Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

[zodiac340m]

Hello again peeps.
So as my name says, I intend to buy this size zodiac, but the reason being that this model is still made in France whereas, the bigger ones are made in china and I understand from the dealers the quality is far less superior. Has anyone owned one of the Chinese models and if so how is it compared to the French made one?

How long does an inflatable last? Can you blow up and down an inflatable for daily use for transport if you dont use launching wheels or cant carry it on top your car? How heavy is this boat once inflated for a woman and one man to lift over head on top a passat car?

Are the ones with alu flooring better than those will air floor or wooden floor? What about those with hard hulls, are those harder to transport without a trailer? Will you go with an inflatable bottom as opposed to the alu or wood bottom? I am more concerned about the weight and the ability to transport it without a trailer. I live in Germany and will be taking this 1300KM to the French coast of Brittany.
Thanks
Zodie

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Go for any air mat floor if light weight, portability and easy set-up is a must have, alum and wooden pannels are much heavier and take their time to assemble.. Mercury has some good options on air mats or alum models.

Happy Boating

 

[zodiac340m]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Go for any air mat floor if light weight, portability and easy set-up is a must have, alum and wooden pannels are much hevier and take their time to assemble.. Mercury has some good options on air mats or alum models.

Happy Boating

Thanks for your reply. So you are saying air bottoms are better? The one I will choose most likely is this one because it is lighter. Its not ridig and firm at the bottom you have to inflate the bottom but where you stand in the boat will have a hard floor. IS this one hard to assemble?

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Air floors are better than slat floors, if you are looking for less sib weight & portability, a air mat it's the way to go, will sacrifice some deck rigidity compared to wooden or alum floors, cannot have portability and rigidity at same time. One characteristic opposes the other.

If got you correct, you are talking about the sib that has removable air mat and a keel you must inflate, or the one that has a deep V floor which forms the keel and it's not removable ?

Both needs high pressure to perform as expected, so get a nice electric pump or a double action high/low pressure foot or hand pump.

Happy Boating

 

[zodiac340m]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Hi searider

I am looking at the zodiac 340, it has wooden floor but you have to put that inside and then inflate the bottom part of the boat. The actual bottom of the boat is not hard, but there is a keel type thing inside that remains I believe. I will be going to the boat show next week so I will ask all relevant questions. I have not seen the boat in person, so I can only go by its small description online. Here is the link of that boat. It says SOLID so I am not sure if that means the bottom is solid not sure, I only saw a youtube video of a 340 and the guy inflated the bottom to. Not sure about this one.

Zodiac Cadet 340 Solid
wooden plates
+ Tohatsu MFS5 BSS
3,7KW (5 PS)
statt ? 2907.-
nur

Top ? 2430.-

Air floors are better than slat floors, if you are looking for less sib weight & portability, a air mat it's the way to go, will sacrifice some deck rigidity compared to wooden or alum floors, cannot have portability and rigidity at same time. One characteristic opposes the other.

If got you correct, you are talking about the sib that has removable air mat and a keel you must inflate, or the one that has a deep V floor which forms the keel and it's not removable ?

Both needs high pressure to perform as expected, so get a nice electric pump or a double action high/low pressure foot or hand pump.

Happy Boating

 

[rallyart]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

My first inflatable was a wood floor copy of a Zodiac back in 1974. The wood floor and inflated keel would let it plane with a 4 hp engine. It was awesome for almost any purpose but eventually the years of pulling it onto rocky beaches put enough hard to find holes in the noninflated part of the hull that we had trouble keeping it dry. Other than that nothing failed and it's still here in a bag.
My second and current is an inflated floor Mettzler which is much more comfortable to lounge around in and just float on the lake. The inflated floor is a better option, in my opinion, except it is slower with it's flat bottom than the old one. We beach it by rolling it up on a swim noodle. We bought it used in '94 and my wife, who uses it all the time, has kept it mint.
So they can last a very long time. The solid floor is faster, the inflated floor is more comfortable. The inflated floor is better, in my opinion, if you are going to pack it up regularly but either is not a big chore.
Get a high volume, low pressure pump to inflate it most of the way and a hi/low manual pump to get the high pressure floor hard, as Sea Rider suggested.
You'll enjoy it.

 

[abdiver7777]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Those inflated floors are prone to failure.........

I replaced mine with a sheet of marine plywood after it separated..... replacements are way too costly.........

 

[zodiac340m]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Hi guys, thanks for the information. Well I have not purchaed it yet. We will have thos wheels the kinds you attack to the stern once not in use and once you beach it you roll it up on the wheels and maybe have something like foam or something to protect the keel. Where I will be there are no stones, all the beaches are white sandy beaches, some with gravel half the size of lentils but very few beaches are that way, most are white sandy beaches. So I may try the keel hull cuz of currents, I may need some speed. Going to the boat show this weekend so I am hoping to see and touch and sit in and feel those boats then make a decision. Safety if most important to me over comfort. While I have driven boats before in my life I have not learned navigation, so that is something I must know before going into even this little thing.

What kind of anchor will I be able to use for seaweed bottoms or sandy bottoms or part sand rock bottoms? Danforth I hear drags in sandy areas. there is a fold up kind like an umbrella not sure of the name. and what size will I need also? thanks

 

[azzurro]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Hi guys, thanks for the information. Well I have not purchaed it yet. We will have thos wheels the kinds you attack to the stern once not in use and once you beach it you roll it up on the wheels and maybe have something like foam or something to protect the keel. Where I will be there are no stones, all the beaches are white sandy beaches, some with gravel half the size of lentils but very few beaches are that way, most are white sandy beaches. So I may try the keel hull cuz of currents, I may need some speed. Going to the boat show this weekend so I am hoping to see and touch and sit in and feel those boats then make a decision. Safety if most important to me over comfort. While I have driven boats before in my life I have not learned navigation, so that is something I must know before going into even this little thing.

What kind of anchor will I be able to use for seaweed bottoms or sandy bottoms or part sand rock bottoms? Danforth I hear drags in sandy areas. there is a fold up kind like an umbrella not sure of the name. and what size will I need also? thanks

Most small inflatables use grapnel anchors because of foldable and avoiding punctures.
I have a rather big one with a pretty long and 4 meters heavy chain for a 4 meters inflatable. I bet mine is perfect for a 5.5 meters RIB! Well I don't mind, I use it when mooring at small coves were waves break high and may get a lot of water inside the boat if beaching. Dragging is absolutely impossible!!!

The anchor&chain are kept on a rubber bucket (plastic ones are easy to break) fixed to internal rings near the bow, then I use a short rubber line with plastic hooks to avoid anchor and chain from bouncing outside the bucket.

I use a painter (line tied to bow ring and 2 towing rings to minimize stress on bow ring) with a musket 3,5 meters long. When anchoring, I use an alpine butterfly knot (quick to tie and easy to untie) to fix the musket. I also use the painter for mooring. Painters must always be shorter that boat length to avoid a mess with the propeller.

The lenght of the anchor line depends on the depth of the sea.

I launch at the Mediterranean where beaches are thin, so I use a launching inflatable roller rated for 400Kg, which I can also use as an internal seat.

I have plans for fixing the gas tank near the bow.
Also I am planning to keep all of the security material (6 floating devices + flares&mirror &all of that + first aid kit + dry boxes and all of that) using an elastic network down a spray bow hood (I purchased a bow bag and it's a small breaking wet rubbish).
I will tie the hood and network to the protecting rubber strake with elastic lines and these hooks:
http://www.latiendadelnavegante.com/photos/006816.jpg

Good luck with your purchase.

 

[zodiac340m]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Most small inflatables use grapnel anchors because of foldable and avoiding punctures.
I have a rather big one with a pretty long and 4 meters heavy chain for a 4 meters inflatable. I bet mine is perfect for a 5.5 meters RIB! Well I don't mind, I use it when mooring at small coves were waves break high and may get a lot of water inside the boat if beaching. Dragging is absolutely impossible!!!

The anchor&chain are kept on a rubber bucket (plastic ones are easy to break) fixed to internal rings near the bow, then I use a short rubber line with plastic hooks to avoid anchor and chain from bouncing outside the bucket.

I use a painter (line tied to bow ring and 2 towing rings to minimize stress on bow ring) with a musket 3,5 meters long. When anchoring, I use an alpine butterfly knot (quick to tie and easy to untie) to fix the musket. I also use the painter for mooring. Painters must always be shorter that boat length to avoid a mess with the propeller.

The lenght of the anchor line depends on the depth of the sea.

I launch at the Mediterranean where beaches are thin, so I use a launching inflatable roller rated for 400Kg, which I can also use as an internal seat.

I have plans for fixing the gas tank near the bow.
Also I am planning to keep all of the security material (6 floating devices + flares&mirror &all of that + first aid kit + dry boxes and all of that) using an elastic network down a spray bow hood (I purchased a bow bag and it's a small breaking wet rubbish).
I will tie the hood and network to the protecting rubber strake with elastic lines and these hooks:
http://www.latiendadelnavegante.com/photos/006816.jpg

Good luck with your purchase.

Hi Azurro. Thanks for all that information. First off, I have not even taken a boating class so I dont know some of your terminology
like musket and painters, all I can think of its a gun used back in the old days LOL and well painter is someone who paints a house. So help me there please I dont know this. This must be guy's talk?

How big an anchor do you have, you said big. Like how big how heavy? How big is your boat? Where in the Med do you anchor? The little thingy I am hoping to get is the 340 for the smallest. I looked at an anchor that is 10 kilos is that too big? Or will that drag my boat under with the anchor? I dont know much about all this. I signed up for a class on boating so I can learn some of this, but boy or boy it looks difficult. Do you anchor to fish or swim or play in the sea? How deep out there do you go? Have you been on the French coast in this boat? thanks in advance.

 

[azzurro]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Hi Azurro. Thanks for all that information. First off, I have not even taken a boating class so I dont know some of your terminology
like musket and painters, all I can think of its a gun used back in the old days LOL and well painter is someone who paints a house. So help me there please I dont know this. This must be guy's talk?

How big an anchor do you have, you said big. Like how big how heavy? How big is your boat? Where in the Med do you anchor? The little thingy I am hoping to get is the 340 for the smallest. I looked at an anchor that is 10 kilos is that too big? Or will that drag my boat under with the anchor? I dont know much about all this. I signed up for a class on boating so I can learn some of this, but boy or boy it looks difficult. Do you anchor to fish or swim or play in the sea? How deep out there do you go? Have you been on the French coast in this boat? thanks in advance.

10KG is too big. A 5 kg grapnel is OK. Chain length equal to boat length, chain diameter 6mm. Anchor line 30-40 meters, but depends on the sea.

My boat is 4 meters, alu floor, 20hp BF20 Honda outboard short leg (the lighter in the market, even though, may be too heavy! 46Kg)

Alpine butterfly knot
http://www.extremesportstrader.co.uk/shots/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/alpine-butterfly-knot.jpg

Musket
http://www.explorasur.com/images/641 Mosqueton alambre curvo Minor.jpg
I like these because they do not damage the lines as much as these:
http://www.nautilus21.com/catalog/images/mosqueton_inox_cseguro.jpg
because the string usually gets stuck in the closing.

Painter
Short line (I mean, shorter than an anchor line!) to tie the boat.

Bow spray hood in inflatable boat:
A small cover for only the bow part. Protects things from water splash and seagull ****!!

Inflatable Launching roller:
http://www.latiendadelnavegante.com/photos/024884.jpg

Training is always good.
Always, always query weather forecasts.
Take VHF radio (training needed) and/or mobile phone (get the sea emergency number!!!). Always waterproof!

A ladder is ALWAYS a good idea. There are many kinds.

My hobby is mainly snorkeling and swimming at Spain. I'd like to go night squid fishing this summer...but squid ink...not in my boat, please...

 

[azzurro]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Hi searider

I am looking at the zodiac 340, it has wooden floor but you have to put that inside and then inflate the bottom part of the boat. The actual bottom of the boat is not hard, but there is a keel type thing inside that remains I believe. I will be going to the boat show next week so I will ask all relevant questions. I have not seen the boat in person, so I can only go by its small description online. Here is the link of that boat. It says SOLID so I am not sure if that means the bottom is solid not sure, I only saw a youtube video of a 340 and the guy inflated the bottom to. Not sure about this one.

Zodiac Cadet 340 Solid
wooden plates
+ Tohatsu MFS5 BSS
3,7KW (5 PS)
statt ? 2907.-
nur

Top ? 2430.-

I had not seen this!
That engine may be too small for the sea. How many people on board?
I would go for 10HP with that boat, 5hp with 2 guys may be slow.
Always think of weight when choosing outboard engines, they are heavy. I think Tohatsu has a 9.8 HP engine 35Kg weight but therea are so many brands (Mercury, Honda, Yamaha...)

Also, there are deep V-hull high pressure air floor inflatable boats , and there are inflatable keel + wooden/aluminum floors.

 

[zodiac340m]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

I had not seen this!
That engine may be too small for the sea. How many people on board?
I would go for 10HP with that boat, 5hp with 2 guys may be slow.
Always think of weight when choosing outboard engines, they are heavy. I think Tohatsu has a 9.8 HP engine 35Kg weight but therea are so many brands (Mercury, Honda, Yamaha...)

Also, there are deep V-hull high pressure air floor inflatable boats , and there are inflatable keel + wooden/aluminum floors.

Hi there again.

Thanks again for all the pics and information. the thing is this, I dont have much experience and not whatsoever in the Atlantic. The reason I was getting this little boat and small engine is becasue we both do not have a license. This is the maximum engine I can drive without a license.

I think it is beginning to sound more dangerous than it is safe. We didnt plan to go out far perhaps 100meters from shore? or 150M from shore, but then again, how will I judge it. I dont know navigation and I will have to learn that not so? problem is again, I am in germany and dont read the language at all. I speak it a bit but cant read it, especially the technical stuff. I can learn online courses in English. But are all channels and harbors displaying the same format of navigation bouys and same colors etc?

Do you know Brest France in Brittany? That is the biggest place we were going to try and go to, but Iam not sure now.

Will we be better off with a paddle and no engine and just try out the areas first and then next time get an engine and educate ourselves? What do you think? I signed up for the class and when I opened the package I nearly had a stroke. I cant read that and no way can I study 400 questions in German and I can barely make out a few words.

We are going to the boatshow this weekend, so I will ask more questions and then also sit in one of those little boats.

You asked earlier on about the amount of people, this boat can carry 7 people and up to 750 kg and it will only be two of us and two little dogs each 2 kilos and 1.8 kilos big. Plus may an ice chest and some snacks and water and juice and then the boat equipment. That is already like how much 350kg?

 

[zodiac340m]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

10KG is too big. A 5 kg grapnel is OK. Chain length equal to boat length, chain diameter 6mm. Anchor line 30-40 meters, but depends on the sea.

My boat is 4 meters, alu floor, 20hp BF20 Honda outboard short leg (the lighter in the market, even though, may be too heavy! 46Kg)

Alpine butterfly knot
http://www.extremesportstrader.co.uk/shots/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/alpine-butterfly-knot.jpg

Musket
http://www.explorasur.com/images/641 Mosqueton alambre curvo Minor.jpg
I like these because they do not damage the lines as much as these:
http://www.nautilus21.com/catalog/images/mosqueton_inox_cseguro.jpg
because the string usually gets stuck in the closing.

Painter
Short line (I mean, shorter than an anchor line!) to tie the boat.

Bow spray hood in inflatable boat:
A small cover for only the bow part. Protects things from water splash and seagull ****!!

Inflatable Launching roller:
http://www.latiendadelnavegante.com/photos/024884.jpg

Training is always good.
Always, always query weather forecasts.
Take VHF radio (training needed) and/or mobile phone (get the sea emergency number!!!). Always waterproof!

A ladder is ALWAYS a good idea. There are many kinds.

My hobby is mainly snorkeling and swimming at Spain. I'd like to go night squid fishing this summer...but squid ink...not in my boat, please...

Squid fishing at night, you are a brave lass. I guess you are a seasoned boater
What kind of ladder do you have? I saw some shakey plastic steps that swings but not sure that is practical. it may break. If you put your weight on a ladder on an inflatable doesn't it cause the tubes to lift off the water?

If you have time, can i see you rboat in a pic please?

Oh, those granpnel anchors, I see them on ebay selling here for a relative good price with chain and rope. Are they good? i was wondering about tzhem but these are not plastic coated. where can I find a coated one? These are only galvanized I think silver in color.

 

[azzurro]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Squid fishing at night, you are a brave lass. I guess you are a seasoned boater
What kind of ladder do you have? I saw some shakey plastic steps that swings but not sure that is practical. it may break. If you put your weight on a ladder on an inflatable doesn't it cause the tubes to lift off the water?

If you have time, can i see you rboat in a pic please?

Oh, those granpnel anchors, I see them on ebay selling here for a relative good price with chain and rope. Are they good? i was wondering about tzhem but these are not plastic coated. where can I find a coated one? These are only galvanized I think silver in color.

Hello!

About training:
I got a title to ride my boat. Questions where far more complicated than what I needed, but it is the same when getting a car driving license.
In my country we have several licenses. Basic is a sports license, from Nautic Sports Federation. It expires each 5 years. Probably you have this in Germany.
I understand there are plenty of knowledge you will never need; but on the other side you will find many things that you did not suspect of. You've got to respect the sea, otherwise fun may become tragic. If you do not have friends to teach you, if you have never with boats, if you are not used to sea, it is good to get the knowledge from training.
I do not want to scare you, but:
- You can run out of petrol
- your engine may fail
- waves can be too high
- wind may become impossible to return to land
- fast tides may slow down your boat
- your boat may capsize
- there are rocks in the sea that may tear off your boat
- you may run over a swimmer or diver
- you may get stuck in the nets of a fisher
- you may return to land too late at night
- you may fall down your boat with the engine working
- someone may have to risk manouevre to avoid crashing with you
- you may risk some other people helping you
- do you know how to swim?
etc etc.
Probably when you got the car driving license you did not think about all of the risks!! Well this is very important. Maybe you are the kind of people who first think and then act; but there are many people who does not. Even though, we humans fail sometimes.

About the boat:
It looks like what you need is a 3,2 deep V high pressure air floor: light, easy to mount/dismount, the hull is an advantage for sea. Get a Bravo high pressure electric pump, will make your life easier. The engine may be a 4 stroke 5HP. You may also need launching wheels: beware, some models such as Honwave air pressure hull need special ones. 5kg grapnel anchor with 4 meter of 0.6mm chain.
At least 2 floating devices homologated, and the usual homologated security devices.
Maybe a rope ladder (but first time try it near the land!!!).
The engine will need servicing, so get a small trolley (I love Rooteq trolley).
Your Passat seems to be big enough to handle all of that: but also, think about the smell of petrol!!!! The tank, hose and outboard will smell. Maybe you can use a tiny trolley cart to have all of these things outside your car.

Consider all of this and please ask someone else! This is only my point of view.

And finally:
Do your dogs love water?

 

[zodiac340m]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Hello!

About training:
I got a title to ride my boat. Questions where far more complicated than what I needed, but it is the same when getting a car driving license.
In my country we have several licenses. Basic is a sports license, from Nautic Sports Federation. It expires each 5 years. Probably you have this in Germany.
I understand there are plenty of knowledge you will never need; but on the other side you will find many things that you did not suspect of. You've got to respect the sea, otherwise fun may become tragic. If you do not have friends to teach you, if you have never with boats, if you are not used to sea, it is good to get the knowledge from training. (I AM VERY ACCUSTOMED TO THE SEA; I USED TO SCUBA DIVE; SAIL; JET SKI; DEEP SEA FISH FOR ABOUT EIGHTEEN OR MORE YEARS I am just SCARED to death of the sea)
I do not want to scare you, but:
- You can run out of petrol (EVEN WITH A 22LITER RESERVE TANK WHICH I WAS INTENDING TO BUY?)
- your engine may fail (A NEW ONE CAN FAIL?)
- waves can be too high ((EVEN IF I DONT GO OUT TO SEA ND STAY IN SHELTERED AREAS?)
- wind may become impossible to return to land (ALSO FROM SHORT DISTANCES?)
- fast tides may slow down your boat (MY BIGGEST FEAR OF ALL CUZ I CANT SEE A TIDE)
- your boat may capsize eek: THEY SAID THEY ARE STABLE AND WONT THE DEALER SAID THIS)
- there are rocks in the sea that may tear off your boat (EVEN IF A MAP OF THE SEA IS USED?)
- you may run over a swimmer or diver (GOOD GRIEF, HOW WILL I KNOW WHERE TEHY ARE? IS THIS WITHOUT TRAINING?)
- you may get stuck in the nets of a fisher eek
- you may return to land too late at night (EVEN IF I ONLY GO OUT AT SAY ?11am?))
- you may fall down your boat with the engine working (EVEN WITH THE SAFETY CORD ATTACHED TO MY HAND OR MY HUSBANDS HAND? I THOUGH THAT KILLS THE ENGINE IN CASE OF MAN OVERBOARD?)
- someone may have to risk manouevre to avoid crashing with you (IF I KNOW WHO IS GIVE WAY VESSEL AND WHO IS STAND ON VESSEL WILL THIS STILL HAPPEN?)
- you may risk some other people helping you (WHAT DO YOUMEAN I MAY RISK; DONT UNDERSTAND THISO NE)
- do you know how to swim? redface: NOT VERY GOOD; ONLY DOGGIE STYLE AND BACK STROKE BUT I PANIC EASILY)
etc etc.
Probably when you got the car driving license you did not think about all of the risks!! Well this is very important. Maybe you are the kind of people who first think and then act; (YESSSSSSSSSS, HOW DID YOU GUESS? I ACT THEN THINK AND ALWAYS GETS MYSELF IN BIG TROUBLE) but there are many people who does not. Even though, we humans fail sometimes.

About the boat:
It looks like what you need is a 3,2 deep V high pressure air floor: light, easy to mount/dismount, the hull is an advantage for sea. Get a Bravo high pressure electric pump, will make your life easier. The engine may be a 4 stroke 5HP. You may also need launching wheels: beware, some models such as Honwave air pressure hull need special ones. 5kg grapnel anchor with 4 meter of 0.6mm chain.
At least 2 floating devices homologated, and the usual homologated security devices.
Maybe a rope ladder (but first time try it near the land!!!).
The engine will need servicing, so get a small trolley (I love Rooteq trolley).
Your Passat seems to be big enough to handle all of that: but also, think about the smell of petrol!!!! The tank, hose and outboard will smell. Maybe you can use a tiny trolley cart to have all of these things outside your car. WILL WE THEN NEED A TRAILER HOOKUP?

Consider all of this and please ask someone else! This is only my point of view.

And finally:
Do your dogs love water? HUMM; THEY ARE ONLY THREE YEARS, THEY LOVE THE BEACH AND THE SHORELINE WITH WAVES: THEY ARE POMERANIANS SO NOT SURE THEY LOVE SWIMMING LIKE LABS DO

Oh you are so kind to take time to list all of this out. I will answer you honestly with each question in Upper case next to your post to make it easy ok? So I put my answers there. I just called the training school and will send back their books. I cant do this test in German. I cant read all that technical stuff in German and know what I am doing. I need to kow if all sea navigation or boating rules for the sea are the same internationally. If so, I may buy a book from an English country and study it to get a better understanding of what I am up against. Are you from the UK? If so, are your boating rules similar to most other countries? I mean, do you all have the same navigation and channel markers no matter where you go? Same for rivers and lakes= Are they al the same no matter where? Then if so, I can easily learn them from home and give it a try?

IF I do not get the boat with engine. Is this little boat safe for puddle in the water near the shore lines with oars? If not, then what other flotation fun device do you think is safe for just puddling about the water during summer with no intentions to go out far?

 

[azzurro]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Sea code is almost the same everywhere, the difference is laws and titles.

I'd prefer a solid floor with dogs. I mean, they have claws in their legs.
Your dogs may jump to the water. Then you have to help them up. There are floating devices for dogs with handles to help you.

A 10 hp engine is a more secure engine in the sea.

Good luck and be careful.

 

[zodiac340m]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

Sea code is almost the same everywhere, the difference is laws and titles.

I'd prefer a solid floor with dogs. I mean, they have claws in their legs.
Your dogs may jump to the water. Then you have to help them up. There are floating devices for dogs with handles to help you.

A 10 hp engine is a more secure engine in the sea.

Good luck and be careful.

Hi again

So I went to the boat show. All the boats that will take an 8hp or 10hp I need a licence and right now I cant have one. The German language is very complicated to learn and the commission said I cannot do it in English. so I must learn 800 questions between the domestic license and the sea license. Right now, that is impossible.

How far from land do you go in your boat? Your boat is 400m is this correct? I saw the 340 and with a 5hp NO license needed that is not a bad size little boat to piddle around the shore line and about 100m from shore. At least, that is as much as I will do. The engine the man showed me is Mercuy 4 stroke gasoline engine and the zodiac 340 hard floor. Until I get my license, I do not intend to go out more than 100 meters from the shore line of water. Of course, I do have the most respect for the big sea. I have always had much fear and respect for this body of water. So I will never willfully go out far. But then again, currents can take me out even if I do not want to. So this is why I am asking so many questions.

There are two very sheltered bays on the coast where I will go. Port of Morbihan and Brest Harbor. Even with such sheltered areas, I still wont go out far from the land. So do you think this is still too small a boat and engine for this? My intentions are to anchor this little boat in a very calm area and swim, or fish in no more than 50 feet of water if that much.

The guy at the boat show said I can practice with this little engine and boat and then trade up for a bigger engine and boat next time as long as I have my license. The little zodiac looked very nice and strong. I saw hundreds but somehow, I preferred the Zodiac boat over all the others. If I could get a bigger engine I certainyl would but for now I cant. I wont be foolish and put the little boat in dangerous waters. I will first look and see and observe what kinds of water vessels are there where I want to launch and then decide. I will use my eyes and judgement to determine if or when I will put this boat in the water. And i certainly iintend to learn the tides and study the charts and check weather for all areas I intend to launch in.

Oh yes, I want doggie life vests. Do you knwo where I can find some? Over here they only have for big dogs. My dogs are 2 kilos

my only questions still remains is 5 hp good for what i described above? Please let mek now honestly as we have not bought the boat yet. thanks

 

[azzurro]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

I sail at the Mediterranean. There are no fast tides, waves are not as high as Atlantic (although some storms make them very short so capsizing is easy). It seems to me that 5 hp is not enough for your sea.

At my little village, many people have 5hp engines as they are easy to handle (and to steal! I wonder how many of that engines are stolen, in fact the become stolen again). Some of the sailors are local lonely fishers who know the sea; some others are just fond of, and sometimes a 1 people engine becomes a 5 people aboard engine...

I must say that in my country the limit is not 5hp but higher, I think it was 14-15hp.

I know many people at my village who sail without a license. This is easy, as we do not launch from a port but from the beach. Some of them know the sea better than their mother. Some other are stupid. I also know very stupid people with a license.

The more time you spend in the sea, the more risk there is.
I mean: absolutely nothing can protect you 100% from accidents.

I've seen a local 19 years old boy, who was so used to the sea but had not a license, dead because of an accident. No assurance. And he did not own the boat, and he was illegaly working.

You do not need a license to own a boat. You do not need a license to register your boat. You do not need a license for assurance. But assurance will not work if the sailor had no title.

Many people told me I was stupid because of registering and lettering the boat (that's the easiest way to get a bill, they say).

Also, getting a 5 miles permanent title instead of a 5 years 5 miles temporary title was remarked as stupid.

My boat was registered for 2 miles but even though I purchased a radio to have it registered for 5 miles: that may be the only point I may regret, but I do not mind as I really thought I did need a radio.

In my country bills in euros have 3 zeros.

Are you sure about the 5hp no license limit?

 

[zodiac340m]

Re: Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

I sail at the Mediterranean. There are no fast tides, waves are not as high as Atlantic (although some storms make them very short so capsizing is easy). It seems to me that 5 hp is not enough for your sea.

At my little village, many people have 5hp engines as they are easy to handle (and to steal! I wonder how many of that engines are stolen, in fact the become stolen again). Some of the sailors are local lonely fishers who know the sea; some others are just fond of, and sometimes a 1 people engine becomes a 5 people aboard engine...

I must say that in my country the limit is not 5hp but higher, I think it was 14-15hp.

I know many people at my village who sail without a license. This is easy, as we do not launch from a port but from the beach. Some of them know the sea better than their mother. Some other are stupid. I also know very stupid people with a license.

The more time you spend in the sea, the more risk there is.
I mean: absolutely nothing can protect you 100% from accidents.

I've seen a local 19 years old boy, who was so used to the sea but had not a license, dead because of an accident. No assurance. And he did not own the boat, and he was illegaly working.

You do not need a license to own a boat. You do not need a license to register your boat. You do not need a license for assurance. But assurance will not work if the sailor had no title.

Many people told me I was stupid because of registering and lettering the boat (that's the easiest way to get a bill, they say).

Also, getting a 5 miles permanent title instead of a 5 years 5 miles temporary title was remarked as stupid.

My boat was registered for 2 miles but even though I purchased a radio to have it registered for 5 miles: that may be the only point I may regret, but I do not mind as I really thought I did need a radio.

In my country bills in euros have 3 zeros.

Are you sure about the 5hp no license limit?

Hi again. What a story that is. How did the boy get killed? did he fall over the boat or did the boat collide with another boat? When you say your country. Do you mean you are from Spain? I think your idea to register your boat is good. About the Radio I am not sure. I think you only need a radio if you go very far out to see and think it is 20km not sure.

I am sure that to drive this boat in Europe 5hp is the maximum you can have without a license. I have driven bigger boats in my life before and also sailed on big yachts before but didnt own them. I also didnt have any license but was only helping on those boats of my friends. That was in the Caribbean sea.

The North west coast of France is very wild and rough. I do not intend to go out on that sea. I only want to go in calm harbors and sheltered bays where the water remains quiet when the tide is in. There are many inlets for boating and many bays that is calm. the outer coastline i will not go on this sea with this boat at all. If I do this, i am very stupid. There are some inlets that are so calm it looks like glass no wind or movement of the water. This is the sort of places I want to put this little boat.

Are you sure your maximum witout a license is so high as 15hp? I think all over the EU its the same 5HP is the maximum with no title or license. I have not been to the Mediterranean except for Turkey, and over there the water was very very rough.

I also wont be leaving my boat in the water or the engine attached to it. Once we are finished with the boat we will bring it back to the house and secure it for the night. I will also not leave it outside for people to see as that is a beach area and many people come and go. So we will lock it up each night in the garage.

In the meantime, before we leave for France, we have many rivers here I can practice with this little toy. Capsize I do not want. Have you capsized before? I would imagine this is quite horrible. Can a high wind with no rough sea also cause this to happen? the boat can take as much as 750 kilos and between me and my husband and the two little dogs and some equipment maybe 350 or a little less? I hope this will cause the boat to remain on the water.

The problem with people who go on the water and think they know what they are doing and really dont those are the kinds of people who cause terrible accidents. I do not intend to go in this boat until I know all the regulations for the water and the rules of the rivers I will drive in. Then once that is finished, I will also try my best to get the rules for France. I have written to some people to ask for information but nobody has responded. I may have to call the French Coast guard myself. But for sure, i will not just go and do stupidness and not know what I am doing.

I think launching from a beach is a brilliant idea because this stops you from getting any fees you may have to pay to use the marina.