CLICK IMAGE
Avon Pro 16 ft river raft complete with oars and frame. This is an older boat originally with fixed floor (bathtub boat) and since retrofitted as a self bailer with a Riken inflated floor. It is not a pretty boat and still has the patina of difficult to remove Colorado River silt. The thwarts were cut out long ago to provide more cargo room and many D rings added to tie everything down. The boat is not really suitable for short trips but it is excellent for extended river expeditions. I have rowed it on seven Grand Canyon trips ranging from 225 miles to 297 miles and 17 to 21 days, solo and with up to three passengers. It has flipped only once and that due to operator error in a foolhardy high water run to the left on Crystal rapid. It has made multiple runs on all major rivers in the western US including; Main Salmon, Middle Fork Salmon (at Spring runoff rated at beyond extremely hazardous), Hells Canyon of the Snake, Cataract Canyon, Westwater Canyon, Gates of Ladore, Yampa, Rogue, etc. Even though well used the raft is still in excellent serviceable condition. Avon's hypalon tube material never wears out. The tubes have never been patched. It holds air very well, but the valves may be getting a little tired. One picture shows the raft tied up with others to the cliffs at Havasu Creek when it was a bathtub boat. Another on-the-water picture shows the raft on the Alatna River in Alaska during a two week trip originating North of the Artic Circle. The wood frame was built in a motel parking lot in Fairbanks. This was a bare bones no frills trip with little equipment since it all had to be flown in via bush plane. The floor was removed and transported separately and breakdown oars allowed airline checked baggage. All equipment shown in the photos is stowed in the all up picture and with the addition of personal stuff, food, beer, etc, the boat is ready for a Grand Canyon voyage.
The young man that purchased the raft lives in Colorado,
he and a friend drove his truck to Calif. the next day, packed
the raft with all the gear in his truck, and headed back to Colo.
