Dinghy Davits

[foursailing]

Just purchased a pair of used danforth davits (it was a bit of an impulse purchase since I don't have a dinghy yet.)  Anyway, was looking on the board / tech notes for other pictures of other installations without any luck.  Seems like most owner stow their dinghy forward of the mast.  Was curious as to why I couldn't find other owners with davits - is the extra weight on the stern a big negative?  If not, does anyone have pictures / advice for installing davits?

Thanks!

[canuck]

We have an Achilles LEX 88 with a 5' beam. I considered davits but will remain stowing it on the foredeck for the following reasons:
- it adds a minimum of 6 more feet to the stern hence affecting my moorage and slip requirements and associated costs.
- another source for potential leaks
- initial cost and additional costs for ancillary blocks, rope, et cetera
- increases turning radius and my slip in the  marina is tight enough already
- blocks stern navigation light
- IMO it detracts from the simply gorgeous lines of the 34 MKII. When we are not on an extended cruise, "Schneider" is rolled up and put away at home
-most importantly, we have faced some heavy weather and I am much more comfortable seeing it upside down and securely tied on the foredeck that open to wave action and egress and subject to all that this entails...if it ain't broke don't fix it! One less thing to worry about. Know one fella who ran into some heavy weather in the Strait of Jan de Fuca and the wave took the dingy right off the davits!!
IMO more downside than upside.

[Wayne]

Don't remember if it was on this forum or elsewhere, but someone had installed a system that involved a clip on each side of the swim platform (if I remember right) to which each side of the transom of the dink was attached.  Then a line to the bow of the dinghy (perhaps an unused topping lift) and up the mast was used to raise the bow.  Stowed neatly against the backstays.  Not much overhang.  I remember thinking this was a pretty slick system for a boat the size of ours.

[Ron Hill]

Bill : 2/3s of the C34 hulls are MkIs with a narrow transom. 
If I had the wide transom of a MkII I'd probably have davits.  That's my reason!   

[Bill Asbury]

Ron & guys,

I'm looking to acquire a C34 MK II with Forespar davits installed, which looks good to me.  Don't anticipate having most problems noted above with cruising not likely to be done outside Chesapeake and inshore waters.

Cheers!

Bill Asbury
'91 C34 #1140
Annapolis

[tonywright]

We have a C34 MK II with davits installed in our club. He has the wing keel. He has hit bottom once or twice with the rudder, which jammed it up against the keel. He is now installing a shorter, but longer rudder. Any possibility that the stern drags lower with the extra weight astern?

Tony

[foursailing]

Thanks for all the responses. 

Tony - The davits don't weigh much (they're aluminum) - I'll just be careful on dinghy selection - probably go with an inflatable floor.  Passengers in the stern rail seats would have similar effect I would guess.

I did find one post / project related to davit installs - http://www.c34.org/projects/images/davits-2.gif
They seem a little high, but a nice install.

My mooring has plenty of clearance, so the extra legnth won't be problem.

I'll have to do some research / experimenting with the positioning of the davits.  Still need a little more thought on brackets to attach to the davits and backing plates.  Would be nice if  I could make them removeable.

[tonywright]

You're right. Maybe it's the heavy duty solar panel attached to the top, and the hard chined dinghy that's always slung from the davits, the outboard motor, etc...  ? Ithink that there is a practical limit to how much weight should be suspended over the transom. Just wanted to warn those thinking of it that the rudder is vulnerable on a wing keeled boat as you add more weight at the back. I already noted that under power the stern tends to sit down. More weight at the back will likely make this more pronounced.

Tony

[Terry Forshier]

here is our set up photo

[karista]

Check out the Kato site, they manufacture top quality davits, they have many applications shown on their side, including mine. I installed the Kato davits several years ago and also mounted a 120W Solar panel on top. We have a 8HP Yamaha mounted on the site rail and a Garhauer lift next to it. It takes us all about 10 minutes to launch the dinghy and have the motor mounted. There has been no problem with weight. Its been a great addition and makes it alot easier to cruise.

[foursailing]

Terry - Doesn't appear to be any picture attached to your post?

Thanks,

Bill