AVON - 44½ FT RASC FAST LAUNCH

According to records she was sold on again in 1983 to Mr Mallard, who also kept the craft in the River Trent area. Although not confirmed, it is thought he renamed the craft AVON, a name which she was under when she was in the dry dock at Newark on the River Trent in 1987. By 1987 she had the centre cockpit covered over and the wheelhouse /midships cabin extended aft. She was fitted filly with guard-rails, anchor winch forward, a small raking (folding) mast, VHF, TV dish and had been painted white. She may have changed owners once again, however by 12th August 1993 she was at Haselford Ferry under the name of FORD ANNA 3 with a Small Ship Register (SSR) number of 62434.

The craft was offered for sale in Boats & Planes for Sale in September 1997 and subsequently sold to the current owner Rod Kyle. He initially had the craft taken to Preston where major refurbishment and strip out of equipment was started and the intention was bring the craft to Southampton on completion. Plans changed and the next destination was to be Dubai, but once again time was not on the owner's side and the repairs / conversion fell behind schedule. When the BMPT offered owners of vintage military craft the opportunity to store and work on craft at the Marchwood site, the owner took up the offer and AVON was transferred to the facility in September 1999. Initially she was placed out side and some work was carried out, but later she was brought inside so that the owner, aided by BMPT staff, could continue the rebuilding of AVON full time. AVON is still owned by Rod Kyle and is at the site for restoration in slow time, as time and funds permit.

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