My Ribnet inspired 4.6m Avon

Fishery Pokery · 26 May 2010, 21:02

Hi Guys,
Thought I would post some pictures of my new boat now it is pretty much done (Borrowed the title from Ruvas).
It is a 4.6m Avon Sport. When I bought it it was on a trailer with a 25hp Suzuki tiller controlled outboard.

Fishery Pokery · 26 May 2010, 21:06

Most of the early work was on the trailer. It made a grumbling on towing it home, and as I don’t know much about this kind of thing, and didn’t know the history or rating of it I decided to rebuild around the frame.
It got new 550 kg suspension, hubs, bearings and bearing savers, and 10” wheels. It also got mud guards, as upto now it had none.
On the front end I took the old snubber of and replaced with a winch post and winch, a spare wheel carrier and a pneumatic jockey wheel.
I had to lift the bunks up to get the mudguards the necessary clearance, and I finished it of with a new light board as the old one didn’t have reflectors and the cable was joined partway along its length.

Fishery Pokery · 26 May 2010, 21:08

Next job was to patch up in places. On checking for leaks the only ones I could find were on the valves, so I decided to replace the inards on all five.
The keel had a leak at the seam on the keel. On stripping it I found it had been wrapped round with some kind of big rubber innertube. I stripped this off and patched it with hypalon.
There were several wear areas on the bottom of my boat, and some patches peeling off, so I stripped them off and replace. I noticed all the wear seemed to be where the floor panels joined together.
Interestingly (at least to me!), the hardest patches by far to remove were inner tube repair patches. Might be of interest to anyone needing a repair on holidays, etc.
I sikaflexed the edges of the patches on the bottom of the boat, to stop the water peeling the patches off.

Fishery Pokery · 26 May 2010, 21:10

By now I had hoped to be nearly finished , but on taking the floor out of my boat for the first time to patch it, I found damage to the floor.

Fishery Pokery · 26 May 2010, 21:12

So after much advise on here, I decided to replace it with a one piece floor made from 18mm marine ply (pic shows me with the biggest spelk I have ever had

.)
I coated it in several coats of epoxy resin, followed by several coats of “Brightside” paint.
I did away with the aluminium side channels by doubling the thickness of the ply at the edges and cutting it to a 45 degree angle.
I cut a round hole (a little bigger than needed with hindsight) at the rear so I could either drop a 12 volt bilge pump in, or the tube from my Whale Gusher.
I also drilled holes along the sides so I could add rope loops later, to help lifting the floor and to give me some anchor points when underway.

Fishery Pokery · 26 May 2010, 21:15

In the mean time I had decided to convert my Mariner engine to remote steering. I sourced all the bits to convert it (thanks again to loads of help off here) and just needed something to mount it all on.
None of the fibre glass ones I looked at seemed to suit what I wanted and I hate working with wood, and worring about waterproofing it all the time, so wondered about the alternatives.
I work as a gas catering engineer, and the company I work for use someone to make all their stainless steel stuff, so I asked someone to build someting I drew up. Hopefully this will resist rust quite well.
It has a main “box” that all the controls and my compass go on. This stays on the boat, and also has a cut out so my leisure battery could sit in the shelter.
It has a removable section thats sits on four M8 threaded studs which are welded to the top of the box. The removable section is then fastened down with stainless wing nuts. Inside the removable section goes all my electronics (fixed VHF, GPS charter plotter, 3D fishfinder and a 2D fishfinder), and I can take this bit back to my house when the boat isn’t being used.
It is connected to the battery by a disconectable lawn mower type conection.

Fishery Pokery · 26 May 2010, 21:19

On the transom I filled all the previously drilled holes with epoxy and dowel. I removed the old engine pad which had been cut along with the transom to accomadate a short shaft engine.
I sanded and painted the transom. I also cut away the home made elephants trunks on the drains as they were homemade and never stayed open to drain the boat.
I mounted a new external plastic engine mount pad, and internally an alloy pad (courtesy of PeterM, many thanks). I also put an auxiallary engine bracket on, with a stainless sheet on the inside for extra reinforcement. I made replacement transom/floor braces out of stainless steel and I added my Whale Gusher pump.

chewy · 26 May 2010, 21:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff_Jubb

pic shows me with the biggest spelk I have ever had

.)
I coated it in several coats of epoxy resin, followed by several coats of “Brightside” paint.

Couldn't you just pull the spell out?

Fishery Pokery · 26 May 2010, 21:22

Next I put the boat floor in , complete with rope loops. I also mounted some 25mm stainless box section to the floor, so I could fasten the console to that later.
I got some interlocking rubber mat from B and Q to protect the floor and make it a little slip proof.
There was a moment where I thought I had made the floor too big...
Once the floor was in I mounted the console to it and connected up the engine

Fishery Pokery · 26 May 2010, 21:35

Can't attach more photo's at the minute, will post the rest tomorrow.
Cheers,
Geoff

phillnjack · 29 May 2010, 13:35

Well somebody has been very busy boy ha ha

You have done a lot of work on your boat and its looking very good.

Your boat will be making plenty of us take a long look and see what we too can do to beef up our boats.

Love the stainless stuff. that helm would cost a fortune in a boat shop !!!

PeterM · 29 May 2010, 20:18

Great stuff Geoff . One small tip - stick a cable tie through the engine mounting clamp screws when they are tight on the transom - it will stop them slowly coming undone and allowing the motor to 'jump off' when you least expect it !

Cant wait to see the 'in action' shots .

Pete

thornbackflound · 31 May 2010, 09:17

Very nice job you done there mate,was the sib orange originally? as i spotted the self bailers ,looks great mate ,now you got to get out there and catch some fish,thats if the weather ever lets us,lol

chewy · 31 May 2010, 09:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by thornbackflound

was the sib orange originally? as i spotted the self bailers.

The bailers are in the location of the original Avon drain holes, looks like he's added them afterwards.
The SIB looks the original Avon grey.

thornbackflound · 31 May 2010, 10:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by chewy

The bailers are in the location of the original Avon drain holes, looks like he's added them afterwards.
The SIB looks the original Avon grey.

Arh thanks mate

Fishery Pokery · 31 May 2010, 20:53

Hi guys,
The sib is grey, this is the original colour. The elephant trunks were (I have cut them off) homemade by a previous owner, but they were not hypalon and were a bit stiff. This meant they never opened and just didn't work.
Thanks for the positive feedback.
It feels like I have been working on it for ages, both to pay for the bits and then the work itself. But I have been out on it and feel very pleased with myself, but there is still some fine tuning to be done.
I only managed 17 knots tops with the 25hp Mariner. The boat is a lot heavier than it was originally, but I still thought it may be a little faster with just me in.
I have however changed the trim as it was set on the hole closest to the transom. I have now moved it to the third out, and will see what it is like next time I am out on the water.
I refilled the petrol tank yesterday in the small hope I might get out today (not to be due to the weather). It cost £15, which was the tester trip and a full day out motoring from wreck to wreck. Whilst this is a lot more than my last boat, it is still bloody cheap compared to a lot of other fishing boats.
I have found since my changes the boat is a lot heavier, and I have to float the boat of and on the trailer.
A lot of people would probably wonder why I have bothered doing all of this to a sib, as opppose to just buying a rib. I have actually wondered myself, but the boat is still cheap to run, I can repair any part of it with basic hypalon glueing, I can launch it single handedly and then pull it up onto the slipway without damaging gelcoat, it is very light to tow and launch behind my 1.6L Focus, petrol cosumption is low and I only need a relatively small outboard.
I really want to post some pictures of the maiden test, and my first fishing foray, but since my last post with pictures I can't post pics anymore.
I'll keep trying.
Geoff

Fishery Pokery · 06 June 2010, 12:09

Finaly worked out to get some pictures added (think the problem is the pictures that I posted before were taken off my mobile, and were lower resolution than my camera).
These pics are my maiden test voyage and the keepers from my first fishing trip.
Thanks for ALL the help I have had off here, without it I may not have a boat to fish off.
Cheers,
Geoff

thornbackflound · 06 June 2010, 13:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff_Jubb

Finaly worked out to get some pictures added (think the problem is the pictures that I posted before were taken off my mobile, and were lower resolution than my camera).
These pics are my maiden test voyage and the keepers from my first fishing trip.
Thanks for ALL the help I have had off here, without it I may not have a boat to fish off.
Cheers,
Geoff

Fantastic Geoff ,you got out mate,she looking the biz there ,and fish for supper,excellent

Mollers · 06 June 2010, 13:38

Digging the console and the name plate. Stylish.

Fishery Pokery · 06 June 2010, 17:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

Digging the console and the name plate. Stylish.

LOL! Suspect you ar ebeing sarcastic?
I know they are a bit workmanlike, but that is fine by me. It is a boat for fishing, so whilst the other stuff like cruising about is great, I don't mind it being a bit utilitarian.
It might not be much compared to some of the boats on here, but it is mine, and I am proud of it.