Avon 2.8 m rib outboard size 5hp 6 hp 8hp ?

Well I've just swapped my little old avon for a bigger flashy tender. Ok it's much drier and faster, but it's a pain cos cant carry it up and down the beach. This is for years telling folk on here to keep it small..... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
I' ve just bought an avon rib 2.8m and was advised by several dealers to fit 8hp. I haven't used it yet so I have no direct experience

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I use a Tohatsu 9.8 2 stroke on my 2.70 rib. The engine weighs 27kg and it does 20 knots. Best combo of weight and power out there.
 
I've got an Avon 280 RIB with a 10hp motor on the back of my boat. It takes 2 people to drag it up a beach and I've never tried to lift it because its too heavy. Even with a 10hp motor its not that fast but it feels skittish and unstable at speed - I certainly would'nt allow a kid to go flying around in it
What you're asking for is not really viable - a fast RIB light enough to lift. I would guess the max engine size you could fit to the 280 but still be light enough for 2 people to lift is 4hp. If you want a fast RIB thats stable enough in even slightly choppy water, I guess you need a 320 or bigger but then you're into a 15hp motor or more which makes the whole rig far too heavy to lift easily
Avon RIB's are heavy in general because they are double skinned for impact protection. You could consider a single skinned RIB like a Valiant which will take less power to make it plane and therefore be lighter than the Avon to carry
 
Used to have an Avon 2.80 RIB with a Mercury 8hp 2 stroke (the maximum allowed size according to Avon).

I found it went very nicely with two people on board, planed well, responsive, and handled nicely. Absolutely flew with only one up!

Trick was to have it trimmed right in to keep the nose down.
 
repeating some of the above -

best PTW 9.8 twin (tomahatsu 25kg dry)
best to handle 3.5 single (toma/merc/mar 13kg)
obvious compromise 5hp single (toma/merc/mar 19kg)

(the 8 merc is the same physically as the 9.8)

As you clearly want to whizz - the 9.8 beckons. If you only really what to whizz 1 up sometimes but get around well 'loaded' the 5 can be handled pretty easily and will plane a load of around 130 kg.
 
I have a rib that was not performing very well, albeit with a 15hp 4 stroke.. I added a Doelfin and a S/S prop and the difference is incredible.. on the plane much faster even two up and I got an extra 3knts out of it.

Try staying with the lightest motor you can and try the Dolefin and a S/S prop.

Certainly worked for me.
 
Mine has a 10HP Mariner. Goes like the proverbial but now up for sale as inland its a bit of a temptation and I'm avoiding the classic bikers "conviction forces sale" line. Bit over the list limit though (about 5 times!)

20+ knots means its the boaters equivalent to go karting IMO.
 
yes. 8hp

for 2.8m, 8hp will get you planing, wherease 5 or 6 won't, and i have tried several similar sized dinghies with various engines. Once planing, it's yeehah FAST. The 8hp will plane with 1 largish person, max a toddler as well - more peeps and its back to the trudging whirr.

I also had a 2.8m with a Mercury 15hp which was fast even loaded but a bit unwieldy - easily the best outboard have a separate gear (fwd/N/ rev) control and a throttle - it's too weird to have a single twist control for gear and throttle, tho the merc is a light engine - key thing esp if you plan to take the thing on and off is for the engine to be lightweight as poss, and even a 4 or 5 isa bit erk ooer first time.
 
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