Assembling old Avon REDSEAL - Need Help!

niche · 15 July 2008, 12:35

Have purchased an old (but pristine) Avon Redseal. No instructions included.

Help needed assembling the floor.

The boat, probably 12 years old, arrived with four plywood sections, two aluminum channel bars and a tin of hardware.

One plywood section fit nicely at the stern and the other three met butt to butt along the bottom. However, that left a gap toward the bow. Is a piece missing? If so, where would one find a template for use in fashioning one?

As to the two aluminum bars...screw holes are drilled in them to line up with threaded plates fixed to the floor boards. I'm assuming that the bars, when tightened in, sit atop the floor sections. Should they remain exposed or is there some "upper deck" that would cover them and protect against bruised toes?

If anyone has a photocopy of the quick assembly routine, please attach and email.

Thanks,
Niche

Nos4r2 · 15 July 2008, 14:26

Welcome to RibNet

From what I remember of the Avon roundtail dinghies, they weren't built with a bow floorboard.
Certainly any Redcrest or Redstarts I've had hasn't had one.

m chappelow · 16 July 2008, 15:53

HI niche, nos4 is right there is no front board ,my first sib was a redseal back in 1970 i have an old old cataloge and will post a cpl of pics for you when i find it . the old boats had wood batterns to stop the engine flexing the boards and boat and yes they were good at stumping cold wet and sand covered toes. aarrrrrgh ba...td once used mine without them and the engine when started bent the tubes double and disappeard under the boat and and the prop was trying to come through the floor on stopping everything returned to normall so if using an engine you will need them .the smaller size models redstart and redcrest dident have them only yours and the larger redshank ,. i made a front board just using a piece of 6mm ply it made a difference even when rowing or paddling ,. mart.

niche · 16 July 2008, 23:47

Thanks, Mart,
Surprised to see on the Avon inventory sheet that the hard floor was optional. When you built your bow floor panel, how did you stabilize it against the adjacent panel? Nowadays, of course, the panels butt against each other through aluminum C-stringers. Maybe purchasing two lengths of aluminum channel and joining them back to back might do the trick.
Niche

daveonawave · 17 July 2008, 12:37

I have an 9ft redcrest without a floor, do these replies mean I can use it as it is. I thought the ply floor would have been essential.

cshewry · 15 July 2009, 18:08

[QUOTE=niche;256525] Have purchased an old (but pristine) Avon Redseal. No instructions included.

I have replaced valves so it stays up now. am painting the outboard bracket, which is very rusty. Will start replacing the patches that are coming off at the weekend. BUT

I have no floor boards. So will need to make some out of ply. This would be alot easier if I know the dimensions.

Any chance you could measure your boards and let me know .

I would be very grateful

Kind regards

Colin

m chappelow · 15 July 2009, 18:26

i would just measure the inside of your boat where the floor goes right across into the corners ,regards using another boats as a template its suprizing how they might differ ,i have used one without a floor in but its hard work on the knees unless you sit on the tubes ,theres a photo in some avon brochures that show one with no floorboards in supporting a 45 gallon oil drum ,and it wont row as good ,the boards on production models never did go right into the bow but it makes a difference if you do make the extra bowboard ,,as a matter of intrest what colour is you boat grey or black .though if you say you have replaced the valves it will be grey ,

m chappelow · 15 July 2009, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by niche

Thanks, Mart,
Surprised to see on the Avon inventory sheet that the hard floor was optional. When you built your bow floor panel, how did you stabilize it against the adjacent panel? of trick.
Niche

just made a 2 piece floor with a wood batern acoss to stop it jumping out of place where the bow starts to rise ,been looking for pics but they are all in a box in the loft somewhere pre ,digital ones ,, mart

thornbackflound · 15 July 2009, 18:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by m chappelow

just made a 2 piece floor with a wood batern acoss to stop it jumping out of place where the bow starts to rise ,been looking for pics but they are all in a box in the loft somewhere pre ,digital ones ,, mart

I used a section of a roll of wallpaper to make my template for cutting my bow section floor board ,worked quite well ,a little adjustment and hey presto,mind you forgot the first one when the boat got packed up,,,,,,,,,,,,,DOH,had to make it all over again,LOL

niche · 02 September 2009, 14:47

Noticed a bloke at the marina had fashioned a one-piece floor for his 10-foot Achilles. He totes the boat around on a trailer; thus it's never deflated. I'd be tempted to fashion a similar floor for my Redseal, using the current 4-part floor as a template. Any reason not to?

m chappelow · 02 September 2009, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by niche

Noticed a bloke at the marina had fashioned a one-piece floor for his 10-foot Achilles. He totes the boat around on a trailer; thus it's never deflated. I'd be tempted to fashion a similar floor for my Redseal, using the current 4-part floor as a template. Any reason not to?

if there is a bit of deadrise on the bow ,where the bow starts to point inwards ,if there is it just means that you will have to hinge with some rubber or fabric or put a battern across otherwise it will have a tendancy or so to pull the bow down ,