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Boat Tests Zodiac CZ7 Heritage
Boat Tests Zodiac CZ7 Heritage
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Zodiac CZ7 Heritage
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| The Zodiac Hurricane 7m RIB family has evolved to accommodate the changing mission needs of military, search & rescue (SAR) and law enforcement agencies. In many cases reduced budgets have meant that the 7-meter RIB has been asked to fulfill the missions previously undertaken by larger craft. In order to do this, greater range and speeds have been made possible by increasing fuel and horsepower capacities. SAR capabilities have been improved through optimizing for launch and recovery from a mother ship in higher sea states than previously possible. The H-770 is an example of this capability. A DuraRIB foam collar has further increased the ruggedness of the Zodiac Hurricane RIBs because of the ability to fulfill missions even when the collar has been damaged. Hurricane RIBs are designed and built for professional users who require safe, comfortable and reliable operation in tough conditions. Some recreational boat users have discovered that the features that the professional operators use may allow them to use their boats comfortably and safely in more extreme conditions than possible with standard hard-boat recreational product. Although many operators have discovered that larger RIBs will often be more suitable for the mission, budget and operational considerations may limit them to the smaller 7m size. Many shipboard boats are limited by provisions for launch/recovery on the mothership. With some future requirements specifying the use of diesel fuel in place of gasoline, there are some current applications with 5- 6m RIBs that will require 7m size RIBs in order to accommodate the diesel engine needed to meet the speed and payload requirements previously fulfilled by outboard powered boats. In 1990, Zodiac Hurricane modified the construction and outfit details of the RIB-P to fulfill the needs for a boat capable of a wider selection of missions, speed, range and propulsion systems. Hull construction and outfit was simplified by using monocoque type construction with fuel tank and engine foundations incorporated into the deck molding. The collar attachment was changed to allow for fast removal and replacement. Because the original RIB-P was designed for speeds below 30 knots, planing strake modifications were required to accommodate the 40 knot plus speeds possible with outboard propulsion systems. The Hurricane 733 platform has been used with single and twin outboard propulsion (max. 300hp total), waterjet propulsion (max. 450 hp) and outdrive propulsion (max. 315hp). Mission profiles have included ship board and shore based SAR, law enforcement, commando insertion, mine disposal and fisheries patrol. An aluminum hull version (Hurricane 74=9) capable of accepting either waterjets or outdrives was introduced in 1995. Future Vision Zodiac’s future plans for the CZ7 are to create an entire new line of professional-grade, Ultimate Adventure Boats for extreme recreational boaters. According to JJ. Marie, President & CEO of Zodiac of North America, there appears to be an “untapped market for an extreme boat, just like there was for an extreme SUV such as the Hummer.” Marie said that in finding new customers for the CZ7, Zodiac is targeting “essentially the same people who buy a Hummer or Ferrari or an ocean-going expedition yacht.” Zodiac plans future versions of the CZ7 and other Ultimate Adventure Boats that are more affordable for average consumers. “It will be similar to the way the Hummer evolved from a military icon into several consumer-friendly versions, i.e. the Hum-V and H-2,” said Marie. But what will the next generation CZ7 look like? What will it be? “We don’t know yet”, stated Marie, “we have to get the reactions and have some CZ7s in the market to get a better feel for it. Time will tell!” The CZ7 initiative comes after Zodiac’s two-year research program targeting U.S. consumers and those in the recreational marine industry. Further to this, Marie added; “Zodiac of North America (ZNA) conducted quite a bit of research in the U.S. about the use of RIBs as primary recreation boats. It learnt that RIBs generally are not understood by American consumers or by many in the recreational marine industry. That said, the professional and military sectors certainly understand the benefits - the federal government uses RIBs extensively and RIBs of course are also well understood as yacht tenders for megayachts and other vessels”. “However, the inherent safety and performance benefits of RIBs - smoother and drier ride, handling characteristics/benefits, better buoyancy, lighter weight, fuel efficiency and so on ą still need to be appreciated by the larger American boating public. We are aware that such is not the case in Europe and elsewhere, where RIBs are a popular choice for recreational boating. So we’re introducing the CZ7 in North America as a ‘showcase boat’ to dramatically illustrate the reasons why a RIB is a better boat than a conventional boat of the same size.” As to whether the CZ7 proves to be a catalyst for stimulating growth in the American RIB market will be an interesting subject to monitor. In the meantime, RIB International will keep its ‘ear to the ground’ with the view to bringing you further developments on the Zodiac CZ7 story as and when they occur. Technical Data Zodiac’s CZ7 (Civilian Zodiac 7-Meter) Ultimate Adventure Boat© is an all-weather recreational rigid-hull inflatable boat (RIB). It is the first in a new line of professional-grade RIBs that Zodiac is developing for the recreational market. The 23’ 9” CZ7 represents a direct cross-over from the H-733 military RIB used by the U.S. Navy, Navy SEALs, U.S. & Canadian coast guards, and several other NATO countries. The RIB is built to military specifications and meets the highest industry standards, including the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) and the Navy’s Combatant Craft Department (CCD). The hull itself is a military-style deep-V (24 degree deadrise aft), monohedron type with a fine entry combined with convex forward waterlines and straight sections which provides a high level of predictability and shock-mitigation in heavy wind and sea states. The inherent stability of the hull/collar in combination with a low center of gravity also dampens rolling in cross-sea conditions. The high reserve buoyancy provided by the large volume collar and the high freeboard and convex sectional shape at the bow in combination with a slight stern down trim prevents the bow from submerging when driven hard in large waves. Of course, the inflatable collar not only provides very effective “fendering” but also serves to mitigate shock at speed. The round shape of the collar, with more than 50% of it’s diameter outboard of the rigid hull structure, allows the collar to deform up to 250mm prior to contacting the rigid structure, whilst the blunt shape of the collar forward, provides maximum “fendering” capabilities when approaching a vessel at an angle. The design of the bow section also allows for easy deployment of personnel straight over the bow during beaching operations. The hull and deck are hand laminated, glass reinforced, isopthalic resin laminate. The hull/deck moldings incorporate foundations for fuel tanks and engines as well as provision for a variety of different hoisting arrangements. At the transom, the H-733 OB version utilizes a bolt on bracket to facilitate installation of the outboard engine. All areas of the hull/deck cavity are accessible through removable fiberglass deck panels. As regards its powerpack, the CZ7 has a maximum recommended power of 300 horsepower and when coupled to a twin 150hp Evinrude V6 outboard rig will reach speeds in excess of 52 mph. With a total fuel capacity of 133 gallons and a payload capacity of 2,160 lbs this vessel boasts a cruising range of roughly 580 miles which will be of key interest to those seeking to use the boat as an offshore cruising RIB.
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