Hello all,
I was wondering how well a 12 ft Zodiac with a 9.5 hp motor would handle pretty good size waves? I live by Lake Michigan and it can turn on you pretty quick. Was wondering how big a surf can my boat handle. Whats the biggest surf any of you have handled with a similiar set up? thanks.

I'm also interested in the answers to this one...

I have a 11 foot Mercury Quicksilver with a 15hp, my wife and I run it on the Sacramento River, Delta & Folsom Lake. The water is not that choppy most of the time as long as you stay away from all the Speedboat, wakeboarders, Jet Ski, and off-shore race boats that stir things in certain areas, but in the eveings the Delta Winds pick up and the water swells to about 3-4 chop. My inflatable would handle this with a load of my wife, me, some chairs, a 36qt. cooler filled with about 50lbs. of ice, food & drinks, pop-up canopy, Safely gear and 10lbs. anchor (it a wonder how these great little boats can handle all this load). It preformed good under the conditions but the load actually helped level the boat out and cut through the chop, when I run the river alone the boat is unbalanced with me, the motor, Trasom weight and Gas all in back causing the bow to rise and slap the top of each wave not to mention the boat is hard to keep on plane without going so fast that its unsafe. I would suggest you get a Hydro Foil (Doel-Fin, Stingray, etc.) to mount on the Calivation Plate as I have just mounted a Doel-Fin Hydro Foil on mine a week ago, and my wife and I took it out on Folsom lake during Labor Day, I must say it is the best $34 I spent in a long time. I some people say it doesen't work but IMO I think it depends on you boat hull design and I think the inflatable boat is a perfect canidate for this upgrade because of the light weight and big engines, it preforms GREAT now I'm so surprised it cuts through the chop with ease at any speed, it planes now without effort (at 1/4 throttle instead of full throttle and leaning weight towards bow), I can just load it and not think so much about where to put the weight, I can cruise now on plane at lower speeds saving gas and the handling on turns is a world of differance the hull is cutting through the water now the way it is designed to do so it reacts more precise and predictable on sharp turns.
I hope this helps!
Please keep the treads coming I love to read them.
Let me know what you think about your rough water experiances in an inflatable.

Brett

Thanks for the advice. I put the hydrafoil on and was amazed at the difference. My Zodiac planed out
faster and stayed on plane with alot less throttle.
I know what you mean about slapping the waves when in the boat alone. Not a fun ride! I never did get into any real big waves with the boat but did have some choppy trips. I may be a little warped, but I want to get out into some big waves just to see how she handles. My $400 ebay purchase has been the most fun I've had on the water in yrs. Ended up selling my money pit speedboat!