Takacat 300 LX Inflatable Catamaran

Description

Meet the Takacat 300 LX for sale, the flagship tender of the Takacat range and its most popular small day boat. It is a 9 foot 10 inch inflatable catamaran that carries four people, weighs about 66 lb, and has been proven over the years by thousands of owners around the world. It is new, comes with the Takacat warranty, and we ship it worldwide.

The 300 LX is the boat you want hanging off the back of a yacht, folded in a motorhome or waiting in the car for an afternoon on the water. It is light enough for one person to launch and big enough for a cruising couple with a full load of provisions. This page explains the specs, the design, outboard choice, setup, care, shipping and the questions we are asked most.

Takacat 300 LX for sale: Specifications

Figures are for the PVC version and are subject to Takacat’s published tolerances. The capacity plate on your boat is the final authority on load and power.

Why the 300 LX Is the Flagship Tender

A good tender has to do a lot. It must be light enough to lift onto a deck, small enough to stow, stable enough to step into from a swaying yacht, dry enough to carry groceries, and tough enough to beach on sand and shingle day after day. Most dinghies are good at two or three of those things. The 300 LX is good at all of them.

At about 66 lb, one person can drag it up a beach and two can lift it onto a foredeck without a winch. The catamaran hull means it does not tip when you step on the side. The open bow lets you walk straight off onto the beach. The open transom means it never fills with water under tow or in rain. And it rolls into two bags when you do not need it.

Takacat describes the 300 LX as its flagship tender and the most popular smaller day boat in the range, with the design proven time and again by thousands of passionate owners. Takacat also notes it can comfortably carry three adults with modest gear, or a cruising couple with a full load of provisions, and that the longer waterline compared with the 260 LX makes it more comfortable in chop.

How the Catamaran Hull Works

A normal inflatable has a single V hull. It pushes water aside, rolls when weight moves, and squats at the stern under power. A Takacat sits on two parallel tubes with a tunnel between them. Water runs through the tunnel instead of being shoved away, so the boat needs less power and stays flat.

Two hulls track straight, so the boat rows in a line, tows without swinging and steers with a light hand. At speed, air trapped under the deck cushions the ride. At rest, the wide stance resists rolling. Founder Greg Sowden borrowed the concept from Thundercat surf racing boats and spent years refining it in Auckland, New Zealand before Takacat launched in 2007. More than 10,000 Takacats are now in use worldwide.

Features of the Takacat 300 LX for sale

Open bow landing platform

From bow to stern the boat is full of practical ideas, and the open bow is the best of them. It gives you a landing platform at the beach or ramp, so you can step off without climbing over a tube. It also makes getting back in from the water easy when snorkeling, swimming or in an emergency.

Open, removable Tube Transom

At the stern, the stainless Tube Transom slides out for packing, which gives amazing portability. With the stern open, the boat cannot hold water on board. That is a big advantage when towing or running in rough, wet conditions.

Raised air floor

The 10 psi high pressure floor sits above the water line and keeps your feet and shopping dry.

Tough underside

Heavy duty rubber protects the bottom of each tube when you beach the boat or drag it a short way over sand.

Rows properly

The low drag hull and light weight mean the 300 LX rows well with the included oars. Many owners row it around the anchorage and only use the motor for longer runs.

Who Buys the Takacat 300 LX for sale

Cruising sailors

This is the classic yacht tender. It carries a couple and a week of provisions ashore, tows straight, and packs into a cockpit locker on passage.

Motorhome and camper owners

Two bags fit in the storage bay. At the campsite, the boat goes together in minutes and gets used every day.

Day boaters and anglers

Two people fishing with gear is a comfortable load. The shallow draft opens up quiet creeks and flats.

Apartment dwellers

No garage, no driveway, no problem. The Takacat 300 LX for sale fits in a closet and travels in a small car.

Powerboat owners

On a larger motor yacht, it makes a light, stable shore boat and a handy platform for cleaning the waterline.

Choosing an Outboard for the Takacat 300 LX for sale

The listing rates this boat for 2.5 hp to 10 hp on a short shaft. Most owners choose based on how far they go:

• 2.5 hp for short tender runs at displacement speed. Very light and easy to lift.
• 4 to 6 hp for longer runs, headwinds and currents. The most common tender choice.
• 8 to 10 hp to plane with one or two aboard for fun and longer trips.

Keep motor weight down if you lift it on and off a yacht often. Always check the capacity plate for maximum power and engine weight.

Browse matching motors: Yamaha 2.5 HP outboards, Mercury 4 HP outboards, Suzuki 6 HP outboards and Tohatsu 8 HP outboards. Electric fans should see our Torqeedo electric motors. We can quote the Takacat 300 LX for sale with a motor as a package.

How the Takacat 300 LX Handles

The longer waterline makes the 300 LX steadier in chop than the smaller 260 LX. With a small motor it runs smoothly at displacement speed and stays level even when loaded. With 8 to 10 hp and a light load, it lifts onto the plane and becomes a fun little runabout.

The twin hulls hold a straight line, which makes towing behind a yacht easy and keeps rowing efficient. When you come alongside the mother ship, the boat does not rock wildly as people climb aboard.

Beaching is simple. The shallow draft lets you run in close, the rubber protects the tubes, and the open bow lets you step off with dry feet.

Setting Up the Takacat 300 LX for sale

No floorboards to fit means a quick setup. With the manual pump, plan on about 8 to 15 minutes depending on your fitness. An electric pump brings that down to around 5 to 8 minutes.

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

Packing away is the reverse. Deflate the floor, slide out the transom, roll the tubes from the bow and fill the two bags.

Storage and Transport

Rolled up, the tubes measure about 105 x 40 x 30 cm. That fits in a cockpit locker, a car boot, a closet or a motorhome bay. No trailer, no ramp fees, no yard space.

On a yacht, many owners keep it inflated on the foredeck or on davits during the cruising season and roll it up only for long passages or winter.

Build Quality

Standard tubes are welded from durable 0.9 mm, 1000 denier PVC. Hypalon tubes are available for tropical cruisers and anyone who keeps the tender inflated in the sun for months. Pressure relief valves protect against heat expansion. The transom is 304 stainless steel and the motor board is waterproof painted plywood. Takacats 2.5 m and over carry CE certification and are built to ISO 6185 2.

New Tubes When You Need Them

On a normal tender, the glued in transom means worn tubes usually end the boat’s life. On a Takacat, you order a new set of tubes and slide in your existing transom and floor. That keeps ownership costs low and helps the Takacat 300 LX for sale hold its value.

Takacat 300 LX for sale vs Nearby Models

300 LX or 260 LX? The 260 LX is the micro tender for small yachts and tight stowage. The 300 LX carries one more person, has a longer waterline for a smoother ride in chop, and suits most yachts from about 30 feet up.

300 LX or 340 LX? The 340 LX is the better day boat for families and fishing. The 300 LX is lighter and easier to lift aboard, which makes it the better tender.

300 LX or 300 S? Same size. The LX has the open bow for easy beach landings and swimming. The Sport has a closed bow for a drier ride.

A Day in the Life of a Tender

Morning at anchor. The Takacat 300 LX for sale has spent the night tied astern. You climb down into it from the swim platform, and it barely moves under your weight. The 4 hp starts on the second pull and you motor to the village dock for fresh bread and coffee.

Late morning, you take the kids snorkeling off the reef. They slide out over the side and climb back in over the open bow, laughing. In the afternoon you row it across the anchorage to visit friends, because the water is flat and the oars are quiet. In the evening you run ashore for dinner, step off the bow onto the beach, and pull the light boat up the sand with one hand. That is why the 300 LX is the flagship tender.

Takacat or Hard Dinghy?

Hard dinghies made of aluminium, plywood or plastic are tough against rocks and need no pumping. But they are heavy for their size, tip easily when you step on the side, and take up the whole foredeck because they do not fold. Many also row badly when loaded.

A conventional inflatable solves the storage problem but brings its own: a heavy glued transom, a floor that needs assembling, and a soft V hull that wanders under oars and rolls under load.

The Takacat 300 LX for sale sits between the two. It is stable like a wide hard dinghy, light and foldable like an inflatable, and it tracks better than either thanks to the twin hulls. For most cruisers and campers, that combination is hard to beat.

Living Aboard With the Takacat 300 LX for sale

Full time cruisers use their tender every day, often several times. It is the family car: school runs to the beach, trips to the laundry, water and fuel runs, visits to friends across the bay. A tender that is a pain to launch or tips people into the water soon becomes a problem.

Liveaboards like the 300 LX because it is easy. It sits behind the boat on a painter overnight, so it is ready in the morning. It is stable enough that children and older crew can step in confidently. It carries jerry cans, laundry bags and groceries without fuss. And because the open transom never holds water, it is not full of rain after a night of showers.

When the boat moves on, the tender can be towed on short hops, lifted on deck for longer ones, or rolled away completely for an ocean passage.

PVC or Hypalon Tubes?

PVC is light, strong, easy to repair and good value. Kept out of strong sun when parked, it gives many seasons of service. Hypalon costs more and weighs a little more, but it resists UV, heat, fuel and abrasion far better over the long term. Tropical liveaboards who keep the tender inflated all year often choose Hypalon. Ask us about Hypalon availability on the Takacat 300 LX for sale.

Petrol or Electric?

A small four stroke gives you the most range and speed, and fuel is available in every harbor. An electric outboard is silent, clean and nearly maintenance free, and can be charged from a yacht’s solar panels. The efficient catamaran hull of the 300 LX gets good range from a battery. Many cruisers now carry an electric motor for daily tender work and a small petrol motor for long runs.

Tender Tips

• Use a floating painter so the line cannot foul your propeller.
• Lock the outboard to the transom and the boat to the dock in busy harbors.
• At night, carry a torch and show a white light when under way.
• Lift the tender onto deck or davits in a blow rather than leaving it in the water.
• Keep a small bailer and a spare kill cord aboard.

Popular Setups

Classic yacht tender. 4 hp four stroke, floating painter and a dry bag for shopping.

Ultralight tender. 2.5 hp or a Torqeedo electric motor for the lightest possible lift onto deck.

Fun runabout. 9.9 hp to plane with one or two aboard.

Camper’s boat. 6 hp, two fishing rods and a cooler, packed in the motorhome bay.

Tips for First Time Owners

• Do a full setup at home before your first trip.
• Tape the transom bars left and right to speed up assembly.
• Always use the gauge: 3 psi in the tubes, 10 psi in the floor.
• Practise rowing on calm water as your backup.
• Write your yacht’s name and your phone number inside a tube with a marine marker.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Running with a soft floor. Pump to 10 psi.
• Fitting more motor than the plate allows.
• Loading all weight at the stern.
• Leaving it wet and rolled for weeks.
• Dragging it over oyster beds and rocks.

Care and Maintenance

• Rinse with fresh water after salt water use when you can.
• Dry fully before rolling up.
• Shade the boat on deck and use UV protectant on PVC.
• Let a little air out on very hot days.
• Check valves and under tube rubber each season.
• Keep the repair kit aboard.
• Service the outboard on schedule.

Safety on the Water

Carry a life jacket for everyone, a bailer, a horn or whistle, a light and an anchor. Rules on tender registration and gear differ by country and region, so check yours. Respect the capacity plate. Learn more about the full 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.

What Comes in the Box

The Takacat 300 LX for sale ships with the tubes, Tube Transom and motor boards, high pressure floor, inflatable seat, manual pump and gauge, repair kit, two oars and two carry bags. Repair glue cannot travel by air, so buy a tube locally. Popular extras include an electric pump, beach wheels, a bow bag and an anchor kit.

Shipping Worldwide

We ship the Takacat 300 LX for sale worldwide. In two bags, it costs far less to freight than a rigid dinghy, and it can even be delivered to a marina office. Send us your country and nearest city for a quote, and we can add a matching outboard.

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

Buy the Takacat 300 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, see our about page, or contact us via the contact page.

More Takacat Boats

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

FAQ: Takacat 300 LX for sale

Is the Takacat 300 LX for sale new?

Yes, new with the Takacat warranty.

Is a motor included?

No. The $2,199 price is for the boat only. Ask about packages.

How many people can it carry?

Up to 4 people, about 809 lb.

What outboard suits it?

A 4 to 6 hp is the usual tender choice. The range is 2.5 to 10 hp on a short shaft.

Can one person lift it?

At about 66 lb, one fit person can drag it up a beach, and two can lift it aboard easily.

Will it fit my yacht?

It suits most yachts from about 30 feet. The rolled tubes are about 105 x 40 x 30 cm.

Do you ship the Takacat 300 LX for sale worldwide?

Yes. Send us your location for a quote.

Final Word

The Takacat 300 LX for sale is the tender that does everything well: light to lift, stable to step into, dry to ride and easy to stow. Order today, or message us and we will help you pick the right outboard.

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