Carrying & Launching a Dinghy

[Lew Barrett]

I was earlier going to post that the dinghy thingy is one of life's vexing problems when it comes to mating them to a small cruising boat.
Erster's point about scale makes sense; a lot of the solutions being proposed work fine on a slightly bigger boat, maybe not as attractive on a smaller one.

I would certainly do a little more experimenting with towing, bearing in mind Tom's warning that some boats tow better than others. The hard bottom rubber boats do pretty well in this regard, maybe because they are so buoyant (and if they fill a bit, who cares?) but you might try something like Alan has pictured just to see if it will work, keeping in mind the notion of various harnesses to put the towed boat where you want it. I concur with Mike's point about how clumsy that can be if you end up having to tow two separate boats home at the end of a weekend. However, here where distances are long, it is very, very common to see small boats being towed hundreds of miles, though they are more rarely beautiful handmade sweethearts like yours.

Meanwhile I will try to add to Erster's picture gallery in the next day or two. Have I said how sweet a (set of) boats you have there? It's easy to see the appeal!

[Dale Genther]

I've been following this thread with interest as I have a similar prpblem to the one landlocked sailer has. I want to store my lapstrake dingy on the cabintop of my Chesapeake Bay Deadrise. The solution that I like the best is the on in post #48, the Kato lifting boom. But I agree the price is way too much. So, since this is a wooden booat froum, how about some ideas/designs for a similar boom made of wood?

[erster]

I've been following this thread with interest as I have a similar prpblem to the one landlocked sailer has. I want to store my lapstrake dingy on the cabintop of my Chesapeake Bay Deadrise. The solution that I like the best is the on in post #48, the Kato lifting boom. But I agree the price is way too much. So, since this is a wooden booat froum, how about some ideas/designs for a similar boom made of wood?

One of the issues with going with the wooden mast and boom setup is that first the rigging needs to be centerline for obvious reasons of looks, if the unit is a fixed unit and ready to use setup. It does require quite a large unit because of the distance that it needs to extend out and over the sides to lift centerline on any and all dinghies. The structure will need stays for sure and the height that needs to be built in is a wee bit higher to support the end of the boom for the lifting. my .02 . I bet that if people were to talk to a metal fabrication shop, you may find that if you custom build a simular rig such as was posted, the price should be less than the 3 grand for such a small weight. The closer to one side or the other the less material and reinforcing that will you will need too.

[landlocked sailor]

Thanks again for all your input & ideas everybody. This has turned out to be an interesting & enlightening discourse; my initial plan was a tabernacled mast on the cabin top forward of the dinghy, an overly complicated solution I now realize. Then Ian's idea for an aft mast had me convinced. Now, I like the single tabernacle scheme the best. Am I suggestive & fickle or what?. I wonder what other pretty idea will catch my wandering eye next. Seriously, an alluminum pole on the aft bulkhead with a detachable davit really seems like an elegant and simple solution. As far a transportin the dink over the road, she fits neatly in the back of the towing vehicle; a 2000 Ford Expedition, though her bow does come up un the center console a bit. Rick

[landlocked sailor]

Nothing to add except this is the first thread I have ever started that went to two pages! Rick

[landlocked sailor]

Hardware Catalog1.pub
Something like this might work to secure the base pipe to the cabin top.Rick

[landlocked sailor]

I keep screwing this up. Maybe this will work. Rickhttp://www.ballentinesboatshop.com/PDF%20BBS/BBS%20Hardware%20Catalog.pdf

[erster]

http://www.ballentinesboatshop.com/

[landlocked sailor]

Thanks erster. I was trying to post a picture of the bronze mast partner/gate they sell as a prototype of a support at the cabin top. I just recently was educated how to post pics from my iPad but it would not work from the website. Rick

[erster]

I attempted to scan through the site but the site locked up my computer to the point I had to completely shut it down. I could not get out of their PDF file download.

[Tom Lathrop]

If I had to pay those prices for hardware, I'd have only one boat instead of an indeterminate number of them. On second thought, maybe that's good thing. That mast gate is certainly strong enough but what have you got to attach it to that matches the strength? Also, the angle is wrong for the curved edge of the top. If you want to use that mounting method, it is not so difficult to mold your own FG bracket hardware to your own needs.

[landlocked sailor]

erster, sorry about that; no wonder I could not get the link to come up.
Tom, I agree. I was just using that as an example for clarity; something homebrewed would be preferable. I have to measure directly, but it looks like I only have about 3" of rooftop aft of the aft bulkhead. I don't know how large a diameter of tube would be appropriate. Rick

[snow(Alan H)]

Ok - at one of the local marinas yesterday & I checked out a set-up that I had previously seen & had thought - 'that might be the of interest' - see pix below.
Alan

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[landlocked sailor]

Here is an interesting source: http://ezpull.net/ecf/index.php

[Lew Barrett]

That' a loooong arm!
A bit on 316 while we're here.

My pictures later today without fail. Not that I think my set up is what the boat should get, but because it represents a very traditional approach to this problem.

[Lew Barrett]

I'm thinking that at this point this adds very little to this thread, but if it helps, that's good.

These are almost 73 years old now, which is some kind of testament to the staying power of steel and bronze. You can clearly see they are in two main parts, the upper piece that is the arm and the lower tube that receives it. Also visible is the hole that receives a pin after the upper arm is lifted into position.

About 15 years ago I took them down, cleaned them up, painted them and re-bedded the supporting hardware that holds it all together. That has held but I can see they need paint again. It's always annoying to me how I can ignore details like that until I take a closer look....or a picture! Using them is sort of entertaining in it's own right.

[ChrisBen]

Thanks erster. I was trying to post a picture of the bronze mast partner/gate they sell as a prototype of a support at the cabin top. I just recently was educated how to post pics from my iPad but it would not work from the website. Rick

Here you go.

[landlocked sailor]

Alan & Lew, thanks so much for taking the trouble to post the photos, they really help focus my thoughts. Lew, on the contrary, your set up looks like just about what I need. I will likely opt for aluminum, but the basics, including the retractable upper piece, are all there. Rick

[erster]

If I was going to use the pipe feature and need a flange type support mechanism, I would go with a good hardwood such as teak or mahogany. Ipe is also another wood but is a bit more difficult to glue up and for sure splinters a bit more, or has been my observation. In the past and for open and wrap around collar I have used multiple layers of wood arranged flat and orient the grain patterns on alternating directions of the layers so that spliting is completely removed or reduced dramatically if at all. Keep plenty of sealer on it and you will probably be good to go. Its worked for me in the past for simple hawse pipe setups too.

[landlocked sailor]

How about a couple layers of marine plywood well sealed in epoxy & painted; durable and sure takes care of the grain orientation issue. I have plenty of that. Rick

[Lew Barrett]

My davits both land on teak pads,but they are hard to see in the photo. All the real bending stress is taken up by the fancy looking bronze fitting that is through bolted and reinforced right through the deck. It is undoubtedly a weak point, and requires a stout backing on the ceiling. I had to repair it when I got the boat. Roof penetrations something to try and avoid, but in my situation, that was the way they did it. I have it caulked so it doesn't leak, but it was dribbling when I got the boat.

[erster]

My davits both land on teak pads,but they are hard to see in the photo. All the real bending stress is taken up by the fancy looking bronze fitting that is through bolted and reinforced right through the deck. It is undoubtedly a weak point, and requires a stout backing on the ceiling. I had to repair it when I got the boat. Roof penetrations something to try and avoid, but in my situation, that was the way they did it. I have it caulked so it doesn't leak, but it was dribbling when I got the boat.

You get a lot of stress in two directions when loading and unloading. If you have enough room or can create some room behind the pole for a simple yoke at the cabin side, I bet your movement would be decreased at the bracket thats fastened into the top. I bet that if you do not have any room behind it, you could still do a two piece wedge type on both sides fastened into the overhang or sorts and this will also reduce the stress at the bolts on top of the cabin.

[Lew Barrett]

Mike, if I use the rubber ducky, there is no stress at all on the davits, and the nice little Monk boat up there becomes a great crab pot holder

[erster]

Mike, if I use the rubber ducky, there is no stress at all on the davits, and the nice little Monk boat up there becomes a great crab pot holder

I would surely keep some crab pot handy these days. Any form of shellfish that you can catch yourself makes you way ahead of going to the markets out that way. Gauging from my understanding this week that the King Crab legs were also going for 28 bucks a pound, folks may start eating land crabs to offset their cravings..

[Lew Barrett]

Haven't checked the price of King crabs, but they are surely delicious. But twenty eight bucks? I'll take lobster any day.

[pipefitter]

Just took a quick look through this thread and I see what you need. I like Erster's idea with the flange bearing attached to the cabin top extending outward and the works mounted to the coaming or wherever it needs to go. In a demountable situation, the cabin top flange could even be hinged so as not to have to be hanging out over the cabin when not in use, but folded neatly and nearly flush atop the cabin and merely flipped down when needed. The davit itself could even be made in two pieces for more options regarding stowability and even shipping concerns if need be.

P.S. I really do appreciate the compliments from posters as to the quality of my work. Thank you, and Merry Christmas/happy holidays to all.

[landlocked sailor]

This project is progressing; the cradle pieces are made and ready to install and I found a fabricator for the crane parts. Today's questions regard rigging the attachment points on the dinghy itself. Sound I lift from the gunwales or the keelson? If the latter, how to stabilize the dinghy athwart ships? Photos of anyone's set up are really appreciated. Rick