Mounting a Dingy

[binkmann10]

I am hoping an owner of a Catalina 42 or similar model can tell me how they mounted their dingy on the stern. Right now, we have a 10' RIM dingy sitting on the fore deck and it just does not work there nor is it practical to always tow it. The stern of a 42 is sloped away with a walk way in between. I also thought of getting a radar arch, attach pulleys and have it hang. Another issue is the backstay which is attached with the stern and could possibly get in the way. What have you tried and have worked? Thanks in advance.

[Dockhead]

This is always a problem on a cruising sailboat, and it is not boat-specific. There is no good solution to it. You can either:

1. Use a roll-up dinghy, deflate it every time and stow it in the laz;
2. Keep your dinghy on your foredeck (or after-deck if you have a center cockpit)
3. Use one of those tilt-up on the transom kind of hoisting arrangements; or
4. Use davits.

It's always a choice of the lesser evil. My boat has got electric davits, which are relatively convenient (when they're not broken down), but ugly as hell, really spoiling the lines of the boat, add windage, are a concern in heavy weather, add about two meters to the LOA of the boat, etc.

Your boat would take davits just fine, I think, and you wouldn't have any problem with the backstay, but -- refer to the disadvantages above . . .

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

It's always a choice of the lesser evil. My boat has got electric davits, which are relatively convenient (when they're not broken down), but ugly as hell, really spoiling the lines of the boat, add windage, are a concern in heavy weather, add about two meters to the LOA of the boat, etc.

A question, Dockhead. ARe the davits themselves a problem in wind and weather, or is it just when the dingy is mounted that it's a problem? ie, would putting the dingy on the foredeck in heavy weather stop that problem?

[nigel1]

I've fitted davits to Bene 473.The dink is about 8' in length. The davits will also be supporting the future solar panels.
Coped OK with typical force 7 to 8 conditions going across the Irish Sea. Its pretty well bowsed in with ratchet straps so the dink does not move in the davits.
For a longer passage, the dink would best be deflated and stuffed in a locker

http://cdn.cruisersforum.com/forums/...6&d=1337862182

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

A question, Dockhead. ARe the davits themselves a problem in wind and weather, or is it just when the dingy is mounted that it's a problem? ie, would putting the dingy on the foredeck in heavy weather stop that problem?

Yes, of course, putting the dink on the foredeck, or much better, delating it and putting it away somewhere would totally solve the weather problem. Empty davits won't affect your ability to deal with heavy weather.

Also, like Nigel, I would say that I have had my dinghy (with 25 horsepower motor mounted!) in my davits in all kinds of weather up to F10 without any problems. I would not be entirely comfortable crossing an ocean like that, however.

Davits have one other benefit -- although they add windage -- bad -- they add windage in a place which tends to compensate a sailboat's natural tendency to weathercock - good. A little like a riding sail. My boat is well maneuverable in close quarters in strong wind and the bows do not blow off strongly, which can be an extremely welcome benefit. Part of that is having that big lump of windage hanging off the stern.

[Cheechako]

Is a dink on davits really that much more windage thn an ovrturnd one on deck? Its in the lee of the dodger etc as opposed to out in airflow around the sails.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Is a dink on davits really that much more windage thn an ovrturnd one on deck? Its in the lee of the dodger etc as opposed to out in airflow around the sails.

I think so. I am not an expert, but overturned on deck you are in well disturbed air flow and not making any difference. Hung off the back you are in pure clean air -- 100% effective windage.

That being said, I put up with it. We all need dinghies and we all need to launch and stow them efficiently. It's all a tradeoff.

[Cheechako]

I didnt really sail either of my davit boats much without, so dont know for sure, but would someone ask the question considering a dodger? Or how about one of the modern cats with the huge windscoop visor on the cabin front. I dont think the windage is a consideration for any of this personally.

[Vasco]

First you have to determine what you intend to do, where are you sailing, coastal cruising, weekending, crossing oceans?

Other than for long voyages across oceans I would say davits or better still an arch. If you intend voyaging it might be better to get a roll-up and stow it below although many use davits and take the motor off the dink. For anything else I would get a RIB and an arch.

[Cheechako]

Yeah. In the ultimate storm i would have no problem with cutting the dink adrift if left on davits, however, you always have the option to put it on deck for an offshore passage. I would guess most conservative planners would have no problem from fl to trini leaving it on the davits.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Yeah guess most conservative planners would have no problem from fl to trini leaving it on the davits.

Yes have met may that leave the dink with motor on, on davits or an arch in the Caribbean. The secret is ratchet straps. At least four of them.

[jeremiason]

We have a Catalina 47 and went through the same issues your are thinking...

The clear problem that most Catalina onwers have is the walk through transom. Off the shelf davits, like Kato, tend to hang the dinghy right in front of the ladder. This effectively stops you from using the bording ladder without lowering the dinghy, which could be a real safety issue with an MOB or just a pain to go swimming.

We had custom davits built, which in the raised position place the raft high enough to still use the swim ladder. With cargo cross ties the raft is very secure and we have had no problems underway.

We do not carry the outboard on the raft when traveling. It is on a rail engine mount on the port side of the ladder. The is a ring on the cross bars of the davits, which allows me to move one of hte falls from the davit to the ring for lifting the outboard.

Here is the only pic I had quick access to, but you should get the idea.

[s/v Jedi]

cheers,
Nick.

[stillbuilding]

In days of yore larger (and some not so large) had the dingy in davits on the side of the yacht. Does anyone have this arrangement? I think I can do OK on my 66' but I can see difficulties in smaller yacht with lower freeboard that modern yachts have.

[Travis McGee]

I'm in the final days of a 4-month refit, overhaul and upgrade of my 48' center cockpit steel cutter. I designed the transom to launch an inflatable off the stern sort of like a modern Coast Guard cutter, but I am only now, 20 years later, getting close to "the dream." The problem was, I could not afford an under-deck hydraulic autopilot until now, so my "ultimate transom" was taken up with a Sailomat windvane and associated blocks and lines. The Sailomat worked great, but it "owned" the entire swim platform! Now I have a new Simrad under the swim deck, and I'm installing rollers at the bottom of the swim platform and at the aft deck edge. My goal is to roll a 12' RIB on and off of the deck. Stowed, 4' of the dinghy will hang over the swim platform. If it REALLY works well, my ultimate goal is to keep my 15HP 2 stroke Evinrude on the transom full time: no horsing it down onto the dink from the mothership! We'll see how that goes, but at the very least, the dink should slide right into the water to launch, even under way. A picture of my transom will sort of give you the idea. Once I'm back in the water and have the dink on the boat, I'll post another picture.