Best Way to Hoist the Dinghy on Foredeck ?

[foggysail]

I went through the halyard routine with my old Hunter 30. BIG PIA! Not only did the dinghy need lifting, the 8hp Yamaha also required man handling along with the fuel tank, seats, anchor and anything else one normally keeps in a dinghy. Our dinghy is a 10RIB Avon.

I Installed a davit crane on the bow of my current boat, fabricated the chocks to mount the dinghy and push a button to pick it up from the chocks, swing the crane to the water side of the boat and then lower it. Retrieval is again done by pushing a button. The dinghy is always ready to go when it hits the water and it is ready to go. The engine is removed only after the season ends.

Maybe you don't have room for a crane but you should at least have room for some type of lifting fixture.

[Bash]

I tried ever conceivable system for years: halyard alone; halyard assisted by whisker pole; crane for the engine and then....

Concluded, finally, that davits were the way to go. And they were. It's so easy, in fact, that with davits I always opt to pluck the dink out of the water overnight even if I'm staying in the same anchorage the following day.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by foggysail

I went through the halyard routine with my old Hunter 30. BIG PIA! Not only did the dinghy need lifting, the 8hp Yamaha also required man handling along with the fuel tank, seats, anchor and anything else one normally keeps in a dinghy. Our dinghy is a 10RIB Avon.

I Installed a davit crane on the bow of my current boat, fabricated the chocks to mount the dinghy and push a button to pick it up from the chocks, swing the crane to the water side of the boat and then lower it. Retrieval is again done by pushing a button. The dinghy is always ready to go when it hits the water and it is ready to go. The engine is removed only after the season ends.

Maybe you don't have room for a crane but you should at least have room for some type of lifting fixture.

Not on a sailboat. Sails and forestay get in the way.

[model 10]

Does not anybody have an anchor windlass with a capstan on it? That and a halyard makes it about as easy peasy as it can get. Then with a Hoodinky lashing you are set!

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Bash

....
Concluded, finally, that davits were the way to go. And they were. It's so easy, in fact, that with davits I always opt to pluck the dink out of the water overnight even if I'm staying in the same anchorage the following day.

+1 Best reason for installing davits

[Littlechay]

Seen plenty of dinks wrecked and davits ripped off when a wave boards the stern... Davits are only for harbour boats; if you going to sea you have to remove the dink from the davits and stow it elsewhere. Otherwise sure they are great, if ugly!

[Capt.Alex]

Originally Posted by Littlechay

Seen plenty of dinks wrecked and davits ripped off when a wave boards the stern... Davits are only for harbour boats; if you going to sea you have to remove the dink from the davits and stow it elsewhere. Otherwise sure they are great, if ugly!

I have heard many people voice this concern, but never actually seen it happen. Any pictures or video of a doomed dinghy on stern davits? I won
der if there is a height at which the tender can be carried on stern davits that essentially avoids this risk? I have seen yachts with very substantial and high stern arches that carry the dinghy at least 6' above the water.

[zeehag]

a lovely sea wolf ketch with davits and a dinghy contained on those davits left san diego a few years ago for catalina. when he returned a week later, his davits were bent to the transom and his dinghy gone. some davits actually break. his bent over double.
no i do not have pictures of the destruction--happened a few years ago, but the sight is unforgettable.
is why i have no davits.
seas come over transoms. the transom of this kind of boat is high from water--about 6 -7 ft off the water, plus extra height for davits.
davits bend under the full weight of the sea inside the dinghy as it collects sea water when this happens.
it DOES happen.

[Littlechay]

1 6ft wave isn't a very big wave.

As Zeehag says usually it seems the davits fail under the weight/pressure of the water cascading over the dink. A cover over the dink doesn't help. Last one I saw a a large oyster, I think they had a blog. Will see if I can find it. Other times the lifting eyes on the dink fail and you no longer have a dink.... depends where you sail and what you do.

[Visarend]

Originally Posted by Michael Samson

Does not anybody have an anchor windlass with a capstan on it? That and a halyard makes it about as easy peasy as it can get. Then with a Hoodinky lashing you are set!

This is definitely my choice when not hoisting the dinghy on the davits.
Spinnaker halyard > windlass capstan (radio controlled): I can hoist singlehanded: 1 hand for the halyard, the other for the radio control - intermittently pushing gently the rib. When hoisted horizontally, it can come onboard perpendicular and can gently be turned fore and aft (no big winds, please), and it can be lashed alongside for the night - outboard included.
If hoisted vertically (no motor of course), it is easier to overturn on the bridge.
I installed a couple of DIY davits (here is the project I followed, it works for sailboats, too) mainly because fed up with punctured/deflated inflatables and switched to a rigid plywood 10' Nuthatch

[zeehag]

i use my spinnaker halyard.
if it is befouled at masthead, i use my main halyard....then i lift my 8 ft, 81 pound dinghy onto foredeck using my mast mounted winches, and place in a central location on foredeck so i can use foredeck and so jib wont foul on it during any necessary tacks or avoidance techniques ......or anchoring....
i place the propulsion devices on the coach house roof and tie them onto the hand rails, and head out....
when i have a roll up inflatable, i stow on deck under boom and raise onto deck same way i raise the walker bay 8 i use normally as a dinghy.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Littlechay

Seen plenty of dinks wrecked and davits ripped off when a wave boards the stern... Davits are only for harbour boats; if you going to sea you have to remove the dink from the davits and stow it elsewhere. Otherwise sure they are great, if ugly!

Got any real examples of the "plenty"? I've seen pictures of boats pitchpoled in the Southern lattitudes, abandoned, beat up by freighters trying to rescue them etc etc, but never actually seen this davit thing you speak of... not saying it isnt a risk but the use of any "tool" needs to be tempered with when and where to use it. Most cruisers are at anchor 90% of the time (?). If crossing an ocean, put it on deck. If faced with a storm at sea, cut it loose!

Originally Posted by Michael Samson

Does not anybody have an anchor windlass with a capstan on it? That and a halyard makes it about as easy peasy as it can get. Then with a Hoodinky lashing you are set!

Good use of a horizontal capstan, Kind of tricky though: * The dingy wants to swing quickly and with force to the boat center, so some muscle needs to control it coming over the lifeline.
*the person tending the line at the windlass (and the foot control) can very easily get an overwrap on the drum, or worse yet, paying attention to the person struggling with the dingy, let the wrap off the drum.
*so hmmm.... if a couple are doing it, which task does the lesser mechanically inclined do? Risk the windlass issues, or deal with the heavy dingy?
I guess I'm just saying, needs to be well thought out....

[Alecadi]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Got any real examples of the "plenty"? I've seen pictures of boats pitchpoled in the Southern lattitudes, abandoned, beat up by freighters trying to rescue them etc etc, but never actually seen this davit thing you speak of...

It's not because you didn't see it that it does not exist!

You never saw me but I exist!
:-)

[Group9]

I put my 11 whaler on the foredeck by winching it up by the bow eye same as everyone else describes. It's an easy job with two people, a do-able, but PITA job alone (with a block and tackle between the halyard and the dinghy so I can raise it and push it off at the same time)

And, don't forget to have something for the transom/gunnels to rest on when sitting upside down on the deck or you might get some scratches.

I tow mine most of the time, but put it on the foredeck for blue water crossings.

[Cheechako]

Did 4 google searches: Storm damaged stern davits, storm damaged dingy davits, damaged davits, storm damaged davits. No examples found. Plenty of examples of Dock mounted davits found though.