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Old 22 June 2010, 23:13   #1
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Additional hull supports to roller trailer

Have recently discovered via gel coat stress cracks and info from guys on this forum that my Avon 560 adventure has a paper thin hull!
The guy doing the gelcoat repairs reckons i need to rethink the way the rollers are set up on the trailer.
The trailer is a roller coaster 3.5 and having sent some sketches to Indespension they say it looks set up correctly, and that the problem is more to do with the boat than the trailer.
Currently the rear rollers are as far back on the transom as you would want them. However, they are very close together which means not much lateral support so the boat seems to bounce from side to side a bit when being trailered, putting pressure on the hull where the rollers sit.
On the face of it a bunk trailer is the answer but apart from not wanting to fork out £2000, i launch mainly single handed in shallow water, so i`m thinking of ways to add lateral support whilst transporting.
I`m wondering, does anyone have any experience of additional, adjustable/retractable? supports that i could bring up to the hull after retrieval, just for transporting and storing?
I drag the boat down to Cornwall (800 mile round trip) each year so i need to come up with something so i don`t end up with stress cracks reappearing.
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Old 23 June 2010, 02:51   #2
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If you look at the design of the SBS bunk trailers the bunks appear to be held on with U bolts onto the cross beams and you might be able to fit these?

See picture here http://www.sbstrailers.co.uk/product...ductDisplay=18
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Old 23 June 2010, 08:19   #3
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Thanks for that Stephen. I think i`ll give SBS a call, hopefully the u bolt attachements will be compatible with the Indespension box section. Fingers crossed!
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Old 23 June 2010, 11:03   #4
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how are you attaching the boat to the trailer?

I use the towing rings on the back of mine with a rachet strap directly onto the trailer. If you can rachet it tight enough then it should stop it bouncing side to side.

If it is the trailer thats to blame it wont solve the issue but will help and reduce the wear and extra stress caused by the bouncing.

Hope this helps

Ed
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Old 23 June 2010, 18:16   #5
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Hi Ed
Looks like i`m securing the boat in the same way as you.
Two ratchet straps from the two transom ski/tow eyes direct to the trailer and one from the bow eye down to the trailer.
Spoke to SBS and seems BogMonster idea isn`t going to work.
Truth is, the hull is paper thin. You can actually flex the grp if you get under it and push up.
I only carried out this exercise after i discovered the stress cracks, and i`ve since developed the habit of scrambling under other peoples boats and doing the same!
Why is mine the only one that flexes!?! Poor design me thinks. Value engineering, a typical example of how all designs deteriate when profit/big business takes over. Left 2 emails and 2 phone messages with Avon technical. No response. I only asked for advice as boat is out of warranty.

Gonna move the rear rollers out so the boat sits "in" the rollers rather than "on" them. If you know what i mean?

Next boat will be an Osprey (proper boat!)
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Old 23 June 2010, 20:20   #6
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Have a look at Gullwing
http://www.gullwingtrailers.co.uk/index.html
They sell complete trailers but were also doing a conversion kit for their roller ramp system, lots of rollers along the entire hull length. Speak to Bob, very helpful.
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Old 23 June 2010, 21:28   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cjj216 View Post
Why is mine the only one that flexes!?! Poor design me thinks. Value engineering, a typical example of how all designs deteriate when profit/big business takes over.
Didn't Zodiac buy Avon and immediately bin all the old designs and replace them with badge-engineered Zodiac hulls?

I was quite keen on an Avon at one point, as I always thought they were well built, but now reading this am quite glad I went for the Osprey!

How old is the boat - I'm thinking the Adventure is quite a new range?

If they are being utterly disinterested and it is only a few years old with what appears to be some pretty fundamental flaws, I'd say you have a case for taking legal action for it not being fit for purpose - it is after all a boat that is designed to be carried on a trailer, and presumably that involves not breaking in half as part of being fit for purpose.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that you can do this up to about six years from new under European law? I would have thought a GRP hull that flexes when you push it is wrong, and is going to have a terminal structural failure at some point in the future just with normal use. A "Dear Sir, unless" letter from a solicitor may focus some more attention on your problem.
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Old 23 June 2010, 22:09   #8
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Two reasons why Avon won`t be interested
a) Boat is 2001 and at that time they didn`t come with a 10 year warranty

b) It`s got a merc 125 on it. Max recommended hp is 115. Some may say that that could be the problem but weight wise the merc 125 is well inside Avon`s recommendations.
I`ve seen them with big 4 strokes on and whilst they`ve been inside the recommended hp they are much heavier than my 2 stroke.

My first "proper" boat was an Osprey and i once skated over some rocks with 6 people in and a 140 (max recommended 90hp!) on the back. Whole boat lifted out. Got it on trailer and found 2 small gel coat scratches full length of hull. Learnt to live with them as they hadn`t gone through to the GRP.

You made the right decision to buy Osprey!

Kernow. Thanks for info. Will speak to Gullwing tomorrow
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Old 23 June 2010, 22:51   #9
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OK you're probably right then - the age means you're outside the limit for legal redress.

Can't see how overpowering the engine will make the hull flex - if it bust the transom then that might be fair enough!
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Old 24 June 2010, 00:21   #10
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Hi Mate,
I had this problem with a boat a few years back. Its never going to go away and I had a few repairs made due to rollers. They put quite some stress on small areas, especially at the transom end of the hull. I couldnt afford the £2000 trailer option although the Gullwing looks lovely and I spent a lot of time with extra rollers and narrow bunks. Your hull may not take kindly to simple off the shelf bunks a they tend to be inflexible and straight. Wide bunks for lare ribs are lovely and really spread weight, but on smaller ribs - mine was a 4.7 at the time, the bunks are narrow and dont help much.
I ended up having some made as moulds of the hull from stem to stern which were then cut to width, laminated onto ply and set up on some roller brackets u bolted to the trailer. It sat on the keel rollers for main weight and the hull was beautifully supported. Sometimes it stuck a bit on the carpet I fitted to cushion the hull, but I always launched quite deep so it flotaed off. The job cost about £250 to do and when I sold the boat the guy who bought it was the first to see it. It was real custon stuff. A few guys on this forum have done similar things, especially one who made a lovely snubber the same way. I wish there was a company out there who made these bespoke type bunks for hulls. I reckon they could make a fortune!
Maybe an apprentice boatbuilder would help you if you asked around a bit??
Hope you get it sorted. Cheers
Edward
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Old 24 June 2010, 08:13   #11
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Thanks Edward
The guy who is doing the gel coat repairs to the hull seems very good. I`ll put your ideas to him and see what he says.
You`re right about the custom trailer business. Some sort of combination of rollers and bunks would be a winner. I`ve thought of something like the adjustable/threaded supports they use in boat yards that could be brought up to the hull for transporting and wound down for launching
Thanks for all the comments. Anybody else who`s done something similar to Edward i would be interested to hear your idea
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Old 24 June 2010, 14:40   #12
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I just made up new bunks for my trailer (aluminum hull, so just 2 - 2x6x10ft boards originally); I added an additional section of 2x6 between each mount and the bunk to get a bit more clearance between the tubes and the fenders.

I was thinking about adding some glides on the front of the bunks to make it easier to winch the boat up to the winch stand, but haven't gotten there yet. Only need them at the front, as when launching or recovering, the stern floats, removing any friction from the back of the trailer.

Was also thinking about adding either a couple of additional bunks or roller bunks closer to the keel to help with self-centering, but haven't gotten there either.

jky
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Old 24 June 2010, 18:23   #13
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Jeepers - I have been an Avon fan for years, they were the best.

I was so close to buying an Avon Adventure when I ordered my Solent, there was one in Portsmouth at the time for sale with a engine that was 3 years old and a boat that was 6 months old, when it was explained to me that this was because of warranty claims I stopped to think and the boat was sold, I started to look at a new one and Lee at Solent convinced me to go with his brand. One of the best boating decisions I ever made. Its solid, well built for my purpose and I love it.

Sorry to hear your story.
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Old 24 June 2010, 20:26   #14
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Hi Cjj216,

Why not give John @ Nicholson trailers a call not to far from you ( 01524 823963 ) Carnforth Lancashire he made a good trailer for my RIB.

Regards,
callum
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Old 24 June 2010, 21:23   #15
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That`s one hell of a rig! That`s the Isle of man boat with tubes on! On a trailer!

Thank`s for that lead Callum. I can see why you had to go bespoke!
That`s what i need. A local trailer manufacturer who may be able to give advice and maybe adapt my trailer.
If not, i may have to go DIY as jyasaki suggests.
If a boat like yours Callum can be trailered, a manufacturer with Avons experience has no excuse.
Ribtecer, you had a lucky escape there. I`m sure there are lots of adventure owners out there who have had no issues. Tubes are great, nice meaty transom with lots of support, good quality console etc. But the hull strength lets it down. That said, if you tapped on it and realised just how thin it was, you`d say it`s done well to only have gel coat cracks in it after 9 years. Nice thick gel coat isn`t the best idea on flexi GRP!

Does anybody have a hotline where you can report cruelty to Ford Transits. If so please report Callum!
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Old 24 June 2010, 22:18   #16
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Blimey - how much do those things weigh?

Plenty of anticipation required when towing
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