Zodiac

The inventor of the inflatable boat, on the water for more than a century.

Zodiac was founded in 1896 by Maurice Mallet as a builder of airships. In the 1930s engineer Pierre Debroutelle developed one of the first inflatable boats there. In 1952 Alain Bombard crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a Zodiac, and in the late 1960s Jacques Cousteau took the boats on board the Calypso. In 1986 Zodiac introduced the removable tube.

Today's Zodiac Nautic (Z Nautic) has been separate from the former Zodiac group since 2015 and is based in Gujan-Mestras on the Bassin d'Arcachon; boats are also built in Enfidha (Tunisia). The range runs from inflatable dinghies (Cadet and Nomad) and luxury tenders (Yachtline) to the Open, Pro and Medline RIB lines and the large centre consoles of the XCC line.

Facts & figures

• Founded in 1896 by Maurice Mallet
• Headquarters and production in Gujan-Mestras (France), second factory in Enfidha (Tunisia)
• Z Nautic since 2015, following the takeover by Energetic Développement
• Length 2.0 - 10.0 m