Avon RedCrest inflatable advice

[MrUnix]

I recently ran across the opportunity to get an older Avon RedCrest inflatable dinghy. I've been looking for a nice inflatable to use with my H23, and Avon seems to be a well respected brand even though they apparently are no longer in production (I believe they were purchased by Zodiac).

For those who are familiar with or have one of these inflatables.. can you tell me your opinion of them? I would like to keep it stowed in the cockpit locker, and I have a little British Seagull outboard that I can use with it as well. There doesn't seem to be a lot of info on these, so some first hand experience would be great. Also, how hard is it to get parts (replacement valves, motor mount, etc..).

Thanks!
Brad

 

[Terry in Naples]

I have owned a couple of these. They were fine but have a lifetime. I sent one in for repair/ restoration to a factory authorized facility in Chicago. It did not turn out well and was a waste of money. Sun and weather do eat into hypalon too and they just wear out. The actual boats had an attachment that you hooked on the boat for the motor. It did not work well either. I used mine on a small midwestern lake as my "tender" to row out to the boat on a mooring. For that it was fine. Not good for long trips or bumpy seas.

 

[captainmurph]

They are great, very dependable boats and Avon has made them longer than anyone else. They are very much in business and would express extreme British displeasure about allegedly being sold to their arch-rival Zodiac from France. Here is their website: http://www.avon-ribs-boats.co.uk/

While they don't row worth a damn and are very slow with a 4hp (maximum), they are very stable and have the advantage of rolling up into a very small and lightweight package that can easily be stowed in a lazarrette. You can roll it out in the cockpit, blow up the 3 inflation chambers with a foot pump in 5 minutes or so and toss it over the side for boarding.

If you want to use an outboard, you'll have to have their motor mount which slides into two horizontal beckets on the top of stern and two more vertical beckets on the stern rubrail area.

Unless left in the sun, inflated, for many years, they tend to last forever. I've had an Avon that I bought new that was in excellent condition after 17 years!

If compact storage is a major deal with you, an Avon dinghy is hard to beat!

Murph
S/V Amalia
1965 Cal 30
Muskegon, MI

 

[zeehag]

i just bought , err, traded for coconuts, one for 100 usd,err coconutzz.... it needs to have the hypalon flooring reinforced around the edges of where wood floor used to go, and it needs a new wood floor. i have 2 transoms fro these..lol.. is well worthy my investment. i have sought on of these for over 5 years, and found this one that holds air, but wets the butt.....lol kiddy pool in tropics in good water for immature mature seniors,.
.and doubles as a poorly rowed dink..

 

[Les]

I have had five or six Avons over the years. In the Pacific Northwest they last and last and last......twenty years of use is not uncommon. I have the RedCrest now for my Hunter 27 and agree with CaptainMurph they don't row well but will get you ashore or to the dock...But they are stable. My wife and I are in our eighties so stable is good. A good inflatable repair shop can easily replace any panel you might have put a hole in. It is a good investment as I've sold several of my earlier Avon's as I went to different sizes or styles. Good luck and have fun with it.

 

[MrUnix]

Thanks for everyones input! I think Murph nailed it though.. I really don't plan on using it for putting around, just wanted something that I can stow easily so it's handy on those rare occasions when needed. Compact storage is what I'm looking for. If I wanted something to use more frequently, I would probably gravitate towards something like a RIB that could hold a more substantial outboard. But those things look like they would be quite difficult to cram into a locker

I'll be taking a look at it tomorrow in person and deciding if I want to fork out the 'coconuts'

Cheers,
Brad

 

[MrUnix]

Thought I would post a closing to this.. it's a done deal. The boat was in excellent shape and the slatted floorboards look like brand new. The elderly gentleman who owned it said he just used it occasionally to paddle around a lake he used to live on, and was kept inflated in the garage when not in use. No motor mount or oars though, and the air pump is one of those handle style double-pumpers that are sold to fill up air mattresses. I've left it pumped up for a few days now to test how it holds air. The front tube and thwart are still rock solid after about 3 days, but the rear tube seems to have a very small leak and is a bit soft to the touch after that time. Time to break out the soapy water and go hunting.

I can live with the pump and lack of oars, but I really would like to get a motor mount.. either the factory one, or perhaps fab one up myself. If anyone has an ideas, it sure would be appreciated.

Thanks again everyone!

Cheers,
Brad

 

[zeehag]

i have a spare transom aka motor mount but i am in mexico with it. minneys or other used marine goods store or a marine swap meet or the dinghy doctor in san diego..they online.

 

[capta]

The redcrest was the first inflatable I ever saw and the first one I used. With the motor mount and first a 3hp, then 4 and finally the 5 hp Seagull, it was the best tender anyone could hope for in 1970. Through out the Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia and through the Pacific, we used it daily without a problem. Alone, with the 5hp Seagull, if conditions were right, I could even get her up on a plane! Finally, in 1975 we moved up to Avon's 10'6" transom boat with floorboards, certainly a huge improvement on the reliable and fun redcrest. Enjoy.