Avon S400 Inflatable Sportboat.

Manufacturer – Avon Inflatables Limited Serial Number - AVB21876M79BT

Craft Name – Aeolus

Specification: Length 3.89m; beam 1.67m; weight 65 kgs; capacity 6 persons or 567 kgs; useful H.P. range 10 – 30, engine maximum 45 HP. Manufactured to British Standard Specification MA16 Three separate buoyancy compartments. Manufactured from Avon Rubber’s unique nylon reinforced fabric coated on both sides with DuPont’s Hypalon synthetic rubber. Estimated maximum speed with current Mercury 20 outboard and one person, 20 knots (22 m.p.h.) Approximate cruising fuel consumption with Mercury 20, 18 miles or 2 hours per 10 litres of fuel. Standard Equipment:- Varnished Marine Plywood Floorboards Heavy Duty Rubbing Strake Fenders Inflatable V-Keel Fitted Weather Bowdodger Water Ski Hooks Transom support battens Fitted Bow pocket Drain Plug fitted in transom Inflatable Seat Retaining Points Anti-splash Vanes Foot Bellows Lifting and towing handles Lifelines Painter Pressure gauge Deck fitting board Owner’s Manual Valise for boat hull Valise for floorboards Paddle retaining straps Varnished paddles Extra Equipment:- Remote Steering Windscreen Launch wheels Overall Cover Two Double Pillow Inflatable Seats Additional equipment:- Mercury 20 outboard motor – Serial number – 9214474 Mercury Owners Handbook Mercury fuel tank (5 gallon / 22.7 litres) and fuel line Spare outboard propeller Anchor and anchor chain Purpose built braked Trailer (155R12 76S Tyres + spare.) Freyrie (Italy) 15 HP Water Skis, complete with Ski Rope Numerous essential small items

History

31.03.1979 S400 purchased new. (Outboard Marine (Nottingham) Co., Sawley Bridge Marina.) Boat Trailer built by owner. 26.05.1979 Mercury 20 H.P. Outboard Motor, Serial number – 9214474, Remote controls & Fuel tank purchased

new. (Outboard Marine (Nottingham) Co., Sawley Bridge Marina). 20.05.1982 Repairs (just out of warranty). Bow tube leak near floor. Also internal Baffle leak between port tube

and bow tube. (Hollywood Marine Limited, Birmingham) 05.07.1983 Taken to the Liferaft Department, Cosalt International Limited, Grimsby, to rectify the poor

workmanship carried out by Hollywood Marine on the internal baffle. 29.11.1984 Repair of third party’s propeller damage to hull, and general check over. (Cosalt International

Limited, Grimsby.) 15.08.1986 Replaced one of the double inflatable pillow seats. (Avon Inflatables Limited) 12.12.1986 Outboard checked over and service, Thorne Boat Services, Thorne. 16.05.1991 ‘V’ doubler and anti-chafe stripping replaced. (Cosalt International Limited, Grimsby.) 24.12.1991 Perspex windscreen replaced with 3mm Lexan polycarbonate sheet (virtually unbreakable) 14.06.1994 Insurance valuation – Sheffield Marine Limited 12.11.1995 Slight fire damage whilst in storage (fabric slightly blistered on bottom of bow tube). Repaired by

Cosalt International Limited, Grimsby. 30.06.1997 Insurance valuation – Sheffield Marine Limited 23.06.2001 Insurance valuation – Sheffield Marine Limited 10.01.2002 Spare propeller replaced, Mercury Black Max 48-8692 A4, 9 ¼” dia, 9” pitch, RH rotation, aluminium.

(Outboard & Hydroplane Services Ltd., Ormskirk.) 14.01.2002 Propeller repaired (Steel Developments, London) 01.11.2002 General check over. (Cosalt International Limited, Grimsby.) 01.10.2013 Complete refurbishment of boat, outboard and trailer.

Comments Windermere Registration Scheme Vessel Number 7570 (Lake District Special Planning Board, Lake District National Park) Avon Inflatables - “As a testimonial to its strength and durability, this craft was chosen by the Army for the Zaire River Expedition. It covered all of the 2700 miles of the most inhospitable river in Africa, travelling a greater distance than any other craft”. When my family first used our Freyrie 15HP water skis in 1982, both my two children (aged 12 and 15), my wife and I were all pulled out of the water by the S400, although it struggled a bit with myself. Most years between 1981 and 2002, the S400 was used in the UK during Spring Bank holiday week, and taken to the Spanish Mediterranean coast for our summer holidays. It was also used on day trips to the UK coast, lakes, or Inland Waterway’s rivers. When holidaying, all our camping equipment fitted into the S400. We also used to take a windsurfing board and rig on the top. The boat has always been washed down after use in salt water, followed by the outboard being run in fresh water, with fogging oil injected into the engine via the carburettor intake, When not in use, the boat is kept inflated on its trailer in a dry garage. It is only deflated when being taken to be serviced or repaired. Only used once since 2002.

Avon S400 supplementary notes (Additional to the Avon Inflatable Craft Owner’s Manual.)

Boat inflation:- The boat has three buoyancy tubes, sub-divided by two internal Baffles or diaphragms. When inflating, do so in rotation. Bearing in mind that the bow tube has a larger volume than the two stern compartments, I usually operate the supplied bellows twenty times for each of the stern tubes, followed by twenty-eight times for the bow tube. I then repeat this until the inflation pressure is achieved. Windscreen:- Prior to lacing the windscreen to the bowdodger, partially deflate the bow tube. After lacing up, re-inflate. Only when at the correct pressure, attach the ends of the windscreen to the adjoining lifeline flange by means of the white plastic not and bolt.

Mercury 20 supplementary notes. (Additional to the Mercury Outboard’s ‘Operation and Maintenance Manual’.)

Starting when engine is cold:- Push the smaller lever on the remote control fully forward. Pull the starter chord, repeating up to half a dozen times. If the motor fails to start, spray Easy Start, via the fine tube, directly into the carburettor inlet, for about three seconds. Once the motor is running, slowly pull back the remote starter control lever. If the outboard has not been used for some time:- Push the smaller lever on the remote control fully forward. Pull the choke knob fully out. Pull the starter cord once. Push the choke knob back in. Pull the starter chord again, repeating up to half a dozen times. If the motor fails to start, spray Easy Start, via the fine tube, directly into the carburettor inlet, for about three seconds. Once the motor is running, slowly pull back the remote starter control lever. Starting when the engine is hot:- Do not use the choke. Pull the starter chord, repeating up to half a dozen times. If the motor fails to start, spray Easy Start, via the fine tube, directly into the carburettor inlet, for about three seconds. Once the motor is running, slowly pull back the remote starter control lever. Tilt pin adjustment:- Place the pin in the third hole from the front for normal use. Place the pin in the fourth hole from the front when water skiing. The propeller is likely to cavitate if the tilt pin is placed in the fifth or sixth holes.

Planing:- For the boat to run efficiently it has to achieve the planing position. This is when the hull is flat on the water with a cushion of air flowing under it. Normal running will start in the bow up position. Steadily increase the power, and after a short while the boat will suddenly start to level out and plane. The power can then be reduced to maintain speed. Depending upon the number of passengers being carried, it may be necessary for some to move to the front of the boat, even leaning over the bow dodger to help it start planing. Fuel tank:- The remote fuel tank has a fuel gauge, but use the ensign staff as a dipstick to ensure you are carrying enough fuel. Fuel:- Any grade of petrol can be used. Use a 50:1 petrol / oil ratio mixture. Water Pump Operation:- To ensure normal operation, a tell-tale stream of water emanates from a small plastic tube at the rear bottom cowl when the engine is running. If no water comes out, it usually indicate a slight blockage in the tube. Pushing a short length of single core electric flex down the tube and removing will usually clear it. Storage:- If the boat is not to be used for some time, after running the outboard in clean tap water, inject ‘fogging oil’ into the engine as follows.

1. Run the engine until warm. 2. Whilst the engine is running, disconnect the fuel line from the motor. 3. After 55 seconds spray ‘fogging oil’ into the carburettor until the engine stalls (about 5 seconds). 4. Remove the sparking plugs and spray ‘fogging oil’ for 5 seconds into each cylinder. 5. Rotate engine several times using the starter chord. 6. Clean the plugs, apply ‘fogging oil’ and replace.

Protection:- Regularly spray all motor parts under the engine cowling with a water repellent lubricant / protection, e.g. WD40. (See also “Spare parts” sheets and “Equipment to be on board” sheets.)