avon 320 jet ribs

[brinky]

Hi, I've been looking on her for a while now thinking about getting a rib. I've had 14 and 15 ft Fletchers, then an 18.5 ft Monterey, I now want to go back to something small enough to launch and recover single handedly. I like the look of the Avon 320 jet rib but am unsure on how they handle on the sea as the sea off Margate is rarely flat. How are they in choppy water? Should I look for something slightly bigger? Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated..
Thanks.

[Gerry]

I drove an Avon 320 jet rib earlier this month. It was the one with handlebars, like a jetski with a rib built around it, 2 stroke engine, not sure what size, bench seat at the back. The sea was fairly smooth and it was great fun - really fast and an absolute blast. I've also driven the similar Williams 3.25 jet rib, which has a proper steering wheel and driving seat at the back.

If you don't mind getting a bit wet, I think they're both quite similar to driving a jet ski. The Williams is almost scarily fast - I never got it to full throttle.

However, if you want to take anybody out with you I think they're too small. In any sort of chop the passengers are going to get wet. I've been in the bow seat of the Williams in a fairly mild swell and got absolutely soaked. Really they're mainly used (and designed) as tenders to much larger boats.

I'd recommend getting something bigger - at least 4metres. I launch a 4.8m Ribcraft easily single handed and other people seem to cope with up to ~5.5m or more single-handed. It'll make a much more viable boat for different conditions and it means you'll probably get more use out of it.

Hope that helps,

Gerry

[PeterM]

One for sale here ( but a bit bigger than 320 - but at the price a bit of a bargian I'd say );

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=31743

I also had a go in a 320 -we were 5 up & got soaked in the 200m from mother ship to beach in sheltered swanage bay. I'd guess the 4m will be better at staying dry - probably the same as the 4m adventure rib hull ?

As a calm water boat great , tender - OK , the 2 st was very noisy ! Having had a 3 seat jetski in the past i'd be getting one of those before a 320 jetrib. More fun & will deal with virtually any weather you can think of - you cant swamp them & they just keep going & going & going .

[Mollers]

A friend of mine had a Sportjet 320 as a tender/ kids plaything. He reckoned it to be pretty rubbish in most depts. He sold it.

[brinky]

Thanks for the advice I will keep a look out for something a bit bigger.