ican
Registered
I have no intention of taking anything smaller than 18" with a 150hp engine out on Lake Michigan, but I would like a fair sized and inexpensive RIB for hitting some very cool dives in Inland Wisconsin waters. I'm looking at this 14.1' Aquos Zodiac Boat for a few reasons.
So outside of the points I've mentioned, have I missed anything? I'm newish to diving (halfway done with AOW and it's Winter,) but not new to boating. I know what I'm doing on the water, and if I could get away with it, I would paddle my little John Boat out to dives, but I need a little more space and stability than my current 12' boat offers. I realize there's a similar post for using one of these on the Great Lakes, but I would only use this in calm inland waters, and very wide and smooth flowing rivers in Wisconsin. Do you guys think it is sufficient for what I plan to do? Anything beyond what I've listed here for general uses, I would definitely charter a guided dive and a boat... we just want to explore the lakes we would be fishing in anyway.
- I plan to dive only with my son once he's certified for Open Water this spring, and I'll be getting my AOW card around the same time as he gets his OW.
- I would like an easy to manage, easy to transport boat that I can slap on a 10hp motor - or a 30hp motor for a bigger lake - and pack in the back of my truck when the day is done.
- I don't have a trailer, and this thing has it's own wheels.... not that I'd tow it on the freeway, but again, it's easy to control when inflated.
- My dad or my girlfriend will likely be sitting in the boat while my son and I dive, and this size seems like it would be comfortable enough for someone to lounge in while divers are in the water.
- I don't intend to ever have more than 4 divers, and the boat is rated for 12 passengers, so I figure 4 divers, a driver, and gear should still fit, even if we have to head back to shore between dives for new tanks.
So outside of the points I've mentioned, have I missed anything? I'm newish to diving (halfway done with AOW and it's Winter,) but not new to boating. I know what I'm doing on the water, and if I could get away with it, I would paddle my little John Boat out to dives, but I need a little more space and stability than my current 12' boat offers. I realize there's a similar post for using one of these on the Great Lakes, but I would only use this in calm inland waters, and very wide and smooth flowing rivers in Wisconsin. Do you guys think it is sufficient for what I plan to do? Anything beyond what I've listed here for general uses, I would definitely charter a guided dive and a boat... we just want to explore the lakes we would be fishing in anyway.