Avon round-tail black rubber engine bracket-holders

[Greenheart]

I don't know what they're called, and in the temporary absence of a laptop, I can't upload a picture...but the item I need is (a pair of) the black rubber bracket-loops, into which one slides the steel outboard bracket, on the old-school Avon Redstart and Redcrest (and bigger) inflatables.

I don't know why they're missing from my Redstart. The upper loops are in place; but underneath the stern where the bracket should be secured, there is just a pair of discoloured circles where the loops must once have been.

I have the Polymarine repair kit, which contains the two-part adhesive that I hope would bond the loops to the hypalon tube.

I don't know whether Avons ever get old enough to be scrapped, but if any owner is approaching that sad stage, it might cheer him to know that donated parts would go on for many a useful year into the future.

Failing that, I'd happily buy a pair, but they seem not to be available. Any ideas?

 

[Refueler]

I think your idea of getting an old scrapped Avon may be best idea. They are rather old designs.

I have one - but its still in use - its lost its painter attachment on the bow .... so I have similar problem.

 

[Bilgediver]

Might be worth giving these folk a call.


AVON Inflatables

 

[vyv_cox]

Great care is need with a moderately powered outboard. I back-looped mine very easily until I began putting a 5 gallon bottle of water in the bows.

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks for that Vyv.

My Tohastu is a 13kg 3.5hp two-stroke, slightly overpowered for the Redstart I think, but I'd never run it with the throttle wide open.

In the last month I made floorboards for the Redstart - as a possibly interesting variation on the old Redcrest floorboards-dimensions question...

...I'm hoping the smaller boat with a stiff flat floor, will run better than the Redcrest did with its rubber floor, when I tested it. In due course I'll make a floor for that, too.

I remember the Redcrest's after-end bending somewhat as the prop thrusted ahead beneath the stern, but I never felt the bow was in danger of clearing the water.

 

[Refueler]

My Redstart with the metal bracket had a 4.5hp Johnson on .... even with the Avon slatted floor - it could run full throttle OK ... just needed throttle opened touch slower ... with the full non slatted floor ... you could whack open throttle no problem.

 

[Greenheart]

Rowing the Redstart last month was a lot of fun (except for my oars being too bulky to twist easily in the rubber rowlocks). But I noticed an incredible difference between rowing easily and fast whilst alone in the boat, and much less effectively with a second person sitting in the stern.

So I guess the hull-smoothing effect of the floorboards only does so much to improve these basic boats' performance.

 

[neil_s]

Polymarine do a 'Rope Lifeline Block' that looks very similar to the Avon OB bracket mounts - perhaps a call to them.

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks Neil - although the lifeline holders round the upper edge of the tubes are a fair bit smaller than the gauge of the engine-bracket mounting loops. I think. Must check.

 

[srm]

its lost its painter attachment on the bow .... so I have similar problem.

Had a similar problem with a big Avon years ago while towing it at sea loaded with diving gear.
I used a big 'D' ring and 2 inch webbing to make a new one. Two long lengths of webbing glued around the bow tube from inside deck level to below waterline outside so load spread over a large area. Worked well for a few more years until I stopped using that boat.