Davit connection points on tender

[aquaman_001]

Hey fellow sailors,

I just purchased a Walker Bay 8 and would like to modify it to be lifted using my horizontal davit system on the transom. I tried using the gunwhale lip after reinforcing it with starboard but it doesn't lift high enough out of the water. Any ideas or thoughts?

[ssullivan]

Passing on what I learned on this board:

Mount some D-rings onto the floor of your dinghy (if possible on the Walker Bay) and lift from there. It will raise the boat up as high as it can possibly go.

[aquaman_001]

Is there a way to do that without drilling holes through the floor?

[Vasco]

D rings through the floor. Drilling holes won't hurt it. I did this with my AB rigid inflatable.

[SkiprJohn]

Hi Aqua,
Can you use the bow eye and transom plastic gudgeon slot somehow? I like Sean's suggestion but you definitely would have to poke through the plastic and have backing washers. There are already holes in the boat at the drain plug and daggerboard slot but may not be that strategically placed.
If you could find where the bow eye comes through to the interior and use the end of that for one attachment point and then find where the gudgeon system on the stern is bolted through and extend some of those bolts you might be able to use those two places plus the daggerboard slot and have a three part sling. That's it for my suggestions. Good luck in your project.
Kind Regards,
JohnL

[aquaman_001]

Thanks for the quick responses. Would 5200 adhesive work to seal the bolt holes after drilling.

[SkiprJohn]

5200 will seal the holes and is better than polysulfied for plastic. Silicone might be just as good and much cheaper. Just apply the silicone before you install the nuts and bolts, finger tighten the nuts and bolts and wait 24 hours, then tighten them a bit harder. Silicone forms a good gasket, 5200 is a permanent adhesive sealant.
JohnL

[aquaman_001]

Thank you, Sir for all the great advice. I found the D-rings on Ebay and they're on the way. Take care and happy cruising!

[Steve Pope]

Walker bay have a kit of 4 eyes that replace the nuts on the 4 of the seat bolts, you don't have to drill holes or anything else. I have been using them for a couple of years and found them satisfactory.