Bayrunner 550 vs. Futura MK III vs Classic MK II

[kestrel452]

Hey all,

I need some help figuring out which boat is going to fit the bill, and not leave me feeling like I should've really bought something else

First and foremost, it has to be able to live on a trailer. There's no way I can go back to disassembling and re-assembling the boat every time. I have my reservations about a SIB with a 50-60hp outboard on the back, especially when stored away for November through March. Do you have to consistently top the boat off with air so the transom doesn't sag down with the engine, or is it safe to park it and forget it for the winter with the right trailer?

It also needs to carry 4 adults comfortably. If it seats or holds more, great, but four total is the minimum. The Cadet 350 ALU that I had before was a bit small inside for my taste.

Excellent performance and versatility are a must. There's only room for one boat in my budget one boat that's fast and agile enough to be a blast to bomb around in for the day is really what I'm looking for at the end of the day. Being able to weave around larger craft safely and easily like I was in the Cadet 350 in tight channels like the Chicago River is a huge plus.

Hoping for some input from the RibNet veterans on this. The boats that've caught my attention are the Bayrunner 550, Futura Mark 3, Classic Mark 2 HD, and Cadet RIB 390. I can't seem to get any information on the Cadet RIB 390 which is odd. I think the Bayrunner 550 is my top choice right now, but I'm interested to hear what the more experienced inflatable crowd has to say

[cgoing]

The is a big range if boats. The Cadet 390 is probably not going to have much more room than what you have now. The Futura and classic are very nice boats but I would not recommend leaving it assembled on a trailer all winter unless it is going to be kept inside. The pressure needs to be kept up so that it does not strain the tubes and transom.
The Bayrunners are very nice boats but the 550 has no room in the front with the sideways bench seats. If you can swing the larger rib it will perform better and not leave you wanting to move up to a larger boat again soon.

[MatFromPoland]

I have never seen Bayrunner on my eyes.
But after looking at this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ0xH2-WN64

it looks for me like it has not really deep V. So it is more for rivers, bays.

If you want to jump sometimes to place with waves why not consider Zodiac PRO Open 550 for example ?

About keeping on trailer. I have ETEC EVINRUDE which you can put (yourself) in Winterization state. And I keep boat under double PVC cover.
Just put PVC pipe between mast and console and console and bow.
It looks like big tent. I secure also air flow from bow to engine

Not sure about temperatures in your area but here in Poland we have few weeks with -20 C usually (during Winter, usually in Jan/Feb)



And I use below mentioned equipment to release stress from axle and wheels

[kestrel452]

It wasn't really the winterization aspect I'm worried about, it was more about whether SIB's have the structural integrity to be stored trailered with larger outboards affixed to the transom through the winter.

It sounds like you cannot do this???

[office888]

You can, but there needs to be bunks under the transom and a transom saver needs to be used. Basically, you don't want any "pulling" on the joints while the boat is on a trailer.

You could always order a Bayrunner 550 without the front seats.

Although I would recommend a Pro Open or Rec Pro.

[MatFromPoland]

One of the benefit of these items (sorry do not know proper English name)



Is that trailer is higher than normally and engine can be in lower possible position



I do not plan to keep engine separately (never).

Generally I keep boat on trailer and for longer periods I use these items to release stress from wheel and axles and keep engine in lower position.

For other periods engine is on special "trailering brackets" (standard in ETEC)
When tow to Greece (2500 km) it s also on the brackets.

[kestrel452]

Is anyone able to give a good rundown of how the Bayrunner 550 and Pro Open 550 differ? The seating and console style are obviously pretty different, but how do their inherent performance/operating qualities truly differ due to varying hull and tube design? Is a Pro Open 550 really going to handle four-foot waves that much better than a Bayrunner 550? Are passengers up front in a Bayrunner 550 going to regret coming aboard in seas above 2-foot if I'm only operating at 20-25mph? I'm trying to gauge what exactly its limits are before things start becoming *too* uncomfortable for passengers. The premium in price for a Pro Open 550 over a BR550 is not negligible, I want to be sure it's worth the jump in cost.

The Bayrunner 550 seems to have a much more "fun" seating layout that's better suited to cruising the shoreline, which is the majority of my boating, I don't ever go "offshore". The most serious of seas I take on is the Lake Michigan Chicago shoreline. But, Michigan can turn into 3-4 foot seas from calm in the same day, and the removable sundeck cushion up front in the P/O 550 doesn't look bad at all... Decisions....

[office888]

The Pro Open and Pro 550 hulls are slightly different.

The Pro Open has a larger tube diameter and a more aggressive bow profile.

Both platforms are more than capable of handling a small craft advisory (4 ft'ers), but the layout of the Pro Open is going to be less fatiguing on the operator. You don't want that shock traveling up your lower back and spine... It's really uncomfortable.

The Bayrunner 550 is designed as a people mover and fun boat for a low price. The hull is capable of some serious weather conditions

All North American pro hulls have 0% wood and are bonded with methacrylate... Methyacrylate is amazing stuff. They use it to bond aircraft components as a secondary bond on critical parts. It has a modulus of about 70,000 psi... Way overkill for a GRP hull.

The hull can take it. But it really comes down to operator comfort.

[kestrel452]

Originally Posted by office888

The Pro Open and Pro 550 hulls are slightly different.

The Pro Open has a larger tube diameter and a more aggressive bow profile.

Both platforms are more than capable of handling a small craft advisory (4 ft'ers), but the layout of the Pro Open is going to be less fatiguing on the operator. You don't want that shock traveling up your lower back and spine... It's really uncomfortable.

The Bayrunner 550 is designed as a people mover and fun boat for a low price. The hull is capable of some serious weather conditions

All North American pro hulls have 0% wood and are bonded with methacrylate... Methyacrylate is amazing stuff. They use it to bond aircraft components as a secondary bond on critical parts. It has a modulus of about 70,000 psi... Way overkill for a GRP hull.

The hull can take it. But it really comes down to operator comfort.

This might seem like a silly question, but can "upgraded" seat cushions on the BR550 stock benches mitigate that problem? I'm not sure if the vinyl shells can be re-filled with a more shock absorbant cushioning material, or if custom cushions could be made to make it more chop friendly on passengers??

At what severity of wave condition would the Pro Open 550 become *that* much more preferable over the Bayrunner 550? I'd really like to know if four-foot seas would begin to justify the price premium of a Pro Open, or if it'd just mostly end up being overkill.

[jonp]

I love my 550 pro tour, it's used to head offshore chassing game fish in sea conditition much bigger glass or aluminium boats don't head out in.

I've just done an average trip away towing my boat just over 6500 km, a big trip is more than double that. Much of our towing is on unsealed road ( mud tracks) and all I use is the outboard locking bracket as shown in above pics.

My outfit isn't going to break any speed records but cruises at 4500 rpm with a stainless Solas 13 pitch prop at 40 kmh and burns less than 1 lt per 3 km ( top speed 56 kmh). This is the second boat I've owned with a Yamaha f70 and love them, I've also owned Suzuki and Mercury 4 strokes but prefer Yamaha. I've done close to 300 hrs on the engine in 12 months.

Jon

[kestrel452]

Can anyone speak to how roomy the forward bench seats are in the Bayrunner 550? I keep getting conflicting answers from dealers. Some say "we don't get complaints", others claim there really isn't much room and you'll be "knocking knees" with other passengers on the opposite bench.

[cgoing]

You had better be close friends . The forward seats offer " intimate" seating with no room for your legs. Might be good for shuttling kids at a yacht club but not much else in my opinion.
I worked at a large dealer until the past April. We never sold a single 550 BAyrunner but sold dozens of other versions of the Pro 550 and numerous 550 Opens as well.

[kestrel452]

Originally Posted by cgoing

You had better be close friends . The forward seats offer " intimate" seating with no room for your legs. Might be good for shuttling kids at a yacht club but not much else in my opinion.
I worked at a large dealer until the past April. We never sold a single 550 BAyrunner but sold dozens of other versions of the Pro 550 and numerous 550 Opens as well.

Thank you for what sounds like the most honest opinion on the BR550. I can go ahead and nix that from the list.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the Pro Open 550 is what I need for the kind of boating I want, which is cruising comfortably in Lake Michigan's rather choppy 4-foot seas. The PO 650 looks like a great boat too, but the layout is pretty much the same, leaving me wondering the the higher cost and weight is even worth it.

My only real concern with the PO 550 is the size of the fuel tank. 18 gallons for a 115hp outboard doesn't seem all that generous, especially for what Zodiac considers to be their offshore boating line. Is there any way to get a larger tank, or add an auxiliary underdeck tank that ties in with the main?

[office888]

Originally Posted by kestrel452

Thank you for what sounds like the most honest opinion on the BR550. I can go ahead and nix that from the list.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that the Pro Open 550 is what I need for the kind of boating I want, which is cruising comfortably in Lake Michigan's rather choppy 4-foot seas. The PO 650 looks like a great boat too, but the layout is pretty much the same, leaving me wondering the the higher cost and weight is even worth it.

My only real concern with the PO 550 is the size of the fuel tank. 18 gallons for a 115hp outboard doesn't seem all that generous, especially for what Zodiac considers to be their offshore boating line. Is there any way to get a larger tank, or add an auxiliary underdeck tank that ties in with the main?

Big differences, Pro Open 550 vs Pro Open 650
Pro Open 650 has a 53 gallon tank for the US market
Pro Open 550 has a 20 gallon tank for the US market
PO650 = max 175 hp
PO550 = max 120 hp
PO650 = Category B rated / C rated (5 / 13 passengers)
PO550 = Category C rated only (11 passengers)
PO650 = Max 1477 lb load
PO550 = Max 970 lb load

The interior space on both boats is similar, but not exact. The PO650 basically has a stretched transom compartment over the 550, as well as little more space between the bow locker and the face of the console.

Beam on both boats is the same.

[kestrel452]

Originally Posted by office888

Big differences, Pro Open 550 vs Pro Open 650
Pro Open 650 has a 53 gallon tank for the US market
Pro Open 550 has a 20 gallon tank for the US market
PO650 = max 175 hp
PO550 = max 120 hp
PO650 = Category B rated / C rated (5 / 13 passengers)
PO550 = Category C rated only (11 passengers)
PO650 = Max 1477 lb load
PO550 = Max 970 lb load

The interior space on both boats is similar, but not exact. The PO650 basically has a stretched transom compartment over the 550, as well as little more space between the bow locker and the face of the console.

Beam on both boats is the same.

Interesting, would you say the PO 550 feels cramped with 5 or 6 people total aboard? What do you mean by "transom compartment"?

That's surprising the 650 jumps up to Category B, but I'm not really concerned about either boats' sea handling capabilities, they'd both probably solidly handle conditions much worse than I'd ever contemplate going out in.

Another question I have about these boats is what's the average life expectancy of the tube set before it needs to be repaired or replaced?

[office888]

Originally Posted by kestrel452

Interesting, would you say the PO 550 feels cramped with 5 or 6 people total aboard? What do you mean by "transom compartment"?

That's surprising the 650 jumps up to Category B, but I'm not really concerned about either boats' sea handling capabilities, they'd both probably solidly handle conditions much worse than I'd ever contemplate going out in.

Another question I have about these boats is what's the average life expectancy of the tube set before it needs to be repaired or replaced?

5-6 people, it'd be like having the same amount of people in an SUV with 3rd row seating. Everyone has space.

The category upgrade has a lot to do with the size of the boat and the wave durations in certain wind conditions.

Both tubes are constructed from Pennel & Flipo Orca 866 1670dtx CSM/neo fabric. Regular use, longevity would be approximately 10-15 years in the tropics. Great Lakes, the tubes will last as long as the hull (approximately 25-35 years).

The transom compartment is behind the rear space. It is a large empty area with a false floor in it. Stringers are located there, as well as the batteries with the bilge pump below. It basically forces the weight distribution forward so you cannot overload the stern.

Lots of storage space though for life jackets and such though!

Plenty of storage on both platforms. The bow lockers are awesome.

[jonp]

Don't know about those old fashioned gallon figures but my 550 pro tour came with a 100 lt underfloor standard tank. My trip offshore at the weekend chassing tuna was 45 km offshore at 40 kmh before trolling for a few hours then heading home. The 120 km round trip used 38 lt of fuel which equates to close to 300 km range.

I too have looked at the 650 pro but the added cost and not being able to put in in my garage due to width would mean leaving it out in the harsh sun. My tow vehicle doesn't even notice towing the little 550.

The 550 is also rated for up to 12 people but at times it's crowded with just two of us, that's part of owning a rib ( there isn't much room).

Jon

[kestrel452]

Originally Posted by office888

5-6 people, it'd be like having the same amount of people in an SUV with 3rd row seating. Everyone has space.

The category upgrade has a lot to do with the size of the boat and the wave durations in certain wind conditions.

Both tubes are constructed from Pennel & Flipo Orca 866 1670dtx CSM/neo fabric. Regular use, longevity would be approximately 10-15 years in the tropics. Great Lakes, the tubes will last as long as the hull (approximately 25-35 years).

The transom compartment is behind the rear space. It is a large empty area with a false floor in it. Stringers are located there, as well as the batteries with the bilge pump below. It basically forces the weight distribution forward so you cannot overload the stern.

Lots of storage space though for life jackets and such though!

Plenty of storage on both platforms. The bow lockers are awesome.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I appreciate the info a lot.

If I can ask you some questions from a more subjective standpoint...

1) Do you think the 650 Pro Open has enough additional open space to justify the $10,000 increase in price? The seating and "elbow room" behind the console looks pretty much identical. I really only see a difference forward of the console, as you said.

2) How many people can be aboard the Pro Open 550, and be comfortable for a half or full day of boating? Does that increase at all with the 650? I ask because the seating layout doesn't look more spacious. I'm not sure you could even install a seat in front of the console seeing as how there's an access hatch right there (plus, the console itself is on hinges and opens forward).

3) Does the helm seat accommodate two people? Dealers apparently have no idea how to answer this question, no matter which one I ask.

4) Lastly, is anyone aware of a (safe) aftermarket solution for expanding the boat's fuel capacity? Such as an underdeck auxiliary tank that ties in with the main?

Thank you

[MatFromPoland]

On the Sea or "Sea conditions" we have been using only seats in front of console and rear seats. So both boats are comfortable for 5 people.

On the lake/river you can use seats in front of console but it really depends of persons "size". I do not have Zodica, but I do have 5,4 RIB having 2 jockeys, rear 3 seats, seat in front of console and some place on bow locker - very similar on Zodiac. 2,4m width 1,3-1,4 internal width.

I could make trip (3 hrs in total) having 9 people on board but 3 of them were kids.
So in total we had: me and my friend on jockeys (2 big mans), on rear seats my boys - twins (170 cm but only 60 kg). Between them 9y old kid, in front of console 2 women, and on the bow 2 kids.

Lakes not very big (I think 20 km x 20 km and some channels between them)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIMYgx8Mrk4

In the Greece (Med Sea) we use ONLY jockeys and rear seats.
Any other seats I will propose my enemy maybe.


I have chosen 5,4m RIB because:
- my Family is slim (except me 190 cm x 90 kg)
- I tow my boat to Greece (2500 km) or Croatia (1400 km) or Baltic Sea/Lakes 400-700 km
- So I do prefer lighter, smaller boat not to be at my car tow limit

In other case I would prefer 6,5m boat and 150 HP engine

Please check internal width for both boat and deck space.
Check if 3 person will fit in such area on rear bench

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Many Suzuki modern 4T outboard users report reasonable fuel consumption. So if you have more than 2 km per 1 liter maybe standard tank be enough for you or maybe there is an option to buy Zodiac with bigger tank.

We always carry 20 l spare fuel in 2 cans keeping in console locker. Just in case if conditions be much worse than we expected and fuel consumption be much higher than we expected (It happens ones in Greece when we have to use them, we returned against wind and waves back)

[office888]

Originally Posted by kestrel452

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I appreciate the info a lot.

If I can ask you some questions from a more subjective standpoint...

1) Do you think the 650 Pro Open has enough additional open space to justify the $10,000 increase in price? The seating and "elbow room" behind the console looks pretty much identical. I really only see a difference forward of the console, as you said.

2) How many people can be aboard the Pro Open 550, and be comfortable for a half or full day of boating? Does that increase at all with the 650? I ask because the seating layout doesn't look more spacious. I'm not sure you could even install a seat in front of the console seeing as how there's an access hatch right there (plus, the console itself is on hinges and opens forward).

3) Does the helm seat accommodate two people? Dealers apparently have no idea how to answer this question, no matter which one I ask.

4) Lastly, is anyone aware of a (safe) aftermarket solution for expanding the boat's fuel capacity? Such as an underdeck auxiliary tank that ties in with the main?

Thank you

The extra length and horsepower I think justifies it.

Keep in mind, the limiting factor for these boats will likely become the lack of a marine head if you have any classy ladies on board.

With modern 4 strokes, even the small tank on the PO550 should deliver 3-5 hours of boating. You won't be WOT all the time, nor is it wise to be WOT all the time... At cruise, you'll only be at about 5 gph.

2 x 5 gallon portable fuel cans will extend your range. There are many vented compartments where you could safely put them.

If you don't mind being a little cozy, the lean-post will accomodate two people.