What Do You Do With Your Dinghy?

[TJ D]

I think that we've done it all: RIB, soft dink, foredeck, davits, etc.

For my money, davits aren't really that great for offshore sailing. Windage, weight, and unless they're pretty high, the dink can get slapped pretty hard by seas as well.

A RIB on the foredeck is ok, but can get in the way, and also gets beat up in weather.

I think that our best option on previous boats was a soft inflatable deflated and stowed on deck, if there isn't space in a lazarette or some such place. They're almost as good as a RIB, and pretty compact stowed.

Our new boat has a dinghy garage. Now, that's REALLY the way to go!

TJ

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by scarlet

So, as I'm starting to look at larger Monohulls, I don't see any with davits.. So, how do you stow or transport your dinghy?

Just because you're not seeing boats with davits doesn't mean you maybe can't install davits after purchase. That would, of course, depend on the boat, available davit systems, etc.

-Chris

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

weaver snap davits........that's what they're called

Or Sea Wise, maybe. I can't tell, from the pic, not familiar enough with either brand...

-Chris

[hamburking]

With an Avon Rover 310, I could lift it aboard (by myself), deflate, roll and bag it. Then it would go deep in the quarter berth below on my Pearson30. Yes, it was a pain, and took the better part of an hour. But I did it.

Now the boat and dinghy are sold. I hope my next boat has davits...I'd like a bigger dinghy (RIB) with more horses please.

When I had a C&C25, I kept an Avon Redcrest in the hanging locker...nice setup, but had to leave my blue blazer at home.

[Sandero]

I am secretly hoping that someone steals it so I can get a new one. I am tired of "fixing" it constantly.

[Panacea2183]

We have a 42 ft trawler and tow a 15ft Whaler
Never thought I'd want to tow but not that bad when you get used to it.
Expands your horizons when you cruise in the Bahamas
Always the envy of the anchorage!

That being said I probably would not want it back ther in extreme weather, we just wait for Windows of good weather any way

[jheldatksuedu]

When at anchor it normally hangs from it's side from the davits, hanging from the side keeps it from collecting rain.
It is a 10 foot long fiberglass sail boat that I use as a rowing dinghy. I have cut the bow 1/3 off and added fiberglass bulkheads to allow the bow to reattach and each 1/2 float separately. The bow can store reversed in the stern when the boat is lashed on the deck. I'm sure I will also try keeping it in the davits like that also, the davits are high enough that it will be at least 3 feet from the water surface. That should be OK for most non storm sailing.
Normally hanging from it's side at anchor the bottom rail is about 6 inches from the water surface. The key is flexibility, that's what I try for in all areas of sailboat preparation.
I often use inflatable Kayaks, I have both single and tandem good quality kayaks, and have used them for many years before finding and building this sailing dinghy. I also have a gas weed-eater powered small auto alternator. I will eventually try it with an electric trolling motor on the sailing dinghy to give me a sort of gas outboard, but also have the ability to charge batteries and such. I enjoy a rowboat and find it much easier to use than kayaks, the kayaks are nicer for exploration. It's nice to see where you are headed.

[Sailor Jer]

Originally Posted by Panacea2183

We have a 42 ft trawler and tow a 15ft Whaler
Never thought I'd want to tow but not that bad when you get used to it.
Expands your horizons when you cruise in the Bahamas
Always the envy of the anchorage!

That being said I probably would not want it back ther in extreme weather, we just wait for Windows of good weather any way

Amen!

Still haven't decided whether I'm going stink pot mode or another sailboat, but if I do get a stink pot I'm going this route of towing a skiff totally!
For Florida (especially with new anchorage laws) you'll want that mini rocket boat (15 foot whalers aren't dinks) for getting around/to shore as well as play toy, work boat (crab traps) and nice for recon new area before bringing the mothership into place.

Back to OP-thread topic
I think the best dink I ever had as far as portability/performance/storage was my Avon R2-50 compact roll up. Little 2hp air cooled bulletproof Honda it was the perfect 2nd dink but left a lot to be desired as a primary/only dink as it was small, rated for three but seemed cramp and bumping foreheads with just two people. Worst it took some seamanship skills/experience/sobriety to operate safely in chop/wind/waves. I never flipped it but that was only cuz I'd lay down on the roll up floor/run into or with the wind/waves never across it. Yes there were times you couldn't go anywhere cuz weather...
Never bailed water outta it, I simply pulled it onto dink docks, man handled it twisting it to pour out any water which made others sigh in jealousy..

Also-The little Avon R2-50 dink and motor I could haul on my bicycle (yes on a bicycle) motor rolled up in roll up using carpet piece as a cushion then rolling the roll up like rolling burritos and setting horizontal across the bicycle oversize wald brand front basket as I did when I hauled my lil Honda via bicycle to test drive the dink initially and months later I hauled it around key west and set it up/launch it any and everywhere....it was a great dink setup for a car-free sailor!

Again, worlds best 2nd boat though, be awesome compliment to a 15 whaler as "wifies dink" or second option/backup. avon R2-50 still gets my vote as worlds best compact roll up though...

Lastly-Lotta people in Florida with stink pots seemingly do the whaler/carolina 13.6 (acceptable in most marina dink docks) and tow them around the Bahamas or trailer them around coastal US mainland-Florida keys for long hauls as they have a truck of car big enough to haul a trailered skiff and use their back up/wifie inflatable boat while making passages/longer repositions. Known a few stink pot cruisers who worked out delivery drivers for their skiffs around the Carib too...

[sailon46]

On a 52 beneteau just electric winch it on the boat and store it between mast and cockpit. No davits for me too much heavy metal at the stern makes boat lay low at the stern.
Ernie on the Mary Jane

[Blaine]

Strongly suggest you avoid the Weaver snap davits. They work as advertised, but if you leave the dinghy in the water while attached to the davits, the male portion of the davits which protrude from the dinghy will rattle within the female portion. The more the wave action, the louder the banging around is.

Definitely not conducive to a nights sleep.

[sailm8]

I have weaver davits on my sugar scoop stern. I stopped using them because when the boat heeled the end of the dink drug in the water until finally the attachment points pulled off. It was a nice system but just didn't work out for me.

[reed1v]

We used side davits that rotated so tender could be stowed on deck, hooked up and swung over the side and lowered for use. When not in use, davits were locked into the fore and aft position and gave another handhold when messing around on deck.

[Pete7]

Sideways on the stern for short trips, deflated in front of the mast lashed down if the weather is rough or its a long trip. sideways requires 4 bits of rope and some carabiners. Can be dropped and still remain along side the stern in seconds.

Pete

[Sandero]

Honestly.... I had to rely on a good dry dink and decent motor when I lived aboard in the Caribban... You anchor out and the trip can be long and wet.

Back in LIS out summer mooring is far out for quiet and privacy and we have to come and go regardless of the weather because of work commitments... SO fast and dry is important. Out mooring was 1.5 miles from the place we left the dink. We got a RIB and an 8hp and 4 stroke because I didn't want to be bothered with mixing 2 oil and gas. We tow and mostly in fair weather. But in big seas even coastally it's not a great thing. We have a crane to lift the heavy motor to the rail... so it's not bad for our use... but when the ethanol came along... gas engines got very unreliable... and expensive to maintain. You really can't plane in the harbor either.. So I am thinking of down sizing and moving to propane. Tonhatsu is coming out with a line of propane in the Fall. I'm thinking....

[Rustic Charm]

Mine is a plastic 2.4m. I store it right side up on the foredeck. (Not upside down). It remove the two drain plugs and I made up a plywood cradle for it to sit in.

With the set up to winch it on and off I can launch and retrieve in about 5 minutes.

I also have Davits but with a recent modification to my rudder in adding a trim tab I can no longer use the Davits. Which is good in that I now have a much better view.