Re: M_Boats: Any experience with Avon Inflatables?
Hi Norm, So you know where I'm coming from let me give you a bit of my history. I had a 29 foot sailboat, and was towing a 9 foot round bottomed dinghy everywhere. My neighbor, across the street, had a 9 foot (?) Avon dinghy that he sold to me for a very reasonable price. My thought was: It can be deflated and stored down below, i.e., no more towing on long passages. However, after doing this a few times I found: Blowing it up, assembling the floor boards and deflating and disassembling it was a nuisance. It took too long a time, so eventually you quit doing it. Then you are back to towing an inflatable, that doesn't tow as well as a hard bottomed dinghy. The next problem is; there is no way you are going to row it anywhere, unless it is on a mill pond in a dead calm. The oars they supply are too short, and you are sitting on an inflated thwart, which is the same height as the side tubes. Therefore your rowing position is not optimum, to say the least. You need an outboard to get anywhere in an inflatable, but, if the outboard is cantankerous - and mine certainly was - you are back to the rowing option, upwind in a chop at 11 PM for half a mile or more............. Also they tend to be wet. So, with all that experience, I went looking for another solution. I found an ad for a low freeboard Dyer 7'-9" dinghy; bought it; and then rebuilt it. It solved the rowing problem - rowed beautifully - and I could put it on the cabin top, if need be during a passage, but, ............... with two adults and two teenagers on board there better be no waves or you are going to get very wet. After several wettings, my final answer was, a Dyer 7'-9" regular freeboard dinghy, with sailing rig and dagger board. I lived very happily with the Dyer for many years, till I sold the big boat. It towed well; it was fun to sail; and it was my early morning rowing exercise once around harbor, exchanging greetings with other early birds. So your Avon question becomes one of: how far do you think you will row it? under sheltered harbor - no wind - conditions? do you plan to deflate and inflate it with each use? (it's a chore!) Almost every user of an inflatable I used to see, went to a larger sized Avon (or equivalent) and then had a large outboard on the stern to rapidly get from A to B. With my M15, I occasionally needed a dinghy so I built a Bolger NYMPH. Does a fine job. Is a great rowing / towing machine; light weight; easily car topable; and low cost! Hope this helps your thinking. Connie M15 #400
Connie: Where can I get a photo and maybe plans for a Bolger Nymph, please? --Gary Hyde N24 'Sailabration' M15 #235 'Vanilla' gmhyde1@mac.com On Apr 03, 2005, at 9:11 AM, chbenneck@juno.com wrote:
Hi Norm,
So you know where I'm coming from let me give you a bit of my history.
I had a 29 foot sailboat, and was towing a 9 foot round bottomed dinghy everywhere.
My neighbor, across the street, had a 9 foot (?) Avon dinghy that he sold to me for a very reasonable price.
My thought was:
It can be deflated and stored down below, i.e., no more towing on long passages.
However, after doing this a few times I found:
Blowing it up, assembling the floor boards and deflating and disassembling it was a nuisance. It took too long a time, so eventually you quit doing it. Then you are back to towing an inflatable, that doesn't tow as well as a hard bottomed dinghy.
The next problem is; there is no way you are going to row it anywhere, unless it is on a mill pond in a dead calm. The oars they supply are too short, and you are sitting on an inflated thwart, which is the same height as the side tubes. Therefore your rowing position is not optimum, to say the least.
You need an outboard to get anywhere in an inflatable, but, if the outboard is cantankerous - and mine certainly was - you are back to the rowing option, upwind in a chop at 11 PM for half a mile or more............. Also they tend to be wet.
So, with all that experience, I went looking for another solution. I found an ad for a low freeboard Dyer 7'-9" dinghy; bought it; and then rebuilt it.
It solved the rowing problem - rowed beautifully - and I could put it on the cabin top, if need be during a passage, but, ............... with two adults and two teenagers on board there better be no waves or you are going to get very wet.
After several wettings, my final answer was, a Dyer 7'-9" regular freeboard dinghy, with sailing rig and dagger board.
I lived very happily with the Dyer for many years, till I sold the big boat. It towed well; it was fun to sail; and it was my early morning rowing exercise once around harbor, exchanging greetings with other early birds.
So your Avon question becomes one of:
how far do you think you will row it? under sheltered harbor - no wind - conditions? do you plan to deflate and inflate it with each use? (it's a chore!)
Almost every user of an inflatable I used to see, went to a larger sized Avon (or equivalent) and then had a large outboard on the stern to rapidly get from A to B.
With my M15, I occasionally needed a dinghy so I built a Bolger NYMPH. Does a fine job. Is a great rowing / towing machine; light weight; easily car topable; and low cost!
Hope this helps your thinking.
Connie M15 #400
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participants (2)
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chbenneck＠juno.com -
gmhyde1＠mac.com