Zodiac - quality!

Richard B · 14 July 2006, 16:05

Noticed a couple of Zodiac RIBs for sale at a certain boatyard last weekend - 7.3m with a 'rude E-Tec 250 at £50,000 and an 8.5 with a 'rude E-tec at £52,000 Mmmm!

Anyway, these RIBs were in stock, so I couldn't help having a closer look. One of them, sat on it's trailer, appeared to have a "bit of a ding" in the gel coat, so I had a closer look, and instinctively doing what all boys do when encountering a hole, I put my finger in. And in it went! The damaged gelcoat was about eggshell thick, and the inside was all spongy! Time for a sharp exit...

So, if you're tempted to spend £50k+ on a Zodiac, just be aware!

mavrick211 · 15 July 2006, 04:09

is this the normal quality of zodiac ribs dont think i want one if they are like that

they do say some where that they use balsa wood in the construction is that how all the ribs are constructed

when i read about construction methonds and products on the web sites there are alot of different terms that i dont under stand the names or the meaning of using those certain products

is there some where i can go to find out the different core construction methods and components

fast fred · 15 July 2006, 12:18

balsa wood- super lite, high shear strength.
wood- lite, you can lam, up some strong stringer.
fome- lite, strong, when done right thay are nice.
composite- combo of, could be a mix of the above, and or other stuff, carbon fiber, kevlar ect.

all should be wraped in glass, nicely wraped in glass, with no voids, air pockets, solid, solid.

prairie tuber · 15 July 2006, 14:57

Zodiac Hurricane makes a high quality, high dollar RIB (Hurricane was originally a Canadian company that was bought out by Zodiac). Also their Military fully inflatables (Grand Raids, FC 470s & Heavy Duty series) are also sturdy (expensive) boats.

Outside of those lines, you'd be better off looking elsewhere.

Hightower · 16 July 2006, 00:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard B

Noticed a couple of Zodiac RIBs for sale at a certain boatyard last weekend - 7.3m with a 'rude E-Tec 250 at £50,000 and an 8.5 with a 'rude E-tec at £52,000 Mmmm!

Anyway, these RIBs were in stock, so I couldn't help having a closer look. One of them, sat on it's trailer, appeared to have a "bit of a ding" in the gel coat, so I had a closer look, and instinctively doing what all boys do when encountering a hole, I put my finger in. And in it went! The damaged gelcoat was about eggshell thick, and the inside was all spongy! Time for a sharp exit...

So, if you're tempted to spend £50k+ on a Zodiac, just be aware!

Could it have been a dodgy repair?

Rogan · 16 July 2006, 01:07

Couldn't agree more prairie tuber. We have a Hurricane and a Futura the civilian FC470. Both great and tough boats!

Cookee · 16 July 2006, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hightower

Could it have been a dodgy repair?

At a guess I would say it's just an air void as a result of not rolling the mat down onto the gel coat properly - usually happens in hard to get at places but can happen anywhere if the laminator doesn't do his job properly!!

Richard B · 16 July 2006, 12:33

That makes sense... it was in one of the spray rails.

Alex-341 · 17 July 2006, 00:21

As some people may remember at the Rib Raid we drained quite a bit out of our hull, haveing just drained 200l the weekend before.

Turned out that just under the deckdrainers in the transom there was a void leading into the hull. Needless to say letting alot of water in. Anyway the dearler filled it and replaced the deack drainer, warrenty work thankfully.

The pro20 is a rip off for what they are really, pro12 is the best value for money in the range, any bigger and your probably better with a different make.

Cant say its a bad boat though, finish is very nice.

toby4594 · 17 July 2006, 20:57

I must confess to owning a pro 16 and very happy I am with it too,its never going to be a scorpion or revenger but a very capable rib never the less.My only moan is the lack of range,longer trips just take a bit more planning.

Loose Moose · 18 July 2006, 12:25

As a Pro-16 owner of 18months, I am very pleased with the boat.

However I did have the self same problem the first time I recovered the boat to the trailer where the glass had not been pushed down on one of the strakes.
After a BIG moan at the dealers, they collected it the next day and repaired it without question.
Aparently up until late 2004, the hulls were fabricated in the UK, and shipped to France for assembly. Then Zodiac decided to do it themselves and created their own factory which had some 'teething problems'. Perhaps that could be the reason the boats seen were less than perfect.

As to the sniping, every RIb owner I know thinks that the make of boat he/she drives is the best thing since sliced bread, and every other make is beneath contempt. As do Car Drivers, yachties,Bikers,White Van Men .......

Moose

Matt · 18 July 2006, 14:00

Was the "soft bit" that Richard poke his pinky in balsa?

Richard B · 18 July 2006, 14:16

I don't think so.... Cookee's description was spot on, and spookily similar to Loose Moose's problem. I think that I could feel bits of loose matting inside the spray rail.