Avon Supersport 4M?

SimonStDavids · 20 May 2010, 20:11

Hi, I am pretty new to ribbing so this year we have upgraded from our 3M Flatacraft which leaked air like sieve and would only get on the plane if you jumped up and down a few times on the bow whilst at full throttle! (although the poor old girl was only powered by a 4 horse)

Anyway to cut a long story short i found this forum and decieded i quite fancied a 4m Searider after all the good things i read and i found a boat locally that i thought was a Searider which in actual fact turns out to be a Supersport.

I have been trying to find out about the boat but i don't seem to able to establish much on the internet so i thought i would post this and see what experience can teach me.

From another useful post on this site i think the hull was made in 1990 as the HIN is: AVB81684F990?

The boat is fitted with a center console and remotes but i am guessing this is post factory?

What i was wondering was how this model compares to the Searider and what the main differences are, i can post pictures if it helps?

Anyway i would love to hear about any experiences or tips other people have had with this boat. Thanks.

Downhilldai · 20 May 2010, 23:17

Welcome to Rib.net

Is that RIB the one with a Soozook 55? Supersport S4.65?

I've been out on a few of these and I have to say, I don't rate them - they have a medium vee hull which slap like hell in anything other than flat calm.

Other differences are a moulded GRP deck and a layout & construction much more leisure orientated than the rescue/commercial ruggedness of the Searider.

These were available in 3 formats: an open boat, a centre console version, or the most popular layout had an aft bench seat & small steering console offset to starboard, with an optional single seat in front of the console - very Med looking. They were only made from around 1990 to 1995, when Avon dropped them and soon afterwards re-invented the 4.7 Searider as an Avon Adventure.

You really can't compare the S4.65 with a 4.7 Searider and for that reason, they can be bought cheap.

If it's not a S4.65, but a S4.00 Supersport, then this has an even flatter hull - basically a SIB with a plastic floor. Again, leagues apart from a 4m Searider and only really suited to pottering around inshore. These didn't have a centre console option, but a steering bar thingy with a mounted Teleflex helm could be fitted to the top of the tubes and an inflatable seat fitted to the deck, which looked like a lilo folded in half! I can't imagine how uncomfortable this set-up would have been.

SimonStDavids · 21 May 2010, 11:36

Thanks for the welcome

The hull I have is the 4m one, I have managed to find the hull plate kicking around under the battery and it says s4.00.

It does have the center console though, but I suppose anyone with a drill could fit one!

I am getting a terrible sinking feeling that I might have bought the wrong boat!

chewy · 21 May 2010, 11:56

Get a bigger engine and use it for the summer. My mate had a 3m RIB that was almost flat bottomed, he had some great fun in it as it shifted and would fly off the tiniest of waves!

PeterM · 21 May 2010, 17:24

Maybe a little harsh from DHD.... but it depends what you want to do with it . Not the 'best' boat out there ( but what is ???) , but good fun, pretty solid I'd imagine.

The 'best' rough water boats are not always the best 'fun' for thrashing around in , abit of towing the inflatable etc .

I've been out on my 4 m Avon Adventure today which has a very flat hull- but a great laugh ,very cheap to run and will still go fast enough to put a big smile on my face . ( as per here -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLQVJGcFkDA

)

What engine is on it ?

SimonStDavids · 21 May 2010, 19:15

Thanks Peter, i don't quite feel quite as bad as i did

At the moment i have a mariner 40HP on the back, i have been trying to work out its age using a couple of links i have found on the net but don't seem to be able to tally my serial number correctly, but its safe to say its pretty old!

I have been out a few times and it seems to shift along pretty nicely although i haven't taken it through any rougher water yet...

I wanted to gauge what people thought about the boat and its handling in waves before i ventured in to slightly more exciting waters!

Your right through it looks very solid, the tubes look in great condition and none of the seams seem to be damaged or pulling away, the hull looks good too with only a couple of little chips here and there and for something that is 20years old is very impressive!