Takacat 260 LX Inflatable Catamaran

Description

Here is the Takacat 260 LX for sale, the smallest and lightest boat in the Takacat LX series. It is an 8 foot 6 inch inflatable catamaran that weighs about 55 lb, carries up to three people, and rolls into a bag not much bigger than a suitcase. Takacat calls it the Swiss Army knife of portable inflatable boats. It is new, comes with the Takacat warranty, and we ship it worldwide.

The 260 LX is a micro tender for small yachts, a shore boat for motorhomes, a toy for larger vessels and a handy work platform for cleaning a hull at the waterline. This page covers the specs, the design, outboard choice, setup, storage, care, shipping and the questions buyers ask most.

Takacat 260 LX for sale: Specifications

Figures are for the PVC version and carry Takacat’s published tolerances. Your boat’s capacity plate is the final authority on load and power.

The Swiss Army Knife of Tenders

Small yachts have a problem. There is rarely room for a proper dinghy, and the tiny inflatables that do fit tend to be wobbly, wet and hard to row. The 260 LX was built to fix that.

At about 55 lb, it is light enough for one person to launch from a beach or lift onto a yacht’s deck. The tubes roll to about the size of a large suitcase. Yet on the water it behaves like a much bigger boat, because it sits on two hulls instead of one. It stays flat when you step on the side, tracks straight when you row, and carries two adults with gear in comfort.

Takacat describes the 260 LX as the perfect micro tender and small personal craft. It also points out that it gives easy boarding from the water and provides hassle free access for cleaning the waterline of a larger vessel. That versatility is why it earns the Swiss Army knife name.

How the Catamaran Hull Helps a Small Boat

Small inflatables suffer most from the weaknesses of a single V hull. They roll as soon as someone moves, wander under oars, and squat at the stern under power. A Takacat solves this with two tubes and a tunnel between them. Water flows through the tunnel instead of being pushed aside, so drag is low and the boat sits level.

The two hulls track like rails, so even this short boat rows in a straight line and tows without swinging. The wide stance makes it far more stable than its length suggests. Founder Greg Sowden developed the design from Thundercat surf racing boats in Auckland, New Zealand, and Takacat has sold more than 10,000 boats worldwide since launching in 2007.

Features of the Takacat 260 LX for sale

Open bow

The bow is open, closed only by webbing straps. It offers amazing versatility, whether you are getting in or out of the water when swimming or snorkeling, handling a safety situation, or stepping onto a beach or back onto the mother ship.

Removable Tube Transom

The stainless stern frame slides out so the tubes roll small and light. With the stern open, the boat cannot hold water, which matters when towing or in rain.

Raised air floor

The 10 psi high pressure floor gives a firm, dry platform. You can stand on it to scrub a hull or pass gear up to a deck.

Tough underside

Heavy duty rubber under each tube protects against wear when beaching or sliding the boat aboard.

Easy to row

Light weight and the sleek Tube Transom make the 260 LX easy to row with the included oars. Many owners never fit a motor at all.

Who Buys the Takacat 260 LX for sale

Small yacht owners

On yachts under about 30 feet, the 260 LX is a tender that actually fits. It carries two adults and modest gear ashore and rolls into a cockpit locker on passage.

Larger yacht and superyacht crews

As a second tender or a crew boat, it is ideal for hull cleaning, photography, running lines and quick trips. Light enough for one crew member to launch.

Motorhome and van owners

The smallest LX takes almost no space in a van or motorhome. Pair it with a light 2.5 hp or an electric motor and you have a boat at every lake.

Solo anglers and explorers

One person with rods and a cooler fits easily. The boat is stable enough to cast from and light enough to carry to hidden ponds.

Swimmers and snorkelers

The open bow makes climbing back in easy, so it is a great swim platform at anchor.

Choosing an Outboard for the Takacat 260 LX for sale

The listing rates this boat for 2 hp to 8 hp on a short shaft. Most owners stay at the lighter end:

• 2 to 2.5 hp for short tender runs. These motors weigh around 30 lb and lift on and off easily.
• 3.5 to 4 hp for longer runs, currents and headwinds.
• 5 to 6 hp for more speed with a light load.
• 8 hp at the top of the range, for one light person who wants to plane.

On a boat this light, motor weight matters a lot for trim and handling. Always check the capacity plate for maximum power and engine weight.

Browse matching motors: Mercury 2.5 HP outboards, Tohatsu 3.5 HP outboards, Yamaha 4 HP outboards and Nissan 6 HP outboards. For the lightest, quietest setup, see our Torqeedo electric motors. Ask us to quote the Takacat 260 LX for sale with a motor.

How the Takacat 260 LX Handles

For an 8 foot 6 inch boat, the 260 LX is remarkably steady. You can step onto the side from a dock or a yacht without it tipping. Two people can swap seats without drama.

Under oars it tracks straight thanks to the twin hulls, so rowing across an anchorage is easy work rather than a zigzag. With a small motor it runs smoothly at displacement speed and stays level. Under tow behind a yacht, it follows straight and never fills with water thanks to the open transom.

On the beach, the shallow draft lets you run right in, and the open bow lets you step off with dry feet.

Setting Up the Takacat 260 LX for sale

Being the smallest Takacat, the 260 LX is the quickest to set up. With the manual pump, expect around 8 minutes for a fit person. With an electric pump, about 5 minutes.

1. Inflate the tubes to 3 psi.
2. Slide in the Tube Transom bars with a little soapy water.
3. Fit the motor boards with the supplied eye bolt.
4. Insert the floor and inflate to 10 psi.
5. Strap the bow D rings together.
6. Fit the oars.
7. Mount the outboard if you are using one.
8. Check life jackets, light, rules and weather.

Packing away is just as quick in reverse.

Storage and Transport

The tubes roll to about 95 x 40 x 30 cm and weigh around 16 kg. They fit in the smallest cockpit locker, a car boot, a van or a closet. The floor and transom go in a second bag. No trailer, no ramp fees, no yard space.

On a yacht, many owners keep the 260 LX inflated on the foredeck or the swim platform during the season, since it is small enough not to block the deck.

Build Quality

Standard tubes are welded from durable 0.9 mm, 1000 denier PVC. Hypalon tubes are available for owners in strong sun who want the longest life. Pressure relief valves protect against heat expansion. The transom is 304 stainless and the motor board is waterproof plywood. Takacats 2.5 m and over carry CE certification and are built to ISO 6185 2.

Re Tubing Instead of Replacing

When tubes wear out on a normal tender, the glued transom usually means the end of the boat. On a Takacat, you order new tubes and slide your existing transom and floor into them. That keeps costs low and helps the Takacat 260 LX for sale hold its value for years.

Takacat 260 LX for sale vs Nearby Models

260 LX or 300 LX? The 300 LX carries one more person and rides more smoothly in chop thanks to its longer waterline. Choose the 260 LX if stowage space and light weight matter most.

260 LX or 260 S? Same size. The LX has the open bow for easy boarding from the water and beach. The Sport has a closed bow for a drier ride.

Cleaning a Hull From the Takacat 260 LX

One of the most practical uses for this boat is hull work. Tie it alongside your yacht or motor boat at the bow and stern. The flat, firm floor gives you a stable place to kneel or stand while you scrub the waterline, polish the topsides or check fittings. Because the boat does not tip when you lean over the side, you can work with both hands. The open bow lets you move along the hull easily by pulling on the lines.

A Day as a Micro Tender

You anchor a small cruising yacht in a quiet cove. From the cockpit locker you pull out two bags. On the foredeck the Takacat 260 LX for sale goes together in a few minutes, and you lower it over the side with one hand on the bow line. You row ashore because the water is flat, step off over the open bow onto the sand, and pull the light boat up the beach without help.

After a walk and a coffee, you row back and swim off the boat, climbing back in over the bow. Before sunset you lift it back onto the deck and lash it down for the night. Next morning it rolls away into the locker before you sail on.

Tender Tips

• Use a floating painter so it cannot foul a propeller.
• Keep weight central and low, especially with three aboard.
• Show a white light at night when under way.
• Lift the tender aboard in strong wind rather than leaving it in the water.
• Lock the boat and motor when ashore in busy places.

Petrol or Electric?

On a boat this small, an electric outboard makes a lot of sense. It is light, silent, clean and almost maintenance free, and you can charge it from a yacht’s solar panels. A small four stroke gives more range and refuels anywhere. Many owners keep a 2.5 hp petrol motor for long runs and use oars or an electric motor for daily trips.

PVC or Hypalon?

PVC is light, strong, easy to repair and good value. Hypalon costs more but resists sun, heat and fuel better over the years, which suits tropical cruisers who keep the tender inflated. Ask us about Hypalon availability on the Takacat 260 LX for sale.

Popular Setups

Rowing tender. No motor, just the oars. Light, silent and simple.

Classic micro tender. 2.5 hp four stroke and a floating painter.

Electric shore boat. Torqeedo motor charged from the yacht.

Van life boat. 3.5 hp, fishing rod and a small cooler.

Is the 260 LX Big Enough for Your Boat?

Tender size is a balance between what you can stow and what you need to carry. The Takacat 260 LX for sale is aimed at yachts under about 30 feet, motor boats with limited deck space and anyone who wants the lightest possible shore boat. It carries two adults and a modest load of shopping or gear with ease, and three people for short hops in calm water.

If you regularly carry three adults, cross long distances to shore or anchor in exposed bays, the longer 300 LX will be more comfortable. If deck or locker space is your limit, the 260 LX is the answer. Measure your cockpit locker or foredeck before you order and we will help you check the fit.

Takacat or Hard Dinghy?

A small hard dinghy is tough and needs no pumping, but it is heavy for its size, tips the moment you step on the gunwale and takes up the whole deck because it does not fold. A conventional small inflatable folds, but it usually has a heavy glued transom, fiddly floorboards and a soft hull that rolls and wanders.

The 260 LX gives you the stability of a wide hard dinghy, the packability of an inflatable and better tracking than either. For a small yacht, that is the best of both worlds.

Tips for First Time Owners

• Assemble it at home once so you know where every part goes.
• Mark the transom bars left and right with tape.
• Keep the gauge with the pump and hit 3 psi in the tubes and 10 psi in the floor.
• Practise rowing on calm water. On a boat this light, rowing is often all you need.
• Write the yacht’s name and your phone number inside a tube with a marine marker.
• Keep a short line clipped to the bow D ring so you can hold the boat while climbing in.

Deck Stowage and Towing

At about 55 lb, the Takacat 260 LX for sale is easy to lift onto a foredeck or swim platform. Lay it upside down and lash it through the D rings and grab handles so wind cannot get under it. For short hops between anchorages, tow it on a floating line from the bow D rings. The twin hulls keep it straight and the open transom stops it filling with water. Take the motor off for longer tows, and bring the boat aboard if the wind rises.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Fitting a heavy motor. It upsets trim on a light boat. Stay inside the plate.
• Running the floor soft. Pump to 10 psi.
• Overloading. Three people is the limit, with little gear.
• Storing it wet.
• Dragging over rock and shell.

Care and Maintenance

• Rinse with fresh water after salt water use when possible.
• Dry fully before packing.
• Shade it on deck and use UV protectant on PVC.
• Release a little air on very hot days.
• Check valves and under tube rubber each season.
• Keep the repair kit aboard.
• Service any outboard on schedule.

Safety on the Water

Carry a life jacket for everyone, a bailer, a horn or whistle, a light and an anchor. Tender rules vary by country and region, so check yours. Never exceed the capacity plate. Learn more about the LX range on the official Takacat website.

Takacat Warranty

PVC and Hypalon tubes carry a 3 year warranty against defects and deterioration that affect usability, such as ageing, cracking or delamination. Air filling pipe seams carry 2 years. Parts and equipment, including the high pressure deck, carry handles, D rings, bow, seat, lid, paddles and oars, are covered for 2 years from purchase against defects in material and structure.

Shipping Worldwide

We ship the Takacat 260 LX for sale worldwide. It is the smallest Takacat, so freight costs are low, and we can deliver to a home, a freight terminal or a marina office. Send your country and nearest city for a quote, and add a matching outboard if you like.

Please read our terms and conditions and refund and return policy, and see our customer reviews.

Buy the Takacat 260 LX for sale From Us

NJ Marines Outboard Engines is based in Fresno, California, and supplies boats and outboards worldwide. Call or WhatsApp +1 209 690 5983, read our about page, or contact us via the contact page.

More Takacat Boats

• Takacat 260 S for sale
• Takacat 300 LX for sale
• Takacat 340 LX for sale
• All Takacat inflatable catamarans
• The full shop

FAQ: Takacat 260 LX for sale

Is the Takacat 260 LX for sale new?

Yes, new with the Takacat warranty.

Is a motor included?

No. The $2,099 price is for the boat only.

How many people can it carry?

Up to 3 people, about 793 lb. Two adults with gear is the comfortable load.

What outboard suits it?

A 2.5 to 4 hp motor suits most owners. The range is 2 to 8 hp on a short shaft.

Can one person lift it?

Yes. At about 55 lb, one person can launch it and lift it onto a deck.

How small does it pack?

The tubes roll to about 95 x 40 x 30 cm.

Do you ship the Takacat 260 LX for sale worldwide?

Yes. Send your location for a quote.

Final Word

The Takacat 260 LX for sale is a tiny tender that behaves like a much bigger boat. It is light, stable, easy to row and packs into almost nothing. Order today, or message us and we will help you choose the right motor.

Browse more Takacat inflatable catamarans or see all our outboard engines for sale. Questions? Call or WhatsApp +1 209 690 5983.