Avon Dinghy - seems to be AFT sagging

imransaifali

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Feb 18, 2020
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5
Hi there,

I just bought a 1998 Avon Dinghy with a 20 HP Tohatsu outboard. I am not sure what model Avon it is.

As soon as I put it in the water, I noticed that the AFT is really sagging. It almost looks so low that it seems the water could start pouring inside the boat.

I have attached pictures of the water line and how it looks from the side. I made sure the air pressure is fine.

Is this normal? Is there some adjustment I need to do the outboard? Any suggestions would be helpful.
This is my first inflatable.

Thank you in advance.
 

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Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
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Sep 20, 2008
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12,345
Some issues to start with :

Is that an Avon Sib or Rib ?
What's the lenght ?
Was inflated with a pressure gauge to at least 3.0 PSI ?

See 2 issues :

A 4 strokes 20 HP motor is quite heavy compared to 2 strokes ones say an 18, at least +10 Kilos more.

That size inflatable would have benefit to install the center console towars middle deck, seems is to close to rear deck area, add a heavy motor and the inflatable will achieve what has been described.

Plan using the inflatable with more souls on board while sitting on rear seat, will need at least an adult sitting up front near bow area to balance better the inflatable once on plane. Does the inflatable planes fast or struggles to do so ? What's the behaviour once on plane and on flat calm water cond ?

Forgot to add : One scenario is while the combo floats, other when on plane at speed..

Happy Boating
 
Last edited:

Julz1

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Feb 18, 2020
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You could try shifting weight to the front, battery, gear etc. Ive done this before and it helped. It also help smooth of the ride and its less likely to flip over.
 

Sea Rider

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Sep 20, 2008
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12,345
You could try shifting weight to the front, battery, gear etc. Ive done this before and it helped. It also help smooth of the ride and its less likely to flip over.

Won't be of much help, the OP needs to move the entire rear seat and console, battery way forward as there's too much weight sitting aft. Will need to buy new steering and motor cables as well for the re instalation as probably the old ones will be to short.

Happy Boating
 

QBhoy

Fleet Admiral
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Mar 10, 2016
Messages
8,286
Too much weight towards the rear. Likely that Avon is rated at a certain hp but 2 stroke hp.
secondly I’d ask why the transom has been altered with a plate. Has this been done to counter the wrong engine shaft length? Never clever, if it has.
 

Sea Rider

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Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
Yep Qboy, you're right there's some sort of a transom mount to rise the motor up, only the OP will tell if being a short or long size motor installed on his inflatable.

Happy Boating
 

QBhoy

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Mar 10, 2016
Messages
8,286
Yep Qboy, you're right there's some sort of a transom mount to rise the motor up, only the OP will tell if being a short or long size motor installed on his inflatable.

Happy Boating

Think so.
These Avon boats are really top quality, I used to have an older model than this and kept an interest in them since. That interest is perhaps telling me that this era of Avon is from a 2 stroke dominated era and likely rated to a 15/20hp max.
From the pictures this is almost certainly a long shaft engine and the transom has had to be interfered with to suit.
The foil has likely been added to further combat the stern heavy attitude and perhaps tendency to want to fall off the plane.
I am a big fan of these boats. If I was lucky enough to own this rig, I’d be tempted to sell the 4 stroke and buy a lovely 15hp Yamaha late model 2 stroke for her. She would really excel there after !
 
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