Who has davits?

[rleslie]

Originally Posted by Chris31415

Does anyone use the boom to lift the tender from the water?

On our Brewer 42 Ketch, we use our mizzen boom to lift the tender. Works great. We attach the mizzen sheet to the dinghy and winch her up. We do not have conventional davits. Wish that I could attach a pic, but can't figure out how to do so.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha Chris,

Looks perfect. So you'll make a two part sling for your dinghy with attachment points on midway bow and stern so it is really easy to flip upside down when you get it inboard your lifelines and over your dinghy chocks. Your dinghy sling will be on a small block and tackle between boom and dinghy sling. If you have a loose footed main you can just make up a strap with those rollers used on gaff mast hoops and put it over the boom, attach your dinghy block and tackle to that rollered sling. In that way you can push or pull the dinghy along underneath your boom to any position for and aft.

So lifting the dinghy out of the water single handed would go like this: 1. Rig your rollered sling on the boom with your dinghy block and tackle attached to it making sure the rollered sling is secured fore and aft to prevent it from moving along the boom before you are ready. 2 Uncleat your main sheet and swing your boom way out over port or starboard directly over the dinghy. 3. Climb down into the dinghy and attach the lower end of the block and tackle to the dinghy sling that is attached to the dinghy bow and stern and take up on that block and tackle as much as you can while sitting there in the dinghy. 3. Climb aboard your big boat and take up on your topping lift with a winch until the boom is high enough for your dinghy to clear the lifelines. 5. Your dinghy may not be high enough now but all you have to do is go over to the side of your boat and reach in to your dinghy and take up on the dinghy's block and tackle to raise it some more. 6. Swing the dinghy inboard the lifelines, flip it, then position it over your dinghy chocks and then ease your topping lift to let the boom down.

With two people it is a bit easier and with removable lifelines and stanchion you don't have to lift your boom so high. When you have two people one person can lower the boom further toward the dinghy while it is out over the side. That makes it easier to lift using the topping lift. You probably noticed that I said flip the dinghy after it is inboard the lifelines. That way none of the valuables you have left in the dinghy bottom will go to Davy Jones. Once you've done it a few times you get an idea of how to make it quicker and easier and what other pieces of gear might help. The ease of flipping the dinghy comes by having the two part sling tangs set just right. You don't want it flipping at the wrong moment so some experimenting might be necessary.

You also don't want to try and raise a very heavy dinghy on a weaker boom unless your topping lift is rigged directly onto your rollered sling. You don't want to bend your boom.

Sometimes drawing it out on a piece of paper helps me get a new concept easier.

Hope this helps and good luck.

JohnL

[Boracay]

rleslie
Pictures are easy.
I use a Microsoft utility called "Resize" which is one of the PowerToys for Windows. Go to Microsoft PowerToys for Windows XP and scroll down to "Resize".
After installation right click on your image and select the size that you want.
I resize to the smallest available. If you don't do this large images take forever to load.
I also rename the image to something obvious like "Dinghy Picture" so I don't accidentally load someting more interesting.
Then hit the "Reply" button on your Forum page, scroll down to the "Attach Files" heading and hit the "Manage Attachments" button. This will give you a pop up window (enabled of course) with a "Choose" button that will enable you to search for the desired image. Then hit the "Upload" button and finish your reply. The image does not show in the preview but will appear in the posting.
I look forward to seeing your images.
SkiprJohn
I assume that by "attachment points on midway bow and stern" you mean four attachment points, two each side, one pair forward and one pair aft?
So, my next question.
Those cruisers who seem to have the most fun with their dinghy are running largish outboards, 10 to 15hp. Particularly with a deepish draft (2m) something fast seems to be a good idea.
Now most of the dinghys that I have looked at in the 2.4-2.8m range (a comfortable size for me) are only rated for 5hp or so.
So, what do people do? Do they use a large heavy dinghy (3.1m+) or do they use a beefed up smaller dinghy, or do they just put the larger motor on the smaller dinghy and hope for the best?
Or is there a better way to have a dinghy?

[SkiprJohn]

Chris,
One attachment point on the forward side (stem) of the bow and one attachment point on the aft outside of the transom. Both of these need to be near but just a little high of the center of gravity fore and aft so all it takes is a little effort to flip/spin the dinghy.
You have some very good questions about the outboards. I prefer a 4hp Johnson or Minnkota electric. I'm not into speed, just dependability.
Others will disagree I'm certain.
JohnL

[SkiprJohn]

There is a thread called "Dinghy Outboard motors" on this forum.
Regards,
JohnL

[irwinsailor]

We have Atkins Hoyle davits on our boat.

[rleslie]

pic of mizzen sheet attached to dinghy and davits

davits are fixed and dinghy does not swing

dinghy is raised and lowered with mizzen sheet run to the winch in the foreground

[Boracay]

Looks like a large outboard on a small boat. How big? Is it fast?