Excel Ventura Lightweight Inflatable Dinghy with Air Deck
Excel's SuperLite. Four sizes, three colours.
Product Code: EXLVEN200CG
All Prices Include VAT.
The Excel Ventura combines portability with practical performance for coastal and inland waters. This lightweight inflatable dinghy features a robust flat bottom design that delivers stability and shallow-draft capability, whilst the integral air deck provides enhanced comfort and load-bearing support. Constructed for durability, the Ventura suits tender duties, fishing expeditions, and recreational cruising. Its compact footprint makes launching and retrieval straightforward, whilst maintaining the rigidity needed for confident handling in variable conditions. An ideal choice for those seeking a dependable, easy-to-manage auxiliary vessel.
1 x EXCEL Ventura 290 with separate Inflatable Floor
1 x 85cm Aluminium Sliding Seat (290 has 2 x 85cm Aluminium Sliding Seat)
1 x 154cm Pair of Oars
1 x Double Action Inflation Pump
1 x 3m bow line
1 x Small Boat Carry Bag
1 x Repair Kit, consisting of Spare PVC Material, PVC Glue and a Valve tool
1 x User Manual Card
What you are actually buying
The lightweight one
Ventura is Excel's SuperLite range - thinner 900 dtex Hytex PVC and smaller tubes than the Volante, for roughly 20-40% less weight in the same length. Built for yacht tenders where stowed bulk and lifting matter most.
Integrated air deck
A high-pressure inflatable floor that inflates with the boat. Comfortable underfoot and nothing to assemble on a wet pontoon.
Heat-welded seams
Welded rather than glued, which is the more durable construction for PVC and removes the seam failures that eventually affect glued boats.
Five-year warranty
Back-to-base cover for five years on recreational use - longer than most PVC tenders in this class.
Available finishes
Lighter tubes stay cooler and show less UV chalking over time; darker tubes hide scuffs and marina grime.
Which one is right for you?
Every model in this range side by side, so you can see exactly what the extra money buys.
| Size | 200 | 230 | 260 | 290 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall length | 2.00m | 2.30m | 2.60m | 2.90m |
| Maximum people | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Maximum load | 230kg | - | 400kg | - |
| Maximum engine | 3.5 hp | - | 6 hp | 8 hp |
| Seats | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Floor | Air deck | Air deck | Air deck | Air deck |
| Tube fabric | 900 dtex Hytex PVC | 900 dtex Hytex PVC | 900 dtex Hytex PVC | 900 dtex Hytex PVC |
| Tube / floor pressure | 3.6 / 10 psi | 3.6 / 10 psi | 3.6 / 10 psi | 3.6 / 10 psi |
| Warranty | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years | 5 years |
| Price from | £525 | £560 | £625 | £765 |
Choose your size from the options at the top of the page.
What comes as standard
Included with every boat
- 900 dtex Hytex PVC tubes, heat-welded seams
- Integrated air deck floor
- GRP transom, short shaft
- Aluminium sliding bench seat (2 on the 290)
- Aluminium oars with rowlocks
- Double-action inflation pump
- 3m bow line
- Carry bag
- Repair kit with spare PVC, glue and valve tool
- 5-year back-to-base warranty
Optional extras
- Dinghy wheelsIn stock
- Boat coverOrder in
- Davit / lift systemIn stock
Not sure what you need alongside the boat? Call the shop and we will spec it with you - outboard shaft length, wheels, cover and a spare repair kit are the four people most often forget.
Excel Ventura Lightweight Inflatable Dinghy with Air Deck in detail
Choosing an inflatable dinghy
Three decisions do most of the work: what the tubes are made of, what's under your feet, and how big a boat you can actually handle on your own. Everything else follows.
PVC or Hypalon?
PVC is lighter, cheaper and welded rather than glued — ideal for a tender that's deflated and stowed between trips. Expect 5–10 seasons in UK conditions.
ORCA® Hypalon (CSM) costs more and is hand-glued, but it shrugs off UV and heat. If the boat lives inflated on davits, on deck all season, or spends summers in the Med, Hypalon is the one that survives.
What's under your feet
| Floor | Best for |
|---|---|
| Slatted | Lightest and smallest packed. Rowing and short hops; won't plane. |
| Air deck | Light, rolls up, comfortable underfoot. The all-round compromise. |
| Aluminium / ply | Rigid, planes well, but heavy and slow to assemble. |
| Rigid hull (RIB) | Best ride and handling. No packing away — needs davits or a trailer. |
Size, weight and engine
Work backwards from where the boat has to live. Measure your foredeck, your davits and your car boot before you fall in love with a length.
Then be honest about the lift: anything over about 40kg stops being a two-person carry up a slipway. Match the outboard to the transom rating and the shaft length (short shaft on almost all tenders), and remember the engine's weight comes off your usable payload.
Frequently asked
Ventura is the lightweight tender: 900 dtex fabric, smaller tubes, flat hull with an integrated air deck. Volante is the fuller-specification boat: 1100 dtex fabric, bigger tubes, wider beam and an inflatable V keel so it cuts through chop and planes. Same length, the Volante is noticeably heavier and carries considerably more. Buy Ventura if lifting and stowing dominate; Volante if you will spend real time in the boat.
Because Excel's own range page and individual product pages give different figures for the same boat - by as much as 5kg. Rather than publish a number we cannot stand behind, we have left the row out. Call us on 01473 694725 and we will confirm the exact weight of the size you want before you order.
3.5hp on the 200, 6hp on the 260 and 8hp on the 290. For tender duty a 2.5-3.5hp short-shaft outboard is usually plenty and stays light enough to lift on and off single-handed.
The Ventura has a flat hull with a pointed bow and no inflatable keel, so it is not a planing boat in the way the Volante is. It moves efficiently under a small outboard, which is what a tender needs to do.
It ships on a pallet courier rather than a standard parcel service. Highlands, islands and non-mainland addresses are quoted individually - call us before ordering, or collect from the shop.
Not sure it is the right boat? Ask us.
We have been fitting out boat owners since 1975. Tell us what you are tendering, where it has to stow and how far you are going, and we will tell you honestly whether this is the one - or whether something else in the range fits better.
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Only 2 leftDelivery & Returns
Inflatable boats are subject to length and weight shipping restrictions and travel on a pallet courier rather than a standard parcel service. UK mainland delivery on this item is calculated at checkout.
Highlands, islands, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight and non-mainland addresses are quoted individually - please call our online team on +44 (0) 1473 694725 before ordering so we can confirm the cost and lead time.
You are also very welcome to collect from the shop. Many customers prefer this so we can unpack the boat with you, check it over and run through the setup before you take it away.
Our policy is simple - you have up to 90 days to return your purchase if it is not suitable or you have changed your mind. Our hassle-free 90-day returns policy applies to most items and is offered in addition to your statutory rights.
Please note: boats must be returned unused, dry, clean and in their original packaging. A boat that has been inflated and launched cannot be returned as unwanted, though this does not affect your rights if the item is faulty.
Return goods purchased in-store
Simply bring your order confirmation or delivery note and the item you wish to return or exchange, unused and in its original packaging, to our till point in the shop. If you paid by debit or credit card, please ensure you also bring the payment card you originally used.
Return goods bought online
1. Start your return through the Returns Process in your Fox's Chandlery online customer account within 90 days of delivery.
2. Once approved, you will receive a Return Authorisation Number (RAN) and shipping instructions.
3. Package the item securely in its original packaging.
4. Use a tracked courier service and always obtain proof of postage.
5. Please allow up to 14 working days after we receive the goods for your return to be processed.
Because boats are large and heavy, please call our online team on +44 (0) 1473 694725 to arrange collection rather than arranging your own courier.
If you need to add or remove items from your order, change the details of your delivery address or cancel the order completely, please contact our Online Team for advice on +44 (0) 1473 694725 between 0900 and 1730 Monday to Friday or email us. Please quote your order number and order date. If your order has already been dispatched or delivered, then you will need to follow our Returns procedure in the event of any unwanted products.