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Warum ZAR?
ZAR secrets
The unique nature of the ZAR project is total
The entire structure is original and innovative; all details were studied and experimented for optimal efficiency during intended use and long-life even under severe duty. This cross-section view of the "typical ZAR" - a general synthesis of various models - you can see the hidden or less evident construction characteristics.
Here is a list of all the exclusive solutions common to all the models: oad-bearing structure in high torsion stress resisting fibreglass-reinforced plastic, with reinforcing web consisting of two/three crossover longitudinal members with floors along the entire bottom; the tubular sections are in neoprene/hypalon with 1100 dtex polyester fabric, with internal and external joint covers over 6 water-tight compartments; the inflation valves are housed in protected positions on the inside; hull to tubular section joints are double and complete (along the entire perimeter) two/three rows of seats facing the bow, accommodating more passengers than any other inflated boat of the same length; upholstery in closed cell (waterproof) expanded material covered with imitation leather with non-rot stitches; peaks with unbeatable capacity and functionality; watertight console peaks, enormous peaks for loads, practical peaks for anchors and mooring equipment. Easy access thanks to large double-opening hatches supported by gas powered actuators; modular backrests/seats creating two sunbathing areas (fore and aft) and can be converted into double-beds providing unequalled comfort for nautical camping; all metal parts in stainless steel; hinges and closing components are fitted on rubber seals and secured with self-locking screws and bolts; all closing hooks are adjustable; the single- or double-operator console (central or side lay-out is an optional item in some models) is in fibreglass-reinforced plastic and includes front seats with cushions and backrests. The windscreen in fumé methacrylate ester is shaped for maximum protection and surmounted by a handrail with multiple grips. Complete with rudder in stainless steel and ancillary rudder equipment (including hydraulic components). The internal rooms are separate and are equipped with water-tight doors. Storage compartments are provided under the front seats.
Other common characteristics:
- fuel and water filling plugs in a protected position;
- lifting handles;
- double perimeter fender bar;
- bow eye in stainless steel or anchor housing with stainless steel guard;
- compressor, pressure gauge, repair kit and oars;
- stainless steel fuel tanks installed to satisfy the relevant regulations;
- electrical control panel with fuses and check-control.
Quality on board
space, comfort and safety are the result of great attention to detail: grab-handles for all passengers, no projections that could cause injuries, water-tight seals, vent wing on the windscreen, ergonomic seats, modular lay-out of spaces.
  
  
 
Quality build
all details taken care of down to the smallest parts: double joint covers on the pneumatic elements, seals under metal parts, self-locking screws and nuts (no tear-off rivets). Top quality materials and meticulous workmanship.
     
The philosophyCompromise and achieving a balance: designing today
An old sailor's saying goes: "A good boat does one thing well, and all the rest badly". Over the centuries ships and smaller vessels have been designed with a variety of shapes, to do one thing well. Just imagine fishing from a tanker, or competing in a regata with a fishing boat, cruising into the lagoon in an aircraft-carrier or bracing the waves in a dredger, and so on. It can't be done. Horses for courses.
Thousands of years experience at sea has taught mankind one thing: you can't compromise with the sea.
A few decades ago - the twinkling of an eye - seaside resorts began to provide tourists with the opportunity to take to the sea. The same boat was used for fishing, to take families to desert islands, to face the fury of the waves, for seaside camping, for adventure, water skiing, and you name it.
In a word: compromise.
Then came outboard motors, flat-bottomed boats, composite materials, computers, simulations. The sea became a market, with a variety of needs.
This is the situation facing a designer today. On the one hand the wisdom of an ancient seafaring tradition, on the other the diverse needs of holidaymakers. It is a tough but stimulating challenge, requiring creativity and flair.
We don't just design the inflatable boat. We also design the most versatile ways it can be used and how it is made. It is another question of balance: just enough technology, the right sort of craftsmanship, flair but also discipline.
Four guiding principles are used:
* the market's requirements: this is the start line
* techniques and technology for performance and quality
* engineering: feasibility and costs
* design and styling, practicality and aesthetics.
These elements have to be brought together into a unique whole providing the very best the market has to offer.
The Zar range is the result of this approach to design.
Although their style is unmistakable (family life), each model was designed separately, with a different blending of elements that are not always easy to bring together.
Zar is a reliable, versatile range, easy to use at sea, extremely comfortable and built to the highest standards. At the helm you will experience the pleasure of controlling a vessel of unrivalled sophistication.
It's like being out in front.
The project
The choice, or to put it better, the idea, that produced, in rapid sequence, all the innovations of the ZARS in the pleasure boating world, was to get rid of the tubular element on the stern (patent #1).
The design freedom stemming from that made it possible to redesign the whole bottom of the boat. Thanks to Francesco Ambrosini's brilliant ideas, the help of CAD, Piero Formenti's technical know-how and his willingness to build several prototypes, the design of the bottom took on shapes that proved highly efficient under all navigating conditions. The tunnels (patent #2), in addition to increasing lift at speed, eliminates the irritating problem of sprays, in a choppy sea with side winds.
Navigating is comfortable in all types of sea conditions, and performance is good both at speed and when accelerating.
 
There was one aim behind the study of the deck: to create a multi-purpose area by exploiting spaces in an innovative way. The result: unbeatable passenger comfort (8 seats facing the bow in 5.35 metres are an absolute record); two sunbathing areas of unusual dimensions; the peak in modularity; extraordinary load space (under cover). The design by Giorgio Pincelli, a professional graphic artist and designer, is wholly targeted at functionality, fully in harmony with the technical work of Ambrosini and Formenti.
The following ideas came about during this crucial creative stage: peaks for mooring accessories (patent #3) and double opening doors (patent #4). The styling study produced some innovative lines that are an example to follow, lending unique fascination to all ZARS and bestowing them with an unmistakable "family air":
 
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The originality of the "Zar project"
Boasting 4 international patents - blends and enhances characteristics that are often at odds with each other.
Bottoms well over the usual length offer outstanding navigating performance, with a deep "V" and tunnels channelling water astern to increase lift and prevent spray reaching the deck.
The absence of a tubular element at the bow creates a lot of extra space, also making it possible to optimise the shape of bottom and deck. This translates, at first sight, into unparalleled living comfort and unique design.
Drastic redesigning of the stern section (all too often sacrificed to the needs of the engine), where the engine was re-located further away, seats extended over the tubular sections, plus modular backrests and cushions have all converted an area which, in many cases, consists of a bench or little more than that, into a "lounge".
These solutions have turned the promises of on-board quality of life and boat flexibility into reality, since they guided the "ZAR project" right from the first stroke of the designer's pencil.
The fulcrum around which pivots all the work involved in preparing a new ZAR is the 1:1 scale model on which the moulds are based. Mathematical calculations, computer simulations, and definition of details take shape and come to life in the model of the boat bottom. The first navigating prototype is produced from all this. It is refined and improved until the aims of the theoretical project are achieved: safety, comfort, and performance in that order. Tests are run under radically different conditions, in terms of load and navigation. The multitude of data obtained from every test helps define the spaces and volumes of the deck. The deck must be built so that it best adheres to the ideal position of the centre of gravity and the boat's static and dynamic balance under all load conditions and at all speeds.
The study of the deck was a true "creativity-tank", initiated and developed mainly by blending the work of the three designers: Ambrosini, Formenti and Pincelli. One + one + one = four, the fourth "man" being dialogue, exchange of viewpoints, defending one's idea and, at the same time, accepting others' ideas in a context of mutual growth. Building the model seems to repeat the same blend criterion, ranging for a sophisticated CAD program for defining the geometry, through to that essential, magic craftsmanship in handling stucco, wood and polyurethane.
When the model is finished, and the moulds are ready, the whole boatyard goes into action: tubular sections, glued parts, hinges, cushions. Company organisation gets the upper hand, by good management of the delicate balance of peak craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology.
A new ZAR is born.
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