getting the outboard on the dinghy

[thruska]

Im sure im going to get some negative fedback but ....
Im perhaps more robust than most but I always thought many to be more robust than I .
That said i wonder why some in the 50s cannot man handle something that weighs 40 lbs ?
How much does your anchor weigh ? What happens when your anchor winch takes a crap ?
Id say get to the gym once a week or lift some gallon water jugs in way of building some strength.
Ok now bring on the flak !
Im 67 and can still one hand my 4hp long shaft, it balances at the handle, my wife is in 50s and hands it to me in dingy , granted dingy has aluminium hard bottom, have done in choppy water., don’t do it in a slop!
We always employ two cable with ss snap hooks as safety measure.

[Cpt Mark]

There are lots of ways to get this done. Some type of crane or a simple lifting pole can help a lot and avoid accidentally dropping the motor to the bottom.

Some may think this thread a bit too basic of a question. While living on Christmas Island I bought a scuba compressor from a retired Boeing engineer and his wife. Their cruising was over. As I sat chatting with their friend who was helping I could believe what I was hearing from the couple. They'd been out "cruising" for 3 years. They brought this guy along for all passages. They were screaming at the top of their lungs at each other wrestling the dinghy motor to it's home on the stern rail and this was with a crane! I asked the other guy about this and he just shrugged his shoulders. It's how they do everything. they can't work together , plan ahead or remember what worked before.

[Wireless1]

I am 70 years old, and at the risk of returning this thread BACK to what the OP wanted info on; I'd like to offer what we use as perhaps the best outboard motor on/off device I've yet to use but first; It's just my opinion but... I think a crane of any type is not only esthetically unpleasant, especially as the boat gets smaller), but ends up in certain conditions like using your outboard as a wildly swinging wrecking ball against one's hull. It is also more likely to need two people to safely get the job done. I like the fact that what we use only requires one person to get the motor on and off the dinghy. My wife can also do this by herself.

I'd like to suggest the Swing-Lift.

The Swing-Lift is made in Canada and we ordered ours online from their website. It comes in a kit that includes everything you need and only requires you to drill 4 screw holes for the U hinges. I did change out rope limit lines for some vinyl covered wire ones but you can see in the video the rope lines on the Swing-Lift work perfectly. It's a U-shaped bit of stainless tubing that is fastened to your transom like an upside-down "U" and hinges on the bottom. When in its stowed position it looks kind of like your outboard on the stern rail has a "roll bar" over it. With the Swing Lift you do have to slightly lift your outboard off the stern mount but mostly this is just an "assist" lift, and I don't feel like I'm lifting the entire weight of the motor. Then the motor is held captive by the U-shaped tubing that swings your outboard up off its mount and swings it down into the water right over the transom of your dinghy in waiting you've tied transversely across your stern. All the lifting and lowering is done by using a winch on either your topping lift or main halyard which you have to reposition the the top custom bracket of the U-shaped Swing Lift. After initially getting it adjusted properly on installation the Swing Lift that picks your outboard off the stern mount and then swings it down and away from your stern, holding it from wildly swinging out of control and places it at the perfect (pre-set adjustable) distance over your dingy's stern mount.
After using it I can't imagine an easier way for an old guy like me to do this.
Here's a YouTube link to the demo (I do NOT work for, nor am i affiliated with the manufacturer). >>.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd2hP_MvXrA

Hope this helps!

[gcrothers]

Originally Posted by Bigmarv

these various high fuss/effort solutions are obviously better than just learning to row.

Single handed myself... Rowed all my life, but since losing my arm, the spin halyard to lift my 4HP outboard from its granny bar storage position is my preferred solution for getting ashore. . At a pinch I can row with a modified paddle, it ain't pretty,. hoisting the o/b onboard is something that needs careful consideration and I welcome all considered replies to this thread. But "Man up and row" doesn't really cut it as a considered reply to the op.

[osprey877]

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

Originally Posted by lancelot9898

Do you have a picture of this? Sounds interesting.

Here’s a drawing (you’ll have to turn it 90’ as I can’t get it to load properly). The pole I used is a cutdown hockey stick but any aluminum or wood pole will work. The tackle are dinghy fittings and I used 3/16 low stretch line. The fitting at 1 has a built in jamb cleat and the ball stopper is set to stop the pole going past 45’. It’s attached to the radar mast by a line with a small snap hook on the end of it. Two or three wraps around the pole and then snap it back to the jamb cleat and it will never slip. If you don’t have a radar mast or other vertical post at your transom, you can use a flag staff holder or make a portable one by hose clamping a 24” length of 1 1/2“ pvc pipe to a vertical support on your pushpit and then putting a length of pipe or dowel in it when you want to use the lift.
The fitting at 3 is a cam cleat with a small block behind it. The stopper ball is set to lower the motor to transom level.
The fitting at 4 is a 4” x 1/4” bolt attached to the hockey stick with a u shaped bracket so it can hinge up and down. It fits into any convenient hole drilled near the base of the vertical pole or mast.
My motor weighs about 40lb and the above is more than adequate. The whole rig weighs about 5 lb and can be left ashore or stowed below when not in use.

[JohnHeaslip]

I read with interest all of the replies and for the most part they are quite sensible assuming you are in calm water. With any kind of the fetch hanging a outboard motor from the end of your boom is a hazardous exercise. We have a DS 50. We have davits and no room for a crane. The best thing I ever did was to sell my relatively heavy Yamaha 4 hp and buy a Honda 2.5 hp. Air cooled, simple, enough power for our needs and above all, light, I can lift it easily with one hand. I think this is a much safer option.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Wireless1

I am 70 years old, and at the risk of returning this thread BACK to what the OP wanted info on; I'd like to offer what we use as perhaps the best outboard motor on/off device I've yet to use but first; It's just my opinion but... I think a crane of any type is not only esthetically unpleasant, especially as the boat gets smaller), but ends up in certain conditions like using your outboard as a wildly swinging wrecking ball against one's hull. It is also more likely to need two people to safely get the job done. I like the fact that what we use only requires one person to get the motor on and off the dinghy. My wife can also do this by herself.

I'd like to suggest the Swing-Lift.

The Swing-Lift is made in Canada and we ordered ours online from their website. It comes in a kit that includes everything you need and only requires you to drill 4 screw holes for the U hinges. I did change out rope limit lines for some vinyl covered wire ones but you can see in the video the rope lines on the Swing-Lift work perfectly. It's a U-shaped bit of stainless tubing that is fastened to your transom like an upside-down "U" and hinges on the bottom. When in its stowed position it looks kind of like your outboard on the stern rail has a "roll bar" over it. With the Swing Lift you do have to slightly lift your outboard off the stern mount but mostly this is just an "assist" lift, and I don't feel like I'm lifting the entire weight of the motor. Then the motor is held captive by the U-shaped tubing that swings your outboard up off its mount and swings it down into the water right over the transom of your dinghy in waiting you've tied transversely across your stern. All the lifting and lowering is done by using a winch on either your topping lift or main halyard which you have to reposition the the top custom bracket of the U-shaped Swing Lift. After initially getting it adjusted properly on installation the Swing Lift that picks your outboard off the stern mount and then swings it down and away from your stern, holding it from wildly swinging out of control and places it at the perfect (pre-set adjustable) distance over your dingy's stern mount.
After using it I can't imagine an easier way for an old guy like me to do this.
Here's a YouTube link to the demo (I do NOT work for, nor am i affiliated with the manufacturer). >>.

Hope this helps!

I don't think lifting an outboard motor on and off can be any easier than using the Swing-Lift method. Excellent!

[masonc]

Originally Posted by Wireless1

I am 70 years old, and at the risk of returning this thread BACK to what the OP wanted info on; I'd like to offer what we use as perhaps the best outboard motor on/off device I've yet to use but first; It's just my opinion but... I think a crane of any type is not only esthetically unpleasant, especially as the boat gets smaller), but ends up in certain conditions like using your outboard as a wildly swinging wrecking ball against one's hull. It is also more likely to need two people to safely get the job done. I like the fact that what we use only requires one person to get the motor on and off the dinghy. My wife can also do this by herself.

I'd like to suggest the Swing-Lift.

The Swing-Lift is made in Canada and we ordered ours online from their website. It comes in a kit that includes everything you need and only requires you to drill 4 screw holes for the U hinges. I did change out rope limit lines for some vinyl covered wire ones but you can see in the video the rope lines on the Swing-Lift work perfectly. It's a U-shaped bit of stainless tubing that is fastened to your transom like an upside-down "U" and hinges on the bottom. When in its stowed position it looks kind of like your outboard on the stern rail has a "roll bar" over it. With the Swing Lift you do have to slightly lift your outboard off the stern mount but mostly this is just an "assist" lift, and I don't feel like I'm lifting the entire weight of the motor. Then the motor is held captive by the U-shaped tubing that swings your outboard up off its mount and swings it down into the water right over the transom of your dinghy in waiting you've tied transversely across your stern. All the lifting and lowering is done by using a winch on either your topping lift or main halyard which you have to reposition the the top custom bracket of the U-shaped Swing Lift. After initially getting it adjusted properly on installation the Swing Lift that picks your outboard off the stern mount and then swings it down and away from your stern, holding it from wildly swinging out of control and places it at the perfect (pre-set adjustable) distance over your dingy's stern mount.
After using it I can't imagine an easier way for an old guy like me to do this.
Here's a YouTube link to the demo (I do NOT work for, nor am i affiliated with the manufacturer). >>.

Hope this helps!

That's brilliant, I like that very much.

[STELLA31]

Removable lifting davit.
Garhauer marine.

[Streetcar]

This is what we do:

1. Unroll the dinghy on the foredeck and pump it up
2. Put the gear in the dinghy (paddles etc)
3. Carry the outboard forward (for us, easier than trying to lower it over the side)
4. Mount the outboard on the dinghy in the raised position
5. Attach a 3 line lifting strop (bow and 2 to stern of dinghy)
6. Use a halyard to lift dinghy (engine and all) off foredeck, swing out and lower into water at midships
7. Unclip halyard while standing by guardwire
8. Get in dinghy at side-gate
9. Go to pub

Previously we used to have a 15HP enduro (heavy) and did a variation on this. Using the main halyard we used to lift it off its bracket on the stern, then walk it forward on the halyard to put it on the dinghy, before launching the dinghy with a halyard.

We came up with this method when trying to launch dinghy and then trying to lower and mount the 15hp outboard in the Tobago Keys in 30kts of wind and 3-4 ft waves. The dinghy was going up and down so fast, I couldn't get the dangling outboard mounted on the crests of waves.

[lancelot9898]

Originally Posted by osprey877

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

Here’s a drawing (you’ll have to turn it 90’ as I can’t get it to load properly). The pole I used is a cutdown hockey stick but any aluminum or wood pole will work. The tackle are dinghy fittings and I used 3/16 low stretch line. The fitting at 1 has a built in jamb cleat and the ball stopper is set to stop the pole going past 45’. It’s attached to the radar mast by a line with a small snap hook on the end of it. Two or three wraps around the pole and then snap it back to the jamb cleat and it will never slip. If you don’t have a radar mast or other vertical post at your transom, you can use a flag staff holder or make a portable one by hose clamping a 24” length of 1 1/2“ pvc pipe to a vertical support on your pushpit and then putting a length of pipe or dowel in it when you want to use the lift.
The fitting at 3 is a cam cleat with a small block behind it. The stopper ball is set to lower the motor to transom level.
The fitting at 4 is a 4” x 1/4” bolt attached to the hockey stick with a u shaped bracket so it can hinge up and down. It fits into any convenient hole drilled near the base of the vertical pole or mast.
My motor weighs about 40lb and the above is more than adequate. The whole rig weighs about 5 lb and can be left ashore or stowed below when not in use.

Excellent post Osprey...Thanks! I plan to make a couple of modifications with one being doing away with the block and tackle for lower the pole. I think I can just use a single rope since I'll be raising and lowering the pole from the deck of the sailboat and I should have enough leverage, I think. I'll keep the block and tackle on the motor itself. The other modification is raising the pivot point, but will still keep the pivot pole long enough to stay away a safe distance the mother ship. Thanks again

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Well, you've gotten a variety of answers, and this corresponds to the variety of different ways to do this


I have experience with all of them. My comments:


1. Manhandling. Even with a light outboard, it is very dangerous to try to pull it on and off by hand and manhandle it into position. It's one thing to do this when everything is still, but on a moving boat? The risk of dropping the motor into the drink, or tripping and falling yourself, is significant even with a light motor and even in relatively calm weather. Therefore, even with really small outboards (like my present 3.5 Mercury), I prefer to have some kind of tackle on it.


2. Halyard. Better than manhandling, at least in calm weather, but drawbacks of this are you don't have purchase without a winch (therefore you need two people), and most importantly, the angle of lift pulls the motor into the side of the boat. It works ok only if there are two people, one on the winch, with the other holding the motor off the side of the boat as it goes up. If the boat is rolling, fuggedaboutit.


3. Outboard crane. Works great. I had one of those Garhauer jobs on my last boat, and it was great. Useful for more purposes than just handling the outboard. Can be used easily single handed. Drawback -- if the boat is pitching, you want to lift from midships, not from the stern. Also, more carp installed on deck is more windage (why I don't have one now).



4. Halyard via guyed-out pole. This solves the problem of the motor bashing into the side as the boat rolls, but is laborious to rig, and takes two people.


5. Block and tackle via preventered-out boom. This is what I use now, not having an outboard lift on my present boat. Relatively quick and easy to rig, although obviously more of a faff than an outboard crane. Big advantage is that this can be used single handed. Use a block and tackle with a cam cleat, and you can lift the outboard clear of the lifelines, then get back on board, and haul the boom back in, and single-handedly put the motor back on the pushpit.




So, you pays your money and makes your choices.

Have not read all the responses, but there is one more solution....and that is to design your system so that the outboard can remain safely on the tender, except when ocean crossing.

The weak points are:
The davit attachment points, which can be reinforced to remove any flex, by having a cross member section at the aft end of davits to stiffen up any racking movement, because of the extra engine weight.


Not showing in this picture as it is removed at shipyard for access when my dive ladder can be used as stern gangway which fits over swim ladder.


The cantilevered davits have strong back plates welded to the reinforced dive tank rack and are of a flat design so that apart from canvas slings under RIB, the dive ladder also swings up under keel. so that the tubes clamp tightly.under davits.


Lastly, my 15hp Yamaha is thru bolted onto transom and has a harness that takes the weight off of transom to the lift point on davit, thus removing athwartship stresses in transom/tube area underway.

Also makes it harder to steal outboard.

It is less than a five minute job to lift up the tender and make ready for sea. Which we do every night at anchor.

I prefer this to removing the engine

[colinalleck]

I have a 34 foot boat and bring a 3.5 hp over the stern quarter using a lifting hoist which is connected to the stainless work which holds my solar panel. The use of a 4 to 1 block and tackle makes it possible to do this single-handed.

The lifting hoist has saved my outboard motor when conditions get very windy and bouncy and you’re trying to do it in the night whilst it’s raining. Your tired and or thought the night would be calm
If you prepare for war you will have peace.

Most important have a safety line attached from your outboard to your rail which is short enough to stop the outboard going underwater.

That will be the single most important piece of advice I could give you happy sailing
Col

[KayZee]

Originally Posted by Cat36Mahalo

I’m not nearly as old or spry as Mr Jackson. So I bought a Canadian Product that is absolutely fantastic for getting the outboard on board. Can be done in rough-ish water by one person, without the outboard swinging all over and chipping the gel coat. Swing-lift.com. No financial ties just an amazed happy customer

That's an interesting looking product but there ain't no room on the pushpit for it. That's where my propane bottle lives (no built in gas locker on the 1984 boat). Also on the stern rail: Center mounted boarding ladder, stern anchor and another gas bottle for the magma BBQ which is slated for removal.



Thanks for the reply,


Kurt

[KayZee]

Okay, OP here. I was away for a while.


thanks to all who submitted thoughtful replies after reading and understanding my post.


A couple of things:


We're not long distance cruisers were just going to local harbors and islands.


I SAID, I don't want a crane/davit. I don't want to spend the money and I DON'T have room for it on the pushpit which already has: 2 9lb gas tanks, stern anchor, outboard mount, magma grill, lifesling and a centerline transom mounted boarding ladder.


I CAN row but I also realize the limitations of rowing into a wind or waves. Stock oars suck hard. I'm looking into a little longer, better oars that will fit into the system on the Achilles. Where it makes sense I will row but I'm not going to row from Emerald Bay to Avalon (Catalina Island here in so-cal)


I DO exercise. As much as my body allows me to but I already struggle with several nagging injuries in my wrists, an elbow and a shoulder. This means I have to carefully ration the amount and type of upper body exercises I can do.

The dinghy is the one we have. It came with the boat. I'm going to figure out how to best use what we have. It's a biggish dinghy for a 30 footer. The old owner was a diver and wanted room for 2 and the tanks.

Motor is what we have. It was bought used and wife didn't want to go smaller than the 3.5 that was already hopelessly seized up when we bought the boat.

No topping lift; boat came with a boom kicker which I hate. Saving for a proper rigid vang.

Mid-boom mainsheet. Won't reach the rail let alone over it.

I have what I have, "Just spend $$ on XYZ" is too glib of an answer. I'll put XYX on a list with a dodger that doesn't leak and has windows that I can see out of, an auto pilot that works, a whisker pole, the spinnaker halyard that I don't have so I can get a downwind sail I don't have, AIS and electronics that aren't 3 generations obsolete. Oh yeah and jib sheets that are the same size, mainsheet blocks that aren't too small for the boat, lazy jacks that don't make me want to commit suicide and a mainsail/track that doesn't take the strength for Hercules to raise no mater how much sail-lube I spray into the track (I blame the full battens and the reef lines that seem to have too much friction to freely come out of the boom.)

Thanks to all for your replies. Even when mis-guided, I know they're well intentioned. Especially thanks to the people who thoughtfully discussed the ins and outs of wrestling the motor by hand and or slinging it by a halyard.



Kurt