SpearFish Fast Efficient Inflatables

Our SpearFish inflatable boats are designed by us, and made exclusively for us to our exceptionally high quality standards. All models feature relatively long and slender hulls with upswept bows, for greater efficiency and seaworthiness… and as a result achieve more speed with less power.

All models currently in stock (September 2023)

“They look like proper boats!” is a comment we often hear when people see SpearFish inflatables for the first time. SpearFish have a greater length to beam (width) ratio than is typical, plus a higher bow and neatly integrated bow canopy for spray protection. They are definitely not the square-fronted, flat-floored, splash boxes that dominate the cheap end of the market.

And, “if it looks right it is right”, as the saying goes. If you put the same weight of people and gear into a boat with a longer waterline, it will be more efficient (easier-driven) and have a more comfortable motion in waves. A more efficient hull means you can have a smaller motor, which reduces your purchase and running costs, and will make the best of your batteries if you choose electric. It also makes the whole package easier to transport and store… which is what we’re all about!

SpearFish aren’t just a different shape to conventional inflatables, they are also made to very high standards from the best quality materials. The multi-chamber tubes are made from German Valmex fabric, with dropstitch fabric floors from one of the biggest names in the business. Assembly is undertaken at a very well-respected factory who also undertake work for companies such as Williams Jet Tenders, Zodiac and Lodestar. We decided to put everything that most people will need in the box (as standard, not as expensive options), including: well thought-out, capacious bags; bow canopy; genuinely usable oars/rowlocks; painter (bow rope); repair kit; inflation pump; and so on.

SPEARFISH 310

We designed the SpearFish 310 mainly because experienced yacht owners liked what they saw in the larger SpearFish, but weren’t able to accommodate a 4 or 5m boat as a tender. If you think of the 310 (at 3.1m long) as having about the same capacity as a typical 2.5 to 2.7m dinghy, but in a more efficient shape, that’s about right. Its more shapely hull is much easier to row, and much drier being driven under motor into a chop, than the “square nose” type.

When developing the 310 we were particularly keen to make an inflatable that would work really well with the electric outboard motors that have become so popular in the last few years. Most inflatable dinghies are designed to plane with a petrol outboard of 5hp or more, but are very wet at displacement speeds… and if you have an electric outboard, or stick to the speed limit in most harbours, you can’t plane. The SpearFish 310 can plane, but is aimed at being pleasant to use at displacement speeds. Thus it’s very efficient (giving more range) when combined with an electric outboard such as the Torqeedo 1103 or Epropulsion Spirit PLUS.

The high bow and bow canopy mean you’re more likely to arrive at the pub with dry trousers too!

Customer Comment: “We’ve just got a SpearFish 310 to replace the old Zodiac. What a difference! High bow and dry, cuddy built in, inflatable floor, rows properly…”

The 450WB is the mainstay of the SpearFish range, with the ability to carry three adults or two and two children – and plenty of room to stretch out. It has what we consider to be the optimal length (for efficiency) to beam (for stability) ratio for this type of hull, and with a 6hp motor will achieve speeds of 14 to 15 knots with two adults on board. Most conventional-shape dinghies would require 10hp or more so the SpearFish gives you a much more portable set-up overall (a typical 6hp motor weighs 25kg, whereas a typical 10hp motor weighs 37kg plus).

Out on the sea, the 450WB’s relatively fine bow – which slices through the waves rather than hammering into them – means you will be able to maintain higher speeds against a chop than other inflatables. And also stay much drier into the bargain.

In more tranquil waters the 450WB pairs beautifully with an electric outboard motor, and its easily-driven hull will give you more range and/or speed for a given battery capacity. You’ll be making almost no noise or wake, so it’s ideal for wildlife watching, exploring hidden backwaters, or fishing the shallows where nobody else can reach. There is no problem with (we have several customers who do) using 450WBs with electric outboards for coastal exploration too, trading the loss in top speed (about 5 knots) for peace and quiet afloat.

The 450WB is a very well-made boat, with a total of 6 chambers: 4 in the main tube, plus the high-pressure floor, plus the (air-frame supported) bow canopy. The tube fabric is German-made Valmex, and the high pressure floor has a (deliberately) oversize rubbing strip running down the keel line.

The 520WB is essentially a scaled-up version of our popular 450WB, with increased carrying capacity (up to four adults) and the potential to take larger outboard motors if you wish (and are OK with the extra weight).

The 520 will still plane two-up on 6hp, but is obviously faster with 10hp and should then also be able to plane with three adults or more. The benefits are not just speed; a 10hp motor producing say 6-8hp will be much more relaxed and refined than a single cylinder 6hp motor running nearly flat out.

The 450WB is already a very capable and “dry” sea boat by most standards, but the 520 is obviously longer, and also has larger diameter tubes. So it has more carrying capacity, and with the same load will sit a bit higher on the water and keep you even more protected from flying spray and other boat’s wakes.

Equally there’s nothing to stop you pottering around on inland waterways on a 520WB, but if that’s your main use – and it’s usually for one or two people – you might find the 450WB easier to handle and manoeuvre.