand new units that did the same.

If the floor is holding air for up to 24hrs then you might get away with using something like SuperSeal, Seal Flex etc. Basically just pour it in through the valve and pump up the floor. Then move it around to get a good coating of the sealer over the leaky area. It finds it way out through the air channels and goes off, creating a seal.

For fishing, you might want to look at something to cover the floor with for some added protection. You'll be dealing with all sorts of sharp objects onboard, as well as the teeth and spines on various species around Florida so the chances of getting a puncture are greatly increased.

I tried the seam this morning, 3 days after curing. Can't get it to separate.
Air floor has no leak so far. I'll use your idea in the future if I get a leak.
Excellent points, didn't even think about the floor! I have a plywood floor in my Mariner 4, so it never crossed my mind.... I'll do some research on that. Thanks for the tips and encouragement!

User name · 28 January 2024, 21:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndiD

I tried the seam this morning, 3 days after curing. Can't get it to separate.
Air floor has no leak so far. I'll use your idea in the future if I get a leak.
Excellent points, didn't even think about the floor! I have a plywood floor in my Mariner 4, so it never crossed my mind.... I'll do some research on that. Thanks for the tips and encouragement!

Maybe I misunderstood your original post, but i got the impression your floor was only holding air for 24hrs. If it's not going down then it sounds like you're onto a winner.

AndiD · 28 January 2024, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by User name

Maybe I misunderstood your original post, but i got the impression your floor was only holding air for 24hrs. If it's not going down then it sounds like you're onto a winner.

Yeah, looks like I was bit ambiguous in my post. I only tested it for 24 hrs initially and it held up fine. Since then, I left it inflated for 3 days and it doesn't leak. So far all of you guys' posts are very reassuring. Many thanks!

User name · 29 January 2024, 10:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndiD

Yeah, looks like I was bit ambiguous in my post. I only tested it for 24 hrs initially and it held up fine. Since then, I left it inflated for 3 days and it doesn't leak. So far all of you guys' posts are very reassuring. Many thanks!

Sounds like you're good to go. For the floor, you could try some of that shock absorbing mat that is used in garage floors. It's tough, lightweight and easy to fit so it won't affect your portability when packing/unpacking the boat.

Fenlander · 29 January 2024, 10:33

Re the floor it's good that it holds air well. I would add a note of caution re using any type of pour in sealant to a HP air floor. I have no direct experience but it is said the sealant can gum up the tiny fibres that make the drop stitch floor work. I'd always make a proper patch repair if the floor ever leaked.

AndiD · 29 January 2024, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by User name

Sounds like you're good to go. For the floor, you could try some of that shock absorbing mat that is used in garage floors. It's tough, lightweight and easy to fit so it won't affect your portability when packing/unpacking the boat.

Yep, that's what I ordered on Amazon

AndiD · 29 January 2024, 15:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Re the floor it's good that it holds air well. I would add a note of caution re using any type of pour in sealant to a HP air floor. I have no direct experience but it is said the sealant can gum up the tiny fibres that make the drop stitch floor work. I'd always make a proper patch repair if the floor ever leaked.

Very good to know, thanks for the tip!

AndiD · 16 February 2024, 03:08

Short update: I don't know if I created a monster, but I had HH-66 extra glue and I decided to double the floor seam with 40 mil PVC. Proper thick and flexible. Overlapped 1 in on the tube and 2 in on the seam. The PVC is actually shower liner sold by the foot: $7 for 5ftx1ft.
It's probably overkill because I tried but couldn't pick any seam after the original gluing, but I was bored and needed a project. It seems to have worked very well. It's an extra layer of defense for the floor seam.
Well, tomorrow is my first day on the water with it. Finally received all the boat stuff I was waiting for.
For future generations: if I don't post an update by Feb 18, it's clear what happened, so make sure you use a different glue than me

Fenlander · 16 February 2024, 11:43

Well if your shower PVC has stuck fast it can't be a bad thing and you're unlikely to attract the attention of a critical purist.

User name · 16 February 2024, 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndiD

Short update: I don't know if I created a monster, but I had HH-66 extra glue and I decided to double the floor seam with 40 mil PVC. Proper thick and flexible. Overlapped 1 in on the tube and 2 in on the seam. The PVC is actually shower liner sold by the foot: $7 for 5ftx1ft.
It's probably overkill because I tried but couldn't pick any seam after the original gluing, but I was bored and needed a project. It seems to have worked very well. It's an extra layer of defense for the floor seam.
Well, tomorrow is my first day on the water with it. Finally received all the boat stuff I was waiting for.

Looks like a solid job. Keep in mind that the keel and the water itself are bearing your weight, rather than the floor seams directly so It's very unlikely you'll have any future issues even without this reinforcement. It was glue degradation that caused it to fail previously.

If you have any extra though, it might be a good idea to run some down the centreline of the floor to give it some protection from the ground when beaching.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndiD

For future generations: if I don't post an update by Feb 18, it's clear what happened, so make sure you use a different glue than me

AndiD · 17 February 2024, 06:36

Well, I am happy to report that the first outing was a success. No leaks, no loose seams, good stability and safe.
I will keep on monitoring the floor and update every few months so that future visitors of the forum can have closure regarding the use of HH-66.
Thank you all again for all your input!

User name · 17 February 2024, 12:50

Excellent! More importantly though, did you catch anything?

Fenlander · 17 February 2024, 15:40

Great to see the pictures Andi. You should be really pleased with what you've achieved.

AndiD · 18 February 2024, 05:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by User name

Excellent! More importantly though, did you catch anything?

Funny you should ask. Short funny story.
So I'm fishing with light spinning gear - medium light rod and 12lb braid. It would probably handle a 20lb fish. Not long after we left the boat ramp, I was still a bit stressed as I was getting used to the feel of the boat, and checking to make sure everything was ok. But we were in the shallows so I wasn't too concerned.
My wife went back to steer and I started fishing in the front. 5 min in, I hooked into something giant. I knew instantly that it was way above what my rod/reel/ line setup can take. It started taking line like I had hooked a truck. I was hoping it would break off quickly and I would save as much line as possible. But, to my absolute horror, it started pulling the boat so fast towards the horizon and deep water that I imagined us being rescued somewhere in Africa. It absolutely didn't make sense how it was able to pull the boat at 4-5 mph. Mind you, this lasted like 30 seconds, but it felt like 15 min. Until I realized that my wife was all gung ho about it, yelling "get him, get him!" and that she had set the motor on max speed to chase the fish. Jesus!! As soon as she gave in to me cowardly begging her to stop the damn thing or put it in reverse, the fish broke the line in a second. So, yeah, I already chased Moby Dick on my first outing! Pretty sure it was a shark, stingrays are heavy but don't take off like this.
Other than that, a couple of nice speckled trout