Zodiac Medline II - dangerous accident

[Abtaucher]

Hello at all!

My boat: Zodiac Medline II
Year of Construction: 2007
Dangerous accident: 2010
Hight of waves: about 50 - 80 cm (made by a swimming crane on the River Danube)
There was no collision with the crane (I only overtaked the crane).
Result: Tube was broken on a lenght of 2 – 3 metres; my Zodiac Medline II dove down up to the stern section; my passenger and the equipment were ejectioned; the boat was full of water; it was very difficult to reach the harbour.

Answer from Zodiac: No guarantee – my mistake – singular case
(all people I know get the answer „singular case“)

I can´t believe it, becouse I could read from similar problems in different forums.

I informed the government-department of Austria in Vienna (Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Innovation und Technologie, Oberste Schifffahrtsbehörde) .
I was requested to find out many persons with similar problems to attest, that it is no „singular case“.

If you had a Zodiac-tube-problem like this, please send your
- description oft the accident (speed, hight and lenght of waves, name, adress…,)
- a photograph oft he badge of manufacturer,
- a photograph oft he CIN (Craft Identification Number)
- the declaration of conformity
- the authorization oft he boat (copy) to me (pn) or to

Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Innovation und Technologie
Oberste Schifffahrtsbehörde
Radetzkystraße 2
A-1030 Wien

Maybe we can attest that dangerous tube-problems are no singular cases and Zodiac could make better tests with their boats.
Maybe we can help to avoid other dangerous accidents.








example ?!??!!
http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?...zodiac+medline

[Poly]

You might want to search the forum. In the UK we generally refer to what I think you describe as a "stuff" - that is when you hit a wave (or come over the top of a wave) in such a way that the bow doesn't rise up over the water - but rather sinks underneath it. There are certainly others who have detached the front of the tubes like this (I recall a dramatic story involving a Scorpion [from Charles on the way across the Channel?] as well as a Ribcraft used by one of the independent lifeboats. I'm sure there have been others. Not sure if there have been "more" with Zodiac Medline's (or if they have suffered more than others)?

Factors which will affect the liklihood of this:

- design of how tubes are attached
- strength of material used
- correct inflation of the tubes
- long term wear and tear on the tubes / fitting components
- driving style (i.e. how often the tubes and hull are trying to part company with force)
- the sea conditions (not just at the moment of failure but over the life of the tube - which contribute to wear and tear)

Serious "offshore" boats (e.g. military) will add "straps" over the front to prevent detachment (I think if you search here for anti-stuffing strap you might find something?) - but these are not common on leisure boats and so I don't think Zodiac would be considered wanting in this regard.

I don't know how many Medline's Zodiac have sold but it must be hundreds, and since we don't hear of such problems very often (although beware "med style" ribs are not as popular in the UK as more serious 'offshore' style boats), I guess even if it is not actually a "one off" (singular event) then it must at least be uncommon.

[BruceB]

Looking at the hull it is very shallow for the size of RIB...........

[willk]

There don't appear to be any fabric strips between the tubes and the hull. If this is the case, then the adhesive would be bearing all the sheering forces, if this is the correct term?

I wouldn't fancy stuffing a bow like that into the back of the second 80cm wave!!

[GordyP]

I managed to do the same to the Arctic, albeit I had a lot of weight on board and the tubes were the original tubes which were probably 15-20 years old and it wouldn't have been the first time they were stuffed. I wasn't concentrating properly and was surprised by a particularly deep trough.

The photo's you have there of the tubes look as though the tubes are lightly built, but then this is a leisure type rib and will not be built to commercial spec. The fact that everyone on board ended up in the water would point to it being a significant impact (when I did this we ended up with a boat full of water but didn't lose anyone over the side), you may be expecting too much from your boat.

Maybe not what you want to hear, sorry.

[Callum Stewart]

We did the round Scotland in the late nineties, John Harvey had one of these ribs with twin 140 suks it done a lot of stuffing especially round Dunock Head I have a fantastic video if someone had the time to transfer it into digital age? The RIB finished the gruelling 6 days with no faults!

[Steve_B]

The normal Zodiac method of tube attachment is the tongue and grove type, which is why you wont see any fabric for glueing. It enables "easy" tube removal, but i guess not in this case!

[Andre]

Originally Posted by Callum Stewart

We did the round Scotland in the late nineties, John Harvey had one of these ribs with twin 140 suks it done a lot of stuffing especially round Dunock Head I have a fantastic video if someone had the time to transfer it into digital age? The RIB finished the gruelling 6 days with no faults!

Callum that was in 1998 and I remember that stuffing very well as I was there crewing on another rib. It was a bad one and the tubes came off at the bow. The console got smashed up and most of the instruments on the console popped out

[9D280]

Abtaucher,

Firstly let me say welcome to ribnet, even if it is a little late in the thread!

I can see numerous arguments "for" and "against" there being a case for Zodiac to answer, but as someone whose youngest Rib was 25 years old at purchase all I can do is make the observation that I bet there were a few Toyota drivers thought theirs' was the only one with dodgy brakes / Accelerators for a while, Likewise people who bought the original Focus TDCI that suddenly stopped in the most inopportune places.... The list goes on.

Have you also found the links to the various European Rib forums at the top of the European Ribbing sections? As Pol says, there are more Medline type boats in the Med, so you may find more there.

Sorry I can't be any more help with this problem, good luck with the BVITOS.

[Abtaucher]

Originally Posted by BruceB

Looking at the hull it is very shallow for the size of RIB...........

I´m sure that´s one if the problems.

I suggest: My boat is a family-boat, and I didn´t drive like a racing driver; I never drove without correct inflation of the tubes, my boat is category B, and the river Danube is normally not dangerous to drive.

[willk]

Originally Posted by Abtaucher

and I didn´t drive like a racing driver....... and the river Danube is normally not dangerous to drive.

How fast were you driving when you crossed the 80cm wave/wake?

[BruceB]

Mine is also a Cat B hull and has been out in ways higher than the total length of the boat, once!
While it wasn't deliberate and I wouldn't want to do it again nothing fell off or broke.

[Trolli]

... but obviously this has happened to a lot of Zodiac owners...

[BruceB]

Has it??

[spartacus]

Looking at this Medline 3, there are additional stainless steel straps and screws at the bow. Not sure if this has been added by the owner is or if it's factory supplied like this? Would certainly add a degree of support if the boat was stuffed.

[Abtaucher]

Originally Posted by willk

How fast were you driving when you crossed the 80cm wave/wake?

Maybe half speed (full speed max. 60 km/h).

In the Zodiac-Compendium I cant´t find, that the boat is only allowed to used as a island for bathing or as ab bath-tub. My boat is construction Cat. B (open water, waves 4-metre, wind 8 bf.).

[biffer]

Originally Posted by 250kts

The normal Zodiac method of tube attachment is the tongue and grove type, which is why you wont see any fabric for glueing. It enables "easy" tube removal, but i guess not in this case!

i don't know they look like they came off easy too me

[willk]

In summary then, it hit a wave and the front fell off?

It's more common than I had realised:

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[Abtaucher]

Originally Posted by 250kts

The normal Zodiac method of tube attachment is the tongue and grove type, which is why you wont see any fabric for glueing. It enables "easy" tube removal, but i guess not in this case!

This tongue is demolished (you can see it on the pictures), and it was not possible to repair.

If you know names of concerned persons, please tell them to me.

[biffer]

your boat look's a fairly simple repair, it will mean removing the tudes, making a new tougue. glue it on and refit them, at least your tudes are still inflated and not shredded