It’s the end of April 2013 in Sydney and we are enjoying the most amazing indian summer in years. A long scorching summer in Sydney (There were 2 days over 40 degrees) has mellowed in to long sunny days or super light cloud cover with little breeze and temperatures around 25 degrees.
Dino Tantaro (National Marine Manager – Zodiac) and I had been discussing for a long time regarding a suitable Zodiac to review and when I received a call from Dino and offered the chance to spend the day on Sydney Harbour I jumped at the opportunity.
The Zodiac Dino suggested we test was a Zodiac 340 Cadet RIB which at 3.40 meteres in length and weighing in at 32kg minus motor and gear was the perfect balance of trailerable family fun or tender to a larger vessel.
In our case the 340 Cadet was the pride and joy of a northern beaches local who loves to take out his young family boating around beautiful Middle Harbour.
Fitting easily in to their spare garage and fitted with a Mercury Sea Pro 25HP 2 Stroke it rolled out easily atop a Dunbier Roller Trailer.
The ultra lightweight of the rig means that hitching it to a towbar can be done by one person and when heading to the nearest waterway towed by pretty much any car.
Whilst on our way to the boat ramp I did check quite a few times behind our car with greater than normal interest checking that the Zodiac was still attached!
Launching was a breeze and with the newly built pontoon at Roseveille Bridge Boat Ramp this task can easily be done by one person.
When underway at low speed in the 4 knot zone close to sure the 340 Cadet tracks well with minimal movement on the tiller steer required to keep in a straight line.
With over 65 models in the Zodiac range the 340 Cadet RIB is the largest within the Zodiac Cadet “Tender” category.
Zodiac Cadet 340 specifications
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Hull |
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Fabric |
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PVC thermobonded |
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Zodiac 340 Cadet RangePrice list
CADET 260 RIB |
3,459 |
CADET 290 RIB |
3,735 |
CADET 310 RIB |
3,981 |
CADET 340 RIB |
5,266 |
CADET 260 RIB NEO/HYP |
4,463 |
CADET 290 RIB NEO/HYP |
4,766 |
CADET 310 RIB NEO/HYP |
5,336 |
CADET 340 RIB NEO/HYP |
6,203 |