Is this rocket science??!! (Long)

[Frank]

Bear in mind, I'm new to sailing - but have been powerboating for some time... this is a question that I can't seem to get a satisfactory answer to...

I went and picked up my new 8' 6" inflatable Zodiac yesterday and asked the dealer what I thought was a simple and obvious question: "when I glue on the davit eyes, is there anything special about it?" He asked what size boat, I said "a 27' sailboat and I'm going to mount it to the stern." He looked at me as if I had 2 heads - "no, no - you can only put it up on deck - if you do that (what I suggested) you'll have a giant sail off the back of your boat."

Now, I'm thoroughly confused, since the dealer himself had a brochure dedicated to the "Weaver snap davit system." Inside the brochure are about a half-dozen photos of exactly what I was asking about - 2 snap connections that attach to the inflatable and a strap system that lifts the other side so that the boat is vertically mounted off the stern. PROBLEM with the photos is that they're all photographed on power boats. Why can't this work on a sailboat??!!

The reason for all of this is that I'm mooring my boat and doubt that I can attach my dinghy to the same mooring - let alone the fact that I don't want the inflatable in the water all the time, nor do I want all the rainwater to collect in the dinghy. I'm also not keen on the idea of trying to lift a 70lb. inflatable up on board by myself - even if I were to attach a halyard to it, I can see that being a cumbersome system. What do you folks do about your inflatable? I can't be the only one who wants to do this...


Thanks in advance.

- Frank

[Steve Alarcon]

Frank,

I think the dealer is right. If you consider that sometimes you will sail to windward, the dingy will act as a giant air break. Also, you don't mention if you sail a Cape Dory or not, but most 27' boats are not particularly beamy, and as you heal the boat under sail you probably will drag the bow or stern of the dingy in the water. When at a mooring, it will also act as a sail, and probably put undo stress on your mooring tackle. Most would put the dingy on deck, inverted, and appropriately secured.

Steve Alarcon
CD36 Tenacity
Seattle



alarcon3@Prodigy.net

[Ken Coit]

Frank,

We carry an 11'6" Avon Rollup on deck just ahead of the traveller. We keep her rolled, ready for deployment on reaching a destination, but otherwise mostly out of the way. We carried her inflated on her side and on the port deck for a year, but it was in the way, provided too much windage, and was a pain to get into that position.

We keep her in a bag with a lifting line around her at all times. We have a 4:1 boom vang that we use in conjunction with a halyard to lift her and swing her about.

I don't think there is a convenient way to deal with a dinghy on relatively small boats, but maybe you will come up with one.


Keep on sailing,

Ken Coit
CD/36 Parfait
Hailing Port: Raleigh, NC
Sailing from: Beaufort, NC

Bear in mind, I'm new to sailing - but have been powerboating for some time... this is a question that I can't seem to get a satisfactory answer to...

I went and picked up my new 8' 6" inflatable Zodiac yesterday and asked the dealer what I thought was a simple and obvious question: "when I glue on the davit eyes, is there anything special about it?" He asked what size boat, I said "a 27' sailboat and I'm going to mount it to the stern." He looked at me as if I had 2 heads - "no, no - you can only put it up on deck - if you do that (what I suggested) you'll have a giant sail off the back of your boat."

Now, I'm thoroughly confused, since the dealer himself had a brochure dedicated to the "Weaver snap davit system." Inside the brochure are about a half-dozen photos of exactly what I was asking about - 2 snap connections that attach to the inflatable and a strap system that lifts the other side so that the boat is vertically mounted off the stern. PROBLEM with the photos is that they're all photographed on power boats. Why can't this work on a sailboat??!!

The reason for all of this is that I'm mooring my boat and doubt that I can attach my dinghy to the same mooring - let alone the fact that I don't want the inflatable in the water all the time, nor do I want all the rainwater to collect in the dinghy. I'm also not keen on the idea of trying to lift a 70lb. inflatable up on board by myself - even if I were to attach a halyard to it, I can see that being a cumbersome system. What do you folks do about your inflatable? I can't be the only one who wants to do this...


Thanks in advance.

- Frank

parfaitNOSPAM@nc.rr.com

[Larry DeMers]

Agree, the guy was right..you do not want 70 lbs. hanging 1 foot off the stern of the boat..for all the reasons that the others have given..and because that amount of weight would put a 27ft sailboat into a very bad balance problem, with the nose quite a ways up in the air, and your butt squatting a bit. This throws off many, many things on a boat, from the way she sails and handles waves and acceleration, to the wayt he stove lights, and the way the scuppers drain. The design of the boat was intended to be used with the boat on her lines..that is, in balance, fore and aft. Looking at the waterline of your boat, you will see that the line is equally out of the water fore and aft..if she is in balance. This then is the gauge to watch as you add gear to the boat. It shows how much tonnage you have added by virtue of the waterline disappearing completely! heh, and it indicates the balance of the boat by the line laying parallel to the water surface..or under it. You then avoid over loading the boat to the point where the waterline is too far down, and where the waterline is not parallel to the water.
We use an Avon Rollaway also, and have it stowed in it's bag, under the boom and in front of the dodger. It is easily lifted witht he main halyard and swung over the side... or retrieved. Use a three point hitch on the dinghy to lift her.

Cheers,

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 Lake Superior

Bear in mind, I'm new to sailing - but have been powerboating for some time... this is a question that I can't seem to get a satisfactory answer to...

I went and picked up my new 8' 6" inflatable Zodiac yesterday and asked the dealer what I thought was a simple and obvious question: "when I glue on the davit eyes, is there anything special about it?" He asked what size boat, I said "a 27' sailboat and I'm going to mount it to the stern." He looked at me as if I had 2 heads - "no, no - you can only put it up on deck - if you do that (what I suggested) you'll have a giant sail off the back of your boat."

Now, I'm thoroughly confused, since the dealer himself had a brochure dedicated to the "Weaver snap davit system." Inside the brochure are about a half-dozen photos of exactly what I was asking about - 2 snap connections that attach to the inflatable and a strap system that lifts the other side so that the boat is vertically mounted off the stern. PROBLEM with the photos is that they're all photographed on power boats. Why can't this work on a sailboat??!!

The reason for all of this is that I'm mooring my boat and doubt that I can attach my dinghy to the same mooring - let alone the fact that I don't want the inflatable in the water all the time, nor do I want all the rainwater to collect in the dinghy. I'm also not keen on the idea of trying to lift a 70lb. inflatable up on board by myself - even if I were to attach a halyard to it, I can see that being a cumbersome system. What do you folks do about your inflatable? I can't be the only one who wants to do this...


Thanks in advance.

- Frank

demers@sgi.com

[Frank]

I'm only trying to find a way to keep the dinghy at the mooring - I intended on towing it when necessary, not keeping it off the stern under sail (most of the time, in fact, I expect to leave it tied at the mooring while I'm out daysailing). I am still confused as to how - or why - the Weaver Davit system appears to be so popular.


- Frank

[Boyd]

Hi Frank...

What I have done with my inflatable is the following. I drilled thru the transom and placed ss eyebolts on each side as close to the tubes as possible and within about an inch of the top. I made a towing and lifting harness from 5/8" braided line and some caribean (sp?) clips. The harness is long enough to thread thur the towing eyes in front (which now take no load since the harness is clipped to the transom. I probably will not lose the dingy this way. When I need to stow the dingy I just clip a halyard to the center of the harness and hoist with the winch. I place the dingy face down on the foredeck and tie in place. Sometimes I just wrestle the thing on board.. even though its heavy I am only lifting one end at a time. Not much trouble.
Hope this helps...

Boyd

I'm only trying to find a way to keep the dinghy at the mooring - I intended on towing it when necessary, not keeping it off the stern under sail (most of the time, in fact, I expect to leave it tied at the mooring while I'm out daysailing). I am still confused as to how - or why - the Weaver Davit system appears to be so popular.


- Frank

Tern30@aol.com

[Neil Gordon]

>>I'm mooring my boat and doubt that I can attach my dinghy to the same mooring ...<<

No dinghy dock? Will the dinghy lie well alongside rather than astern?

>>... let alone the fact that I don't want the inflatable in the water all the time, ...<<

Mine sits in the water all season... a brushing every other week keeps the bottom fairly clean.

>>... nor do I want all the rainwater to collect in the dinghy.<<

I either pump it out or attach the bow of the dinghy to a halyard and lift with the drain plug out.

>>I'm also not keen on the idea of trying to lift a 70lb. inflatable up on board by myself ...<<

Lifting 70 lbs with a halyard is a fairly easy winching job. (You'll handle lots higher loads than that when sailing.) I can get my inflatable on deck without much effort that way, although as I said, I mostly leave it in the water.

Be prepared to bring it on board and deflate it if you're out and the weather picks up. Towed astern, it will do everything it can to get on board by itself!


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



neil@nrgordon.com

[Brad Smith 'Second Wind']

Bear in mind, I'm new to sailing - but have been powerboating for some time... this is a question that I can't seem to get a satisfactory answer to...

I went and picked up my new 8' 6" inflatable Zodiac yesterday and asked the dealer what I thought was a simple and obvious question: "when I glue on the davit eyes, is there anything special about it?" He asked what size boat, I said "a 27' sailboat and I'm going to mount it to the stern." He looked at me as if I had 2 heads - "no, no - you can only put it up on deck - if you do that (what I suggested) you'll have a giant sail off the back of your boat."

Now, I'm thoroughly confused, since the dealer himself had a brochure dedicated to the "Weaver snap davit system." Inside the brochure are about a half-dozen photos of exactly what I was asking about - 2 snap connections that attach to the inflatable and a strap system that lifts the other side so that the boat is vertically mounted off the stern. PROBLEM with the photos is that they're all photographed on power boats. Why can't this work on a sailboat??!!

The reason for all of this is that I'm mooring my boat and doubt that I can attach my dinghy to the same mooring - let alone the fact that I don't want the inflatable in the water all the time, nor do I want all the rainwater to collect in the dinghy. I'm also not keen on the idea of trying to lift a 70lb. inflatable up on board by myself - even if I were to attach a halyard to it, I can see that being a cumbersome system. What do you folks do about your inflatable? I can't be the only one who wants to do this...


Thanks in advance.

- Frank

Did I miss something? I use a dink to get to and from 'Second Wind's mooring, because the tender service is generally slow. When I go home the dink stays ashore so I can use it the next time.



Thirdsmith@aol.com