Zodiac info

[DonV]

Can someone give me a rough weight for a zodiac, motor - and how much fuel you would use, say going full speed, 4 hours a day for 10 days?

I am looking to do a fly in bear hunt and I am trying to determine if this is a feasible option.

[dieNqvrs]

what size?

What size Zodiak and what size motor. It will depend on weight carried as well.

[Alasken]

I used to use a 14' inflatable (not zodiac) with a yamaha 40 w/jet for fly in hunts. Total weight was around 360 lbs. not including fuel.
Yeah, the size of the boat and engine matter a lot.
Full speed for four hours a day is a lot of traveling in a bear hunt.

[AKFishOn]

Mine is 174lbs with floor boards set etc, it is a 12 foot sport inflatable. A popular model at low cost is the Zoom from Zodiac, use to have a 10 footer and it was less than 100lbs with floor boards (no seats, but they are an option).

Zoom INFO: http://www.zodiacmarineusa.com/the-z...e/pop.zoom.cfm

The Futura boat is a little better all around boat and more Alaskan (but more $$): http://www.zodiacmarineusa.com/the-z...pop.futura.cfm

Weights are at each of these sites. As far as motors I have a short shaft 9.8 hp Tohatsu which with my repair box and an empty fuel can it is a little under 100lbs (97 on the last trip). Motor is about 82lbs with nothing: http://www.tohatsu.com/outboards/9_8_4st_spec.html

For fuel economy, all depends on how far you want to ride your boat around, how much gear you are hauling, what kind of water you will be on etc... I took 20 gallons on a week hunt (5 days afield) and we had about 2 gallons left, went near 190 miles on the water.

[IceKing02]

Is this in salt or freshwater?

And what is your weight limit?

That will do a whole lot more to help whittle down your choices.
I'd look at:

Hiring a Beaver to take 2guys and full gear in/out. Cuts the bull when it comes to weight restrictions.
Get a Mark I Classic zodiac with a 9.9hp engine for salt/rivers--you can sell the darn thing right afterwards for almost what you paid! I know 'cause I did this with a used engine that I purchased just for this kind of a trip. I sold it a week later for the same price as I purchased it!
Budget six gallons of gas/day for salt/moving water and 3gallons for most lakes. The place where you can really increase your fuel usage is slogging a headwind and current, bucking 2ft waves with the tops blown into your face, unable to get on step because of the weight of the boat with a couple of bears in it, tired and cold as heck...et cetera.

This setup would put your weight at: 92lbs (boat) + 90lbs (9.8hp motor) + 310lbs (fuel) = 492lbs going in. Leave behind the extra fuel with stabilizer in it and you've just equaled the weight of the heads and hides, more or less. Then, turn around and sell of the Mark I and the brand-spankin' new 4-stroke motor for almost what you paid. Walk away and call it good.

BTW, I'd just get the name-brand Zodiac so that you'd have the option for quick resale. Most folks around the country recognize the Zodiac brand-name and would be comfortable purchasing a boat with one week's worth of use. If you are going to keep the rig then look at the Alaska series. They seem to be gaining a following...

[DonV]

Good info thanks, size I am not sure, it is for 2-3 guys spring bear, saltwater. 12 foot I am guessing, maybe 14. I am thinking about just doing 2 as mentioned, then we take a luxury camp! I just wanted rough ideas for now to continue with my plans, thanks!

[AKFishOn]

I took 2 people and a 5hp in a 185 in on a Spring Bear trip weight was fine (that time 10 gallons of fuel) and the 10" Zodiac Zoom.

On a different trip 3 people and a 10hp in two trips on a 185 in a Spring Bear trip weight was fine (that time had over twice a much fuel) and the 12 foot inflatable. Weight was tight on the way out as the air strip (patch of rough gravel) was tricky and we had three bear on the way out (two with meat) and one brown. We packed heavy (all comforts).

[AKRoadkill]

Can someone give me a rough weight for a zodiac, motor - and how much fuel you would use, say going full speed, 4 hours a day for 10 days?

I am looking to do a fly in bear hunt and I am trying to determine if this is a feasible option.

we took a 14 foot Zodiac and 2 stroke Merc 15hp on a fly-out to Kodiak (Deadman Bay) several years ago. There were 2 of us and we flew out in a Beaver on floats. I think we were only able to take 10 gallons of fuel (and we had to trim down some of the other gear to get that much--but we didn't really pack real light in the first place). It was supposed to be several hundred bucks for them to bring the rest of the gas (another 10 or 15 gallons), but they ended up unexpectedly dropping it off for no extra charge...guess they had another group out somewhere in the area, and they just dropped off our stuff on the way to get 'em. This was Uyak Air in 1997. We were there 2 weeks and didn't use all the fuel. Can't remember how much we ended up with though.

Anyway, I think the boat and motor weighed around 300ish.

If you're running full throttle for 4 hours a day for 10 days, you're doin' too much drivin and not enough huntin', and you'll probably go through more gas than you can fly in.

With a lightweight (15hp or less) motor, and a 12-14 foot inflatable, you should be able to get your gear and enough fuel in a Beaver to be fine for 10 days of hunting, providing you get out of the boat and hunt some.

[Larsenvega]

I have a 12.5ft Delphin Rugged Series with aluminum floor boards, rub-strakes, and beefy reinforcement on the bottom for protection. I run a 2005 Johnson 15hp 2-stroke on it. Top speed is 23 mph at wide-open throttle, but I usually back off and cruise at 19mph for better fuel economy. The boat weighs just over 100 lbs, and the motor is 74 lbs. Payload is 1700 lbs, which is way more than I could throw in it.

[Larsenvega]

Here's a few of the "kills" it scored me out of Seward and Whittier.

[brackman47]

I've done a bit of flying with inflatables and motors and one consideration I've encountered is the FAA regulation regarding the amount of fuel that can be flown "legally" while clients are in the aircraft as well. I can't state the number and verse of the reg but I know it came into play numerous times as we were flying quite a bit of fuel in, more than 40 gallons, as we had two boats and motors. Our total load given the equipment and people always ended up as two Beaver loads but we were required to haul all of us in as 1 load and the rest of the gear and all of the fuel in the other. Maybe someone out there is a pilot who has operated as an air taxi and can shed a little more light on this. I do know our transporter was and is very trustworthy and I believe his statements concerning this issue.