How to lift a dingy on an arch with a windvane?

[sailgezellig]

I am currently exploring options for a dinghy lift on my 2002 Malo 43 that will allow me to pull the boat out of the water for shorter trips into a (soon to be built) arch. The challenge is that the boat also has a hydrovane installed, which I would like to keep, which sticks out from the transom about 18-24 inches or so. Additionally, when the flag is installed it would be right in the way of where the dinghy would go.

Currently, my thought process is that I would keep the dinghy on deck for longer passages where the hydrovane would be used, and would only use the lift for shorter passages where I would use autopilot. However, to get the dinghy up out of the water the arch would have to stick out quite a bit to get past the hydrovane.

The main reason I would want to lift the dighy is for security (vs having it in the water) while at anchor, and not having to lift the dinghy onto the deck frequently. I could easily tow the dinghy but that is less preferred. I thought about having a retracting arm system that could pull the dighy up above the top of the hydrovane then pull it into the boat, however the estimate from the arch builder was around 30k+ USD.

Looking for ideas/suggestions on options that I may have or if anyone else has solved this problem. Thanks!

[senormechanico]

If I read your title right, I don't think a dinghy can be lifted by a windvane.

[sailgezellig]

Poor wording, but not the question.

[Danm1]

For.short.periods, lift dinghy off center and/or vertically.

[Uncle G]

When at anchor, we used to hoist a 12' rigid dinghy out of the water with the spinnaker halyard. The dinghy had a 3-legged strop permanently fitted between the bow and a point each side of the transom - so it always lifted level. It was easy to lift it to deck level alongside the mast when not in use - and it meant that the outboard could be fitted when standing on deck (before lowering it).

That solves your security at anchor problem for next to nothing - but not your short trip problem.

Having said that, we'd often motor a few miles with the dinghy out of the water like this if there was no sea to speak of.