How to hoist air floor dinghy

[Tom1340]

I need to hoist my 9'6" Achilles air floor dinghy onto deck fairly often, but I'm not sure best way to tie halyard to dinghy. (1) run lift bridal through bow ring and down to glued-on D rings on port and starboard tubes, or (2) skip the D rings and run the lines all the way back to the holes on the fiberglass transom. Does anybody have any experience with this? Thanks for guidance.
Tom

[Stu Jackson]

If you have holes in th transom, have you considered installing eye bolts? Another trick is to make two large loops for the stern and place them around the tubes to raise the bridle.

[JPA Cate]

One way is to make two long 3" webbing straps, with D-rings in the ends. From inside the dinghy, slide one under the stern of the boat about 1/3 of the way along its legth, temporarily secure with bungie. Then forward, do the same thing. Clip the D-rings together with a carabiner. Spinnaker halyard to carabiner, and haul her up. Modify as indicated by practice.

Ann

[Tom1340]

In my original post, I envisioned lifting dinghy at the bow ring, bringing dinghy to vertical, and hoisting her to deck in that position. The use of the side D rings or transom holes was to distribute much of the load from the bow ring to other, stronger points. The advantage of lifting vertically is that any water will immediately run to the self bailer hole. Also, the lifting bridal would be same as towing bridal, making things simple.
Stu and Ann, if I understand your suggestions, you would lift dinghy in horizontal position. I can see some merit to this, but the rigging process seems more complicated. Is this necessary?
Thanks,
Tom

[Stu Jackson]

Tom, it is not "necessary" but helpful if you have a light engine on the dink. It's bridle, the one you keep mentioning is a recently wed young lady.

[Tom1340]

Stu,
I suppose you're going to tell me that bridal showers have nothing to do with weather conditions when I'm towing dinghy!
My outboard is a vintage 100 lb. Suzuki. It's all I can do to get that baby on board by herself, unattached to dinghy.

[robert sailor]

Try this....install 2 folding pad eyes in the transom and rig a strap from the bow eye to allow you to have a 3 point rig to lift the boat complete with engine attached. This allows you to lift the dink at nite a mid ships and you can throw a cable or chain on the engine for security. When you want to sail then take the engine off and lift the dink by the bow only, swing it over the lifelines and stand it on its tail in the centre of the deck and then let it down and strap it in place with 2" straps and ss come alongs. If you sailing offshore then roll it up rather than strapping it inflated. The folding pad eyes will not chafe or a braid the dink when its stored, fixed d rings can.

[Tom1340]

Okay, maybe I can lift the dinghy and motor together. Lifting them amidship seems a slick solution for nighttime security. My original concern was that hoisting the dinghy for storage on deck, using the bow handle as the point of connect, would pull the handle off the dinghy. Am I underestimating the strength of a handle glued to a hypalon dinghy.
Tom

[Dsanduril]

You're underestimating the strength of the handle. Do this all the time with my Achilles. Sometimes use that eye for towing. Pick it up that way. If all you're talking is the weight of the dinghy itself, and maybe a little water, the handle can handle it.

[Stu Jackson]

Tom, I didn't know from your OP if you had an engine on your dink, and mentioned a "light" one in my reply.

As to your marital status??? I never did get that bridle on my bridal that night.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by Tom1340

In my original post, I envisioned lifting dinghy at the bow ring, bringing dinghy to vertical, and hoisting her to deck in that position. The use of the side D rings or transom holes was to distribute much of the load from the bow ring to other, stronger points. The advantage of lifting vertically is that any water will immediately run to the self bailer hole. Also, the lifting bridal would be same as towing bridal, making things simple.
Stu and Ann, if I understand your suggestions, you would lift dinghy in horizontal position. I can see some merit to this, but the rigging process seems more complicated. Is this necessary?
Thanks,
Tom

Without the engine attached, lifting from the bow is easiest. You've got it right. Lifting it level is best if engine is attached, but then you have the issue of moving that 100lb engine to your rail before you can invert the dinghy to go offshore.

What I do is use a Forespar Motormate lift at the stern rail, then move the dinghy to the side of the boat to lift it by its bow. Much easier to maneuver onto and around the deck that way.

You may choose to do it both ways (lift it level, or by the bow) depending on your situation.

BTW you don't need to spend a lot on a webbing harness and D-rings or adjusting buckles. I use left over remnants of running rig lines that I've replaced. Knots still work in the 21st century

[robert sailor]

Yes you are, the bow ring is quite strong and lifting the basic dink should not pose a problem, When the weight is carried by 3 points as in over night its not hard on it

[Tom1340]

Thanks everybody for the great insights. You answered my question, gave me some new ideas, and made me laugh out loud.
Tom