Detailed Evaluation & Buyer Recommendation
Zodiac III 2009 vs Zodiac Pro 9 Man 2008 — Which Inflatable Rigid Fits Your Needs?
When two boats share the same hull type — in this case both the Zodiac III 2009 and the Zodiac Pro 9 Man 2008 are inflatable rigid designs with inflatable construction — the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?
The power gap is worth calling out. Rated to 250 hp, the Zodiac III 2009 has a 180-hp advantage over the Zodiac Pro 9 Man 2008's 70-hp ceiling — enough to notice on acceleration and at cruising speed, particularly with a full passenger load.
For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Zodiac III 2009 is rated for 15 passengers, while the Zodiac Pro 9 Man 2008 caps at 9. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Zodiac III 2009 could be the deciding factor.
Bottom line: Choose the Zodiac III 2009 if your priority is putting more people on the water — it handles 15 passengers and at 23,8 ft it has the deck room to back that rating up comfortably. The Zodiac Pro 9 Man 2008 is the smarter pick if you want a lighter, easier-to-trailer boat rated for 9 that costs less to run day-to-day.
General Boat Info
Model Year2009
Model Year2008
Measurements / Dimensions
Length - Feet23.75
Length - Feet15
Length overall - Detail23 ft. 9 in. (7.3 m)
Length overall - Detail15 ft. 5 in. (4.7 m) Inside Length: 11 ft. 1 in. (3.38 m)
Length overall - Meters7.24
Length overall - Meters4.7
Length overall - Inches285
Length overall - Inches185
Weight - Detailnot available
Weight - Detail507 lbs. (230 kg)
Weight - kgnot available
Weight - kg229.97
Weight - lbs.not available
Weight - lbs.507
Width [transom] - Detailnot available
Width [transom] - Detail6 ft. 9 in. (2.05 m) Inside Width: 3 ft. 5 in. (1.05 m)
Length - Metersnot available
Length - Meters4.7
Length - Inchesnot available
Length - Inches5
Body / Hull
Hull materialInflatable
Hull materialRigid inflatable
Hull typeInflatable Rigid
Hull typeInflatable Rigid
Engine and Drivetrain
Drive typeOutboard
Drive typeOutboard
Engine max250 hp (186 kW)
Engine max70 hp (53 kW) Recommended Maximum: 50 hp (38 kW)
Engine/s standardnot available
Engine/s standard40 hp (30 kW)
Operational Info
Maximum capacity3,858 lbs. (1,750 kg)
Maximum capacity2,336 lbs. (1,060 kg)
Maximum people15
Maximum people9
Performance
Maximum speednot available
Maximum speed41 mph (66 km/h)