Stabilizer struts

[stuffinbox]

Greetings,
I lucked into a 9 foot Whaler and it has gunnel mounted brackets that I assume are recievers for stabilizer struts to keep the dink from pitching and rolling while underway. I made a set for an inflateable and they worked great. The hardware looks "off the shelf" but I have not located anything that looks like them after searching the web. The boat was built in 86 so the struts are probibly almost as old. I don't have a picture to post but the general description is that they swivel in 2 axis and latch with pins. there is a welded loop and a solid 5/8" round pin thats bent down at 30 degrees. I don't think it's a custom fabrication but for the life of me can't picture what would recieve the pins. Sound familiar?

[GordMay]

Expect they may be oar-locks.
See the Whaler Manual: continuousWave: Whaler: Reference: Owner's Manual
”... Rowing the 9-foot tender can be done from either the forward or middle oar lock position depending on load balance ...”

[stuffinbox]

The photo you posted, I should do the same, is not the same bracket. I quizzed one of my friends with a cruising background and he suggested that the brackets may be designed to carry the dink on the swim platform of a motoryacht. The hardware is thru bolted and appears to be able to carry the weight and stress of a large tender, the whaler weighs 165 lbs. and I'm more concerned about the stress on the davits than the brackets. It looks like the I.D. of 7/8" stainless tubing will fit the pins nicely so if I can figure out how to use bimini or pulpit fittings correctly I may be able to utilize the brackets to stabilize the dink underway. Offshore in moderate weather the stress on the gear over a period of even a few days can cause a failure. The real challenge will be the anchor points on the stern of my boat and the angle from the those to the brackets on the dink. Thanks for the reply and if you have any input let me know.