Excel vs Zodiac, Bombard etc

[Nick Hearne]

Originally Posted by SixtyNorth

Interesting replies, cheers.

They have decided to buy a Zodiac Classic, partly due to the fact they prefer the traditional look and grey tubes.

Is there any benefit to having the wooden interlocking floor instead of the aluminium floor? When buying new, the wooden floor option is a bit cheaper but my initial suggestion was that they try to find a boat with the aluminium floor as, in my experience, they are very hard wearing. Or are the wooden boards just as good?

My preference would be aluminum as low maintenance

[Max...]

As he said, wood looks lovely but more maintenance for sure if you like sanding and varnishing...

[SixtyNorth]

I thought as much, will suggest the aluminium is their best bet then, unless they can find a good deal on a boat with the wooden floor. Appreciate the advice!

[Nick Hearne]

Bit of a trip and unknown engine to me, but price looks OK

USED ONCE, EXCEL VANGUARD 335 RIB WITH VECTOR 15HP OUTBOARD, TENDER BOAT FISHING | eBay

[Fenlander]

>>>any benefit to having the wooden interlocking floor instead of the aluminium floor?

Personal thing but I'd choose wood*. Bit easier to fix to and so much easier to make up replacements if needed. Tiny bit kinder to the knees too. Think the wood is in a matt grey now which is so easy to refinish.

* By that I don't mean you should... but if buying myself a Classic I'd not even think twice about getting wood.... and the £200 or so saving is icing on the cake.

[jonp]

Over here most small boats are made from aluminium, personaly I hate them. They are cold noisy and look ugly, paint soon peels away when salt gets under it and electrolysis has been a problem in many that I've owned.

Jon

[The Gurnard]

Yup..I will go with Fenlander and JonP on a wooden Floor. I have one in my 11 year old sib...its been well used but the boards are still in pristine condition and never needed sanded or repainted. Easy to fix attachments to ..and I like the weight they give..low down for a low center of buoyancy

[SixtyNorth]

Good to hear people's thoughts on the floor issue. I guess the aluminum floor is as heavy as the wooden floor, if not heavier.

Anyway, they are going with aluminum and some rubber matting.

If buying myself I would be tempted to go for a wooden floor and then have it varnished for that traditional look. I think the new boats with wooden floors have a different finish to them although I have only been told that, haven't seen any myself.

Are the modern wooden floors in aluminum frames with the same stringer system? The old ones were just wood.

[Duggy]

Interesting thread!

After a 20 year gap I'm itching to get another SIB (is that what they're called these days? ) and get back on the water (this time round with my grand kids). Being Birmingham based I've been over to talk to Terry at Excel and I have to say that I'm impressed with the quality for the money from what I saw and heard. I'm currently thinking along the lines of a 435 with the ally floor so I can hook a 30 on it and really have some fun.

Not decided whether or not I'd bother to trailer as I've got a 9 seat Transit Custom bus which I could top it with, or maybe get a small camping trailer to tow and inflate from at the water's edge (space is a bit of premium so it would need to fit in my single garage).

Any thoughts?

Hello everyone by the way.

[jeffstevens763@g]

we have one of these at work fully blow up.

[Fenlander]

Excel are a decent budget SIB.... perhaps bettered in resale value by the similarly priced Honwaves... but their max is a 4m.

Van topping a 200lb+ SIB will not be easy!

[simonafloat]

I saw an excel on the Dart this evening, looked very well made.

[Stephen Potts]

Originally Posted by Stigomery

Is (s)he new to the SIB world? Purpose and experience might dictate/rule-out certain boats/styles of boats before cost/brand/reputation does?

(I've only experienced Honwave and am happy with it - T38)

Hi is your T38 air deck or Aluminium deck.

[Stephen Potts]

Is your Honwave T38 air deck or Aluminium deck