400: How to keep dinghy from swinging/chafing?

[Whomda]

I have a 400S2, dinghy is a RIB 310 lifted by the standard davit system.

It swings something fierce in certain seas, creating tons of chafe on the dinghy suspension lines. If I pull it all the way up to the top, it still swings, but in addition the RIB itself rubs on the davit bar, creating wear/chafe on the dinghy side.

I've tried attaching lines to the front bottom and rear of the dinghy and tie it off to the handbars on the steps, which helps a little but not a lot.

Q: What do the rest of you do to secure your dinghy on the davits?

Thanks.

[Scottster]

This seems to work for us, 2 years and no rusty dingy.
To stop the swing we spiderweb the dingy for and aft, also we add secondary traps that wrap,around the main davit.


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[Scottster]

I have noticed in videos that show the dingy while under sail many do swing around.
Once locked and loaded my AB 9.5 becomes one with the boat, it never moves.
If on a long passage I take the 20 hp motor off and place it on the push pit, that helps, I also have a cover that keeps water out.
Next time I batten the hatches and set up for a passage I will post some pics.woops that picture is me with a horse.


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[a64pilot]

I run a SS ratchet strap from the eyes in both ends of the hull to the lifeline rails on the boat and ratchet it tight. You need to restrain it.
Open water I mount the outboard to the rails and don't leave it on the dinghy. Taking that weight off alone helps a lot with having it secured.

I see now this is the Cat forum, but I think problem is the same.


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[tuskie]

We do as you do, and in addition have 2 ratchet straps that go under the RIB from the tips of the davits back to just under the lift line jammers.

[Whomda]

Originally Posted by Scottster

I have noticed in videos

Scottster, I'm confused, are the rivets on the bridle and stirrups useful for preventing chafe and swinging, or just for decoration? My davits didn't come with tassels

[reed1v]

We had padded bars that attached to the tender so it was held rigid and not able to swing all over the place. You can have metal bands shaped to the hull's shape so the tender fits into the bands like a cradle. Just like having it lashed down on deck.

[knockabout]

leave the bung out unless catching fresh water

[timbenner]

You want the dingy hung slightly "nose up", so it will drain and level so it will drain evenly. If it's not level you end up with slimy green areas in the dingy. I've been using this "Dingy Hanging" method for over 10 years, works great.

I mounted one eyebolt on the inside top of the transom steps aligned with the eyebolt on the bow of the dingy, while the dingy is hanging from the davits. Then mounted an eye bolt on either side of the dingy transom. One more eyebolt mounted to the inside top of the transom steps, lined up with the middle of the dingy transom.

Then hung the dingy from the davits where I want it. Dingy bow slightly up (to drain) and dingy hanging below the davits so there's NO chafing.

Then make up 3 lines with clips on each end, lengths adjusted to hold the dingy in the perfect position mentioned above. One line adjusted to clip on the dingy bow eyelet then down to clip on the eyebolt mounted to inside top of transom step. One line to clip to the port eyebolt mounted to the dingy transom, with the other end clipped to the eyebolt mounted to the top inside transom step. The second line clipped to the same eyebolt mounted to the inside transom step, then up to the starboard eyebolt on the dingy transom. Both dingy transom lines forming a "V" from the dingy down to the eyebolt mounted to the top inside of the transom steps. These 2 dingy transom lines will lock the dingy into a level position.

Now when you come home, you clip on your hoisting lines from the davits to the dingy lift eyelets, then hoist the dingy up most of the way, but not all of the way. Then clip on your 3 lines defined above, that have been permanently adjusted to the correct lengths (1 bow and 2 dingy transom lines). Then hoist the dingy up the rest of the way until your 3 adjusted lines lock the dingy in place. In the same place every time!!

[Dave22q]

I believe the only way to stop the swing is to have a tight connection between the dinghy and your boat. An easy solution is an eye bolt in your transom and shock-cord to your dinghy. It is a problem reaching down to the dinghy so I run the cord through the eye bolt, hook to the dinghy when I hook the davits and after hoisting the dinghy I pull the cord tight tight and hook to the rail. It still pivots a little but if I cared I would simply do cords fore and aft.

[Cheechako]

On my Lagoon the dingy wedged between the hulls nicely when on the davits. I had to use a big fender on the motor end. That way it didn't move around. Buy a bigger dingy!

[a64pilot]

I bought SS ratchet straps off of Amazon, not Kato, but this explains their use
http://www.katomarine.com/saildavits-dinghy.htm


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[faa50]

We have the standard dinghy davits on the back of our Lagoon 39. We too were concerned with our Highfield 9.8 dinghy swinging on the davits while making passage.

First, we do as previously mentioned, raise the bow 6"-8" above the transom so any rainwater or seawater that enters will leave thru the transom drain plug. Naturally we remove the drain plug.

Second we remove the 9.8 Tahatsu outboard and lock it to the transom safety rail engine mount.

Third for the bow, we simply tighten the bitter end of the painter (one end of painter is previously connected at center bow eyelight) by taking in all the slack, cleat to the starboard inboard 12" stern cleat and coil the remaining painter around the cleat and finish with a half-hitch. The dinghy is pulled tight up to (clearance 1/2") but not quite touching our six-person lift raft stored center on transom. This position prevents nearly all swinging and causes minimum if any chafing along a three foot section where the dinghy makes periodic contact with the life-raft cannister.

Fourth, we tie a bowline through the port-side dinghy transom lift hole located in the transom of the dinghy (using three-strand 8mm dacron line). The bitter end is then cleated to the port inboard 12" stern cleat using a standard mooring cleat hitch. The dinghy once again is pulled tight nearly touching the fiberglass but leaving a clearance of 1/2". Again this line is 8 mm three-stand dacron and left in the dinghy when not in use. Length of line is approximately seven feet.

This we feel is a simple solution that doesn't create other problems to address or other equipment to keep up with. Obviously, this solution is inexpensive. Nor does it require any drilling or special brackets or tie downs.

This non-glamours, low-cost solution works for us on long passages through-out the Caribbean in 6-10 ft seas and stopped the dinghy form swinging while not allowing chafe on either the lifting lines or dinghy. The Highfield dinghy is a light weight dinghy and after removing the motor only the oars and 5 gal fuel tank remain.

The Lagoon 39 with all its options is complex enough. We first look for non-complex solutions to most of our boating needs. Throwing money at solutions is often not the ideal solution when it comes to unattended consequences (yin and yang).

[DavefromNZ]

I didn't want the dinghy to swing or hit waves too often so had stainless bars made and can raise the dinghy so it presses against the davit arms. It moves very little in any direction. I tie the oars in the dinghy most of the time now.



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[Greene]

We hang one or two fenders off the stern rail and then snug the dinghy against them. One line (the painter works fine) from the dinghy bow to a stern cleat on the boat. One line snapped on to the aft dinghy bridle back to the boat's stern. We get very little movement and the fenders act like shock absorbers.

Mike and Brenda