Why do we say Zodiac when we talk about a RIB boat ?
If you ask anyone to list the different types of boat they know, there's a good chance that among answers such as " Sailboat ", " Boat ", " Racade ", " Catamaran " will slip an intruder : the Zodiac.
For indeed, unlike the other examples above, Zodiac is not a common name, but a trade mark, which doesn't prevent it from appearing in the dictionary !
But where does this curiosity come from? Why is the term "Zodiac" used for an inflatable boat
This is what's known in French as an antonomasia, i.e. a word or expression that is a proper noun coming to replace a common noun in usage. This is particularly true of other illustrious brands such as " Typex ", " Blanco ", " Post-It ", " Frigidaire ", " Kleenex ", " Jacuzzi ", " Scotch " and many more !
While the generic term "RIB boat " is the common name used in French by most brands, in everyday language, it's indeed the Zodiac term that keeps the wind in its sails !
So, in France, the expression " Bateau Zodiac " is thus 6 times more searched on Google than " Bateau RIBe ", and remains 50% more popular than " bateau pneumatique " !
So how did the brand acquire this notoriety and enter our vocabulary ? Orca Retail answers !
A brief history of rubber dinghies
First of all, let's note that humans have known for a very long time that volumes inflated with air can help them navigate, with some sources dating their use as far back as antiquity, with beastskin boats !
But it wasn't until the middle of the 19th century that we find the first traces of inflatable boats, ancestor of today's Zodiacs.
It was the invention of the vulcanization process and the use of rubber by Charles Goodyear in 1839 (and the invention of pneumatics) that would lead to the creation of the first inflatable boats, since as early as the same year, the Duke of Wellington was the very first to try out the principle.
The 1840s would then see the development of new models, with the notable example of that of Englishman Thomas Hancock in 1840. The technique was soon used on numerous expeditions, including one to the Arctic in 1844. However, at that time, there was still no trace of Zodiac ...
The brand and inventors who would change everything
The origin of the Zodiac brand can be traced back to the year 1896, when the company "Mallet, Mélandri et de Pitray" was founded in France. Maurice Mallet, a famous aeronaut at the time, was involved in developing the production of the first dirigible balloons.
It wasn't until 1909 that the band changed its name to the iconic " Zodiac ". But the story doesn't end there.
It was to Pierre Debroutelle, a former airship pilot and engineer employed by the brand, that we owe the " modern " versions of Zodiac brand inflatable boats, with a first prototype developed in 1934.
The same year, a competitor by the name of Paul Brot marketed his own RIB boats under the PB brand before joining Zodiac with his patents.
These promising initial tests were quickly validated when, in 1937, the French Marine Nationale ordered from the brand a boat capable of carrying torpedoes and bombs : this was the birth of the Zodiac and the start of its industrial-scale production.
This model takes its familiar U-shape, and features two side air chambers joined by a wooden dashboard. The patent for this model was not registered until August 10, 1943, in the midst of the world conflict.
RIB boats would mark the Second World War, enabling many aviators or sailors to save their lives once their plane or ship had been shot down.
L’après-guerre
After the war, the success of Zodiacs was not to stop, quite the contrary, since in 1950, ministerial decrees made it obligatory to have inflatable rafts on board merchant ships and all fishing boats over 25 tons.
Then, in 1952, another big name in navigation would put the spotlight on the brand in the person of Dr. Alain Bombard (who would thus give his name to the now well-known Zodiac competitor brand). He then embarked on an Atlantic crossing from Tangiers to Barbados aboard a 4.30 m Zodiac christened " L'Hérétique ", which would go down in legend.
The post-war period also saw the start of paid vacations, the creation of seaside resorts and the emergence of mainstream water sports. RIBs are the perfect way to enjoy the sea simply and inexpensively, and are used for rescue missions close to the coast, particularly following the emergence of the new surfing craze.
The Zodiac company then turned to the leisure industry, and very quickly the models multiplied and the brand's popularity grew, anchoring itself in the mores and habits of French society.
The 19.5M-long Amphitrite, built in the early 1960s by Zodiac for Captain Jacques Cousteau (Source: Boatsnews.com)
Zodiac in the 21st century
Today, the illustrious company is divided into two entities, " Zodiac Nautic " for leisure activities on the one hand, and " Zodiac Milpro " for military and professional use.
From vacation clubs to the U.S. military, Zodiac is now present all around the globe, and although the RIB market now boasts dozens and dozens of quality competitors, language habits are probably not about to change !
Are you passionate about boating and RIB boats?
Discover our products!
Read more about the world of RIBs:
- The best RIB boat accessories
- How to maintain your RIB boat
- Preparing to winterize your RIB boat
- Why buy a RIB boat? Avantages
- The best RIB inflatable boat models
- Preparing to launch your inflatable boat