I would would agree with others - an A400 with rear bench seat & side console seat with no back is not a good sea boat - although fine for pootling around rivers & estuaries.
I had one for 3 years with a 40HP kept on the Dart, and I found that it was was not really suitable or comfortable for going outside in anything other that really flat conditions.
Remember the Range and Start Bay can get very choppy and an A400 hasn't got the hull or weight balance to punch through an sort of sea.
If you're staying in the river fine, I wouldn't recommend it as a sea-going hull though
LT
Thank you; if you know the Zodiac Pro Classic 420, do you agree with previous post that it'd be better suited to trips to Brixham, Salcombe? We are family with 7 yr old kid and primarily are River Dart pootlers but be nice to know we can get out too.
I don't know the Zodiac Pro420 well enough to judge.
My expereince of the A400 with a young family - great inthe river - awful outside in any sort of sea / wind - and the Range is rarely flat! Any change in conditions - even afternoon sea-breeze kicking up a chop and things became uncomfortable & wet and slammy very quickly.
We ventured as far as Beesands, but I'd never have taken her around the Start.
The seating layout we had rear bench & backless side console seat was not suitable for any choppy conditions.
We did though often go and play in Torbay, launching at Brixham - so that could be an option if you want to get out of the river but avoid choppy seas.
I think you need to define what you want to use the boat for then spec / find something that meets your needs. DO though consider the seating & layout and ensures you'll all be comfortable / feel safe in any conditions you may find yourselves out in.
Do arrange some test runs in the sort of ribs you'reconsidering, before you finally decide (even if you're going to buy 2nd hand).
If you want any more detail on out experience - or have a run in our 5.3 to see the difference drop me a pm.
8k would have got you the most basic boat and engine , but with 'everything' mine was more like 12k...so today i would expect a well used basic boat with a 4stroke to be 5k going up to maybe 8k for a mint all singing one on a good trailer.
I don't know the Zodiac Pro420 well enough to judge.
My expereince of the A400 with a young family - great inthe river - awful outside in any sort of sea / wind - and the Range is rarely flat! Any change in conditions - even afternoon sea-breeze kicking up a chop and things became uncomfortable & wet and slammy very quickly.
We ventured as far as Beesands, but I'd never have taken her around the Start.
The seating layout we had rear bench & backless side console seat was not suitable for any choppy conditions.
We did though often go and play in Torbay, launching at Brixham - so that could be an option if you want to get out of the river but avoid choppy seas.
I think you need to define what you want to use the boat for then spec / find something that meets your needs. DO though consider the seating & layout and ensures you'll all be comfortable / feel safe in any conditions you may find yourselves out in.
Do arrange some test runs in the sort of ribs you'reconsidering, before you finally decide (even if you're going to buy 2nd hand).
If you want any more detail on out experience - or have a run in our 5.3 to see the difference drop me a pm.
LT
All v useful, and thanks for the offer of a run! We live in London, got a sail boat at Noss Marina, and this rib would realistically be a tender replacement for on the Dart and to use on any camping trips including rivers or seaside, maybe Brittany. So it sounds like the A400 is an ideal intro to ribbing for a couple of years, but a Zodiac would allow wider use.
By the way, do you think arranging a survey by proper surveyor pre-purchase of 2nd hand, is overkill for a RIB?
Seems very high, that set up would have been in the region of £8,000 new - Going rate seems to be about £5k for a clean one.
£8K Ive never seen a new one with 50, trailer, boat, Outhill set up for £8k - I think if somebody is selling one new for £8k - you should grab one and quick...
Mine has a de luxe Outhill side by side, 50 Mec EFi, Snipe trailer and was sold new from Bluewater Marine for £14k. Then engine alone is worth around £5k, trailer £1k. At that price you are saying the Outhill seats and boat only cost £2k Have you seen the price of Outhill stuff. I think the seating arrangement he has seen retails for around £1000 on its own without fitting/rigging, this all results in Avon selling a brand new A400 for £1k - doubt it - but I could be wrong
£8K Ive never seen a new one with 50, trailer, boat, Outhill set up for £8k - I think if somebody is selling one new for £8k - you should grab one and quick...
Mine has a de luxe Outhill side by side, 50 Mec EFi, Snipe trailer and was sold new from Bluewater Marine for £14k. Then engine alone is worth around £5k, trailer £1k. At that price you are saying the Outhill seats and boat only cost £2k Have you seen the price of Outhill stuff. I think the seating arrangement he has seen retails for around £1000 on its own without fitting/rigging, this all results in Avon selling a brand new A400 for £1k - doubt it - but I could be wrong
Cheers - the one I'm looking at is 2006 and same set up as yours - what value would you put on yours, if I may ask? Pls PM me if you prefer.
I agree with Pete, I think one like his (have a look in the photos section as he listed some great shots of his set up for me a while back) in mint condition circa 2006/7 should fetch good money around the £7K mark but with the usual caveat on condition, engine hours (<100hrs) etc.
I aslo agree with Thomas re the £5k mark for a clean one but would expect the age of engine and hull to be pre 2004/5 with engine hours slightly higer etc but still expect Outhill seating in good nick.
The good (and bad) thing about these boats is that they are only used in good weather (mostly) so you should see most set ups with small running hour figures. The bad bit about this is that some engines such as the Mercury like mine which only completed 50 hours since new had power head gasket failure problems due to low usage which cost a small fortune to fix (talk to Turbodiesel who fixed it for me) although that may have been down to Mercury build quality ?
If I was to replace mine (I'm not) I would go down the route of buying the best condition I could find SR4 and stick some Outhill seats in. Get a Yam 50 and good roller trailer then you can get round to Salcombe and further when you get brave.
I had a 2006 boat and had the original invoice, it ws for £8,300, with trailer and console, admittedly it had a 2 stroke 50hp but it was Yamaha. I seen shop selling off new 410s for about 4k bare recently.
I had a 2006 boat and had the original invoice, it ws for £8,300, with trailer and console, admittedly it had a 2 stroke 50hp but it was Yamaha. I seen shop selling off new 410s for about 4k bare recently.
OK cool so a bit of basic math excluding dealer profits or any such like variables
etc etc
A410 = £4k (at your price)
Outhill console and seats = £2k
Trailer = £1k
50HP (4stroke) = £5k
Rig and set up =£350 approx as I'm not current with set up prices but incs cables etc
Total £12K circa which is spot on Pete's money
Still struggle to see any on internet after 10 mins of searching for an £8k brand new A410 like mine/Pete's & the one Tacker has seen for sale. There are some with 30hp around but very basic fit out
I guess as you say yours had a 2 stroke and may have been a very basic fit out
The purpose of this reply isn't to doubt you or enter into an argument over prices rather point out that right now I cant find one fully rigged ready to go for £8k like the one he has seen which ultimately means the chap asking £7.5k might be spot on the money - given he may well have paid £12k for it. I don't want Tacker thinking he is going to find a late 2006/7 model with a 4 stroke mint motor etc for £5k or less - I don't think he will at the moment - perhaps wait till winter and he might.
OK cool so a bit of basic math excluding dealer profits or any such like variables
etc etc
A410 = £4k (at your price)
Outhill console and seats = £2k
Trailer = £1k
50HP (4stroke) = £5k
Rig and set up =£350 approx as I'm not current with set up prices but incs cables etc
Total £12K circa which is spot on Pete's money
Still struggle to see any on internet after 10 mins of searching for an £8k brand new A410 like mine/Pete's & the one Tacker has seen for sale. There are some with 30hp around but very basic fit out
I guess as you say yours had a 2 stroke and may have been a very basic fit out
The purpose of this reply isn't to doubt you or enter into an argument over prices rather point out that right now I cant find one fully rigged ready to go for £8k like the one he has seen which ultimately means the chap asking £7.5k might be spot on the money - given he may well have paid £12k for it. I don't want Tacker thinking he is going to find a late 2006/7 model with a 4 stroke mint motor etc for £5k or less - I don't think he will at the moment - perhaps wait till winter and he might.
HTH
Thanks to both for input, v useful to see points of view and facts.
I had a 2006 boat and had the original invoice, it ws for £8,300, with trailer and console, admittedly it had a 2 stroke 50hp but it was Yamaha. I seen shop selling off new 410s for about 4k bare recently.
Thanks - do you remember which shop was selling 410s at £4k?
I think the 400 made by Avon stopped being made in late 2007 (ish) so still some came out during 2008 . After this they became the 410 which was/is a zodiac boat with the removable tubes. I think they stopped making this in late 2011 - again still some in dealers going 'cheap'.
There are a couple of differant outhill steering consoles that could have been fitted - I went for the biggest with screen and stainless surround which I think makes it much more practical ( more space to 'stuff' on the console)- , most have a low console - with a coloured section at the top with nothing to hang on to and very basic instruments - ie tacho only.
Think I saw a few hull only sales at just over £4k in the last few months - if they are still out these they will be on B&O / apollo websites etc . From memory it was the main Avon dealers that had them.
Mine is on 210 hours and is 5 1/2 years old but I did less in it when I had a second boat. GIven its rigging/fit out and condition I'd want around £7500....( if I was seling which I'm not) and hope to get £8k on a good day from the right person.
If anyone wants to have a go in mine anytime PM me. I'm out wakeboarding from christchurch after work today in mine !!!
If I was to replace mine (I'm not) I would go down the route of buying the best condition I could find SR4 and stick some Outhill seats in. Get a Yam 50 and good roller trailer then you can get round to Salcombe and further when you get brave.
Works for me
__________________ Member of the Ribeye supporters club!!!
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Few comments about the Zodiac Pro. Can't comment about how it compares to the Avon 400. I had the 4.2m (new in 2006) for three years. Fantastic leisure rib, great build quality. Only down side was some spider cracks that developed on the console gel coat (probably from gripping on for dear life) and a tendancy for it to slap in anything above F4 seas. Always felt safe, and never had any doubts about its sea-going capability, but i knew its limitations. I had a Yamaha 40hp 2-stroke (40V) on mine, which is the perfect power-to-weight engine. Yes a Yamaha 50hp (model 50G) would have been nice, but they're uber-rare. I had the bench seat, side-mounted console and front bow cushion. Used in the Moray Firth and on the west coast. Even managed to squeeze a Tohatsu 3.5hp auxiliary onto it.
This was us a few years ago running back from Gardenstown to Rosehearty with a Tornado 5.5m and Mercury 90hp. I'd like to think we held our own! Apologies for the soundtrack!
Ive never seen a new one with 50, trailer, boat, Outhill set up for £8k - I think if somebody is selling one new for £8k - you should grab one and quick...
? 
Sula
