Avon SeaRider A Frame Attack

[Tomas]

I took delivery of a 4.7m Searider in Anapolis in the states in 1998. I ordered the SeaRider for trans-shipment to the Virgin Islands with the understanding that HEAVY DUTY was the name of the game. I cleared the boat out of the customs warehouse and trucked it to Virginia where I did some initial assembly, Jockey Console, Outboard, Controls and placed it on a trailer bound for Miami. It wasn't until it arrived down here that I went to install the A Frame. Given the substantial bucks I had shelled out for the unit, I wasn't overly impressed right out of the box. There were only two attachment points, plates that bolted to the Transom.

Well, to make a long story short, two years ago while slamming across the bounding main, the A Frame vertical structure parted company with its mounting plates and migrated forward with great force assaulting me about the head and shoulders. The fact that I remained conscious and did not require stiches in my scalp is a minor miracle.

I contacted the dealer in the States and got a duhhhh response. I have not yet reinstalled the unit due to the fact that when I got the price for re-welding the main stanchions and adding what should have been there to begin with.....secondary support arms, I did need stitches in my scalp.

Anyone with any experience on a REAL A frame structure for a 4.7 Searider? I think somewhere along the line I emailed Avon and got no response.....

My attempt to post a photo failed...I'll try again in reply to this message.

If this unit originated with the OEM, and there is anyone out there with contacts, they should be aware of the failure and the need to "enhance" the structure.

[Tomas]

Now residing in the meadow where it can do no further damage....

No luck with the pic. If anyone wants to see it, I'll try again later.

[Stoo]

Could corrosion have been a factor Thomas?

My original RIB was a 16' Hurricane. It used a simple 3" aluminim pipe as an A-frame that was also bolted to the inside transom. In addition though, there were two "legs" that were bolted to this pipe perhaps 12" from the bottom. These ran down on a 45 degree angle to the deck where they were bolted to plates of aluminum that were perhaps 2" x 4", and these were bolted into the deck itself. These legs were about 3/8" thick, perhaps 1 1/2 " wide and maybe 15" long. They provided very strong support against the constant fore-aft stesses. The A-frame itself had several brackets welded to it that supported running lights and antennas.

I had that boat many years, and it is still around town two or three owners later and still going strong... It must be 15 years old at least, but only ever used in fresh water.

My current set up (a Hurricane 590) has a self-righting assembly, so the frame is extremely strong.

[Tomas]

FThanks for your comments. Corrosion....well one would assume the unit was fabricated for a corrosive atmosphere.

What you described is what I was lacking from whoeverf supplied my A Frame....a second "branch" attachment, perhaps at a 45 degree angle back to the deck.

Let me again try to send a photo of the failed system....

[Nos4r2]

tomas set up an account at photobucket.com and it'll give you a link you just paste in to post a pic.

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by Tomas

What you described is what I was lacking from whoeverf supplied my A Frame....a second "branch" attachment, perhaps at a 45 degree angle back to the deck.

I should have clarified that the "legs" were not bolted through the A-frame itself as this would have weakened it. The frame had two small flanges welded to it and these legs were bolted to the flanges...

It was simple but effective.

[Tomas]

Here's the photo of the failed A Frame. I thought it was a 640 x 480 but when I look at properties it exceeds to 200 kb limit and won't post.

Link:

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o...3/IMG_0241.jpg

[Stoo]

I presume you could get some legs welded to that without too much difficulty... It does look fairly light though doesn't it....

[Tomas]

Yes, it is very light. The tubing, although I didn't measure is I think .032 wall, .060 max or 1/16 inch. Given the fairly heavy plate at the apex and the nav lights, that's a lot of force on such a minimal tube base. Obviously too much force.

Hey, give my lukewarm response from the dealer and no response from AVON, I was hoping they might pick up this tread, have regrets and ship me a brand new commercial A Frame with Self Righting Bags! Yea...and have it shipped via St. Nicholas!

Actually, I'm in the market for a replacement. The tubing is so light on the rig I have I just don't trust it even with mods. Anyone over there know who fabs quality frames for RIBs?

I could find a fabricator in the states but as evidenced in the thread

Why Haven't Americans Gone Rib Crazy?

there is likely no one producing them and I don't want a first off design...I already have one lump on my head!

Tomas

[Stoo]

I wish I had a picture readily available of my old boat, because that frame was a very simple affair. I suspect any good muffler shop with a pipe-bender could easly fabricate one if you sourced the pipe. I suppose that there may be limited fabricating options where you are.

I had two antennas , a GPS antenna, running lights and a radar reflector on mine and it supported all very well.

I'll try to locate a photo and scan it so you can see it first hand...