Avon stability

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Mudhook

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Does anyone have doubts about the stability of Avon dinghies? I have recently swapped my big-tube Wetline for an Avon. Last weekend I sat on one of the side tubes while holding the outboard, prior to dropping it over the stern bracket. The Avon slowly tipped up and turned over, depositing me in the water with the motor. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

And is there a medal for being able to tread water while holding an outboard above the water?
 
Are you comparing a 'doughnut' style dinghy to one with a hard transom and 'boobs' at the back? The former has a lot more people carrying capacity at the expense of stability when empty. The latter is a lot safer with one person in. I guess that's what the 'boobs' are for!

I could get four adults in our old inflatable. 2 seems crowded in the new one and it weighs much the same.

Best to put the outboard on before you launch it!
 
Good info Ruffles; thanks.

But engine-on-first is not really an option when launching over the side of your boat.

I have to say that the dinghy question is, for me, sailing's most intractable "unsquarable circle" if you have a relatively small boat and no room for davits. I bought the Avon so I could fold it up and stow it down below rather than tow the hard-transom one around (or leave it on the mooring).

Darwin award? That's a bit harsh. Isn't that reserved for people who are so so stupid they deserve to become extinct? Surely having been able to fix an outboard on a floating inflatable for the past six years without any kind of drama excludes me from that category?

Regards, Mudhook
 
I bought one second hand in Dartmouth on condition that I could try to ship and unship the out board. I had almost the same experience As you. I was at anchor with the Avon doughnut alongside. As soon as I leant over the stern of the dinghy to attach the outboard (2.5 Mercury) the bow flipped up. Fortunately I was able to swing the out board back inboard. Another quick trip ashore and I got my money back. I bought a Plastimo 2.7 with a transom.
 
Blimey, on my Avon I insist that the person sitting on the tube at the back gets out first- I won't let them be in the boat on their own in case they backflip into the water.
I suppose if you really had to fit the outboard alone and afloat, you would be best to lie prone on the floor of the dinghy to keep as much weight forward as possible.
 
Yes maybe I was being a little harsh.
I would suggest that your previous dinghy has allowed you to forget the cardinal rules of keep your weight low down and central in a small boat.
Also sometimes the painter can snatch, which will help tip a dinghy, a longer painter may help. Its often the case that the yacht swings and the painter tries to whip the dinghy from under you...
I have a safety leash on the outboard, which stays clipped to the yacht guardrails until the transom clamps are well done up.
When things go pear shaped like this, I appreciate the light weight of my 2hp Yamaha, compaerd to my old 4hp Mariner.
I must admit to having had a few 'marginal stability moments' when putting the engine on, on exposed moorings. Best to kneel in the middle of the boat and get wet knees, rather than sit on the edge hoping to keep dry. If its rough, get safely installed in the dinghy then have the motor passed down to you.
Hope you and outboard are both OK!
PS if you think your tender has stability issues, try a Fairey Duckling for that Jeux sans Frontiers experience!
 
It's fairly obvious dynamics, or maybe just mechanics, that you make sure that there is some weight in the bow, before you start leaning over the stern with an outboard in your arms. I'm sorry that it happened to you, but I'm a bit short on sympathy.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Surely having been able to fix an outboard on a floating inflatable for the past six years without any kind of drama excludes me from that category?


[/ QUOTE ]
It always scares me witless. Last year I grabbed the flagstaff instead of the backstay and narrowly avoided a dunking. I've stuck the propeller in my foot on many occasions. The only think I've not done yet is drop the engine through the floor of the dinghy.
From what I remember of our old doughnut, you were quite safe if you sat on the thwart and pushed the engine horizontally back onto the mount.
I preferred it to the new one. It was slow but four up you only need to do one trip. With the new one you miss the first round!
 
I use extreme care, a stern and bow painter and kneel to put it in place! There is also another stability problem; do not have the OB with the prop pointing sideways to the axis of the boat and suddenly give it a lot of throttle when there is only the operator in the inflatable, it produces a very impressive capsize!
 
Well at this rate the Avon will shortly be for sale. I appreciate what people have said but if an Avon is that short on stability it's not for me, or my kids. Having surfed widely for Avon info, I'm slightly surprised that this issue hasn't come to light anywhere.

As for Norman's entirely understandable lack of sympathy, I wasn't leaning over the back but sitting on the side tube with the outboard in my hands but well inboard. Right now I'm glad I haven't yet got rid of my old, heavy, difficult-to-stow, wood-transomed Wetline 265. It's never given me a moment's concern and I must have installed the engine afloat hundreds of times.
 
I had a small Avon Redstart for years, never had any problems, including using an outboard. However last year, after many years of only using "modern" inflatables, I got in an Avon Redstart again, and tipped it over. The are fine if you are careful, but not as stable as hard transpm big tube types. They do however stow much better.
 
I would have thought the Avon to be much the same stability as any other dinghy of the same beam. Provided it is properly inflated of course. Obviously a wider heavier dinghy will have a little more stability, but if you're sat on the tube, its only the weight of the opposite tube stopping it from rolling towards you. Perhaps because the tubes are smaller, you sat further outboard, or you sat the same distance from the opposite tube.
Same as any tippy dinghy/canoe etc, keep your weight down low and central and well connected to the boat and you will be fine.
On the other hand I bought an AX3 because it was the biggest that would go in the locker of an Impala, and never regret it.
 
We have an Achilles Round Tail and never had a stability scare - it seems to be very safe.

But is the general opinion that 'transom' inflatables are even better? They weigh more, presumably, because of the 'wood' ...?
 
Oh you funny people. I use my Redcrest to get out to my Wayferer, which I keep on a mooring. The inflatable is easily the less 'tippy' of the two! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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