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 Post subject: Zodiac Zoom inflatable
PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:53 pm 
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Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 3:23 pm
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Location: Michigan
Anyone have one of these? Looking for a review.

http://www.hodgesmarine.com/Zodiac-Zoom ... m?click=19

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:58 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:15 am
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Location: Lake Ontario
I bought a used (1 yr old) Zoom 310 over the winter...so here's hoping they are a reasonably good boat.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:18 pm 
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Dolphin

Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 1:37 pm
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I have one very similar rowing seat fits onto a loop built into the dingy First it is a pain to fit and should be removed when underway. Second seat rides kinda high for the freeboard of the boat . If person sits in back no leg room .Great little light weight vessel but for overall enjoyment on a lake buy a couple stackable sit ontop kayaks .

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 5:40 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:34 pm
Posts: 269
Location: Orange County, CA
I've owned 2 inflatables back when I was sport diving......1 Zodiac and 1 Achilles............the Zodiac was junk!.......Why?.......because they are made from PVC material compared to Hypalon fabric that Avon and Achilles both use.........if it's not going to be stored indoors when not in actual use......the Zodiac will be OK.......if stored outside.......go with a Hypalon boat........


Here is some reading on the subject

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 6:22 pm 
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Posts: 456
Location: Lake Ontario
JohnnyMarlin wrote:
I've owned 2 inflatables back when I was sport diving......1 Zodiac and 1 Achilles............the Zodiac was junk!.......Why?.......because they are made from PVC material compared to Hypalon fabric that Avon and Achilles both use.........if it's not going to be stored indoors when not in actual use......the Zodiac will be OK.......if stored outside.......go with a Hypalon boat........


Here is some reading on the subject


Completely agree with the above - but I can buy many PVC boats for the cost of one Hypalon boat. If taken care of and covered when not in use, the PVC boat should last 5-8 years I would think.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 6:35 pm 
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268 Vista

Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 9:49 am
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Location: West Michigan
They look pretty decent for the money I thought.

Little better price Here. But a 2011 model ???

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:01 pm 
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Location: Michigan
Cap'n Morgan wrote:
They look pretty decent for the money I thought.

Little better price Here. But a 2011 model ???


Aw man! At that price I just may have to order one. :D It's not easy to find a wood floor, inflatable keel for under $900.

The other one I'm looking at is this. http://www.ebay.com/itm/A-8-5-INFLATABL ... 2eb15def58 But it is just an inflatable floor.

Don't plan on storing it out in the sun so PVC will be fine. I just need something to get us to and from shore when needed. Probably won't even put a motor on it, but would like the option for the future. Trying to find something that won't take up a lot of room on board when deflated. There are a few restaurants I want to visit this year that are only accessible by dinghy. If the water levels on lake Michigan don't come up some this spring there may be a few more places I'll need the dinghy to get to.

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PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:07 am 
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Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2007 1:10 pm
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Location: North Bay, Ontario Canada
I believe the Zoom line is made in China, while the higher priced zodiac lines are built in France. Not sure if the material is any different or not.

I just bought a Zodiac 310 Cadet Solid. Looking forward to doing some playing with it this season.

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PostPosted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:31 am 
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Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:45 pm
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Location: Indiana
I had a big Newport Vessels and sold it for a much smaller Baltik. For the money and our short season, the Baltik is hard to beat. Inflatable floor too, so the floor can stay in it when you deflate/roll up.

The Newport we found was much to large for our 268. We bought the Baltik over last off season, so we never tried it with the 268. I have davits for the 318 that I have yet to install on this new dinghy.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:22 am 
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Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 3:23 pm
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Location: Michigan
Ugh! Looks like its China(Zodiac Zoom) vs Korea(Baltik). Does anyone know of any US made inflateables?

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:40 am 
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firecadet613 wrote:
I had a big Newport Vessels and sold it for a much smaller Baltik. For the money and our short season, the Baltik is hard to beat. Inflatable floor too, so the floor can stay in it when you deflate/roll up.

The Newport we found was much to large for our 268. We bought the Baltik over last off season, so we never tried it with the 268. I have davits for the 318 that I have yet to install on this new dinghy.


How small does you Baltik get when deflated? Could it be stored under the rear seat in the cockpit? Or possibly under the V-berth seats?

I'm thinking I really would like something that rolls up and can store out of the way. The wood floor is not going to do that.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:51 am 
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Location: North Bay, Ontario Canada
Of the two, I would choose the Baltik.

I had been looking alot at inflatables this winter, and it seems that most of the inflatable market for "tender sized" boats seems to come from offshore. I ended up with my Zodiac only because my brother was selling his with motor at a price I couldn't ignore. If I was going to buy one otherwise, Baltik would have made the short list. Do a bit of research, and you will find some people having seam seperation problems with the zoom boats (Sorry weather, that's just what I have read...).

I have also heard some good things about Seabright boats.....http://www.seabrightmarine.ca/ My other brother (there are 4 of us) had one for a few years, and has had an excellent experience.

If I was ready to spend a more, Achilles would be the boat I would buy. Defender seems to have some decent prices on them.

The only inflatable made in the USA or Canada that I have found are much larger RIBS.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:26 am 
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Location: Indiana
JeffLW wrote:
firecadet613 wrote:
I had a big Newport Vessels and sold it for a much smaller Baltik. For the money and our short season, the Baltik is hard to beat. Inflatable floor too, so the floor can stay in it when you deflate/roll up.

The Newport we found was much to large for our 268. We bought the Baltik over last off season, so we never tried it with the 268. I have davits for the 318 that I have yet to install on this new dinghy.


How small does you Baltik get when deflated? Could it be stored under the rear seat in the cockpit? Or possibly under the V-berth seats?

I'm thinking I really would like something that rolls up and can store out of the way. The wood floor is not going to do that.


Not nearly that small. Barely fits in the truck of my Impala when its all folded up. I'd say 3'x4'.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:55 pm 
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268 Vista

Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 9:49 am
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Location: West Michigan
. :!:

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Last edited by Cap'n Morgan on Wed Mar 13, 2013 7:59 am, edited 2 times in total.

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PostPosted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:08 pm 
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JeffLW wrote:
firecadet613 wrote:
I had a big Newport Vessels and sold it for a much smaller Baltik. For the money and our short season, the Baltik is hard to beat. Inflatable floor too, so the floor can stay in it when you deflate/roll up.

The Newport we found was much to large for our 268. We bought the Baltik over last off season, so we never tried it with the 268. I have davits for the 318 that I have yet to install on this new dinghy.


How small does you Baltik get when deflated? Could it be stored under the rear seat in the cockpit? Or possibly under the V-berth seats?

I'm thinking I really would like something that rolls up and can store out of the way. The wood floor is not going to do that.


This method has worked well for us. One rachet strap and she doesn't budge an inch and it stays out of the way.
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