Takacat

dek · 28 April 2019, 09:29

Hi folks have not been on here for a few years but now itching to get back on the water. Anyone have experience wit a 3.8 Takacat as this is the direction I am going. As I understand they perform better with less HP than a conventional SIB. Question for any users should I just go direct for a 15 HP or do you think 9.9 would be adequate ?
Thanks in advance.
Dek.

jeffstevens763@g · 28 April 2019, 13:30

OMO I would go 15 hp same weight less throttle needed better fuel consumption more power if needed

dek · 10 May 2019, 06:02

Thanks jeff. Agree with your thinking 15 HP it is going to be. Just got to find a decent used one. Even the old knackers seem to sell for £1k plus.

Fenlander · 10 May 2019, 08:37

Well folks may ask top money for the old knackers but just side step them...£1000-£1250 should get a minter.

Must admit despite having moved to 4-strokes and then downshifted 20hp to 10hp for weight reasons I was very close to pushing buy on a dealer sale of an as-new 2004 Yamaha 15hp 2-stroke a month or so back. £1300 which some folks might think excessive but in my judgement better value than £2200 for a hooky commercial use brand new one which will have uncertain legal status.

dek · 10 May 2019, 09:18

Hi Fenlander thanks for your reply. Yamaha 15 HP two stroke I have previously owned and they are superb.Trying to find a good one is proving difficult. As I understand new two strokes can only be used for commercial use and they are pretty stringent. ( please correct me if I am wrong).
Considering a new 15 HP Tohatsu circa £2k but with a very attractive 7 year warranty, bloody thing will probably outlast me !

Fenlander · 10 May 2019, 12:44

>>>they are pretty stringent.

Several folks on here have bought new 2-strokes over the last few years. Easily done if you have the will. The stringent bit is the particular dealers view on this. When looking for my 9.9 last year two dealers said I might be better suited by a new 2-stroke and that the scope of what was considered commercial use was quite wide.

jeffstevens763@g · 10 May 2019, 20:06

Dek

Look on Ron hale marine 15 tohatsu sub £2000 IMO for the weight saving I would prefer a brand new 4 stroke as opposed to a 15 year plus old 2 stroke at half the price with all the unknowns it might bring. a few KG isn't going to be noticeable. To buy a commercial 2 stroke you have to sign a declaration to state commercial use you might be setting up to do 1 man fishing trips which would class as commercial how it's policed after that I find ny on impossible but you will pay the same money for a new 2 stroke one.

dek · 10 May 2019, 22:10

Jeff
Fairly sure I will be going down the new Tohatsu 15 HP four stroke efi route.A tad under £2k 7 year warranty its a no brainer. Lots of research done and it reads well. Just got to juggle to find the finance,wait for the sun and bingo.

Tim M · 11 May 2019, 04:15

Chris Moody who used to post on here acquired one not so long ago. He's done some pretty lengthy trips in it with I believe a 15hp on the back. To me looks a little too small, open and basic for anything much beyond tender or beach use; similar to a Zapcat of course but much smaller so not much in the way of comfort! If I were in the market I'd probably buy a traditional SIB - at least you don't get your feet wet or loose your sandwiches out of the open transom.

69cmw · 12 May 2019, 22:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by dek

Jeff

Fairly sure I will be going down the new Tohatsu 15 HP four stroke efi route.A tad under £2k 7 year warranty its a no brainer. Lots of research done and it reads well. Just got to juggle to find the finance,wait for the sun and bingo.

How much will you pay to service it for 7 years to keep up the warranty?

jeffstevens763@g · 13 May 2019, 14:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by dek

Hi folks have not been on here for a few years but now itching to get back on the water. Anyone have experience wit a 3.8 Takacat as this is the direction I am going. As I understand they perform better with less HP than a conventional SIB. Question for any users should I just go direct for a 15 HP or do you think 9.9 would be adequate ?
Thanks in advance.
Dek.

dek are you getting the solid hull takacat?

dek · 13 May 2019, 22:47

Hi Jeff i have purchased the one with open transom and airdeck floor . Seems to be well built and sturdy. Time will tell ! No solid as in GRP floor if thats what you mean.

Thanks to every one for input.

Poly · 14 May 2019, 09:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim M

Chris Moody who used to post on here acquired one not so long ago. He's done some pretty lengthy trips in it with I believe a 15hp on the back. To me looks a little too small, open and basic for anything much beyond tender or beach use; similar to a Zapcat of course but much smaller so not much in the way of comfort! If I were in the market I'd probably buy a traditional SIB - at least you don't get your feet wet or loose your sandwiches out of the open transom.

I think like many such purchases unless the user has owned a slew of other similar boats it’s difficult to make a direct honest comparison. There are compromises for all boats, like having to tie your lunch on in a takacat, or bail out a sib that doesn’t have an open transom (you will get wet feet on any small boat except in ideal conditions) or needing somewhere to store a rib. I’ve read a few of Chris’ exploits and I think his boat is 3.4m probably comparable to many of the 3.5 honwave sized sibs, and quite a bit bigger than the Gurnard’s Guppy FRIB. In the right conditions, with the right skipper those boats can do a lot more than tended/beach use duties.

jeffstevens763@g · 14 May 2019, 11:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

dek are you getting the solid hull takacat?

thought you might have this one would have liked to hear how well it goes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtnGe2k9A5A

dek · 14 May 2019, 14:15

Hi Jeff wish I was looks fun and practical.

Highland Haggis · 14 May 2019, 19:40

Jeff I did enquiries into this model and they have stopped production for some reason I asked why they stoped and was hung up on I spoke to the English dealer and he said it was not coast effective the models where sold off to some one in Australia who need to keep an eye out for the future

jeffstevens763@g · 14 May 2019, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Highland Haggis

Jeff I did enquiries into this model and they have stopped production for some reason I asked why they stoped and was hung up on I spoke to the English dealer and he said it was not coast effective the models where sold off to some one in Australia who need to keep an eye out for the future

cheers HH

Highland Haggis · 14 May 2019, 20:42

I was wanting to bye one but like I said they stopped production if they every come on the market again will definitely get one [emoji41][emoji41]

Gazzamatazz · 20 May 2019, 04:42

Hi Dek, Poly is spot on with his last post so here is my experience.

I purchased a Takacat 340LX (open bow and transom) and fitted a new Yamaha 6HP. I've taken it out with three adults and an 8yo onboard while towing an 11yo in a kayak. That was a stretch for the Yammy - at about 3/4 throttle we had nothing left and while not exciting, it was a safe speed for the kayak under tow.

Otherwise with just the two young fellas and myself aboard it goes very nicely - and doesn't mind a bit of rough. It is a dry boat believe it or not only occasionally spraying the occupants when waves come from the forward quarters. Nothing ever comes over the bow and only via the transom when in reverse. (I haven't driven it directly into surf, however). I haven't measured the speed at full revs but its above 20km/h and under 30km/h (guessing 15knots max). The 1.1 litre tank is good for 40 to 45 minutes at speed and comfortably over an hour at regulation 5 knots navigating a calm salt water river.

The Takacat is cleverly designed - easy to fish from and explore and pootle around. It's easy to use in the shallows and very stable while still good in choppy water although it does feel a little weird when sitting on the floor with chop underneath.

I chose the Yamaha because it fitted between the wheel arches in my Mazda6 wagon and weights a manageable 27kg wet. The two bags for the boat then take up the rest of the room along with accessories (fuel tank, battery for pump and pump, life jackets and plastic box for onboard storage). One man launches are easy. The boat takes 20 to 25 mins to launch (with an electric pump) and the wheels are a real must for convenience. Deflation isn't too bad either, if you can keep it reasonably clean - shells and sand free (the wheels really help here). Wash down is easier with the pontoons and floor inflated and leant against a fence or similar.

Its a lot of fun. I bought it for myself and grandkids to teach them boating, fishing and snorkelling and its been perfect for that purpose plus I don't have to queue at the boat ramp either. It does get plenty of attention though when setting up - everyone wants to know more!

Hope that is a useful perspective based on my particular experience with a Takacat

dek · 20 May 2019, 08:48

Hi Gazzamatazz thanks for your reply. Nice to hear your positive comments and your clear enjoyment of your Takacat. Must admit water ingress when in reverse had not crossed my mind but when pointed out is fairly obvious. Am going to get a 15 HP for it so hopefully it will fly !
My intention is to transport it inflated on the roof of my van,its easy and light to place it on roof bars and fits a treat. Need the wheels but my they are expensive.
Cheers all.