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2008 Zodiac Pro 20 Man Photos
2008 Zodiac Pro 20 Man Test Details
| Category | Inflatable |
| Length | 27ft 11in / 8.23 m |
| Beam | 9 ft 10 in |
| Fuel Capacity | 400 L |
| Weight | 3,800 lbs |
| Dealers | Contact Zodiac Boats Dealers |
| Buyers Guides | Search For Zodiac Boats Buyers Guides |
| Boats For Sale | Search For Zodiac Boats For Sale |
2008 Zodiac Pro 20 Man Description
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Many boats these days are generalists, doing a lot of things not-too-badly. Not so with the Zodiac Pro 20 Man, powered by twin
Yamaha F200 four-stroke outboards.
Sure, the rigid-hull inflatable boat (RIB) could easily pull up a water-skier. Heck, it could pull four or five. The Pro 20 Man could also easily take a family for a tour of the lake. But the real work of the 20 Man is moving up to 19 passengers most of whom will perch on the boats inflatable tubes or stand and hold various handholds safely and quickly, for fairly long distances, through any kind of sea. Part of the Pro Series, its perfect for whale-watching expeditions or large offshore diving parties.
The name of the series may be politically incorrect, but clearly indicate the boats primary purpose moving people. The layout can be changed by the buyer, but usually includes a console. The test boat, with grey tubes and white hull, has a sturdy centre console and welded aluminum-and-canvas T-Top with plenty of handholds. Theres storage in a locker forward (great for
anchor, rode and other lines), in the console, under the small seat behind the leaning post and aft in a couple of lazarette lockers. Theres enough room for the boats gear, but passengers will have to hang on to their own stuff especially if they are headed far offshore at anywhere near the boats
cruising speeds.
The twin 200-hp Yamahas are fast indeed, pushing the test boat to 40 mph in just over seven seconds and to a top speed of 54.5 mph. The 25.5-degree deadrise hull can handle any kind of waves and weather, but thanks to wide chines and full-length strakes, planes easily. At 2500 rpm the boat is still semi-planing; at 3000 rpm, with half trim, it runs 25 mph. At 4000 rpm (you
could run all day in the right weather) the speed is about 37 mph. At high speeds, wind noise interferes with readings, but cruising speeds show low sound levels 81 dbA at the helm and 84 dbA in the aft cockpit.
In all handling aspects, the big RIB is smooth. It carves turns readily (and
smoothly), seems to flatten small waves (smoothes out the water) and rides smoothly over the big ones.
After two or three hours in big offshore swells, straining their eyes watching for spouting whales, the big Zodiacs passengers would probably be a little tired of balancing and hanging on. But the pro at the helm, for whom the boat is designed and named, would be comfortable and confident in his RIBs ability to return to port safely.
2008 Zodiac Pro 20 Man Test Specifications
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Test boat engines:
Twin Yamaha F200, 204.6 ci/
3.352 L, V6, four-stroke gasoline outboards producing
200 hp, driving aluminum props.
ACCELERATION (mph/sec)
0-20 / 3.37 ; 0-30 / 4.75; 0-40 / 7.25
TOP SPEED (rpm/mph)
5500 / 54.5
CRUISING SPEED (rpm/mph)
3000 / 25 ; 3500 / 32.1 ; 4000 / 37.8
SOUND LEVEL AT CRUISE (3500 rpm)
Helm 81 dbA ; Aft cockpit 84 dbA
SOUND LEVEL AT TOP SPEED
Helm 89 dbA ; Aft cockpit 90 dbA
SPEED TESTING BY Garmin GPS
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