Dinghy Davit Idea

David Arnold · June 30, 2010, 03:25:05 AM

Thanks Hawk and everyone else offering suggestions. Based on the strong recommendation and lower price I ordered the Garhauer motor lift. Will use just the lift this year and consider purchasing another for a full dinghy lift; great idea!

Joe Kern · February 16, 2011, 11:02:27 AM

Just wondering whether anyone else has tried this idea since it first bounced around.. I was pricing new dvaits froma number of sources and they will run anywhere from 1000 - 1500$. Using this idea and buying the 34" arm version it will run only about $650. Each arma has a capcity of 150 lbs and I can't see any reaons why this system would not work for my 70 lb dinghy. More importantly I don't see what I would be getting for the additional $500-$1000. Anyone think I am missing something?

Ken Juul · February 16, 2011, 12:24:05 PM

Most davits have a support between the 2 davit arms for rigidity. You might have to jury rig something to keep the boat from shifting to the low side as you make tacks.

SeaFever · February 16, 2011, 02:27:05 PM

Joe,

You also need to add the weight of your motor to the 70 lbs., which I guess is the net weight of your dinghy. Not that it would make a difference in your decision so far as the total weight is below the 150 lb mark. It is still worth noting and being aware of. Regards.

Joe Kern · February 16, 2011, 02:30:05 PM

After further looking at this I found another more affordable option from Martek. http://martekdavits.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=2

The reviews from other sites and the materials are good. The question I have is the attachment point on the stern. See picture in attached pdf. In some pictures of installs of other types of davits I have seen the vertical post go all the way to the stern seats or bottom of the transom. These attach at the top rail and then only to the vertical stern (presumably with some backing plates). Anyone have any thoughts on this generally and compared to the two motor lifts idea below?

Ken Juul · February 17, 2011, 04:44:50 AM

That is a pretty common set up, Garhauer does it the same way. However compared to Garhauer the attachment fittings don't look very robust. You might also want to consider support struts than run from the top rail to the swim platform to add some rigidity to the stern rail. It is a fairly common occurance for the front mounting feet of the stern rail to crack from the torque put on them by the weight of the dingy.

I think the reason the motor hoists are mounted as you suggest is because they need to twist, when the lifting arm is parallel to the stern, it would put a big shear stress on the lower mount.

Joe Kern · January 15, 2013, 09:29:34 AM

Finally did it. Davits and aft rail supports installed. Solid as a rock and look amazing. Big project but doable with careful planning and measuring. Mark at Garhauer was a huge help.

Joe Kern · January 15, 2013, 05:19:15 PM

Pic attached

Joe Kern · January 15, 2013, 05:19:37 PM

2nd pic

Joe Kern · January 15, 2013, 05:20:08 PM

3rd

Joe Kern · January 28, 2013, 10:48:10 AM

Davits in use. Looks like this ended up being a successful project.

Stu Jackson · January 28, 2013, 10:59:33 AM

Joe, nice job. How big is your dinghy engine and how do you get it onto the dinghy?

Joe Kern · January 28, 2013, 11:23:36 AM

Stu, it is a 6 hp 4 stroke. It sits on the Catalina rail mount on the port stern next to the stern seat. Historically I stood on the stern, lifted it with the lifting strap, and muscled it by hand as I tried to stablizie myself on the stern, step into the dinghy and get it seated on the transom. Always an adventure. I did some experimenting this weekend I am comfortable that the port davit will be able to assist greatly with this. Once I get the dinghy in the water I will have to reverse it so the stern is on the port side (I have it the way it is in the picture as the bow of the dinghy fits better the way it is since the engine mount on the stern rails sticks out). Then, I can attach the port davit hook to the top of the engine lifting strap and use the 6:1 blocks as an aid to lifting and lowering it into the dinghy. I think I will have to still lift the engine by hand off the mount (since the davit arm sticks out so far from the stern) but once it is hanging off the davit line the first mate should be able to assist in lowering it to me in the dinghy. Not as easy as if I had an engine lifting post but still way better than what I was doing. And, as hard as it was finding space to mount the davits and stern rail supports I can't imagine trying to fit in an engine lift in addition to all that. Certainly open to ideas if someone thinks I am missing something in the above process. Right now my biggest issue is that I have an airdeck dinghy with no internal lifting eyes so easy way to attach the dinghy to the davits and get it as tight as I would like against the davits for transport. I am working on a solution to that.

Momentum M · January 28, 2013, 01:34:24 PM

Look good Joe plus good timing as I'm looking in getting one for my boat!!! A quick question, on either side of the open transom you have 2 angles post attached from the seat to the rear balcony...was this part of the davits or was it added by you for extrat strenght.
Thanks

Joe Kern · January 28, 2013, 01:46:57 PM

Serge they actually come with the Garhauer davits. I would recommend you talk with Mark at Garhauer as he has been a huge help. He recommended that because of the split aft rail that the supports be added to strengthen the aft rail and prevent it from torqueing under any sort of load. The kit came with the support posts, mounting brackets and everything else needed to install them along with the davits. All I had to do was measure and cut to length. The davits and the afte stern rails are solid as can be. A huge benefit to going with Garhauer is that everything, and I mean everything, you need other than the sealant comes with the kit. The support poles do take away the ability to sit on the molded seats on the sugar scoop but in exchange I now have some nice handrails for assistance with boarding the boat from the water or from the dinghy. I never actually sat on those tiny seats anyway.

The only change I had to make to the boat was to cut the port side cup holder off in order to get the davit post in there behind the motor mount rail. You will also see the the location of the mounting plate on the port side is off to the side while the starboard side is directly under the backstay attachment point. Due to the engine mount and support bracing each side on the MKII stern is a little different. All the marina amatuer engineers who helped me with the project agreed it would not make any major difference and the davits are rock solid and level as can be. I am very happy with the quality of the davits and for the pricee I really do not think they can be beat as many other options out there require you to pay extra for each mounting point, the blocks etc. Plus these were built for my boat after I measured and not just stock. I can send better close-up pictures if you end up going forward with it.

Joe