Browsing: Zodiac

Cruising Life
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Zodiac, Torqeedo Launch Electric-Powered RIBS

In a major move for electric-powered small boats, Zodiac and Torqeedo just announced that they are collaborating in a new eOPEN range of Zodiac RIBs with electric power by Torqeedo. Zodiac, the largest name in RIBs, and Torqeedo, the largest name in electric boat motors, will introduce the new eOPEN range at the Cannes Yachting Festival starting Sept. 7. There will be more details at that time. Zodiac already has made an inroad in the electric power market, winning a Gussies Electric Boat Award last year for its eJET450, an under 26-foot RIB designed specifically as a tender for large…

Cruising Life
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Dream Boat Clubs To Open Across U.S., Offering Low-Cost, Worry-Free Boating

Here’s something that seems like the right idea at the right time. Riding the wave of a sharing economy, Dream Yacht Charter just announced that it will start the Dream Boat Club in the United States, offering members access to a wide variety of powerboats at a reasonable price. In the announcement at the Miami Boat Show, Dream Boat Club said it would partner with Zodiac and Beneteau to roll out clubs in the U.S. Dream Boat Clubs were started just two years ago in Marseilles, France, and have proven popular in Europe. They give people access to boating without…

Cruising Life
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Torqueedo and Avon Launch New 31-Knot All-Electric Tender

Torqueedo and Zodiac have just launched a 31-knot, all-electric Avon eJET 450 tender, powered by a Torqueedo Deep Blue 55kW motor and a BMW i3 battery. The new Avon is quiet and does not use any fossil fuel. It is designed to appeal to the yacht market, where owners would not have to worry about carrying fuel or oil for the tender, but it serves equally well as a sport boat or a runabout. The eJet 450 has head-snapping acceleration from the Torqueedo’s instant torque, and benefits in speed and range from proprietary Hydrojet technology developed specifically to work with…

Boat Reviews
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Zodiac Launches New 17’7″ RIB, the “SUV of the Sea”

Zodiac just launched its new Open 5.5 RIB, which it calls the SUV of the sea, at a big open house in Crouesty, France. The new Open is 17’ 7” long and can hold 12 passengers; it replaces Zodiac’s popular Pro Open 550 with a more modern design, a new V-shaped hull for cruising, and a T-top to provide protection from the weather. The new Open 5.5 has a high tow bar for watersports, a Fusion stereo, a rear platform for diving, a 14-gallon cooler, a swim ladder, and stern seats with removable back rests for easy access to the…

Cruising Life
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New, Prize-Winning RIB that Flies on Two Adjustable Foils

Here’s a first: A flying RIB, or more precisely, a RIB that is able to fly on two foils built into the hull. Developed by SEAir on a Zodiac Pro 5.5 hull, the flying RIB just won the 2017 Innovation Award at the Nautic Paris Boat Show. SEAir has been working for two years to perfect the foils, which are full integrated into the Zodiac’s deep-V, fiberglass hull and move up and down in a shaft, with an adjustable angle of attack. The Zodiac Pro 5.5 is 18 feet long with an 8’4” beam and powered by a Yamaha F115-hp…