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2004 Avon Avon Seasport 400 De Luxe RIB Photos
2004 Avon Avon Seasport 400 De Luxe RIB Test Details
| Category | Inflatable |
| Length | 13ft 4in / 3.96 m |
| Dealers | Contact Avon Boats Dealers |
| Buyers Guides | Search For Avon Boats Buyers Guides |
| Boats For Sale | Search For Avon Boats For Sale |
2004 Avon Avon Seasport 400 De Luxe RIB Description
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What feels like a yacht, performs like a sea-flea and is classified as a tender? The Avon Seasport 400 De Luxe RIB.
My first impression upon climbing aboard was that this was no small little dinghy.
Space-wise, it's simply cavernous. There's storage under the bow seat for three adult lifejackets plus an anchor; under the forward facing seat for a duffle bag, under the helm for the required safety gear, and if you still need more room there's even storage under the fullbeam stern seat.
Capacity-wise, the 400 Seasport is rated for five adults and a 50-hp engine. While I didn't have five aboard with me for my test, there was certainly ample seating.
With the helm station located to starboard, and the folding forward seat in the down position, this 13'4" beam boat even has a companionway to port - not too many dinghies can boast that kind of room.
Adding to the yacht-like feel, the small touches the Avon designers have included abound. Everything in this hand-built tender has been well thoughtout - from the pop-up cleats to moulded- in navigation lights. The anchor/allround light even disappears at the touch of a button flush with the rear deck. Cup-holders are mounted right where you'd want to place that hot cup of coffee as you try your luck for some smallmouth in the morning mist.
Performance-wise, the 400 delights at both ends of the spectrum. Our test boat was equipped with a 50-hp Mercury FourStroke EFI, a three-blade 14"X13" aluminum prop and electric trim/tilt. Idled right back, the Seasport 400 quietly putted along with little or no wake. But where this boat really shines is at speed.
Test day conditions on Georgian Bay were perfect. As I sat in front of the white sport-style steering wheel, my right hand fell naturally onto the throttle and the thumb-operated trim switch. The helm layout is clean and well-organized with plenty of room to mount the add-on accessories found on our test boat - the Mercury Smart Craft display, a fishfinder, and a GPS.
As I went about completing our test procedures, I recorded a 2.3-second planing time.With only me aboard, the hull stayed up on plane right down to about 2,100 rpm. It was then that the smile started to develop on my face. This was no ordinary dinghy.
I spent some time getting a feel for how this rigid inflatable handled the water: sharp turns, high-speed runs, creating and then cutting into what wake I could produce. Despite sitting almost on rather than in this boat, my ride was a dry one no matter what I tried. My smile widened. This boat will work well as a tender for a large cruising yacht or an all-round cottage runabout. It's got room enough to ferry groceries and performance enough to keep teens interested.
As I ended the high-speed run, achieving a top speed of 40.1 mph at 5,900 rpm, the memories of driving sea-fleas as a kid came flooding back - small boat, gobs of power, a rock-solid, confidence-inspiring performance. My smile now? Huge.
Avon hand-builds all their boats and the fit and finish on our test model was excellent. From straight seams on the 17.5" tubes to clean stitching on the cushions, the attention to detail is evident. But this is a RIB built to be driven - and there's the rub. You may enjoy piloting this tender more than your big boat, and if you ever want to see it or your crew again my advice is,"Don't give them the keys."
2004 Avon Avon Seasport 400 De Luxe RIB Test Specifications
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Test boat engine: Mercury 50 Four-Stroke, 60.8 cc (995 cid), four-cylinder gasoline engine, driving an aluminum propeller
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