COCG47
Member
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2010
- Messages
- 13
I have a Jefferson 46 SunDeck Trawler, and I am just about to buy a new dinghy.* Although I have a VETUS "crane" on the roof of the sundeck, I don't like the way it is mounted, or supported on the underside of the sundeck roof, plus I don't like the idea of having something as heavy as the dink I'm buying being that high up (from a stability perspective in a seaway).* It also doesn't have a winch of any sort.* No idea what the previous owner did...* Plus, I put my kayak up there to keep it off the deck.** Right now, I store my 9 ft roll-up inflatable on the foredeck when I'm not using it, and I hump it over the rail to get it on and off.
The dinghy I'm buying is an AVON 340 (11'2") with a 25 HP Merc 2 stroke w/ elec. start.* Price is awesome, everything is in good shape, it is a perfect size to carry two couples (or me, the wife and*Minnie, our 80 lb dog), so I'm jumping on it.* It supposedly weighs about 175 lbs without the engine, so I'm guessing a little over 300 lbs with engine, battery, gas tank.
As I really don't want to "roof it", I see two choices - either a regular set of davits,*or something like*weaver davits to mount it to the swim platform.* Regular davits would be easier because I wouldn't have to deal with the motor, battery or fuel, but the davit and dinghy would effectively add*3 - 4 ft to my LOA (and make my current berth very tight).* It would also eliminate the*ability to use the aft sundeck door to get on and off the boat if backed into a slip. *I'm also concerned with punching a bunch of holes in the glass right above where we sleep.* With the weaver-type davits, I would need an engine crane to put the engine on the transom mount (installed), and I would need to hump the fuel tank and battery up on deck each time I recovered the dink, but it seems to me it would be more secure, and it wouldn't add to my LOA.* I'm just afraid I might get sick of all the permutations to launch and recover each time.
Anyone have experience either way and a recommendation?* If anyone thinks the weight on the sundeck roof won't be an issue, I'm open to those recommendations as well.* I think I would need to substantially reinforce the existing crane's mount, plus add a winch of some kind.* Thanks.
CAPT Glenn Zeiders, USN
M/V Syren
Jefferson 46
The dinghy I'm buying is an AVON 340 (11'2") with a 25 HP Merc 2 stroke w/ elec. start.* Price is awesome, everything is in good shape, it is a perfect size to carry two couples (or me, the wife and*Minnie, our 80 lb dog), so I'm jumping on it.* It supposedly weighs about 175 lbs without the engine, so I'm guessing a little over 300 lbs with engine, battery, gas tank.
As I really don't want to "roof it", I see two choices - either a regular set of davits,*or something like*weaver davits to mount it to the swim platform.* Regular davits would be easier because I wouldn't have to deal with the motor, battery or fuel, but the davit and dinghy would effectively add*3 - 4 ft to my LOA (and make my current berth very tight).* It would also eliminate the*ability to use the aft sundeck door to get on and off the boat if backed into a slip. *I'm also concerned with punching a bunch of holes in the glass right above where we sleep.* With the weaver-type davits, I would need an engine crane to put the engine on the transom mount (installed), and I would need to hump the fuel tank and battery up on deck each time I recovered the dink, but it seems to me it would be more secure, and it wouldn't add to my LOA.* I'm just afraid I might get sick of all the permutations to launch and recover each time.
Anyone have experience either way and a recommendation?* If anyone thinks the weight on the sundeck roof won't be an issue, I'm open to those recommendations as well.* I think I would need to substantially reinforce the existing crane's mount, plus add a winch of some kind.* Thanks.
CAPT Glenn Zeiders, USN
M/V Syren
Jefferson 46