Zodiac Cadet opinions

[lustyd]

I'm thinking of upgrading the tender as current Waveco 230 was bought for the 20 footer and is a bit small and quite scary in a little chop!

I've always liked the aluminium deck versions as they feel a bit more sturdy than airdeck but without the weight/size of a RIB so looking at the Zodiac Cadet and wondering what people's experience is of them. It's to go with a 36' AWB and considering the 270 or 310, it'll usually be two of us so wondering if the extra weight and size is worth it for the extra room and stability. I'm unlikely to fit a big enough motor to push the limits of either model, probably a 4hp 4 stroke if I do upgrade.

 

[Tranona]

The Cadet is a premium product and gets good reviews. Would stick to a 2.7 - aluminium floors are heavy and to be honest unless you are a frequent heavy user of the tender a bit OTT. Best used with davits. For similar money you could get a Seago Hypalon dinghy which is a much more versatile craft in terms of typical tender use (easier to inflate, deflate and stow) and potentially longer lived.

 

[lustyd]

Thanks Tranona, agree it's a bit of a premium but I do like the reassuring solidity of aluminium floors and despite the faff of putting it together I definitely prefer it over an air floor. Hypalon is definitely nicer, I gave away a Hypalon dinghy with my old boat that looked new but I couldn't get oars to match and it was a round tail, I think it was a similar age to me! Good to hear 2.7 is reasonable, the sizing is all a bit theoretical until you're in it and headed to the pub!

 

[Stemar]

My first flubber was a Zodiac and the rowlocks were rubbish - far too easy to damage with enthusiastic rowing. The later pins had a metal core; I don't know if the holes had been damaged, but they didn't fare any better. That apart, it was a good dinghy, though no lightweight.

I've plenty of criticisms of my current Excel, but the metal pins going through the oars are far more robust.

 

[Stooriefit]

I bought a Cadet 270 aero last year. The initial one had a problem - the delivery company had stuck a spike through the box to handle and in the process holed the fabic. It was replaced without any questions, issues or delay (very much a plus point). The replacement has been great - I use it with a torqeedo. This replaced an old Avon with the soft floor and to be honest I think the air floor is brilliant. I added a couple of wheels to make handling going ashore very easy for one person. Obviously the aluminium floor would add weight. As to size if works fine for two adults and kit- one of who (me) isn't exactly on the small size! I don't expect it to last a long as the Avon (it was over 30 !) but to get the same quality of hypalon is nigh on impossible (I looked at the Seago Hypalon but don't think it was made of the same quality hypalon as the Avon).

 

[westhinder]

One more vote for the Zodiac Cadet aero. For my use an aluminium floor would certainly be overkill.

 

[lustyd]

Thanks all. It seems the price is about the same (close enough for me, anyway!) between the aero and alu models. The weight difference is only 6KG between the two and my plan was to store the floorboards separately so hopefully not a big difference in real use given that both are heavy tenders to be lifting. I did just notice that the aero is quite a bit smaller when packed and locker space is always at a premium so you may have swayed me towards the aero.

 

[Stemar]

The big advantage of an inflatable floor is that your feet stay dry! Get some wheels and the weight is less important.

 

[lustyd]

The big advantage of an inflatable floor is that your feet stay dry!

How does that differ from the Aluminium floor though?

 

[lustyd]

I did a bit more looking and thinking last night. It turns out the cost is identical for Alu and Aero 270 models. While it seems like putting the alu floor in might be more effort it did occur to me that the alternative is pumping up yet another chamber so perhaps the effort is about the same between the two?

 

[Stemar]

How does that differ from the Aluminium floor though?

The Zodiac I had had a floor of ply slats that went on the bottom of the boat. When water got in, which it did whenever the waves were more than a few inches high, it accumulated in the low points of the floor, which were low because of the weight of your feet or your bags. My current, inflatable floor model accumulates water even quicker, because it's smaller, but the water drains into the bottom of the boat, while the inflatable floor keeps feet and bags out of it.

 

[lustyd]

Ah yes that's the "roll up" version which doesn't have a keel. The Alu and Aero both have a keel so should both be dryer. I thought for a moment you were saying the Alu one gave you wet feet

 

[doris]

The Cadet is a premium product and gets good reviews. Would stick to a 2.7 - aluminium floors are heavy and to be honest unless you are a frequent heavy user of the tender a bit OTT. Best used with davits. For similar money you could get a Seago Hypalon dinghy which is a much more versatile craft in terms of typical tender use (easier to inflate, deflate and stow) and potentially longer lived.

I've just had a look at SeaGo and, boy, the online reviews are nothing short of horrendous and quality and warranty denial!!! My last duck was a 2.7 Zodiac with an inflatable floor and keel and was excellent.

 

[Stooriefit]

I did a bit more looking and thinking last night. It turns out the cost is identical for Alu and Aero 270 models. While it seems like putting the alu floor in might be more effort it did occur to me that the alternative is pumping up yet another chamber so perhaps the effort is about the same between the two?

The time spent pumping the inflatable floor is minimal and, in my experience, less than pumping up a chamber of the actual inflatable.

 

[Stemar]

The time spent pumping the inflatable floor is minimal and, in my experience, less than pumping up a chamber of the actual inflatable.

If that's an issue, get yourself an electric pump. I got one when recovering from open heart surgery and pumping was hard work. It was expensive, but works really well.