Avon spitfire 4 meter

Ausman123 · 17 May 2018, 21:13

Hi all new to this I bought an Avon spitfire 4 meter it looks quite old it has the aluminium floor with side aluminium holding brackets. I have spent all day trying to get the floor to sit right and figure out which way the side bars go to hold it in I managed to figure out after some effort that the floor goes in first then the side brackets I noticed allot of videos showing to make a tee pee effect then push the floor down but with mine you cant as the bars are in one piece. Does anyone know if there is a link or instructions to assemble this boat I have spent all day back breaking work the bars sat in but once I put pressure (air) in they pinged back out so I gave up, a link or instructions would be absolutely awesome Thankyou all nick

pagick · 19 May 2018, 05:30

Ausman, I bought your boat in 1983 with a 30 hp.
I typed out the complete build process but when I post it keeps dumping what I typed and tells me to login again.
Ill try again tomorrow.
My boats version with a all "plywood floor" took 20-30 min max to fully build.

pagick · 20 May 2018, 04:31

Ok Ausman here is what I can tell you on how I at least built my 83 Spitfire (w/plywood floor)
I would first 1/2 fill all the main tubes. This helps them to not get under the floor as you install it.
The plywood floor I had was 1/2" ply in the bow and 3/4" for the main floor. w/ thin carpet covering them. These floor panels would slide together with aluminum extrusions that were just snug enough to keep them together as one piece. This would include 3 sections of plywood and 2 "H" shaped connectors and two edge rails. The fact these parts would stay together was a benifit when installing. My aluminum floor in my Futura won't stay together and that may be the case for your aluminum floor. So the next steps may need to be modified to work.
So now you have your boat 1/2 inflated. Insert the thinner triangle of plywood into the bow.
My spitfire had a small piece of ply permantly attached in the nose of the boat and you insert the 1/2 floor into it. Then I would lift one end at a time the main floor into position with the aft part getting fitted between the tubes and against the transom. The ply floor had a wood bar attached to the bottom of the transom that the floor went under.
Now the other end of the main floor should still be on top of the 1/2 filled tubes. You then raise the aft edge of the 1/2" front ply to connect to the main floor section. Creating a high point that you stand on. With a little pull/tug of the side tubes it should pop down into the final position with out to much grief. Fill all the tubes and your done. My boat took 20-30 minutes max to build by my 25 year old self.
Now my Futura with the aluminum floor takes me almost twice that time and is far more frustrating to do. In fact when I built the boat 3 weeks ago I tried pre building the main floor and using a web strap to hold it together, I tried my Spitfire process. The sections still moved around so perhaps with two straps making an X would make it will work better. Before inflating the straps get pulled out.
Good luck, Send me a pic. It will bring back memories. I have no pictures of my old Spitfire.

Ausman123 · 20 May 2018, 15:53

Thanks so much for your reply I couldn't fund your reply in my inbox on this thing I had to go to new posts and found it there. ( strange) your welcome to email me on nickcorish@hotmail.co.uk . You said you had the wood floor just wondering if it is the same to put together you also say 20 minutes to put up try 4 hours lol with sweat and still no joy could not get the side stringer to clip in I watched numerous videos where boats have stringers in separate sections so was considering cutting it down to make it easier hoping my message doesn't get dumped but many many thanks for your reply Nick

Ausman123 · 20 May 2018, 16:01

I got your reply sounds slightly confusing lol ( I don't mean that in a funny way) I have no problems fitting the aluminium panels in the boat I made the v shape stepped on it but it's the side rails that I am having problems with the ends slightly clip in but the middle drops below the rail ( I am thinking do you have to inflate the keel to keep the floor straight before you can slide the rails over? I even greased the rails. And yes you are more then welcome to a picture I don't know how to do it on here but let me know your email and I will happily post one when I finally get it together lol Nick

dave3235 · 20 May 2018, 19:17

Hi

You could try , once the stringers are more or less in lifting the boat on its side and banging with your hands to lock the stringers in this works on my Honewave .if need be let some air out first

pagick · 20 May 2018, 23:21

I found an illustration of what my spitfire plywood floor parts were. I am guessing its different with your aluminum floor since my description was confusing to you. Note how in the drawing of the the stringer it receives the plywood floor, from the side and deep. You have to put the stringers on the floor before inserting the main floor in the boat as one piece.
I took a pic of what the stringer looks like on my new Futura. It might be what you have. If thats the case you need to get your floor flat and roll in the stringer in place and when inflated it gets squeezed in place. So if thats the case I'd pick up a couple wood posts 4x4's to put under your boat.

pagick · 20 May 2018, 23:37

I bet this video is the build process your aluminum floor spitfire needs. https://youtu.be/EpMUdthXotk

Fenlander · 20 May 2018, 23:56

Yep good video.

Just a couple of comments...

Note just how little air you need in the tubes... the more you put in above that the tighter the stringers will be to fit.

A great tip is before you start to put the floor sections in is lay the oars under the boat about 6" in from each side lengthways so it holds the boats floor sections a little off the ground as you put them in. This can make the difference between 30mins cursing... or the stringers taking a couple of minutes each.

pagick · 21 May 2018, 02:35

I remember hearing about that trick. Good call.

Chazzer · 21 May 2019, 18:49

Hi i also just recently got a avon spitfire but it didnt come with side stiffeners for the floor the last owner lost them in a move just wondering if anyone knows where i could buy some ? Many thanks

jeffstevens763@g · 21 May 2019, 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Yep good video.

Just a couple of comments...

Note just how little air you need in the tubes... the more you put in above that the tighter the stringers will be to fit.

A great tip is before you start to put the floor sections in is lay the oars under the boat about 6" in from each side lengthways so it holds the boats floor sections a little off the ground as you put them in. This can make the difference between 30mins cursing... or the stringers taking a couple of minutes each.

Not adding to this particular boat but as fenlader has said when I build my Mercury up if I don't put a solid piece of wood to keep the boards level it's a pig to roll the stringers in

GGillis@Gillisco · 15 March 2022, 16:24

Hi. Any chance you still have your 4.0 and could send me a picture and dimensions of the first floor board that I lost for mine? It is the wood piece that connects to the front of the boat. Thanks!