Re: avon info request
I think your Avon is a hypalon boat, so here is a link to glue and repair instructions for hypalon. The same site has instuctions for PVC too.
http://www.allinflatables.com/support/hypalon.html I have a PVC zodiac and it needed a lot of work. I pulled apart all of the seams that would come undone without damaging the underlying fabric and reglued them all (including the transom). The worst part of the whole thing was removing all the glue the previous owner had tried to layer on. New glue will not stick to old glue. You must get the material clean. I used small Dremel abrasive buffing wheels to clean the old glue off. Prep is everything! Humidity is death to two part hypalon and PVC glues. I bought a cheap $12 hygrometer to monitor humidity and temp. Don't even think about trying to repair the boat near the water. I never store partial cans of glue, even unmixed. I used smaller cans and while I didn't always mix the whole batch, I always used them up promptly. Never buy aged glue stock. I always use two part glue and it shouldn't have been on the shelf for over a year. Do the job right and both hypalon and pvc boats can be reliably repaired.
As far as what you might need to take with you on the water... that all depends on where you are going! Four miles offshore Mexico in the middle of nowhere? You better be prepared! I carry the minimum required safety equipment for my boat and a waterproof radio, waterproof gps, two hundred feet of anchor line, six feet of chain, a plow anchor, two rafting paddles, special flares for use in inflatables (supposedly won't melt your boat accidentally), some basic tools and a clamseal (a nonglue patch device in case my buddy gaffs the boat). My 14 foot boat is a lot lighter zipping around the bay! have fun, but be safe.
