Davit/tender questions...

[Frank]

I'm looking to get an inflatable this season, but am concerned about keeping it at the mooring. I'm sure that the town won't allow me to tie up both the boat and tender at the same mooring, so I'm thinking about hanging it off the stern on a davit system. Does anyone here do this? Is it a pain in the neck trying to lift it up by yourself? I went to the boat show in Boston yesterday and looked at the lighter inflatables - generally, though, they're up to 70lbs. for an 8' model. Any suggestions?

[Larry DeMers]

Generally, Cape Dory's have too fine a stern to be able to fit davits on them..along with the 70 lbs (plus gear) hanging out as far from the center of gravity as possible..unless you have a larger CD..like a 33 or above. The effect will be pronounced squatting. It also would make the boarding ladder on the stern unuseable until the dinghy is lowered. I do wish we could use this area though.
I use the area under the mast to stow the dinghy in a cradle of sorts. My dinghy is an Avon Roll-Away, so it fits nicely under the boom. You might give that possibility a run through.

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30

I'm looking to get an inflatable this season, but am concerned about keeping it at the mooring. I'm sure that the town won't allow me to tie up both the boat and tender at the same mooring, so I'm thinking about hanging it off the stern on a davit system. Does anyone here do this? Is it a pain in the neck trying to lift it up by yourself? I went to the boat show in Boston yesterday and looked at the lighter inflatables - generally, though, they're up to 70lbs. for an 8' model. Any suggestions?

demers@sgi.com

[Neil Gordon]

An inflatable will also store nicely on the foredeck, although it will probably have to be launched to clear the foredeck for sailing. Make sure it's lashed down well.

Getting the dinghy on board is easy enough using a spare halyard.

There's also the possibility of just storing it deflated.


Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167



cdory28@aol.com

[will parker]

I have a 100 pound "Caribe" RIB. This is an inflatable with a fiberglass bottom and 18 inch tubes. It is far superior to other dinks I have owned or used. It provides a fast, dry ride. It is a pain in the a** to carry. I have carried it on the bow, which prevents any use of the staysail, and prevents access to the bow for any reason. I have carried it behind the mast, partially deflated, which robs the helmsman of 90% visibility. (This is not such a big problem at sea, but can be catastrophic in heavy traffic areas like the ICW). In a desperate attempt to solve the problem, I acquired a 2nd hand set of davits and mounted them.
First, Larry Demers is absolutely right. CD's do have a tender stern and this makes the boat "squat". Further, it is dangerous to carry the dink on the davits when sailing. You just can't get it high enough from the water, particularly when there is any chop. You can carry the dink when motoring on relatively flat water, and it is handy to be able to lift the dink out of the water at night when you are at anchor. (lifting it on the davits is no problem)
But there seems to be no good solution other than getting a sailboat with decks big enough to carry the dink without restricting access.
I would not have paid full price for the davits, but since I got them on the cheap, I figured it was worth a try.
Whatever you do, good luck. And if find the perfect solution, please let the rest of us know.
Will
"Jambalaya"
CD30


I'm looking to get an inflatable this season, but am concerned about keeping it at the mooring. I'm sure that the town won't allow me to tie up both the boat and tender at the same mooring, so I'm thinking about hanging it off the stern on a davit system. Does anyone here do this? Is it a pain in the neck trying to lift it up by yourself? I went to the boat show in Boston yesterday and looked at the lighter inflatables - generally, though, they're up to 70lbs. for an 8' model. Any suggestions?



whildenp@earthlink.net

[Jerry Axler]

I have a 100 pound "Caribe" RIB. This is an inflatable with a fiberglass bottom and 18 inch tubes. It is far superior to other dinks I have owned or used. It provides a fast, dry ride. It is a pain in the a** to carry. I have carried it on the bow, which prevents any use of the staysail, and prevents access to the bow for any reason. I have carried it behind the mast, partially deflated, which robs the helmsman of 90% visibility. (This is not such a big problem at sea, but can be catastrophic in heavy traffic areas like the ICW). In a desperate attempt to solve the problem, I acquired a 2nd hand set of davits and mounted them.
First, Larry Demers is absolutely right. CD's do have a tender stern and this makes the boat "squat". Further, it is dangerous to carry the dink on the davits when sailing. You just can't get it high enough from the water, particularly when there is any chop. You can carry the dink when motoring on relatively flat water, and it is handy to be able to lift the dink out of the water at night when you are at anchor. (lifting it on the davits is no problem)
But there seems to be no good solution other than getting a sailboat with decks big enough to carry the dink without restricting access.
I would not have paid full price for the davits, but since I got them on the cheap, I figured it was worth a try.
Whatever you do, good luck. And if find the perfect solution, please let the rest of us know.
Will
"Jambalaya"
CD30


I'm looking to get an inflatable this season, but am concerned about keeping it at the mooring. I'm sure that the town won't allow me to tie up both the boat and tender at the same mooring, so I'm thinking about hanging it off the stern on a davit system. Does anyone here do this? Is it a pain in the neck trying to lift it up by yourself? I went to the boat show in Boston yesterday and looked at the lighter inflatables - generally, though, they're up to 70lbs. for an 8' model. Any suggestions?

Another possibility is to keep the inflatable uninflated on deck and inflate it with a high speed 12v inflator. I've been doing this for years aboard a 36CD and the high speed inflator fills both tubes in about 3 minutes or less. As far as lifting is concerned you can use a block and tackle(preventer or life sling lift) attached to the main halyard to lift the inflatable on deck if you are alone, otherwise it is easily raised by 2 people. BTW the inflator can be used to deflate the boat as well.

Jerry Axler



cutter36@erols.com

[will parker]

Some good points, Jerry. However, deflating an RIB doesn't help the visibility problem because the hard bottom and transom still blocks vision. I guess I could get a soft bottom dink, but I really like the Caribe when I have to plow through 2-3 foot seas in the Sea of Abaco. I guess I really need a CD 36. However, I'm going to muddle through with what I've got at least for the time being.
Anyway, thanks for your comments.
Will
"Jambalaya"

Another possibility is to keep the inflatable uninflated on deck and inflate it with a high speed 12v inflator. I've been doing this for years aboard a 36CD and the high speed inflator fills both tubes in about 3 minutes or less. As far as lifting is concerned you can use a block and tackle(preventer or life sling lift) attached to the main halyard to lift the inflatable on deck if you are alone, otherwise it is easily raised by 2 people. BTW the inflator can be used to deflate the boat as well.

Jerry Axler

whildenp@earthlink.net

[Warren Stringer]

Some good points, Jerry. However, deflating an RIB doesn't help the visibility problem because the hard bottom and transom still blocks vision. I guess I could get a soft bottom dink, but I really like the Caribe when I have to plow through 2-3 foot seas in the Sea of Abaco. I guess I really need a CD 36. However, I'm going to muddle through with what I've got at least for the time being.
Anyway, thanks for your comments.
Will
"Jambalaya"

You won't be able to put anything longer than 8 feet behind the mast on a 36.

Warren
s/v Eendracht
CD 36 #54




wstringer@aristotle.net

[will parker]

When I deflate the bow tube, my Caribe 8 fits nicely between the mast tnd the traveler on my CD30. However, the fiberglass bottom and transom blocks about 80% of my forward view. I expect the same problem would exist on the CD36. But maybe there would be more room on the bow of a 36. Its academic since I'm going to keep my 30, which I really like. Its the dink I don't like when its upside down on deck. If i got a dink that fit on deck, I wouldn't like it in the water. Some people just can't be satisfied!
Good sailing.
Will
"Jambalaya"
CD30

You won't be able to put anything longer than 8 feet behind the mast on a 36.

Warren
s/v Eendracht
CD 36 #54

whildenp@earthlink.net