Davit's or crane?

[Bay Pelican]

When using the dinghy frequently, for example during summer cruising, you can tow it and have it always readily available for use while having the space free in the flying bridge.

Some insurance companies will not cover a dinghy when it is towed. Check first

 

[Wxx3]

Crane. Most versatile and who needs the dingy in the way all the time.

 

[ksanders]

We have a crane, and for boats with enough deck space, it seems like a great place to store the skiff.

I can deploy or retrieve the skiff in less than 5 minutes. Generally I leave the crane in the "up" position, attached to the skiff's harness when cruising.

Our skiff is a Zodiax YL340 with 30 HP outboard. I think it weighs around 600 lbs or so.

 

[BandB]

We have experience with crane, garage, and dinghy on platform. None with a davit as it's really not very conducive to where we use a boat or our speeds or the size RIB we use.

We would only personally choose the platform over crane given ideal circumstances-a platform designed for that, a platform that raised and lowered a good distance, one that was very wide, and one on which the weight had been tested as to it's impact on ride and performance. Also, just lack of space for a crane and dinghy.

Otherwise crane. That boat appears well set up for a crane. As to the question regarding stability, I'd be more concerned with the impact of it adding weight off the back than on the upper deck that was designed for it.

On that boat unless a compelling reason otherwise, we'd go for a crane.

As to the comment of raising out of the water, while putting one in chocks on a platform that lowers is easy, a properly set up crane is just as easy as most davits I've seen used. Now part of that is proper lifting cradle for the RIB. Plus most cranes can handle more weight than davits.

 

[Bay Pelican]

Years ago I checked with Krogen on the stability issue. Was told the design was for a maximum of 750 pounds total on the upper deck including helm chair, dinghy cradle and all equipment. This is for a Krogen 42.

 

[Alabama Boater]

Crane boom position

One major item to consider is the crane placement and boom length. I had a 43 Marine Trader CPMY that I installed a sun deck crane on. It took a CAD layout to assure the reach dimesions. We had a friend that could only side load his 11' Whaler. If in a double finger slip the boat had to be pushed back to launch and retrieve. Needless to say, did not get used much. several photos are show my setup. My wife did have to push the Logic off the swim platform about 6" but it worked for us.

 

[go-planing]

Nick Jackson Davit/heavy dink and motor. Easy access via swim platform/transom door on starboard side. A crane/roof storage with side launch would make the dink inaccessible in most marinas much of the time. reports of roof mounted dinks degrading roll characteristics of the mother ship. Finally I've watched some downright dangerous launches of roof mounted dinks in rough anchorages

 

[dhays]

That is a great davit. Very strong, and easy to use. However, you can't walk from the starboard side of your swim step to the port. If you need to port tie at a dock and the dinghy is up, you can't access the dock from the swim step.

Here is a photo of my stern. You can see the Sea Wise davit on the starboard side (looks like a tripod). Ignore the covered grill that appears above it in the photo. I have a huge swim platform, but I can easily walk between the back of the cockpit and the davit so I can step off the swim platform to the dock without a problem with the dinghy in place.

 

[ranger58sb]

The more I think about this the more I believe that the crane is our answer.
I really do not want to lose the space on the swim platform to something as large as a dinghy...
Bruce

Think I'd consider both. (Maybe even a removable version davit system (St. Croix?), if there is one that will hold the weight.) Seems like each system has pros and cons, and sometimes I'd want to elect which pros I'm using at any given time.

How do you get up to the boat deck to control the crane?

FWIW, our cantilevered "crank-on" system on the swim platform works decently enough. It's offset far enough aft that we don't have much issue with boarding, and we can walk between the tender and the mother ship's transom. OTOH, I have to worry a bit more in following seas and especially when coming down of plane. I could have added (or still can add eventually) a power winch, but that so far would be too much trouble. One of our cons is that it's a side-loading system, so when my port-side dock neighbor is home, or when we get an uncooperative transient slip somewhere, I have to do some extra stuff to launch the dinghy.

-Chris

 

[BandB]

Whatever one gets, practice with it. Get proficient and prepared for less than perfect conditions. Then recognize the conditions in which it's best to do nothing, just sit and relax.

 

[dhays]

Here is a shot of my stern showing the davits and dinghy in place.

 

[CPseudonym]

Bruce, why not have both?

 

[O C Diver]

Another plus for the crane is not emptying your dinghy or removing storing the outboard. Last thing I want to do is remove or attach the outboard to a floating dinghy.

Ted

 

[Hawgwash]

Bruce, why not have both?

Now there you go. Toss it on the roof like an old Frisbee on longer hauls and stick it on the tailgate for those shorter hops between anchorages.

Davits should almost be a freebie if ordering the crane with a new build.

 

[dhays]

Another plus for the crane is not emptying your dinghy or removing storing the outboard. Last thing I want to do is remove or attach the outboard to a floating dinghy.

I like the idea of a crane. However, I don't have to remove my motor from the dinghy when using the davits nor empty the dingy of gas can or battery.

 

[Bruce B]

The idea of both is appealing too... When we sailed, we towed the Trinka (yes it was insured) and we never had even a hint of trouble in thousands of miles.
Clearly, that will no longer be wise, so once again I'm trying to imagine the reality of available solutions...
Lots of interesting input here!
Bruce

 

[CPseudonym]

The idea came to me after taking our 2 year old grandson (our first)with me to Toys r Us last night for a few things while he spends a month with us. I needed some baby proofing items and a tricycle, roughly 3 grand later I left the store with a full truck. Davits are cheap so why not have it all?

 

[O C Diver]

I like the idea of a crane. However, I don't have to remove my motor from the dinghy when using the davits nor empty the dingy of gas can or battery.

Then why do you? Seems like a lot of extra work if it isn't necessary.

Ted

 

[dhays]

Then why do you? Seems like a lot of extra work if it isn't necessary.

Ted

I don't Ted. Hard to tell from the picture. Here is a Vid that explains it.
https://youtu.be/t2xSR-tz8nE

 

[Bruce B]

The idea came to me after taking our 2 year old grandson (our first)with me to Toys r Us last night for a few things while he spends a month with us. I needed some baby proofing items and a tricycle, roughly 3 grand later I left the store with a full truck. Davits are cheap so why not have it all?

A buddy of ours has a set of Edson davit's that rotate when not being used. This way he doesn't exceed his slip's maximum length...

Don't think they would fit the American Tug but I'm sure there are other examples out there...

Bruce

 

[Bay Pelican]

I am aware of a couple of trawlers that have both systems. On passages the dink is lifted on top. Other times the Davis are used.

 

[BandB]

I don't Ted. Hard to tell from the picture. Here is a Vid that explains it.

It's semantics, but I consider the motor removed in that video. Just done mechanically, but no longer on the boat. Now, if that system works well for you, then it's great. I'd rather have a system that just kept the dinghy upright as is, like the Jackson units do. Not saying if I was you I'd change, just starting from the start I'd go the other route.

 

[Bruce B]

Whatever one gets, practice with it. Get proficient and prepared for less than perfect conditions. Then recognize the conditions in which it's best to do nothing, just sit and relax.

This is good advice for life in general!
Thanks,
BB

 

[Bruce B]

The davit that American Tug uses is made by Tanner Manufacturing. It allows the dinghy to be swung out of the way so that a person with reasonable acuity can walk along the rear deck. Much like the Jackson davit's if I'm not mistaken....

The cost of the davit's is not a token amount at almost $9000 though.
I suppose that in the end it is just another "drop in the (proverbial) bucket"...
Bruce

Tanner Manufacturing & Design, Inc. - Davits

 

[petdoc4u]

My decision would be based on frequency of use of the dinghy. Currently we store the dinghy on the boat deck using a crane. Typically we launch the dinghy upon reaching our first cruising destination and tow it as we cruise to other destinations. It's a PITA to put it back on the boat deck with every change in location, in my opinion. Our friends with stern davits typically pull their dinghy out whenever they move, in my opinion also a PITA. Bottom line...we like the dinghy out of the way, either in the water or on the boat deck. Towing can be fraught with problems however we towed our 10' inflatable from Anacortes to Glacier Bay without any problems. Maybe we were just lucky?

 

[go-planing]

Yes, I could lower the Nick Jackson to the point where the arms lay flat on the swim platform...dink sitting in the water. Would have to step over the arms, but not a big deal. However, in reality it's never been an issue as I just turn the big boat around to get a starboard side tie, or else use the portable boarding ladder and go up the port side. Have to get up to the sundeck anyway. One thing is for sure, most of these stern davits attached at the end of the swim platform would not handle our center console dink with the four stroke. Much too heavy and it can't be tipped on its side.

 

[O C Diver]

I don't Ted. Hard to tell from the picture. Here is a Vid that explains it.
https://youtu.be/t2xSR-tz8nE

Well that's different.

Too many moving parts for my taste.

Ted

 

[BandB]

The davit that American Tug uses is made by Tanner Manufacturing. It allows the dinghy to be swung out of the way so that a person with reasonable acuity can walk along the rear deck. Much like the Jackson davit's if I'm not mistaken....

The cost of the davit's is not a token amount at almost $9000 though.
I suppose that in the end it is just another "drop in the (proverbial) bucket"...
Bruce

Tanner Manufacturing & Design, Inc. - Davits

Much like Jackson. I don't see the capacity for it anywhere. Yes, it's just a few thousand of your money we're all helping you to spend.

 

[BandB]

My decision would be based on frequency of use of the dinghy. Currently we store the dinghy on the boat deck using a crane. Typically we launch the dinghy upon reaching our first cruising destination and tow it as we cruise to other destinations. It's a PITA to put it back on the boat deck with every change in location, in my opinion. Our friends with stern davits typically pull their dinghy out whenever they move, in my opinion also a PITA. Bottom line...we like the dinghy out of the way, either in the water or on the boat deck. Towing can be fraught with problems however we towed our 10' inflatable from Anacortes to Glacier Bay without any problems. Maybe we were just lucky?

We put our RIB's in and out with no issues. However, I think the ease varies greatly with the cranes. Ours are telescoping and we can easily extend the RIB a good safe distance and then bring it where we want it. Also, our RIB's have built in lifting points.

Garages are easy but not on many boats and they take up space, but by far the easiest on and off we've ever experienced is a huge hydraulic platform. That is an easy on and off.

I would say you want the set up that you feel will encourage you personally to use the dinghy the most.

 

[Bruce B]

Much like Jackson. I don't see the capacity for it anywhere. Yes, it's just a few thousand of your money we're all helping you to spend.

I hear you! Nothing like the vicarious kick of seeing someone spend!
Thanks,
Bruce