Dinghy Davits? How to use?

[ssullivan]

Hi All,

This is an embarassing quesiton, but I have only had a 30ft boat (tow your dinghy) and worked on a 100ft yacht (use the crane to lift the 22' dinghy).

Everyone else I know had 30' boats, and towed their dinghies.

This leads me to my question: I don't understsand how to rig my Avon inflatable (with aluminum floor) up so it rides high enough with my davits.

There are some feeble areas to clip to on the Avon that came standard. These are metal loops attached to a rubber patch that appears to be glued to the Hypalon. I'm thinking this would rip off pretty quickly.

There are also a couple of small holes to the port and to the starboard side of the transom.

I have previously rigged a line between the two holes in the transom and tied to the same metal ring the dinghy's painter is tied to. This worked in a pinch, getting us 1200 nautical miles, but the dinghy was just too low to the water.

What is the best way to rig this up so the dinghy rides as high as possible off the water? It would seem I need to attache to something on the floor of the dinghy, but the floor is removable, and does not lend itself to holding weight.

Baffled!

[Jentine]

I formerly had an Achilles with a wood floor. I attached an eye to the floor in the forward most panel. Once the tubes are properly inflated the floor can't come out.. The stern can be lifted using two U-bolts or eyes attached to the lowest part of the transom.
You should have the lifting points as low in the dinghy as you can and you should fix the davits so they are about four feet apart. The angle created between the davits and the lifting points will prevent swing from side to side and straps around the girth of the boat and securely fastened will prevent the boat from swinging fore and aft (directions relative to the main vessel).

[ssullivan]

Great deatailed instructions. Thanks, Jentine. I thought for sure the floor would not hold the weight of the dinghy.

Sorry about the heater debate, but I'm curious...

[Talbot]

I hang my zodiac 2.6 fast Roller from the factory installed forward rings glued to the tubes, and a couple of rings I have screwed to the aft wooden transom. Dinghy hangs from davits throughout the year and hasnt fallen off yet! (nearly 3 years)

Biggest problem is getting sufficient bows up attitude to allow the dinghy to drain through transom valve due to deep V hull shape.

[CaptainK]

Hey Sean.

Could you post any photos of the before look?

And if you have a davit. Please take a photo of it and post it?

Then all of us could give you even better advise on something like this?