Old Zodiac

theboysmiffy · 03 October 2009, 15:13

Hi all, Ive just bought another SIB off ebay. Does anyone know anything about the spec of this dinghy? I was hoping to find out what model and year it is. I have not collected it yet but will be doing so next weekend when I will take it out for a trial run. The old ex MOD boat had too many bad repairs to it. We will be resoring it over time but needed something else to play in. The seller said it only has two patches and holds air for over a fortnight requiring only a couple of pumps to get it hard again. Hopefully this will prove a better proposition than Jim who has more patches than original material. I'll probably rue buying two old boats when I could have just bought one newer one! Thanks for any help. (Sorry for the image quality!)

Adam

spartacus · 03 October 2009, 15:45

Looks like an old Zodiac Tourism or Classic. Probably made early 1980s. Mid 80's ones had a different rubbing strake. PVC fabric. Looks like a MK II which is 13' 9'' long. Ply floor and inflatable keel. If I remember it's rated for a maximum 40hp short-shaft. Check the transom outside. Will have the date of manufacture, maximum permitted HP, etc. Eventually wears at the seams which run under the rowlocks or the sponson cones. Still good boats - given the age.

m chappelow · 03 October 2009, 16:13

think your about right sparticus ,,the earlier models pre 80s had a slightly different style logo to that one and the d ring looks like its an 80s model as it is wider to get a hand hold ,,,i had a 1969 model .

Fenlander · 03 October 2009, 21:24

The blurry image does make it a bit hard but it looks similar age/model range to mine.

Here is my cherished "as new"1971 Zodiac... can you see comparable features on yours?

I think mine is a Mark I... which denotes size rather than age... it's about 10ft 6ins.

I have two instruction books for mine. One gives two versions of the Mk.II (only difference I could see was one has 3+1 floorboards and the other 4+1) with either 40hp or 55hp depending on which you have. The other book just shows one Mk.II with a 50hp rating.

David

prairie tuber · 04 October 2009, 00:56

I'm also pretty sure it is an early to mid 70's Mark II or Mark IIc. I have a 1977 Mark Ic and the bow covering fabric had a center zipper (long since cut away) to allow the bow to open up.

theboysmiffy · 04 October 2009, 02:23

Wow! David that boat looks mint. That looks like a smaller version of ours , what is the model name? Theres a certain nostalgia element with buying these old boats and that captures it perfectly. I'm new to the SIB/RIB thing but the bug has truely bitten. Hopefully I will find out the spec plate from the transom when i collect it but speculating is all part of the fun. Great boat, totally jealous. You just need nostalgic 70's waterski-ing footage and it's complete. Toppa response as ever

Adam

prairie tuber · 04 October 2009, 13:46

Adam,

A 30-40 year old zodiac SIB that is in very good condition (or mint condition like the one in David's pictures) should still have more future usage ahead of it than any brand new PVC SIB will have. While it is a little harder to tell from you picture, your boat also looks to be in great condition. Hopefully the boat will be very good shape when you receive it. A 'fortnight' is what - 2 weeks? (the term in not normally used here in North America). That is not too bad for holding air. If the leakage is at a seam, it is certainly fixable on these boats.

theboysmiffy · 04 October 2009, 17:25

Thanks for all the replies. Prarie Tuber a fortnight is two weeks. I hope it is in as good condition as it looks, he say says it looks a bit scuffy but im hoping to be able to clean it up and restore it to its former glory. Does anyone have any pictures of these boats from a catalogue? I would like to try and collect any original extras that the boat was available with and also to see what I'm aiming for. David have you renewed the boards or made any modifications to yours?

Adam

Fenlander · 04 October 2009, 18:05

Adam,

I guess mint is for once an accurate description of mine. It has genuinely only been used a few times in over 35yrs prior to us getting it a couple of years ago.

The floorboards and oars are original as is the varnish which is more in the condition of a piece of furniture than boat fittings. It has the original green canvas storage bags, pump, repair kit, spare valves, pressure gauge and screw in Zodiac pennant for the bow socket.

It came without an outboard so the Tohatsu 9.8hp 2-stroke is one I bought for it... possible the most suitable for the Zodiac's size. The boat is rated to 25hp though! I have bought some genuine Zodiac launch wheels which clip onto existing transom fittings... they are the business.

Other than that no mods or extra purchases. It doesn't have a seat so we sit on the tubes.

Amazingly it has no leaks, damage or patches.

We use it like any other inflatable but with a little extra care in handling on the beach or foreshore to preserve the condition. I do check the seams after every use with respect to its age but so far everything is perfect.

It's the first inflatable we've owned and has been a huge success for family fun. During 5 days of this summer hols we totalled more than 60 miles off the West Coast of Scotland.

You asked about the model name... that's what I was saying... Mk.I and Mk.II etc are the model names rather than age designations.

Look forward to seeing more images and hearing how you get on when yours arrives.

BTW here's an image of the transom so you can see that in detail when you have yours to compare age features.

And one of the kids heading out to the Sound of Jura alongside us in the grp boat.

David

theboysmiffy · 04 October 2009, 21:49

Cheers dave, that looks like a quality set up. I might have to use that as a template for any work that ours will need. I'll post pictures up as soon as i get it. Going to put the 35hp evinrude on it. Should be a good day out as the motors in for service and tune up, the first since we bought it so should have bit more pep.

Adam

theboysmiffy · 05 October 2009, 13:33

This might be a better quality image!

m chappelow · 05 October 2009, 18:44

another similar zodiac ,, couple of photos from an earlier thread a few years ago that someone posted ,with a few changes and extras fitted ,before rnli went on to avons ,

Fenlander · 05 October 2009, 18:45

Yep that's easier to see. With the extra detail two things come to mind...

Are the floor side stringers missing? They are essential... I can give you detail images/sizes/profiles to make some.

I see one difference that proves it is newer than mine (1971 remember)... the Zodiac logo is more modern. See mine which is the really old version like M.Chappelow's...

When does it arrive?

David

prairie tuber · 05 October 2009, 18:50

You're right about the logo. My 1977 zodiac (Mark Ic) still has the old logo, whereas my brother's 1982 Mark II GR has the newer logo & no bow hood. So Mike's ebay zodiac must be later than '77, but is probably earlier than '82 given that it still has a bow hood.

theboysmiffy · 05 October 2009, 18:56

Hi david, yes I think the side stringers may be missing. It doesnt look like theyre fitted in the photo. Any details and pix of these would be much appreciated thanks. We drive up to Edinburgh to collect the boat on Sunday. I will post more pix of it then. Hey m chappelow, did you mean to post an attachment there? Could anyone hazard a guess to the age of this boat, im really hoping its hypalon.

Adam

theboysmiffy · 05 October 2009, 19:06

Sorry m chappelo those images have just appeared, looks like its had a few mods inc one piece floor but possibly the same base boat. Prairie Tuber I hope your right about they age as I think that would make it pre PVC. Thanks everyone for the great response as always.

Adam

m chappelow · 05 October 2009, 19:16

think 2 of us posted at the same time ,,lol ,,is there no plate on the transom at all it gives the date on it ,but a rough guess i would say its 70s ,,,and it should be hypalon ,,but they were quality boats and last for years,,only down side i thought were the rowlocks once they got a bit of wear on them they used to pop out but more of an anoyance than anything and the tube sections could be inflated or deflated from a single valve by altering the position which if left would sieze up ,,i have some photos but there pre digital and put away somewhere but they were good boats ,,, mart,

prairie tuber · 05 October 2009, 19:26

I'm also sure that it is hypalon. Here are a couple of pictures of the Mark Ic

prairie tuber · 05 October 2009, 19:35

Pictures of the 1982 Mark II GR. It just occured to me that his one also has a bow hood! For some reason I thought it didn't. Ooops.

Fenlander · 05 October 2009, 21:57

Adam,

Here's another to look at for reference... seems very like yours. A recent unsold EBay item no. 250503986734.

Even has that weird (to me) triangle of hypalon that comes forward from the nearside top of the transom.

David