Suggestions for deploying and retrieving dinghy with a pole

[dmksails]

HI All! I solo sail a Tashiba-31 and have an Eastport nesting pram that I keep nested on the bow. The pram weighs about 60-lbs and it's awkward for me to handle alone. I do have a long spinnaker pole and a spare halyard available.

Right now I use the halyard to lift the dinghy on end so I can bolt it together, then I man-handle it over the side. This usually results in much banging of the boat side and water in the dinghy.

What I would like to do is position the dinghy right side up on the deck, rig it with a harness, then lift it up, swing it over the side, then lower. What I'm stuck on is how to rig this. I do have one unused halyard available.

Suggestions?

[Sailmonkey]

Use your spin pole as a gin pole.

Once the dinghy is above the level of the lifelines you can simply swing it outboard and lower it. It’ll take quite a bit of extra lines to rig, but should operate in a controlled manner.

[dmksails]

Can you give me more details on how to rig the gin pole?

[Sailmonkey]

Here’s a bunch of gin pole inspiration

https://www.google.com/search?q=gin+...&client=safari

[roverhi]

I use the spinnaker pole as a gin pole run up the track around 8' and the spinnaker halyard as a topping lift for the pole. Lash Harken ratcheting fiddle block tackle to the pole and use that to pick up the 8' dinghy via a single point padeye in the stern. Haul the boat till it's vertical with ratcheting block, swing it outboard and drop in the water. The ratcheting block is the key as it makes it easy to hold the boat suspended with one hand while it's guided over the life lines with the other and eased into the water. The fiddle block has a cam cleat but will probably remove it as it often engages when I don't want it to and is hard to disengage when I want to drop the boat in the water.

[captlloyd]

I would make a short spreader bar, a 2x4 would work. Think mobile boat lift, they lift on 4 points. A little Ace hardware and you’re off to the races.

[Nani Kai]

Originally Posted by dmksails

What I would like to do is position the dinghy right side up on the deck, rig it with a harness, then lift it up, swing it over the side, then lower. What I'm stuck on is how to rig this. I do have one unused halyard available.

Suggestions?

Install three lift points on the dinghy. SS eye bolts through the transom one at each end plus another at the bow. Use separate pieces of braided line (or have webbing made up), attach a carabiner to each end of each piece of line/webbing. One end of each line goes to the through bolts. The other ends all attach to a single large SS ring. Adjust each line until the center of gravity of the dinghy is directly under the SS ring which will most likely be aft of amidships. You have now formed a triangular lifting "harness". Attach your halyard to the large central ring and lift away. It will still be necessary to push the dinghy over the lifelines and away from the boat once it's in the air but it will be much easier to manage than the boat hanging length wise much higher off the deck. Also the dink will settle into the water horizontally so no flooding. If doing this solo, you might consider putting a fender board over 3 or more fenders draped over the side to keep the dink from banging into the boat. Happy rigging!

[zstine]

Gin pole is way too complex IMO... unless I missed something, all the OP needs to do is make a bridle (pictured) for the dink and raise it up on the halyard. He should be strong enough to maneuver it with his body or a foot as he raises/lowers it.. of course a rub rail of some kind on the the dink is a good idea.

[h2ojunke]

On our old monhull, I used the whisker pole, halyard and a 6:1 block. I would set the pole and halyard til it was about three feet above the lifelines. Raise the dink using the block, swing it over the rail and lower to the water using the block.