Is this dinghy worth the price?

[benlui]

Anyone have one of these zodiac dinghy's? Prob going to buy one this week, €1400 is expensive i know but aren't they meant to be the best?

http://www.zodiacmarine.com/uk/the-zodiac-range/?cadet-fastroller

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
aren't they meant to be the best?


[/ QUOTE ] Still only made of PVC coated fabric! Perhaps they are the best of the PVC ones

 

[asteven221]

I have owned 2 Zodiac dingies. The first - a Cadet lasted me nearly 20 years of rough use. The second which I still have is a Yachtline rib which is 6 years old and is still in perfect condition. IMO Zodiac are very, very good and will last a long time regardless of what they are supposed to be made of. There seems to be a bit of snobbery about Avon (which I have owned as well and wasn't too impressed with - Hypelon material went all sticky) which I suspect VicS may well be referring too. Actually I think Zodiac own Avon. Also, I think Zodiac invented the inflatable dingy. If you buy a Zodiac I would not expect you to have any problems. FWIW I recently bought a Lodestar dingy as it is extremely lightweight and seems well built. If weight is an issue then they are worth checking out as there is no lighter (with proper build strenght) dingy on the market that I know of although the downside is that they quite expensive.

 

[Amari]

We went on an Antarctic cruise last winter. All 8 of the 12-man inflatables (not RIBS) were Zodiacs. Sped through the ice-slush without puncture!

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Hypelon material went all sticky)

[/ QUOTE ] It is a problem more usually asociated with PVC exposed to lots of sunlight than with Hypalon. It's the first time I have heard of Hypalon being affected in that way.
Are you sure it was Hypalon, my Avon is PVC

 

[Twister_Ken]

Read somewhere that Avon are no longer manufacturing leisure inflatables.

Another nail in the coffin!

 

[michael_w]

The bottom isn't very good on Zodiacs. I've had two of them come adrift from the tubes, both airdeck models. One of them branded Zodiac, the other West Marine. At least I didn't have to pay for the repair to the West Marine one, a previous owner did.

For the big trip I've got an Avon airdeck ready and waiting.

 

[jerryat]

[ QUOTE ]
The bottom isn't very good on Zodiacs. I've had two of them come adrift from the tubes, both airdeck models. .........................

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup! That's exactly what happened to ours when we were anchored near Rodney Bay's marina! Luckily we'd just got to the stern of our boat before it gave out. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif SWMBO scrambled up the ladder while I stood on the tubes and passed her the shopping.

Had a good look at repairing it, but decided it wasn't worth it, so dumped it in the marina bin! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif I was very disappointed as I'd always rated Zodiac's pretty highly. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[actionoptics]

Twister Ken. Think you will find that Avon are no longer going to make leisure inflatables in Wales. All production shipping to Hungary but Military and something else which escapes me, still going to be produced in Llanelli so 50 jobs saved.

 

[asteven221]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hypelon material went all sticky)

[/ QUOTE ] It is a problem more usually asociated with PVC exposed to lots of sunlight than with Hypalon. It's the first time I have heard of Hypalon being affected in that way.
Are you sure it was Hypalon, my Avon is PVC

[/ QUOTE ]

Hmmmmm, now that I think about it you could be correct. It was the floor that went all sticky (Avon Rover Airdeck model 280, circa 2003 I think) which could have been PVC. The tubes were okay so the removeable floor could well have been PVC. I still think Zodiac are up to the job and despite a couple of bad opinions I would be happy to choose Zodiac anytime. Never had the slightest problem with them.