Zodiac boats?

[nvracer]

hey as some of you know we are looking to buy a boat. we were at the boat show yesterday and came a across a zodiac Futura mark 2 with 25hp (red with red 2 person seat and steering console with another seat). My dad was talking with the sales guy and they seem like good boats. It was 8300 bucks set up that way. Seems like a good deal since our budget is like 10k max.

that boat seemed a little small(size and power) so we are thinking of getting the zodiac Futura mark 3(biggest Futura) its like 14.5 ft long and can take a max of 60hp(we would use that). If you look at it online it doesn't look any good and even in person it doesn't look like anything too special but this model has a new hull design and will go around 65+MPH with 60hp and turn on a dime(the guy said if you turn too sharp at speed you will fly out because it grips the water so well.) Another plus is we can tow it behind my dad's Taurus.

Anyone have experience with these? For someone who wants to get as fast as possible, turn as sharp as possible and use the least amount of gas is this worth getting over a used 18-20ft sport boat?

[RedlegLT]

I cant speak for that model, but when I went to the US Army Jungle Warfare School at Ft Sherman, Panama we trained on the Zodiac inflatable boats. These Zodiacs are like the ones the SEALs use and they are alot of fun. Pretty stable in the water too.

[4wheeled maniac]

Whats the tow rating of your dad's Taurus? This (http://www.skeeterboats.com/Product_pages/ZXDeepBoats/ZX2050.html) boat is only 1950lbs. and 300HP!

[nvracer]

how much is that boat, with the engine? Also the fuel economy at full blast is going to be very bad. The towing capacity is 1200 but I am getting my mom's montero in a few months which can tow 4500.

The thing with the zodiac is its light and since 60hp is all it takes to go over 60mph is won't use too much fuel when I run at full blast

Does anyone else have experience with zodiacs or the zodiac Futura?

Also does anyone have any videos of zodiacs running(like going fast or through big waves) the zodiac site has one of the CZ7(that big black one) but its small and pixley and is very good.

thanks

[4wheeled maniac]

Sorry forgot your budget. The Skeeter is $35,000. A little too much for you. With a 225HP on the Skeeter its top speed is about 70mph. So there is no way a 65HP is going to hit 60mph.

[nvracer]

I don't think you know what a zodiac looks like.
http://www.zodiac-boats.co.uk/images/futura.jpg

that's the smaller one, like 1.5 ft shorter but in a boat that size 1.5 ft is a big difference. It has these 2 inflatable tubes under the hull so it actually sits on top of the water. According to the website their race team did 60mph with a speed prop with a 50HP engine. So with a 60hp engine and 1 person in it, the boat should hit about 60mph since I wouldn't put an all out speed prop cause I couldn't wake board.

don't make this a flame war, I am trying to find info on these boats not get the thread closed.

[nvracer]

so does anyone have any experience with these boats?

[imhungry114]

well in my opinion that "boat" isnt a boat. ive seen people with boats that have those to just play around with. and i will tell you one thing 65 mph in that boat will not be safe or fun. itll be all over the water and scare you to death. my dads 30 foot formula with 900 hp does 90 and that sacres me to death. i couldnt imagine 65 in a 14 foot boat. just my 2 cents....

[nvracer]

well the thing that bothers me the most is I don't consider it a real boat. My dad said before we buy anything we could test drive the zodiac and a normal sea ray sport boat. Also I would go 65mph in one, I'm not scared of speed. my dad said that most people under 25 don't have as much fear of dying lol.

[4wheeled maniac]

Sorry, the Zodiac boats I was looking at were not inflatable like the one in your link. They were normal looking boats, that couldn't reach 60mph with a 200 horse engine! imhungry is correct abvout it being very dangerous and scary. I'm 15 and wouldn't want to be in that boat going 60mph. I'd rather be on a Jetski doing MAYBE 40mph. That is plenty fast for me!

[nvracer]

the boats look much bigger in real life than in the picture. I would not cruise all day at 65mph, but I would definitely go out at night when the water is glass and open it up all the way for a minute or so.

Does anyone have experience with these types of "boats"?

[RedlegLT]

Originally posted by nvracer
well the thing that bothers me the most is I don't consider it a real boat.

Tell that to the Navy SEALs and Army Special Forces and Rangers who use these boats. They take a beating, are very stable, and can carry alot of gear. I don't know what the exact size Zodiac I used during Jungle Warfare School, but our boats carried 10 Soldiers and all our gear with no problems. I am thinking about getting one because they are low maintenance and are fun. Zodiacs are real boats, just not in the traditional sense of wood, fibreglass etc.

[Lord_Vader]

Zodiacs are very good. I have been on a few missions where I had to land my CH-47 in the water while the SF guys drove thier zodiac right into my helicopter and then took off. The landings dont always go as planned and there have been times that the boat has run into the sides of the aircraft pretty hard and not punctured the boat.

The floor of the aircraft has very rough sand paper like texture to it so you don't slip as easily and these boats are continuously rubbing thier bottoms on that with no affects. When they enter the boat they are moving at a pretty good rate too. These guys run these boats hard over rocks and up onto beaches of all terrains.

To be honest, you would mess up a hull of a fiberglass boat or an aluminum boat before you would mess up one of these. Thats also why they are used for white water rafting too because they are very durable and resist being torn or puctured. just my 2 copper pieces!:D