Will definitely buy a zodiac and I need some advice

[zodiac340m]

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

i am certain you will have fun amd that you will be safe in the lil zodiac w/ 5hp. Should you decide to upgrade to a larger boat such as a live aboard yacht you will have a tender, should you upgrade to something else you will have a small boat to put about when the bigger one is just too much. and you can always sell her at a marina to a yachty should you tire of her (keep in mnd 35-60% of her purchase price will be lost on a sale as she won't be new then)

and just to give you perspective i used to find it fun to sail a 12ft sunfish sailboat from San Fransico to Angel island in the San Fransico bay..... i got flushed out the golden gate twice because i failed to pay heed to the tide.... rather interested to get flushed out of a bay and have to wait 6hrs to continue you journey.... lol

i also used to have fun taking same lil sailboat from the LA area (roughly longbeach) and sailing out to catalina island, you have to be careful on that one though as the current moves rather steadily to the south and you can miss the island if you just try to sail west.... as it is just over 22mi from the mainland... at for a while you are out of sight of land period.

just thought i would share that as I managed to survive so in a landlocked or very protected bay you should be absolutely safe especially if within 100yd or meters from the shore.


Sean

Sean, you are a brave guy, that little sun fish is really small, werent you scared to death when you got sucked out so far? Were you close to the opening of the bay near the sea when this happened? I will make sure I am miles from the opening of the harbor so this wont happen. I think even if I begin to drift and my engine cant push me where i want to go I will sound a distress horn for help or what is the hand signal for distress need help in a small boat? I am not saying it will happen, but hey, its better to be ready than not be. Thanks for sharing your little ordeal with me. I am sure I will have some ordeals come what may

My dogs re small both total weighing nearly 5 kilos one is 2 kilos the fat one is 3 will their nails damage the rubber? I have the solid flooring but the sides wont be solid, i am wondering if to put some form or something to sto this? they will be stationed between the back sea snd the front seat in that area.

 

[zodiac340m]

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

I've seen this on Youtube: lovely light pack.
Selva 3.6 VIB + Selva Piranha 9.9 hp 4 stroke. The engine is just 30.5 kg!

http://inflatable.boat.product.info/Video_Test.asp?keywords=inflatable boat&typ=demo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY5O0o7LUuQ

Wow, lots of videos to choose from. I dont think i like the awning on the inflatable it looks yuck. But the flying one lol that must be funny to see. I guess if you get sucked out by tide you can always fly back home? Does it really work?

 

[zodiac340m]

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

Oh, here is a photo of the exact model I will get, not that big engine tho, but this one with Bimini and well more seats added and bench bags and bow bag and other stuff added new D ring at the bow for more safety and some other little things I am having him install

 

[ONERCBOATER]

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

afraid no, annoyed rather, lol the open sea is really not that bad a place to be, and honestly since i was on the west coast of america i only had to sail to the east continuously to get back to land..... might not be where i wanted to be but would be land lol. A small boat such as the sunfish sits atop the water and moves up and down with the waves..... rather different than being in a large boat. I spent several hours with a fishing pole in the water waiting for the right time to correct my error.
The reason i got sucked out the golden gate bridge was due to overconfidence/stupidity the San Francisco bay is like a giant toilet bowl and literally flushed with ea tide movement, large powerful motor yachts often spend hrs fighting the flow to get in or out if they dont time it right. the slower ones and sailboats just have no choice but to wait for the tide.
Thinking about claws and rubber rafts (i know it isn't rubber....but that is the way i think of them), I highly doubt that one time out with the boat will cause you to sink from the dogs claws... BUT they may put scratch marks on the material.... i would suggest that you bring a few beach towels, if you see that they are marking it you could throw the towels over the area where the dog is marking your boat and protect it a bit. Then later should you choose to you could make some lightweight polyester canvas throws that you could tie down over the dog affected areas and thereby protect your boat for years to come.

don't forget a smallish bucket or large cut 44oz or so to bail water with, you would be amazed at how easy it is to have water in your boat. I also keep a large CHEAP sponge on board to get rid of that last lil bit of water, because that last lil bit of water mixed with a touch of sand or dirt will flat wear a hole through your ankle knee or foot and i imagine would accelerate the wear of your inflatable.
Speaking of that Keep it clean and clean it between uses especially if in salt water, the engine will need flushing and you should rinse (both with fresh water) and dry the boat prior to storing it.

I hope this helps a bit.

Sean

 

[azzurro]

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

Nice bimini. With a 5hp engine she will fly.

 

[zodiac340m]

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

Nice bimini. With a 5hp engine she will fly.

Azzurro I dont want it to fly the bimini will cause it to Plane please tell me cuz I dont want this not do I want it to fly

You are kidding me right

 

[zodiac340m]

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

afraid no, annoyed rather, lol the open sea is really not that bad a place to be, and honestly since i was on the west coast of america i only had to sail to the east continuously to get back to land..... might not be where i wanted to be but would be land lol. A small boat such as the sunfish sits atop the water and moves up and down with the waves..... rather different than being in a large boat. I spent several hours with a fishing pole in the water waiting for the right time to correct my error.
The reason i got sucked out the golden gate bridge was due to overconfidence/stupidity the San Francisco bay is like a giant toilet bowl and literally flushed with ea tide movement, large powerful motor yachts often spend hrs fighting the flow to get in or out if they dont time it right. the slower ones and sailboats just have no choice but to wait for the tide.
Thinking about claws and rubber rafts (i know it isn't rubber....but that is the way i think of them), I highly doubt that one time out with the boat will cause you to sink from the dogs claws... BUT they may put scratch marks on the material.... i would suggest that you bring a few beach towels, if you see that they are marking it you could throw the towels over the area where the dog is marking your boat and protect it a bit. Then later should you choose to you could make some lightweight polyester canvas throws that you could tie down over the dog affected areas and thereby protect your boat for years to come.

don't forget a smallish bucket or large cut 44oz or so to bail water with, you would be amazed at how easy it is to have water in your boat. I also keep a large CHEAP sponge on board to get rid of that last lil bit of water, because that last lil bit of water mixed with a touch of sand or dirt will flat wear a hole through your ankle knee or foot and i imagine would accelerate the wear of your inflatable.
Speaking of that Keep it clean and clean it between uses especially if in salt water, the engine will need flushing and you should rinse (both with fresh water) and dry the boat prior to storing it.

I hope this helps a bit.

Sean

LMAO at large Toilet Bowl I chuckled a good bit. So I would imagine Frisco Bay has a tidal bore of somekind?

I will get one of these, its called here ?sfass and it for small boats to remove water click the link if you can

http://www.kanubistanker.de/SHOP/bilder/plastimo/16207.jpg

Now tell me how is the water coming in the boat if I do not plane or drive fast? Your idea for the dogs is good, I may not wait for them to scratch I will just install the pieces to protect and stop them from clawing it. They are so small they wont be able to see outside and may get inquisitive.

So all those six hours sucked out of Frisco bay you just waited your time? Does the tide take a boat to a certain place and then stop?

 

[ONERCBOATER]

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

"So all those six hours sucked out of Frisco bay you just waited your time? Does the tide take a boat to a certain place and then stop?" ---- for all practical purpose...yes, there is also a south moving current there... so it is easier to sail south than it is to sail north if you are going any distance..... lol i have sailed a few friend of a friend of a friends boats back up to San Fransico from San Diego..... takes a lil bit to get there it isnt a weekend thing. anyhow i just slowly sailed towards the goldengate bridge(at least in its approx direction)....which got me essentially no where.... til the tide shifted....i fished what else do you do after cussing but fish lol. The San Fransico bay is a large body of water with a narrow and deep entrance.... it was the toilet bowl effect and the frigid waters that lead to the use of Alcatraz rock being used as a prison theoretically escape proof, cold water, sharks, swift currents....and fog the is dense enough to cut with a knife and butter your toast with, easy to get lost there...I can tell you the finding a rather large ship moving by you in the fog is (*^%*&ing terrifying... and incredibly dangerous.

 

[ONERCBOATER]

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

oh i forgot... the water in the boat....how and why
leaks, splashes... fish...wet dogs.... you will be surprised at the interesting ways water can get in your boat.

 

[zodiac340m]

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

oh i forgot... the water in the boat....how and why
leaks, splashes... fish...wet dogs.... you will be surprised at the interesting ways water can get in your boat.

LEAKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS are you kidding me here??? Holy cow. Wet dogs I can unerstand, wet husband who will insist of anchoring and swimming and did you say FISH? I will have a big fish box for the fish caught I I get any to begin with. But the leaks concerns me, you mean leaks from the transorm and not the tubes right?

 

[zodiac340m]

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

"So all those six hours sucked out of Frisco bay you just waited your time? Does the tide take a boat to a certain place and then stop?" ---- for all practical purpose...yes, there is also a south moving current there... so it is easier to sail south than it is to sail north if you are going any distance..... lol i have sailed a few friend of a friend of a friends boats back up to San Fransico from San Diego..... takes a lil bit to get there it isnt a weekend thing. anyhow i just slowly sailed towards the goldengate bridge(at least in its approx direction)....which got me essentially no where.... til the tide shifted....i fished what else do you do after cussing but fish lol. The San Fransico bay is a large body of water with a narrow and deep entrance.... it was the toilet bowl effect and the frigid waters that lead to the use of Alcatraz rock being used as a prison theoretically escape proof, cold water, sharks, swift currents....and fog the is dense enough to cut with a knife and butter your toast with, easy to get lost there...I can tell you the finding a rather large ship moving by you in the fog is (*^%*&ing terrifying... and incredibly dangerous.

LMAO, you are funny. I can imagine you caught loads of fish right? The so called claimed Alcatraz to be escape proof to somepoint did happen with Harris and the Anglin brothers in teh 60s, but I suppose the sharks got them

 

[ONERCBOATER]

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

leaks lol yes they happen.
just about any type of boat you get will eventually leak, fish putting water in the boat also happens.... depends on how big and feisty they are (and spiny)

I think you will be just fine and happy as a clam on your lil zodiac it is a near perfect answer for someone who doesn't have the room to store a boat, trailer, and have a truck to tow it.

and NO... as in no i didn't catch alot of fish while sitting out there... a few mackerel if i recall correctly.

After a few trips out you will get far more relaxed, and a few months into it you will look at it as old hat..... yrs into it you will be looking at the new person who is trying to figure out which way up the boat is supposed to go and lol....then offer assistance.

sean

 

[Sea Rider]

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

Hi sea rider, you give me such confidence as soon as I take delivery of my rubber boat and go out on either the lake or sea I will be sure to post pics. I intend to do fishing should I have a fishing rod mount mounted and if sho where? I think if you say this 5hp pushes such a big boat of 1.5 ton without sails then surely it can push this little rubber ducker of 56 kilos. Is this J24 being pushed in the sea or lake?

Hola Zodiac 340

Be confident to your sib/engine combo, my first motor was a Mariner 5 HP 2 stroke engine, with it have pushed 280, 320, 360, 380, 420 meter sibs, the larger the sib the better will push, that is less water drag under keel. Racing J 24 sailboats have a particular requirement, they need to keep a small portable under the bed, a 5 HP won't fit, so have opted for the Tohatsu 3.5 and that small engine pushes them really well when they run out of wind at sea. So your 5 HP will do really well...

5 HP Mariner, Mercury, Nissan, are same bothers made by Tohatsu with different names..

http://www.pbase.com/locozodiac/image/83303726
http://www.pbase.com/locozodiac/image/83297342

You can place the fishing rod mount screwed to the transom, between engine and tube.

Happy Boating

 

[zodiac340m]

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

leaks lol yes they happen.
just about any type of boat you get will eventually leak, fish putting water in the boat also happens.... depends on how big and feisty they are (and spiny)

I think you will be just fine and happy as a clam on your lil zodiac it is a near perfect answer for someone who doesn't have the room to store a boat, trailer, and have a truck to tow it.

and NO... as in no i didn't catch alot of fish while sitting out there... a few mackerel if i recall correctly.

After a few trips out you will get far more relaxed, and a few months into it you will look at it as old hat..... yrs into it you will be looking at the new person who is trying to figure out which way up the boat is supposed to go and lol....then offer assistance.

sean

Ha, you sure know how to make a gal feel good. I will be giving other assistance? Humm you have a lot of confidence in me:redface: I am a chicken, scared of my own shadow I doubt I will ever get that confident. I would like to but bleh I dont have the confidence in myself to become so good at the sea. I am too scared of it

is there a right way or a wrong way to sit on an installed seat at the back where the engine is , is your body supposed to be turned all the time when using an outboard?

You are sure right about not having storage and or a vehicle big enough to pull a real boat. Storage here near the rivers are an arm and a leg, but then again, every damned thing in Germany is expensive, you even have to pay to wee wee when you go to a quick stop or truck stop when travelling so you can imagine storage of a boat

 

[zodiac340m]

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

Hola Zodiac 340

Be confident to your sib/engine combo, my first motor was a Mariner 5 HP 2 stroke engine, with it have pushed 280, 320, 360, 380, 420 meter sibs, the larger the sib the better will push, that is less water drag under keel. Racing J 24 sailboats have a particular requirement, they need to keep a small portable under the bed, a 5 HP won't fit, so have opted for the Tohatsu 3.5 and that small engine pushes them really well when they run out of wind at sea. So your 5 HP will do really well...

5 HP Mariner, Mercury, Nissan, are same bothers made by Tohatsu with different names..

http://www.pbase.com/locozodiac/image/83303726
http://www.pbase.com/locozodiac/image/83297342

You can place the fishing rod mount screwed to the transom, between engine and tube.

Happy Boating

Are you talking about the Ocean or the sea the south Atlantic or the Mid Pacific oceans where these little engines were used?

Is that you driving the first boat in the first photo`? What size is that? Are these inflatables really getting popular down there?

I will ask the guy about the mounting of the rod holder. What is the rod holder used for just storage or for actual fishing`?

 

[Sea Rider]

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

Answering your questions:

We are located at South Pacific Ocean, the size of the yellow sib is an air mat 280 meter inflatable, more people are requesting them, are cheapper than Zodiac, Avon brands. People have therir issue about air mat, preffer alum pannel or rigid inflatables. The rod holder is used for sticking the rod end there, probably can leave with bait and wait for a fish to bite while cruising at slow speed.

You can sit paralel to transom or sideways, preferably is to steer with left hand and grab a life line with right hand if sib happens to have one, in this position will see water peeing through port, means water pump is working un obstructed by weed, debris, plastic bags, etc. If you sit opposite side won't see a thing and engine can be damaged by overheating if water intakes located at lower tail gets obstructed.

Happy Boating

 

[zodiac340m]

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

Answering your questions:

We are located at South Pacific Ocean, the size of the yellow sib is an air mat 280 meter inflatable, more people are requesting them, are cheapper than Zodiac, Avon brands. People have therir issue about air mat, preffer alum pannel or rigid inflatables. The rod holder is used for sticking the rod end there, probably can leave with bait and wait for a fish to bite while cruising at slow speed.

You can sit paralel to transom or sideways, preferably is to steer with left hand and grab a life line with right hand if sib happens to have one, in this position will see water peeing through port, means water pump is working un obstructed by weed, debris, plastic bags, etc. If you sit opposite side won't see a thing and engine can be damaged by overheating if water intake located at lower tail gets obstructed.

Happy Boating

I am so confused. Water peeing thru Port, at front or the back? do you mean for me to sit like you are sitting on that 280 boat? I dont want to sit on the tube, that is why I ordered a back seat.

I want to ask you something, down there so far down south in the Pacific, what types of currents do you all have and tidal flows or fluctuations?

I think I may pass onthe rod holder than, it seems a waste of time I can very well lay my rod and keep hooks contained in a little snap plastic box i will take with me for protectin gthe boat from hook damage. I saw some fish rod holders attached to the actual tubes but if this cant be done I wont bother.

Can you infact troll from the front of the boat, or all trolling must be donw from the back of the boat?

 

[ONERCBOATER]

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

trolling can be done from side or from rear, i personally prefer two lines to the rear and one off ea side.... the only issue with that is you must make coordinated turns.... Rod holders, now that is something i have mixed feelings on, as a child I always trolled sitting cross legged on the bottom of the boat with the butt of the rod between my legs... it stayed there rather well and i could feel a hit instantly...well then one day when i was about 14 i was sailing a snark (12' styrofoam and plastic lateen rig sailboat) in tamales bay (fort brag CA USA area) while trolling a 1oz lead head jig with a whole squid on it, it was bouncing on the bottom which was muddy in that area and all of the sudden i was in great pain....gagging...tearing up....and holding onto my rod for dear life. i caught a 49" halibut that afternoon....and almost became a steer. since then i either hold the rod or use a rod holder that allows me to pick the pole up while setting the hook rather then one of the tube types. holding the rod allows you to feel everything that happens back there..... if you get distracted you can miss a fish with a rod holder.

Also they make clamp on rod holders that will clamp to your transom and be removable should you wish to....
http://www.cabelas.com/fishing-rod-...-958E-DF11-A0C8-002219318F67&mr:referralID=NA
that should give you idea of what i am suggesting.

as to sitting and steering.... i prefer to sit to the port side of the engine and use my right hand for tiller.... due to this I routinely reroute the pee hole line to the port side of the engine and drill a new location for it, most often shooting straight back so it can be viewed from either side.... you likely won't want to drill your shiny new engine....so I would suggest learning to properly sit to the starboard side of the vessel and engine and steer the tiller with your left hand, then all is the way it was originally designed. The water on 99% of unaltered engines pours (squirts would likely be a better term) out the rear starboard side...err the back right side of the engine. it is usually a stream approx 3/16" to 1/4" and is used to indicate to the operator of the engine that the water pump is functioning correctly and that the engine is being properly cooled. Most engines squirt water within 3 to 8 seconds after startup and it should continue until you shut the engine off.

oh and since you seem concerned with tides and currents, placed shaped like the sea of cortez (mexico) have very high tidal differences compared to places connected to the open sea..... as in the northern most points of the sea of cortez have very large tides while the southern portion by cabo san lucas does not have as high a tidal change. you can get charts that show the prevailing currents, take note that just as air goes through small areas faster so too does water when channeled by islands or sea mounts.

 

[zodiac340m]

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

trolling can be done from side or from rear, i personally prefer two lines to the rear and one off ea side.... the only issue with that is you must make coordinated turns.... Rod holders, now that is something i have mixed feelings on, as a child I always trolled sitting cross legged on the bottom of the boat with the butt of the rod between my legs... it stayed there rather well and i could feel a hit instantly...well then one day when i was about 14 i was sailing a snark (12' styrofoam and plastic lateen rig sailboat) in tamales bay (fort brag CA USA area) while trolling a 1oz lead head jig with a whole squid on it, it was bouncing on the bottom which was muddy in that area and all of the sudden i was in great pain....gagging...tearing up....and holding onto my rod for dear life. i caught a 49" halibut that afternoon....and almost became a steer. since then i either hold the rod or use a rod holder that allows me to pick the pole up while setting the hook rather then one of the tube types. holding the rod allows you to feel everything that happens back there..... if you get distracted you can miss a fish with a rod holder.

Also they make clamp on rod holders that will clamp to your transom and be removable should you wish to....
http://www.cabelas.com/fishing-rod-...-958E-DF11-A0C8-002219318F67&mr:referralID=NA
that should give you idea of what i am suggesting.

as to sitting and steering.... i prefer to sit to the port side of the engine and use my right hand for tiller.... due to this I routinely reroute the pee hole line to the port side of the engine and drill a new location for it, most often shooting straight back so it can be viewed from either side.... you likely won't want to drill your shiny new engine....so I would suggest learning to properly sit to the starboard side of the vessel and engine and steer the tiller with your left hand, then all is the way it was originally designed. The water on 99% of unaltered engines pours (squirts would likely be a better term) out the rear starboard side...err the back right side of the engine. it is usually a stream approx 3/16" to 1/4" and is used to indicate to the operator of the engine that the water pump is functioning correctly and that the engine is being properly cooled. Most engines squirt water within 3 to 8 seconds after startup and it should continue until you shut the engine off.

oh and since you seem concerned with tides and currents, placed shaped like the sea of cortez (mexico) have very high tidal differences compared to places connected to the open sea..... as in the northern most points of the sea of cortez have very large tides while the southern portion by cabo san lucas does not have as high a tidal change. you can get charts that show the prevailing currents, take note that just as air goes through small areas faster so too does water when channeled by islands or sea mounts.

You have me laughing so hard at the rod incident, I cant help it tho, I can just picture it and the events afterwards lmfao. Since I dont have that problem and still wont want to risk anything of the such. I will just hold the dang rod in my hands. I dont wnat to go putting too much stuff on the transorm that needs boring. I wonder how much that item is? It looks quite nice. Shipping here from a commercial source can be one monster of fees plus customs. I may have to see if somone can do it for me from that end and I pay them thru paypal or something. This way I avoid customs and can get it as GIFT and therefor I wont pay duty.

did you take a look at the Port of Brest? Tho its landlocked, I am wondering about a suction toilet bowl effect as well. Tides are low to 1.5 meters and high as much as 5 meters difference. Did I already post the area here=

 

[zodiac340m]

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

Azarro I was thinking, since I have not paid for the 340 yet and you said other larges boats can run on the 5hp, should I up my size to at least 380 meters? I am studying for the Ocean part of the boat license but its difficult. I am just wondering if I would pass it before France's vacation if I should get that bigger boat just in case I pass and can actually buy the bigger engine?