I want one!

I bought the Baltik 8.5 with wood floor and inflatable keel off ebay and am very happy with it. Best inflatable I ever bought...
 
I am looking a 2 310 Avons which I've been told are able to support only a 15HP 4stroke. We're not looking to do "actual" tubing, more on the lines of "old lady tubing" - I do want the 6yr old to live to see all his teeth come in, and even if I didn't, used RIB/outboard is all that spare change remaining from the 420 can grab. Is a 310/15HP setup going to be enjoyable - the dealer says (drum roll....) YES! but what a surprise. Also, any material impact between the 310 and 340. We're a family of 4 (2+2) with no dogs. I have not seen much in the used RIB department even in Annapolis, and I think it is illegal to have a hydraulic platform and not actually put something on it.:grin:

Also, my gut says a white dinghy (while attractive) will be a cleaning nightmare. Any thoughts?
 
If you are comfortable with hanging out with the guys and having the smallest dinghy, that's cool...

White is not a problem as far as cleaning. At least it never has been for me. I think white looks much better than the gray ones.
 
vanburen said:
Also, any material impact between the 310 and 340. We're a family of 4 (2+2) with no dogs. I have not seen much in the used RIB department even in Annapolis, and I think it is illegal to have a hydraulic platform and not actually put something on it.:grin:

Also, my gut says a white dinghy (while attractive) will be a cleaning nightmare. Any thoughts?
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We were just out last weekend for the first time in our new (to us) Avon 340DL. My friend had his Avon 310.

Our 340 has the console and seats and all that junk that takes up a lot of room. While his 310 was bare.

For us - 3 people is about max...we can jam 4 on there but its tight. He had 3 good sized people and a medium sized dog and that used up the 310 boat pretty well. He had a 25 HP Merc. on it and they zoomed around pretty good - even with that load.

The nice thing about the 310 size is that it will fit your platform pretty easily where the 340 will be right at its limits length-wise.

My Avon is white and with some regular cleaning it stays pretty nice...I agree that its more attractive than the gray ones.
 
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Thanks for all the advice. I can live with the shame of a .3m difference. We'll make it up elsewhere.

I am probably aiming at the white 310. They say 15HP max - what are practical applications above that? Anyone have a 310 RIB with a bigger outboard?
 
vanburen said:
They say 15HP max - what are practical applications above that? Anyone have a 310 RIB with a bigger outboard?
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Well like I said above my friend had a 25 hp Merc on his. But now that I think about it - it was a pretty ragged out old 2 stroke with about 15% of the propeller missing (no kidding). He got around pretty good.

But that motor really did appear to be too big for that boat. That's pretty hefty to be carrying around - mounting and unmounting. And now - with the even heftier 4 stroke iterations 25 HP would be real big.

I'd think a fresh 15 with a nice prop would do you fine.
 
SeaRM-
Thanks - that's great info an filled in a missing piece.

Looks like it's official, we are now a two boat family. Any advice on mounting this on the platform - I think I have custom attachment points (for the previous dinghy) - no idea if they will be positioned properly. Can I just tie off to the chock, up and over the boat and then to the other chock, fore and aft on the dinghy?
 
vanburen said:
SeaRM-Can I just tie off to the chock, up and over the boat and then to the other chock, fore and aft on the dinghy?
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Since my SeaLift platform is newly added this year I can't speak here from experience. But the SeaLift guy was adamant that you can't tie these things off enough - especially in rough conditions. There is also a horror story posted somewhere on here of a dinghy that fell off a cradle in rough seas...ugh.

I would be careful about tying off exclusively up and over the tubes because they tend to deflate a bit over time and eventually a tight strap won't be.

My plan is to strap from the transom to the chock on the aft...the bow hook to the chock on the other end. Then two straps up and over...seems like that should do it.
 
SeaRM said:
Since my SeaLift platform is newly added this year I can't speak here from experience. But the SeaLift guy was adamant that you can't tie these things off enough - especially in rough conditions. There is also a horror story posted somewhere on here of a dinghy that fell off a cradle in rough seas...ugh.

I would be careful about tying off exclusively up and over the tubes because they tend to deflate a bit over time and eventually a tight strap won't be.

My plan is to strap from the transom to the chock on the aft...the bow hook to the chock on the other end. Then two straps up and over...seems like that should do it.
Click to expand...

If you're going to be in heavy seas, the 4 straps are a good idea. Else, the transom and bow eye straps are fine.
 
Ryan, If you are intrested, i have a friend in the Middle River area who has the same projet as Gary, for sale.
 
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