Dinghy on swim platform

[Maravilla1]

I have seen some systems for lifting and storing the dinghy on the swim platform. This seems like a good option instead of lifting the dinghy 12’ in the air on a davit. Anyone done this? Any recommendations on systems to avoid? Any systems that have worked well? The PrestoMarine system looked nice, but a pretty expensive. Thank you!!

 

[Moon]

Check out Versa Chocks. I purchased a system that, when installed, will allow me to carry a tender on my swim platform or on my flying bridge deck. All I need to do is move the chocks from one place to another. My LRC is nearing completion but the system has not been installed yet. Hopefully before the end of this month. I looked at a lot of systems for storing tenders and this one was perfect for my wants and needs. I am going to carry a RIB and/or a flats skiff on my LRC when I travel. Both are less than 600 lbs.

 

[Captain_Michael]

Weaver Davits allow one to stow an inflatable dinghy awthwartships on the swim platform.

 

[Maravilla1]

Not sure how that works in 2-3’ seas

Weaver Davits allow one to stow an inflatable dinghy awthwartships on the swim platform.

The current dinghy has those clips on it. How well does that work in some swell or wind wave? That seems like a great smooth water answer, but that isn’t where I spend time on anchor. Thanks!

 

[Captain_Michael]

They are on my boat/dinghy too, but I have not used them. I purchased the boat in October and moved her from New England to VA and winter storage. The dinghy was/is stoed on the boat (top) deck.

At anchorage I do not see any issues. Your boat will bob up and down with the swell and any wakes. If your boat is fast when underway, the stern probably squats and that would put a lot of pressure on the davit connections on the swim platform. Same for open water with any appreciable waves. I have a treawler, so she is not fast, but coming down from New England we had 4-5' waves on one day, and I would not use the Weaver under those conditions--the swim platform was awash all the time.

The couple from whom I purchased the boat liked the system and said it was fine in protected waters. I would tend to agree, and I would just say try yours out. I plan to cruise a bit this summer, but I will be on canals part of the time, and I think the system would work fine there and save a lot of effort raising and lowering the dinghy via the boom.

Since you have them, try them before investing in something else.

 

[Ken E.]

Investigate Weaver Snap Davits. I use them and like them. Weaver Industries' website will give you the lowdown on them. My swimstep has been awash in a following sea on many trips to Alaska with no ill effects.

 

[Taras]

Your davit system is going to depend on how big and heavy your Dinghy will be. You mention a 12' dinghy. Is this a RIB? How much does the dinghy and motor weigh together?

 

[Endeavor GB 32]

We have a 32 GB with a Seawise davit on the swim step, holding an Achilles HB280DX dinghy equipped with a Tohatsu 9.9. Estimate the total weight of boat and motor at +/- 300 pounds. This system keeps the motor in place and it's always upright. I know that Weaver has something similar, the difference is that the Seawise has a winch which raises and lowers the dinghy, I think that you need really strong arms or a block and tackle for the Weaver. Works great, no issues or complaints. Our davit is the manual model, there is a hydraulic version for more $$. Just another option, good luck!
Regards,
Scott

 

[koliver]

It is all about fitting an appropriate sized dinghy to the available real estate on the transom.
I had a swim platform on my 37' sailboat. It was only about 5' wide, but adequately held an inflatable on Weaver snap davits, while in the marina. As sailboats heel, the dingy had to come off of the swim platform while under way.
Next boat, my present trawler, has a 12' wide swim platform, so would be a good candidate for Weaver of SeaWise, with an appropriate dinghy. I have a Caribe 12' dinghy that I bought from a TF member who had it on SeaWise on his last boat but couldn't on the next. I won't consider putting that dinghy on SeaWise again, as the weight of the dinghy, at ~750# was enough to break the FG parts where teh SeaWise frame was attached.
Moral of this story, Never exceed the weight limits of the type of davit you are using. Your Swim Platform might survive, but your dinghy might not, or vice versa.

 

[BruceK]

I store a 2.6M inflatable on the swimstep using the Italian brand "Ceredi" snap davits. The holdoffs are Weaver, Ceredi is because I bought an unused 2nd hand dinghy of the same brand I had before, and it came with Ceredi gear. We store the outboard separately.
Dinghy on swimstep is an abomination imo, but it works. Easy to launch and retrieve, captive to the boat if required. And we still have access to the transom (that`s "mirror" for Pascall) gate. Vision aft is something else, but we manage. Have not used Weaver but the Ceredi gear has been trouble free. Costs less too, here at least. In USA, I can`t say, tariffs ++?

 

[Dougcole]

We have trick davits on our Mainship 400 in conjunction with a highfield 340 CL RIB and a 20hp electric start 4 stroke merc. We love them as we can get the tender on and off in maybe 5 minutes. We pull it up every night at anchor which is a huge safety item for me--I don't want to be dealing with a tender tied aside or astern if I am dealing with bad weather or a dragging anchor in the middle of the night. The system is manual, very little to go wrong, and we don't have to deal with a swaying dinghy hanging in mid air.


That said, it does have some downsides. I had my welder make some aluminum parts to reinforce the cradles, they just aren't robust enough for a heavy dinghy. We also have a 4 to 1 block and tackle system that runs from the cockpit roof to the outside corner of the tender transom, it makes loading WAY easier. When under way I put crossed stainless ratchet straps from the stern cleats of the big boat to the bow eye and aft tow eyes of the tender.


For big water crossings I add two more straps and use the block and tackle to snug the tender hard against the transom. It also lifts the aft (Stb) side of the tender up about two or three feet, which helps prevent any waves from coming in. I am considering adding a second garboard drain to the tender to evacute water more quickly if needed, but I have not done so yet.


Obviously, not the best set up for an ocean crossing. But we have made over 30 gulf stream crossings with it with no issues. Including one really nasty one where in about 5 minutes it went from 2' with 5 knots SE to 8', very short period breaking waves and 30 knot NE winds. We had to endure 40 miles of that. I was worried about the tender (among other things) but it was fine.


No perfect system, I guess, but all in all I like ours. We use our tender A LOT, so the quick launch/retrieve is important to us.

 

[rgano]

An acquaintance with the same model as my boat had a davit system which allowed him to hoist the dink into the air over the swim platform. Hoping to relieve himself of the requirement to hoist it that far, he had a set of Versa chocks installed which allowed him to easily slid the dink up and unto the platform. However, sea trials revealed that the very low platform allowed for a lot of buffeting of the inflatable dink when the boat's bow rose when the boat was on plane. Following seas would have been an issue too, and he went back to the original davits. So, be aware of how your swim platform behaves underway when considering chocks there.

 

[Hippocampus]

We have a freedom lift. It’s amazing. Cradle lowers into the water and you drive right on. Get off then push a button and raise it up. Done. Runs on a small fob you take with you so the whole thing is easily done by one person. The arms are hydraulic and self contained. It easily lifts our heavy grp Rigid dinghy and her 40 hp engine. Given you’re directly behind the boat the boat blocks wind and current in large measure. Same for launching. Push a button. Done. When in the cradle it’s high enough to be out of the waves even on a hole shot.
Only downside is it does extend your LOA a bit. Upside of that is the swim platform is still usable for embarking and disembarking. Best piece of kit for this I’ve ever had. No lines, pulleys, lifting nor sweat. Effortless.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Unless you are extraordinarily tall, the dinghy doesn't need to go 12 feet in the air. I am 6'2" and walk comfortably upright on our swim platform under the dinghy. Now if we had side access doors in the gunwales like newer Helmsmans have, blocking the swim platform with a dinghy stowed there would not be such a big deal. As it is though, keeping the swim platform clear is important for getting on and off the boat.

 

[Moonfish]

We have Weaver davits with a 10'4" Boston Whaler and a 9.8hp Tohatsu. We don't store the dink on the davits with the motor on, as it exceeds the davit's weight load capacity. They work great, and I don't even really mind the 30-second workout pulling the dinghy up and vertical (a block/tackle system makes it a bit easier). Never had an issue underway, even in pretty gnarly conditions. But we lament the fact when stored our dinghy covers up the name and somewhat blocks our view out the aft cabin portlights.

 

[GoneFarrell]

Darren,
I painted boat name & hailing port on the bottom of my 10' rib.
Used an alphabet template set. Survey a couple years ago noted that as sufficient.

 

[psneeld]

Vessels name on dingy bottom is OK, but still has to be on the hull of the boat per documentation rules...assuming boat is documented...if not...no worries.

 

[rwidman]

Remember that if you store your dinghy on your swim platform, you will no longer have an available swim platform. You may not be able to climb back into the boat if you fall into the water and you won't be able to enter or exit the boat via the swim platform at docks or marinas.

Think about this before you make your decision.

 

[psneeld]

Depending on the method you use to store the swim platform to stow the dinghy, each of the 3 different ways I stored the dinghy there, I always had a way (if another was on board) to get the dingy out of the way or use it as part of the method to get back on the boat.

It does depend on a lot like the width and depth of the swim platform, if the dinghy tilts or not, whether the dinghy shape allows access to the side of the platform, etc....

A little ingenuity and there is usually a way. I will admit even though it can be often used for emergencies, using the swim platform for ease of boarding is often severely reduces or eliminated.

 

[Hippocampus]

A non issue with the Freedom Lift. Our swim ladder still works and there’s room to climb on but it’s a little tight between the dinghy and platform so you duck briefly before standing fully up. Wife is shorter and thinner. She doesn’t duck.

Think this concern is boat and mechanism specific. We load the dinghy with the engine on . The engine is on the opposite side (starboard) than the ladder (port). That gives you more room at the pointy end (bow).

On prior boats needed to take engine off as weight made it difficult to use davits. Definitely needed to take engine off for passage as it was unsafe. For passage would deflate dinghy and store on foredeck upside down. A dinghy even with the plug out will store a lot of water if pooped. Enough to distort how the boat floats and handles. See some folks put their fenders in their dinghy and do lashings above them to hold the fenders in. Never felt comfortable with that. Would be reluctant to have any dinghy on any device upright on a swim platform in serious weather. Even storing on the boat deck can cause troubles. Would leave plug out, fill with fenders and have a strong cover well attached to the deck not like the circumferential bungee cord I currently have. A filled dinghy will affect AVS and stability.

 

[Dougcole]

A non issue with the Freedom Lift. Our swim ladder still works and there’s room to climb on but it’s a little tight between the dinghy and platform so you duck briefly before standing fully up. Wife is shorter and thinner. She doesn’t duck.

Think this concern is boat and mechanism specific. We load the dinghy with the engine on . The engine is on the opposite side (starboard) than the ladder (port). That gives you more room at the pointy end (bow).

On prior boats needed to take engine off as weight made it difficult to use davits. Definitely needed to take engine off for passage as it was unsafe. For passage would deflate dinghy and store on foredeck upside down. A dinghy even with the plug out will store a lot of water if pooped. Enough to distort how the boat floats and handles. See some folks put their fenders in their dinghy and do lashings above them to hold the fenders in. Never felt comfortable with that. Would be reluctant to have any dinghy on any device upright on a swim platform in serious weather. Even storing on the boat deck can cause troubles. Would leave plug out, fill with fenders and have a strong cover well attached to the deck not like the circumferential bungee cord I currently have. A filled dinghy will affect AVS and stability.

I think these are all good points. But as others have said, it depends a lot on your individual boat, how it handles certain conditions, how you operate it and what conditions you operate it in. Pretty much like everything else in boating, I guess.


Our setup, when I have it rigged for open water raises the top of the aft (stb) tube about 5' above the waterline. The dinghy does not shift at all in any direction. I've watched it closely while under way in many different conditions, including pretty substantial following seas and I've never seen a wave come anywhere close to pooping it. Not saying it is impossible, just that in about 1,000 hours underway it has not been an issue.


Also, because it sits on an angle toward the stern of the big boat with the top of the fwd (port) tube lower than the stb tube, a portion of the water that comes in would slosh out. It would hold some in the cockpit, but not filled to the gunnels on both sides.



Our old boat had stern davits, they raised the tender pretty high, but no matter how I lashed it down I couldn't stop the side to side swaying. It was annoying and hard on the tender. In big seas I worried about it more than I do our current setup.


Also, there are all different safety scenarios related to a tender. Yes, one of those is getting pooped and filling it with a few hundred gallons of water but so is launching from a high aft deck, getting it onto a foredeck, taking a heavy outboard (with a sharp prop) off and on, straining to pull an awkward tender into place....I could go on and on. You pick your poison.


Doug

 

[C lectric]

If your boat is documented and the dinghy covers the transom use decals on the dingy bottom.
My boat requires the name and port of registry on the transom. When I installed the dinghy which covered the transom and name I simply got DECALS made to mee the requirements. That was 20+ yrs ago and they still look good.

 

[psneeld]

If your boat is documented and the dinghy covers the transom use decals on the dingy bottom.
My boat requires the name and port of registry on the transom. When I installed the dinghy which covered the transom and name I simply got DECALS made to mee the requirements. That was 20+ yrs ago and they still look good.

As I may have poorly posted before, but name/homeport on the dinghy really doesn't meet the documentation marking requirements, as the "required" name/homeport has to be on the vessel's hull.

But the duplicate set on the dinghy or other prominent/visible spot is a good idea.

From BoatUS website.....

The above requirement for vessel name and hailing port to be clearly visible may necessitate duplicating the name and hailing port on either side of the hull.

When dinghy’s are stored on the swim platform or transom causing the vessel's name and hailing port to be obscured from view, there is no Federal requirement to place the name and hailing port elsewhere. That is a Law Enforcement issue only.

Stenciling on the bottom of the dinghy is not considered a permanent marking.

 

[DavidU]

I am curious simply related to the esthetics of a blocked view out of the salon/cockpit of a dingy turned up on its side like a Seawise would result in. I feel there is no doubt that launching and retrieving a dingy on the stern system is easiest, quickest, and for those utilizing their dingy on a very regular basis, preferable. Do you feel as though your view out the stern is substantially compromised. My knee jerk is to put tender up top. I really don’t want to look over a dingy simply on a passage. I’m also wondering as to the degree it interferes in stern view docking. Obviously there are tools to mitigate the docking issues like dockmate, but I really don’t want to regret a swim platform mount because it simply obstructs my view aft of a place we are still enjoying. I’m sure there are perspectives which will help me as I contemplate a build.

 

[psneeld]

I am curious simply related to the esthetics of a blocked view out of the salon/cockpit of a dingy turned up on its side like a Seawise would result in. I feel there is no doubt that launching and retrieving a dingy on the stern system is easiest, quickest, and for those utilizing their dingy on a very regular basis, preferable. Do you feel as though your view out the stern is substantially compromised. My knee jerk is to put tender up top. I really don’t want to look over a dingy simply on a passage. I’m also wondering as to the degree it interferes in stern view docking. Obviously there are tools to mitigate the docking issues like dockmate, but I really don’t want to regret a swim platform mount because it simply obstructs my view aft of a place we are still enjoying. I’m sure there are perspectives which will help me as I contemplate a build.

What style boat/trawler are you discussing?

 

[BruceK]

I am curious simply related to the esthetics of a blocked view out of the salon/cockpit of a dingy turned up on its side like a Seawise would result in. I feel there is no doubt that launching and retrieving a dingy on the stern system is easiest, quickest, and for those utilizing their dingy on a very regular basis, preferable. Do you feel as though your view out the stern is substantially compromised. My knee jerk is to put tender up top. I really don’t want to look over a dingy simply on a passage. I’m also wondering as to the degree it interferes in stern view docking. Obviously there are tools to mitigate the docking issues like dockmate, but I really don’t want to regret a swim platform mount because it simply obstructs my view aft of a place we are still enjoying. I’m sure there are perspectives which will help me as I contemplate a build.

On my previous boat we kept it on the aft FB. Even had a little St.Croix crane my partner hated, which needed a lot of reinforcing to prevent deflection. On this boat, despite expectations, not enough FB space for it.

View astern is obviously compromised. And it looks ugly. But,we avoided impinging on the transom door and the swing down ladder. And it`s easy to launch and retrieve. Short of fitting a cradle off the aft FB and a lifting system, which I know from fellow boaters doesn`t work so well, it was the only way. Practical but unattractive.

 

[Ken E.]

I am curious simply related to the esthetics of a blocked view out of the salon/cockpit of a dingy turned up on its side like a Seawise would result in. I feel there is no doubt that launching and retrieving a dingy on the stern system is easiest, quickest, and for those utilizing their dingy on a very regular basis, preferable. Do you feel as though your view out the stern is substantially compromised. My knee jerk is to put tender up top. I really don’t want to look over a dingy simply on a passage. I’m also wondering as to the degree it interferes in stern view docking. Obviously there are tools to mitigate the docking issues like dockmate, but I really don’t want to regret a swim platform mount because it simply obstructs my view aft of a place we are still enjoying. I’m sure there are perspectives which will help me as I contemplate a build.

Certainly a dinghy turned up on it's side on your swimstep is not the prettiest site to behold but for ease and speed of deployment it's hard to beat. Yes, it does block your view astern. You'd be forced to look over or around the dink to see aft. The alternative of hoisting the dingy up-top with a crane davit or block-and-tackle is slow, subject to the wind blowing the dinghy around while launching or retrieving, and creating a higher center of gravity which may affect your boat's roll characteristics and general stability.

 

[DavidU]

What style boat/trawler are you discussing?

Most likely Helmsman 38 or 43. Possibly American Tug or Nordic in same range.

 

[chanprr]

I've had the dinghy and OB stored on the aft FB over the cockpit on my H38E. No problems with the weight since the dinghy did not have a console. I will be doing the same with the H46. The dinghy and OB weighs about 250 lb and the davit handles that easily. It takes just a few minutes to launch and retrieve and I'm fine with that.

 

[psneeld]

Most likely Helmsman 38 or 43. Possibly American Tug or Nordic in same range.

Some arrangements will allow or can be modified to allow the dinghy to be partially tilted when backing into a dock for a better view.

Gues the same could be done while cruising in fair conditions or anytime stopped and wanting a better view aft.

To me the view aft while cruising isn't all that important, but with aft salons/cockpits I would definitely have a way to tilt it lower.

On smaller vessels, I would not have one that stored on the upper deck unless I always towed it while inland cruising (even then not so sure). I know many rescue organizations have switched to aft launch ramps for "donghies" because craning them was not an easy task much of the time. Must be something to it.