Does anybody have experience with this Davit system???

[exposure]

Great Lakes Dinghy Davit...



http://www.hurleymarine.com/Davit.html

This looks like a system that would work on the aft deck of my Prout. I am trying to come up with a good system to use for a RIB. This system would help to keep the weight closer inboard. The prout does not have alot of floatation at the stern, and standard davits will promote a lot of stern squatting. Plus this looks like it could be more secure when combined with solid lashings for off shore travel. I think a canvas cover would be wise to help keep water out.

Woody

[harryrezz]

Looks like an OK system if you only sail in flat water. We keep our dink on davits which raise the bottom about 5 feet out of the water and we still drag an end occasionally in cross or following seas. (10.5 ft. RIB w/15 HP outboard) When we venture offshore we deflate it and lash it on deck. As with most everything else, devise your systems according to the conditions in which you use your boat.

[GordMay]

This doesn't appear to be a true "Hoisting" Davit - more like a "Levering" (think "teter-totter") Cradle.

Probably won't work on your Aft Deck, as it won't lever to a height of more than Half the Dinghy Beam (probably slightly less).

FWIW,
Gord

[Talbot]

There is a device that I think will help to solve your problem - a portable carbon fibre davit
However, I reckon that the rib is really just that bit too heavy for the back end of the prout (which does not have a great deal of buouancy there) and prefer the concept of a high pressure inflatable keel/deck (e.g. zodiac)

[exposure]

The swim platform in the picture is about the height of my aft deck. I would probably have to lift one tube up and get it started on the "rack". But after some measuring I figure that the dink won't fit between my stern rails, so this system is out of the question.

The carbon fiber davit sure looks nice. But, the cost of the winch alone probably puts it out of my budget.

I agree that davits or an arch on the aft end of a Prout are not a good idea (although I have seen several). There is not much bouyancy at the aft end of the hulls. That is why I was looking at ways to bring the weight more inboard. I figured for island hopping this would be fine, and I could stow a RIB on the coachroof or foredeck during passages. Now I am leaning towards using one of the high pressure floor models. 80 pounds for a 10' model sounds better on my back than a 150 pound RIB. The mercury quicksilver hypalon versions look like good. I am concerned with the durability however.

I would then probably use something like the weaver snap davits on the stern for short hops. Then deflate it and lash it down on the aft deck for passages.

At the moment I am using a nice Tinker with a folding wood floor. It is a little heavy, but works well and inflates quickly on the aft deck. I also have the sailing kit and the liferaft conversion kit. This is all great stuff, but with four people on the boat I just don't have room to stow the extras (mast, two sails, rudder, tiller, sea anchor, CO2 bottles, life raft roof).

[Talbot]

Alternative (and a LOT cheaper) is a swivellingcargo boom
In reality this is just a single one of a pair of davits
(image is of the pair, cause the pic of the single one isnt working!) This one has a working weight of 80Kg. They have others that have a lower working weight.

They are made of stainless, and certainly are up to the weight (I have a pair as davits), but it is not the greatest stainless (but then they are pretty cheap)