So, you’re thinking about buying your first boat... What kind do you want - a boat for ripping around the lake, one for a tranquil morning of fishing on the pond, or something for catching the wind and bouncing across the waves? Whaddaya mean, all of those? Actually, inventor Clayton Turney would tell you he’s got just the watercraft for you. His Zingy boats were designed with first-timers/generalists in mind, as they can apparently be used as motorboats, rowboats or sailboats, they’re small enough to carry on the back of a motorhome, and are supposedly quite easy to handle. Oh yeah, and they’re also claimed to be unsinkable.
The first thing you might think upon seeing a Zingy is, “Where’s the rest of it?” They look rather as if someone cut the front off a regular boat, and decided the rest of it wasn’t really needed. This makes for a boat that not only looks kinda cute, but that is also relatively easy to store, transport, and get in and out of the water. Now here’s the kinda tricky part... Although one Zingy can be used as a motorboat, rowboat or sailboat, there are still two (or more like two-and-a-half) versions to choose between.
The Sportboat version has a removable windshield, a steering wheel, and an enclosed foredeck with a bulkhead dry storage compartment inside. It’s a Sean-Connery-as-James-Bond-type sporty cruiser, right at home on the French Riviera. The Wide Open is a lot more basic, lacking a foredeck and steering wheel, but gaining a lot more interior space for things like freshly-gaffed marlins... small freshly-gaffed marlins.
Both versions can be fitted with the Sailfin conversion kit, which consists of everything you need to turn them into a motorsailer. Both versions also come standard with padded floors, swivel seats, and removable rear step pods, for getting in and out of the water, and for improving the boat’s handling. The hull has a unique shape that Turney says adds to its stability, and is constructed from fiberglass lined with closed-cell foam - hence the supposed unsinkability.
Should you feel like pimping out your Zingy, optional extras include things like fully-enclosing convertible canopies, running lights, an underwater viewing port, and a collapsible beach trailer. A package that includes a Wide Open Zingy, motor, and road trailer will set you back $US9,000.
It's the second tribrid we've covered in a week.
