Davit and dinghy selection

[Toubab]

Hi everyone,

I'm having my boat (Beneteau Moorings 38) pulled out of the water this summer for a new bottom job and some other maintenance issues, and I figured that would be the best time to get some davits put on. I talked with someone at the shop I'm probably going to use and he said I needed to know what kind of dinghy I'm going to use to determine what kind of davits I need. I didn't realize that and I hadn't completely decided what dinghy I wanted yet. So I need some recommendations on the general type of dinghy to get and then what options I have for davits.

I'm thinking I probably want an inflatable with a rigid bottom that I can fold/roll up to store it when I don't want to leave it hanging off the back. I don't have much space on deck to store a boat that doesn't collapse. I like the extra stability and carrying capacity of the inflatable but I'm a little worried about the possibility of punctures, especially since I have a dog. How much do I really need to worry about that?

Also I didn't really know I had many options at all with the davits. Is there anything else I should consider in picking them out?

Thanks everyone!

[Cheechako]

I think in most cases you dont ned to know ahead of time. A good hypalon dingy should do well with the dogs.
It sounds like you already want a RIB. Just look at teh beam on the ones you are likely to selct, my guess is it will be about the same on all. Then make sure your davits will project out half of the beam width of the dingy or a little less. The dingy should be restrained against the boat/davits anyway. You are going to love your davits.

[Stumble]

The reason you need to know what dingy you will be using is to select the davits properly for the weight. A 12' inflatable weighs a lot less than a 15' rib, which weighs less than a 13' Boston whaler.

I don't know that you need to know make and model, but type/rough size is important.

[Boracay]

I found that using small pulleys with high internal friction to lift the dinghy was never going to work. Ended up fitting a couple of small trailer winches (one on each side). Should have sprung for the stainless steel versions as they do rust.

As for the dinghy it depends on your intended use. If you're going for the "favored" RIB with 15hp outboard better tell your maker as they are plenty heavy.

For frequent short trips to shore by myself I use a small 7' fibreglass, with passengers I use a 9' aluminium.

If you are going to roll up and put it inside better check weight and bulk before committing to an inflatable. My experience suggests that a 7' would suit single person use, 9' for 2 or 3.

RIB would be better than air floor or slats, but may not fit inside your boat.

Hypalon (or it's modern equivalents) is better but slightly heavier. PVC may be OK if you can accept a shorter working life and it may be cheaper.

If going for an outboard than the power must, of course, be less than the the rated maximum of the dinghy. Smaller (2hp) is lighter which is, in general, better but if you want to plane then at least 8hp is normally necessary. More is better.

[Visarend]

@Toubab:
you should not worry for the dogs. We always cruise since 25 years with a couple of rather large dogs: they were a boxer and a Rhodesian Ridgeback, then a couple of Beauceron shepherds, now with two (rather devilish and always excessive) Belgian Malinois. We never had a puncturing issue. Only, the Beaucerons upturned once the inflatable (2,75 m Zodiac) when they decided to jump suddenly into the sea - they loved swimming so much.
Truth is, as someone already said, that Hypalon is tougher than PVC; I now cruise with a rigid self built dingy (10' Nuthatch, Warren Messer design), but should I choose an inflatable again I should definitely go for Hypalon. Which is not slightly more durable than PVC, but a lot more, especially under the sun in warm climates.

[Toubab]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I think I'm most likely going to end up with a hypalon inflatable with slats, probably in the 9' range so I can carry a couple of passengers or supplies. My dad is willing to give me a like-new 3.5 horsepower outboard that he's looking to replace with an electric. I think that should get me a good set up for my uses.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Toubab

I'm thinking I probably want an inflatable with a rigid bottom that I can fold/roll up to store it when I don't want to leave it hanging off the back. I don't have much space on deck to store a boat that doesn't collapse. I like the extra stability and carrying capacity of the inflatable but I'm a little worried about the possibility of punctures, especially since I have a dog. How much do I really need to worry about that?

Usually a rigid bottom (RIB) won't fold/roll up. Some roll-up models have a way to reinforce the sole with removable planks or slats.

We've had our big dogs (Pyr, Goldens) on our inflatables, thought I'd have to worry about toenails and punctures... but it wasn't a problem. In fact, the dogs have even crawled all over the tubes, too, no worries.

-Chris

[Toubab]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Usually a rigid bottom (RIB) won't fold/roll up. Some roll-up models have a way to reinforce the sole with removable planks or slats.

Yea that's what I meant. I spent some time yesterday looking at my options and I'm figuring out that they've got some with bottoms made of hinged sections, some with slats, some that roll up. Are there any important advantages/disadvantages to the different types of bottom? And also... inflatable keels? lol

I'm guessing these are pretty beginner-level questions, sorry, but everyone starts somewhere, right?

[Cheechako]

The disadvantage of athwartships slatted bottoms and air floors is they tend to get "blisters" of air under them when you are planing..... kind of like a bulge in the bottom that burps out, so the boat is kinds of a "living thing"! Annoying. However, plywood or other rigid floors are often a PITA to get in and out. Everything is a compormise... just have to pi one and go I guess.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Toubab

Yea that's what I meant. I spent some time yesterday looking at my options and I'm figuring out that they've got some with bottoms made of hinged sections, some with slats, some that roll up. Are there any important advantages/disadvantages to the different types of bottom? And also... inflatable keels? lol

I'm guessing these are pretty beginner-level questions, sorry, but everyone starts somewhere, right?

We had a West Marine roll-up by Zodiac, with hinged "teak and holly" internal flooring. Heavy, didn't roll up very compact, and the hinges weren't comfortable to walk on while barefoot.

The air floor would have been better for our purposes at the time; lighter, smaller rolled-up package even for a slightly longer dinghy... and our experience with dog toenails was that the air floor would have been a non-problem. That's without benefit of first-hand air floor experience, though. In retrospect, I thought we might have simply thrown a beach towel on the air floor...

-Chris

[boatman61]

Slat floored dinghy with inflatable keel...

[Cheechako]

Friends had the Avon rollup with the vinyl (?) white slats. It rolled up fairly well and seemed to be fine , with the usual rollup planing issues.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Slat floored dinghy with inflatable keel...

I like your arch/davits. What the story on it?

[H Romberg]

If you're doing davits, you want a Rigid Inflatable. AB makes a really light weight series of hypalon tubed, aluminum hulled RIBs

The RIB is the work horse of the mid sized sailboat cruising world, and you'll love it. Get enough motor to plane it with your whole crew aboard. If that's bigger than a 9.9, plan to use some sort of hoist to put the motor on a bracket rather than letting it ride the dinghy while it's in the davits.

Make sure the davits are tall enough to keep the dink well above the water even in nasty short chop that will make your Beneteau hobby horse.

[Toubab]

Originally Posted by H Romberg

If you're doing davits, you want a Rigid Inflatable. AB makes a really light weight series of hypalon tubed, aluminum hulled RIBs

Most things I've read on the subject say I shouldn't leave the dinghy hanging off the back in rough weather/following seas. If I get one with a completely rigid bottom I won't be able to do anything else with it. Are you saying it's safe to leave it hanging off the back at all times?