Avon Rover R - 250 Floor

[xeitosaphil]

I wonder if there is anyone in the forum who could help me please?

I have just acquired a Avon R-250 , only problem is it does not a have a slatted floor.

I was wondering if there was anyone in the forum with an R-250 that might be able to measure the size of the slats for me, and the space between them, along with the number of slats required.This would be an enormous help to me in an effort to make one.
This dinghy is now out of production and all the accessories are not available any more, otherwise I could possibly buy one.

Am I right in thinking that the first slat and the last slat in the slatted floor actually locates in four webbing strops which are bonded to the inside of the bottom of the dinghy floor, only I see on mine that there are two strops at the back of the dinghy, and two under the seat, and wondered if the slats fitted into these to stop the floor rising up when under way?

I did put the same request in the wanted section, but have had no replies so thought I would try here, hope you don't mind.

Any help would be much appreciated

Philip

 

[[2574]]

Phillip,

Are you sure that it isn't an inflatable floor for your dinghy? Our Avon Rover floor is inflatable. I can tell you that when the inflatable floor dies, as they do from multiple leaks after ten years of service, they are very expensive to replace, something like £550! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!

We have a Rover 280 with a knackered floor. A new floor was going to cost nearly £600 so I bought another dinghy, Rover 260, used 2009 version, for less money than a new floor for the 280. It's bonkers! My plan is to make a new floor for the 280 either from timber slats or maybe closed cell foam fitted with a canvas cover. I ain't paying £600 for a new inflatable floor!

The strops which you refer to in your dinghy, if it is a similar configuration to my 280, are for holding the oars inboard.

Good luck with it!

 

[xeitosaphil]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for taking the time to reply, no my dinghy never had an inflatable floor. It was never an option with the R-250 and the R 280, they both came with slatted floor as standard but, the R280 could have varnished ply floor as an extra. I think it is only in recent years that there is now a inflatable floor available for the R280 only. I have in the past seen a slatted floor on ebay sold as a accessory but contacting the supplier, he tells me they have sold out now and it was old stock. So my plan is to make a set I have the original sizes and a photo of his floor if you need them, but not the actual slat size and spacings.
I just thought there must be loads of people who still have the R-250 dinghy as it has come up in threads of posts in the past and people do say they still have them.

The webs on the base of the floor are not for the oars, they usually fit on the top sides of the tubes back aft, and a bungee with a ball on it fits to the rubber oar holder moulding to take the shaft of the oars. The moulding has a hole for the bungees, and they can still be be purchased as a replacement.

Someone must have a R-250 somewhere, its just finding that someone, and hope they will take the measurements for me?

Philip