Stopping the Dinghy Swaying Around on Davits

[surfingminniwinni]

I have tried several methods, but they are not too successful. How do other stop their dinghy swaying and rocking back and forth etc: when on passage?

[BlackOak]

I use a ratchet strap around the middle of my dink and snug it to the push pit rail. Its not perfect, but it better than anything else I have tried.

[Jacko]

Surfin $90&_^&$^# Great Q I have been fighting this for years will be great to hear other ideas Cheers Jacko

[Sabbatical II]

I have about 5 metres of rope left over on each of the davit's hauling lines once the dink is raised. I just cross brace it through the seats and then tie it down to the stern rail. It pretty well stops the movement but after a night at sea the lines have all worked a bit loose and so it is less than ideal. Actually I am waiting until someone steals my dink and then I am going to get one of those deflatables that I can throw in a locker. I've never liked having a dink on davits except for inshore. I also don't like it that I have to get off my arse to look over it when on watch at night.

[FSMike]

We did the following on a cat, don't know if it will work on monos, especially narrow designs.

First take the dinghy painter and tie it off to the nearest stern cleat, tight enough to pull the dinghy a bit over to that side.
Then use the leftover davit line on the dinghys stern, wrapping it around the tube and pulling the tube up snug to the davit.
If you worry about chafe use a towel for a chafe guard, or use webbing instead of line.
If you pull the dinghy up tight enough, both to the tube and to the cleat, you shouldn't have any chafe.
Did this for years with no problems.
Our davits were close to the dink when it was raised, if yours aren't then you may have to tie off the stern tube in some other manner.

[cfarrar]

Stainless rachet straps, crossed diagonally and secured to the push pit, tightened enough to pull the dinghy into the davits' vertical posts, compressing the inflatable hull an inch or so. This tension provides some shock absorption, and it's totally snug.

[djmarchand]

First don't ever sail any distance offshore with a dinghy on davits. Pull it up on deck and lash it down securely.

For coastal cruising and a jump over to the Bahamas, I used two web straps criss crossed athwartships to stabilize the dinghy on a monohull where the transom was wider (bit a little bit) than the 9' dinghy.

But I can remember coming through Hampton Roads against a wind/tide situation with 4-5' square seas that severely taxed that arrangement.

David

[sck5]

like others, crossed ratchets work best for me. I also have a fender between the dink and the sternrail. It helps prevent chafe on the various fittings on the stern

[Richard5]

Originally Posted by Sabbatical II

I also don't like it that I have to get off my arse to look over it when on watch at night.

On the presumption you are not being facetious, you are supposed to make periodic checks of the boat during your watch. I have found antennas that have come loose, deck cargo ready to become unsecured, line tailing into the drink close to the rudder, shackles that have come undone, etc. Once, I found a VHF antenna dragging in the water by its cable. There was no indication that it had come down. A watch is not just about watching for other vessels.

Rocking and creaking o'er the waves, if given enough time, will cause near anything to come undone. I feel compelled to add that a watch is also for fire watch. Is the BBQ really shut off and cooled? Has a fuel line come undone? Gosh, it just never ends.

[boatpoker]

We have a RIB. We put one pad eye in the bottom forward and one aft them cross tie from there... never had a problem with this arrangement.

[surfingminniwinni]

Thanks everyone for your most helpful replies. I have just tried the cross ratchet straps, with a fender between stern tube of rib and davit uprights, and small piece of exercise mattress at bow end of tube to stop chaffing. Sailing from Newcastle to Port Stephens on Tuesday, I'll report back!

[Matt Johnson]

When you cross strap it, do you connect the other end to a lower part on the davits/ gunnel or to the upper part of the davit arm? Does it pulled down on the dinghy or pull it up? I always used the ratchet straps crossed to pull the dinghy up tight to the top horizontal davit arm, but this caused chafing and burn marks on the hypalon. It seemed pulling up would put less strain on the davits, but then I tried cross strapping down to eyes on the lower mounts of the davits and this caused no wear on the tubes (because it was pulling down), but seems like it would cause a ton of strain on the davits arms... not only are they holding the dinghy, but they are now being pulled down and inward.

Matt

[AnchorageGuy]

We criss-cross lines from an attachment point near the ends of the davits close to the end block and under the dinghy bottom and pull them tight, attaching the lines somewhere on the davits. We carried our dinghy this way offshore in gale conditions and it stayed just fine. Just remember to remove the drain plug.

[surfingminniwinni]

Originally Posted by surfingminniwinni

Thanks everyone for your most helpful replies. I have just tried the cross ratchet straps, with a fender between stern tube of rib and davit uprights, and small piece of exercise mattress at bow end of tube to stop chaffing. Sailing from Newcastle to Port Stephens on Tuesday, I'll report back!

This worked, no movement whatsoever, thanks again for the help on this one!

[mikepmtl]

I use to use the leftover line to tie it up but it rubs through pretty good.

I had some nylon straps made up with a protective base at the latch and secure it tight to the davits and it pretty much stops the swaying.