Boat looks good and seems to be well taken care of. No idea on life span of an inflatable..fyi I paid 3k for my boat; engine and trailer....
Inflatable boat question
- Thread starter SubmersibleGeek
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OP
SubmersibleGeek
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Thanks Scuba, Yeah my gut say 7K is high for an inflatable. I figure about 5K for the kit listed. We'll see when the seller gets back to me.
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I think the price is a bit high, but I know folks who've had Zodiacs for 20 years.
bill-da-ho
Guest
I would go with scubaanddreams advice myself, they seem to have the experience and not just theory, dont get me wrong, I understand thal has experience with inflatables, but I dont think its of the boat variety
There is a guy here on Maui who has been one of the main inflatable repair guys in the Islands (Zane). According to him, there was a period when Zodiac was using an inferior rubber blend and models from those years do not last. The exterior is not the whole story, as the baffles can come unglued and then it has to be completely disassembled. For that work, my Oahu employer sent her big commercial zodiac to Kauai.
OP
SubmersibleGeek
Registered
halemano, Any idea what years of Zodiac Zane was referring to or do you know how I can find out. If this one falls in those years I would say that would be a deal breaker, its not worth the risk.
Can't remember or find any years; but PVC tubes are bad (5 year life), polyurethane (PU) tubes last 10-15, but can be armored to resist knife and bullet puncture, Hyperlon is thicker and considered to be stronger and more durable. Zodiac has licenced a number of manufacturers worldwide, and owns Avon, so it is likely there are Zodiacs of all three materials.
Zodiac Strongan is a PU, Strongan Duplex came out in '05 ('cause Stongan wasn't good enough?). Their Stongan tubes are machine heat welded at the seam, while Hyperlon is hand glued. There are pros and cons to both processes, but a properly sealed Hyperlon will last longer as far as I can find, and it can be patched easier.
Zodiac Strongan is a PU, Strongan Duplex came out in '05 ('cause Stongan wasn't good enough?). Their Stongan tubes are machine heat welded at the seam, while Hyperlon is hand glued. There are pros and cons to both processes, but a properly sealed Hyperlon will last longer as far as I can find, and it can be patched easier.
OP
SubmersibleGeek
Registered
Thanks halemano, that's great info. I'm gonna get the model and serial number from the seller and see what info Zodaic can give me. I definitely don't want an 10 year old PVC boat.
diveanytime
Contributor
Usually the manufacturers warranty the inflatable for 5 years. I've had my Yukon Alaskan Sport boat 14footer with a inflatable keel for 19yrs going on 20 this coming June. If you were to see my boat it's still looks new because of being kept inside of my garage. No UV exposure until I use the boat.
The transom is plywood so you'll need to check if any of the layers are starting to split. Seams are the problem as they age they may get pulled apart. If the seam holds, then maybe the fabric near the seam gives up. At what age? I don't know. Hypalon vs PVC is an issue too on how long lasting the material can hold up to.
Just find and be-friend an inflable boat repair place. You can get the boat checked out for a fee if you need to do this. At any event, it's peace of mind when your boat gets certified for your use.
On my boat, I use it for 6 dive outings in Monterey,CA or Point Arena,CA per year so it's light use but for diving.
Charlie
The transom is plywood so you'll need to check if any of the layers are starting to split. Seams are the problem as they age they may get pulled apart. If the seam holds, then maybe the fabric near the seam gives up. At what age? I don't know. Hypalon vs PVC is an issue too on how long lasting the material can hold up to.
Just find and be-friend an inflable boat repair place. You can get the boat checked out for a fee if you need to do this. At any event, it's peace of mind when your boat gets certified for your use.
On my boat, I use it for 6 dive outings in Monterey,CA or Point Arena,CA per year so it's light use but for diving.
Charlie
Peter_C
Contributor
This is an older thread brought back to life!
There is a lot of false information in the quote above. Please do your homework before believing what is written in it.
PVC can have over a 20 year lifespan easily. It is thermo welded so the seams are not too likely to fail. The bottoms come off where they are glued at the transom and the bow. The problem is few people have the experience or time to repair them and the cost to pay someone is high, so they throw them away. They do not do as well if stored in the sun. Mine is a 1992 Futura MKII HD and I re-glued the entire bottom and transom. So far I have about 70 hours into repairing and modifying it into a dive boat. I traded dive gear for it, so the boat hull, 40 HP motor, and trailer didn't really cost me anything. of course there are a lot more expenses like the chart plotter/sonar unit, ropes, anchor, etc.
Hypalon spelled properly is the commercial and military spec material for inflatables. The best boats are made of this material. The price is also much higher. Does better in the sun.
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