Ocean Inflatables

[GregW 28]

Anybody had one of these? Be interested in your impressions of it.

 

http://www.inflatableboatsnz.co.nz/models/

 

[marinheiro 352]

do not know them, but looking at the price they are v cheap, even for a Chinese import.

How about NZ manufactured such as one of these:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/dinghies-rowboats/inflatable/auction-919104490.htm

He has a range of sizes available.

[wheels 543]

Or the Nautilus range made in Picton.
http://www.nautilusinflatables.co.nz/
Very little different price wise to those Chinese ones.
I don't know those Chinese ones at all. But they certainly don't stack up to Seafarer, Southern Pacific etc. I also (and this is just personal, hate when advertising states silly comments like "Designed in Italy", or "made in the highest quality Chinese factory", or as one I know of said, "Our Purpose built facility" which was nothing but a square concrete box with dirt floor and not even a window and they also stated "engineered in Canada" on one of their products. And it was that company that gave me the distrust in that form of advertising. Ha, I think you can view many versions of such advertising on Informercial type programming on TV early in the mornings.

[Chewing Gum 17]

Southern Pacific is the go - you won't regret it

[mattm 98]

Hey Wheels, the Nautilus range aren't made in Picton, David imports them with his brand name on them. Seem like good dinghies for the $$ though.

[Farrari 4]

I have recently replaced my old 2.4m inflatable with a Seafarer RIB.  While I haven't put it in the water as yet I am very happy with it's construction and the service I received.  The dinghy is NZ made just out of Warkworth by Neil (who is the owner of N&K Consulting and has created the Seafarer brand).  Neil was also the founder of Southern Pacific so mine looks very similar to a SP but at price direct from the manufacturer.  He created a custom 2.4m version to fit my 1020 and I opted for a heavier German Tiger fabric (an alternate to Hypalon but much cheaper).

 

I looked at some of the Chinese made imports and the price difference wasn't that great but there was a remarkable difference in build quality.  All the Chinese ones I looked at had glued seams not welded so weren't going to last as long (my old "Protector" failed at the glue seams after approx. 6 years).  Even the more expensive Zodiac's had move to Chinese manufacture.

[wheels 543]

Thanks for the correction mattm. I was told he was making them way back when he first started. As he actually owns the building that Naiad leases and had seen Inflatables in the back, i figured he was making them there.
Anyway, I looked at them when I was wanting a RIB and there was just something I couldn't quite put my finger on wit the quality look, till I looked at a Southern Pacific. Major quality difference. Of course, major price difference too.