Advice for New Boy Please

Soupy · 13 October 2004, 17:48

Hi,

Superb forum which I have been reading for a while. Great stuff and very comical at times!
Am new and have the opportunity locally of buying a Zodiac 6.5 with 150 Evinrude. Built 2000 with only 30 hours use. Includes radar, GPS, VHF, fishfinder, colour screens, lights, horns, custom covers, A-frame. etc, etc plus fully serviced trailer. Very high spec and hardly used (weather and age restrictions) by very careful owner who is retiring and going abroad. Asking 16K or nearest offer. I have not seen as I'm abroad at the moment but pal has and tells me its totally mint condition (also includes 2 s/s props as part of the deal).
Would be using east and west coasts of Scotland for cruising mainly. Any advice on suitability for purpose and deal (which seems good to me). Thanks.

eupa · 13 October 2004, 18:11

welcome soupy. Join the mad lot.

i don't know how much yor are payiing for the zodiac- but although very good they are very pricy. You might care to ask for a quote for a new boat to see if the Zodiac is a bargain.If possible gor for 7.5m+ if you are going to do some wave jumping, and one last word- dont listen to everybody- DIY and find out the mistakes the hard way. All the best Jonathan

Louise · 13 October 2004, 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by eupa

i don't know how much yor are payiing for the zodiac

Read line 5 again, Eupa! £16k.

Welcome, Soupy!

eupa · 13 October 2004, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louise

Read line 5 again, Eupa! £16k.

Welcome, Soupy!

Sorry Louise-didn't see it. I sounds very cheap.....

jonathan

Louise · 13 October 2004, 18:33

No need to apologise Jonathan!

Soupy · 13 October 2004, 19:24

Louise & Jonathan - thanks for the welcome. As regards the boat it does seem very genuine and a good deal (to a novice anyway). However, I need to decide quickly as I know there is other interest.
The same boat (2004 model) but with just the basics is up for sale at a local dealer for 20K.

dodl · 13 October 2004, 19:54

Hello,

Which Zodiac do you speak of? The Pro Open 650?
A pretty nice boat. Although i read a lot about problems with leaking "valves" (hope that's the right word??). Some older PVC Zodiacs had leaking tubes. A guy from the netherlands who does tube-repairs for a living says, zodiacs bring him a lot of money.

Looking around in the "for sale" section here on the forum, i found a lot of boats i would prefer over the Zodiac.

cu
martin

swginn · 14 October 2004, 00:03

Depends which zodiac it is, although that spec does sound good for £16k. If it were me it would have to be a SRMN (military/navy spec) or a Hurricane to tempt me away from other boats on the market. All IMHO of course!!

EdwardH · 14 October 2004, 01:50

Hi Soupy, thats very interesting - a couple of years ago, when I first started looking at RIBS, I was offered a very similar boat (Pro Open 6.5) with similar high end specs , same age and similar miles for 40K AUD = (16K GBP).

On doing more reading/digging about, I found that the PVC tubes WERE seen as sometimes a bit of a problem. With the benefit of hindsight, I think this was only in the case of 'extreme' use, and a well cared for, well covered boat, shouldn't have any problems really.

However, I did come to the conclusion that that Zodiac model (this one was not a military spec) was a bit of a halfway house to a really heavy duty model and so I decided that i would hold my cash while I worked out what I really wanted and bought a 5m Gemini instead for a third of the price while I worked it out.

I now realise that Zodiac would have been more or less ideal for what I wanted as a first boat as the only thing more I need out of a boat is a bit more space and a bit more power...

It depends on the type of ribbing you want to do imho...

As a first boat that Zodiac sounds like an excellent choice and at 16K, I daresay you could use it for a year or so, get used to ribbing and then maybe even sell it on for what you bought it for IF you want something different. By then you will have worked out exactly what you ARE looking for in a next boat, will have ahad a great couple of years on the Zodiac etc...

Its not as 'extreme' as a lot of the stuff in the 'for sale' section, but I also expect its had an easy life (although thats admittedly hard to tell from the other end of the planet ;-) ) and may be a good intro.

Hope that helps...

Pete7 · 14 October 2004, 08:47

Soupy, is the engine an Ficht type or just straight carbs ? if its Ficht you might want to do some research and find out how old it is. Whether or not its the later bombadier version or the earlier OMC. That would certainly make my mind up.

Don't rush, lots of good ribs for sale at this time of year.

Pete

Soupy · 14 October 2004, 13:45

Thanks for all the info and advice. Much appreciated.
Pete - Engine is 3-4 year old model - Ficht Ram V6 - if this helps.

MeMe · 14 October 2004, 14:10

.....from Pete7. Don't rush, there's a lot about to choose from and will be even more as the season really comes to a close.

That said, don;t look a gift horse in the mouth. Can you get hold of any pictures ?

£16k soounds ok to me given the age and by all accounts the condition. To my eyes and ears £16k really means £15k especially at this time of year.

Take a look at the boat, check out the hull for stress cracks (chips and scratches can be repaired) within the various compartments, however, anything very light like spiders web lines is normal.

Check the tubes and valves. Any work here will require specialist materials and knowledge and there ain't too many good companies around to help. The benefit of the Zodiac tubing system allows one to remove the tubes anyway so it ain't too big a deal unlike some other lesser makes (mackerel mackerel) where the tubes are stuck, form want of a better description to the hull.

Check the centre console for movement especilly if it's a single moulded deck, any movement is a bad sighn unless of course it's bolted and glued in which case it's no big deal to tighten it up.

A RIB of this size should have some decent electronics, check they work as again replacement costs and it's all a bargining tool to secure a better price if they don't.

What about the trailer - be careful - you don;t want to get 10 miles down the road and loose a wheel. Put it up on a jack, the one out of the boot of your car will do. Give the wheels a good looking at, check the bearings, brakes and tyre coindition.

Engine - as they say in Asda - not my aisle - however, youll get some great tips on here. good luck, let us know how you get on.

Graeme

Soupy · 14 October 2004, 14:45

Friend who looked at it for me has boats and says its immaculate and most extras he has ever seen on a boat that size. Owner has had boats for years and owned an engineering business in a dockyard where he had his men carry out much of the work. Very nice guy to deal with and very fussy re detail. His wife is no longer interested and he now has a couple of small inflatibles to play around in. I know the guy who fitted all the elecrics - very reputable. Price is slightly negotiable and also includes lifejackets, wet weather gear etc, i.e. the full package. Trailer has jjust been totally overhauled brakes, cables etc. with the original idea of towing to Spain in mind. Finding it very difficult to find reasons to resist this as a starter outfit.

MeMe · 14 October 2004, 15:36

........into really serious wet weather long distance cruising this ain't a starter outfit, this will take you almost anywhere you'd like to do.

Anyway, sound like you're 99% sold on the idea of being its next owner so get on with it before someone else gazumps you ! What did you say his telephone number was

Just re-read your original post. 30 hours use in 3/4 years has to be near on impossible, wouldn't you agree ? I'd clarify that point a little better if it were me. Anyway and that said even if it's more like 300 hours as long as its been serviced correctly and in a timely fashin it shouldn't make any difference.

Soupy · 14 October 2004, 16:11

Me Me - thanks. Yeah nearly there I think. Re hours. Primarily bought as a dive boat for use by owner and some pals . Used originally but as they are all retirement age the novelty wore off. Also, and I can confirm this, we have had some really crap summers recently for outdoor activities, including this one, and as a result there is a bit of an exodus of retired people selling up in Scotland to more sunnier climes at the moment.

MeMe · 14 October 2004, 16:52

.....run off and forget about us once you're sorted. Stay online, post some pics, share your adventures, offer advice etc, this is a super forum, the more the merrier. It's not, as some people care to think, their own little domain, a place to create little clicks of silly friends who bicker and snarl with the sole intention of gossiping about and poisoning others enjoyment.

Soupy · 14 October 2004, 17:00

Thanks again and have really enjoyed reading the forum over last few months, both the sense and crap! Will certainly continue with it as its excellent and I'm sure I'll have questions in the future also.

timw · 14 October 2004, 17:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeMe

.....run off and forget about us once you're sorted. Stay online, post some pics, share your adventures, offer advice etc, this is a super forum, the more the merrier. It's not, as some people care to think, their own little domain, a place to create little clicks of silly friends who bicker and snarl with the sole intention of gossiping about and poisoning others enjoyment.

Well said MeMe

EdwardH · 15 October 2004, 02:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by MeMe

Just re-read your original post. 30 hours use in 3/4 years has to be near on impossible, wouldn't you agree ? I'd clarify that point a little better if it were me. Anyway and that said even if it's more like 300 hours as long as its been serviced correctly and in a timely fashin it shouldn't make any difference.

Hmm, not necessarily... one of my neighbours here has a boat that I have never seen leave his driveway in two years of living here (unless he sneaks it out at night while I'm not looking...). Its a very nice looking Bayliner with a 150hp on the back. I have seen him clean the dust off it once or twice, but the dunbier trailer its sitting on has completely flat tyres... It has done exactly zero hours in the last two years and thats here in sunny Sydney.

Soupy · 15 October 2004, 09:51

last night and struck a deal. Am not home for a few weeks but will post photos after I pick it up. Cheers.