Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

What I mean about my boat having a more intense design is ...... you see the main factory that builds our race inflatable is always involved with our racing improving the boat after each season, making it faster making it for a softer ride, getting their perfect balance and performance out of it .... so over the last 20 years we perfected the design of the boat getting it to the perfect boat, they are hand built, also comes with carbon fiber nosecone, carbon fiber floorboards, stainless steel transom, welded seems, etc etc.

For the price of the saturn, you are getting a good deal, just when i look at the saturn, it does not look like there is a actual curve on the highjackers from front to back ... it looks flat and straight, and that will cause you to lose alot of speed ....


http://www.duxinflatableboatsofcalifornia.com

 

[jnewtonsem]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

Interesting that they have down rated to 15 & 18 hp. I e-mailed they a couple of weeks ago asking the difference between the old Korean boat and the new Chinese boats. Told me the new boats were actually rated to 40hp but they wanted to be safe. Explains why the video on the website states 25mph at 1/2 throttle with a 25hp. Also explains why their "advanced cat" boat are also only rated to 15hp.

 

[telebeep]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

According to boatstogo, advanced cat was rated for 15 hp because it is with air floor, not a hard floor. This model was designed to fold portably, so that is why it has air floor. And with air floor they would not want to recommend more powerfull engine just to be on a safe side. Basically, boatstogo being extra carrefull not to over rate advanced cat and xcat boats. Also they told me that in a past they sold XCATs from different Chineese supplier, and now they ordered from their regular suppplier of Saturn boats, which suppose to be very good. However that was a first batch of boats for that supplier, and they screw up transom a little bit, making it too narrow. So to be on a safe side, boatstogo downgraded new XCAT power rating almost twice. I guess boat is Ok for going around, but not for racing...

 

[lester]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

Telebeep, if I was you, I would be a little upset at this situation. boatstogo.com should have checked their product for quality control before ever selling any of these boats to the consumer.

 

[telebeep]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

Well, I mean like, boat is nice... quality of seams are good, clean, no glue sticking out. Boat fly with my 15 HP Mercury, and I am not going to race with anyone, so I am happy with this boat so far. I am out of age to jump on waves like crazy... If I would be choosing between Dux for $4000 with 25 HP, or Saturn for $1300 with 15 HP, I would go for Saturn, for sure. Plus, they was very helpfull in explaining of situation. All around, that is excellent boat for its price... I put beach chair and cooler, and I am waiting for sun canopies that they would have in stock sometime in November.

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

Happy days guys ..... ideally i would love to move to the US just so that I can build you guys an awesome boat at the right price .... the boat I race cost new $1650 and second hand $640 over here .....

 

[kandil]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

I will be your first customer!! come over any time

 

[kandil]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

Finlay I got to try my Tohatsu 25HP on the Potomac I tested with the prop guard it was wobbling and top speed was 22 mph it slows the cat down too much. I toke the guard off and raised the motor up 3/4"man it did 32 mph and the throttle had a Little more to go and I had both of my hands on the tiler just to keep it strait !! wow I think the next thing is a steering dumper. deejaycee thank you very much for all your inputs when it comes to cats you are the authority

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

hehehehe, happy days ....

 

[bayman]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

Good stuff Kandil, thank you for sharing!

For sure Deejaycee, you have a lot of experience with these boats and we sure appreciate your insight!

Lester - I think you are right. I hope that nobody pushes it and breaks a transom on the boats that weren't manufactured to spec. I cringe at the thought of what could happen.

 

[kandil]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

You are welcome bayman I am having lots of fun in the mean time. deejaycee I am trying to install some steering dumper and I was looking at yours is this a Mercedes Steering Damper?and can you steer to the right the same amount to the left? and how do you tilt up the outboard with the dumper 45 to the tiler Handel extension can you please explain with some detail photos to the mount? thanks
BTW her is a photo of my transom thickens.
PS
I ordered a set of Boyesen reeds and a new prop and I will try to pull a skier tomorrow let the fun Begin

 

[deejaycee_2000]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

Hi Kandil, the Mercedes dampener that I use does restrict the steering a little but you can still turn perfectly, I turn the same amount left and right, that is how you must mount it as well, you must hold it to a point turn the motor untill you find the equal point so you have the same amount of steering in both directions if you know what i mean, once you have found that, then you mount it ..... I can tilt my motor right up, what I have done is basically leaving a bit of play on the bolt where it connects to the transom, and just used lock nuts on the bolt ... I also added a bungee on the opposite side of the dampener to the motor and the pontoon to counter balance the motor when running WOT as my motor have alot of torque and to hold on to the tiller in rough seas at 3 hours at a time can become rather tricky .... works perfectly here is more pics .....

 

[duckkayaker]

x-cat boat

x-cat boat

I have been reading the posts on x-cats and see that you all have a good pool of knowledge to draw from. Maybe you can help me answer my questions about selecting an inflatable boat.

For 7 or so years I have been kayaking in the outer banks. I have used a sit on top kayak to play around and fish for stripers during the winter run. I am looking to get a Saturn 14' x-cat to replace it. I already have a 5 hp outboard to use with it. My idea is to trailer it during the summer and play around on the James river in Richmond during summer. In fall and winter I will take it to the Outer Banks to use in the ocean. The boat looks stable enough for the ocean, big enough for me (6'4" 225lbs) and a passenger. We own a beach house and since there is difficult ocean access for boats I'd like to carry it by hand (with help) down to the ocean and launch in the surf.

My questions are: 1. Would this boat be more stable in the surf than other types of inflatables? 2. Is it possible to deflate, hand carry down 10 steps to the beach, reinflate and launch in the surf and 3. Can you really buy a new boat for $1500 or so when other dealers retail similar boats for several times that? - thanks - duckkayaker

 

[bayman]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

duckkayaker,

Do note that some on here have expressed concerns on the Saturn boats, and some specifically have commented on the x cat from Saturn. Do note that while some do like their Saturn boats you are getting what you pay for. When you pay 3 times as much for another inflatable you are almost always going to get a stronger boat. For example, check out what size of outboard you can put on the Saturn. It can't carry much of an outboard because the stern isn't nearly as strong as sterns on some of the other inflatables which can carry a 50 HP outboard on a 13 to 14 foot boat. You might not want to put that large of an outboard on your boat but if you are going to the ocean and you are putting your life in the hands of the boat then you probably want to take that into consideration.

 

[jspringator]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

The overwhelming majority of the Saturn posts I have seen on this board have been positive. Boatstogo did have an issue with some of the early tunnel hulled boats not being able to handle their advertised HP ratings because of an undersized transom. My understanding is that that problem was rectified in the soon to be released boats. The one guy who had one (who posted on this board) wasn't upset though, because he used a lower hp motor. I love my Saturn. I especially love the fixed seat accessory that makes the boat very comfortable. A picture of mine is under my username. I may use my boat 3 weeks a year. More money would have been a deal-breaker. The PVC boats don't last as long as the Hypalon boats, but no one until the previous poster has questioned their safety.

 

[bayman]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

The ocean isn't something to be taken lightly. Others on here reported that Saturn launched the X-Cat without actually testing them with the outboards they claimed they would support. I don't know about you, but it would scare me to take a boat like that out to the ocean without at least proving it first on some inland lakes.

Here is what some of the others have said on the subject:

---

deejaycee_2000
"the saturn is PVC....if you want a quality thundercat, then you need to find one built in South Africa"

TOHATSU GURU
"The Saturn has it's place in the market too, but does not have a warranty.(Advertised warranty is useless if you have to return the boat to the distributor)."

"They are cheap enough so that you can throw them away every few years and replace them and as long as someone knows that before they buy them....Great. But, the complete lack of service stations is a problem if you have a problem with the boat itself. Floor boards aside, spending $80.00 to $120.00 to ship the boat back to where it came from will quickly turn into a money pit. Even having to plop out $40.00 for boards would bother me as I think warranty should equal free...Not free, but you have to pay shipping."

"Material aside look at the differences. A dealer network for Zodiac that will perform warranty repairs versus no dealer network for Saturn. If you want a compromise I would look at Mercury. In between on price with service available in every(almost) state."

---

While many do like their Saturn boats, I think deejaycee knows what he's talking about when he recommends these brands of thundercats:
- Ceasar
- Aquarius
- Xtreme
- Gemini

For regular inflatables I'd recommend one of these brands first:
- Avon
- Zodiac
- Mercury
- Achilles

 

[audiobill5]

Re: Saturn tunnel X-cat speed boat VS Mercury Inflatable

Hello, Any of those $640 dollar tunnels to be sent to 02169, just south of Boston, Mass., USA?
Thanks!, Bill.