Leaving motor on dinghy to raise with hoist

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krmillerjr

Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2013
Messages
9
Location
USA
Vessel Name
Yet To Be
Vessel Make
1979 Gulfstar 44' Motor Cruiser
We are new to power boating...having sold our sailing catamaran. We now have a motor cruiser with a hoist on the hardtop over the sundeck. It is rated for 600-800 lbs. and our dinghy/motor are about half that weight. Just would like folks' thoughts about the pros/cons of leaving the motor attached to the dinghy when hoisting up top. There is an engine mount on the back of our vessel just above the swim platform. So, we can remove the motor and store it. But, wondering if not just easier to leave the motor on the dinghy and put both up top. Would appreciate input on what can go wrong or why we should or should not always separate the motor from the dinghy before putting it up. Thanks, Cindy Miller
 
Dingh's get used when they're used. The more ready to use it is the better. Ever thought of sinking?
 
I don't see a problem with leaving the motor on.
 
......yep, do have considerable concern regarding safety! So, as soon as possible we will have a davit system down, for ease/quickness of deployment. Just trying to make sure we use our currently available equipment appropriately!
 
leave it on the dink, hoist as one unit. put it on a bracket down low and you invite others to help themselves to your motor.
HOLLYWOOD
 
Would hate to drop the motor and mangle my foot/deck or into the water while manhandling the thing.
 
hollywood8118 said:
leave it on the dink, hoist as one unit. put it on a bracket down low and you invite others to help themselves to your motor.
HOLLYWOOD
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Gotta point there. I also have rigged my crane and bridle to lift together. Why waste time and energy if weight and secure-ability is no issue?
 
We leave ours on. If we take the motor off, the lifting bridle for the dinghy is off because of the weight loss in the stern.
 
We have Lester hydraulic Davits on stern rated to about 800lbs, we have a 10' Bulfrog rigid tender with a 15hp Tohatsu 4 stroke. The motor is bolted to the boat and not easily removable. Having to install a motor while on the water can be a real struggle and actually dangerous to both motor and person, I know it would discourage me from using the dink as much as we do to have to install each usage.
 
We hoist as one unit, in fact today I just bought a new light RIB and a new Honda 9.9 to carry on top, total weight about 230 lbs wet. our old dingy on top had a title issue so I gave it away.

Our other bigger RIB with a Honda 50 is too heavy to lift at between 800 and 900 lbs and I don't want that much weight up top when in heavy weather so we tow that one when feasible and use it when in a location for an extended time frame.

Just beware that your lifting harness won't get caught on your outboard when hoisting and you should be good.

Still Sitting in Nth Palm waiting for calmer weather to cross the Gulf Stream, crazy spring.
 
I leave mine on, the lifting bridle is balanced for that, can't drop it in the water that way, and it's ready to go when I am.
 

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Yep, as long as your lifting harness lifts the dink and motor level...go for it. Your crane David is designed for the weight you describe. Like someone else said above, the easier it is to unload and load the more you'll use it! My avatar shows the dink with motor riding under the crane David.
 
......seems keeping the motor on the dinghy is preferred....but we need to figure out if the davit/harness set up is configured for the extra weight of the dinghy motor. Thanks all for your input.
 
krmillerjr said:
......seems keeping the motor on the dinghy is preferred....but we need to figure out if the davit/harness set up is configured for the extra weight of the dinghy motor. Thanks all for your input.
Click to expand...

Even if the harness isn't configured for the additional weight of the dinghy, pinching the harness further aft and moving the fastening point is an easy fix.
 
krmillerjr said:
......yep, do have considerable concern regarding safety! So, as soon as possible we will have a davit system down, for ease/quickness of deployment. Just trying to make sure we use our currently available equipment appropriately!
Click to expand...

No dinghy when I bought the boat, but had a crane for putting one on the hard top. I went with a lightweight ABI and a 9.9 Honda. No problem putting it up there with the motor.

BUT...the dink on the sundeck hardtop really killed the view aft from the fly bridge helm. I would have to stand to look over it. A PITA. Then one almost out of control deployment from that height with some wind rocking the boat convinced me there had to be a better way. I installed a set of St Croix davits with their custom mounts. No power, but the 9 to 1 tackle permits a fairly easy lift. Deployment is a breeze. The dog is much happier as he gets to go ashore that much sooner. The biggest benefit is gaining a 360° view from the upper helm chair (see last photo).

It added about 3 feet to our OAL (for transient dock $). I can still put the dink on the roof, but rarely do.
 

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Never considered taking the motor off before lifting using a hoist. Would be surprised if many trawlers do that, although clearly it is the norm with sailboats.

Could understand the motor being removed if you used davits or a swim platform arrangement.
 
I have always assumed the main reason for having a powered davit up on top there was to do exactly that - lift dink, motor and all, for all the reasons mentioned already. The only concern is that in a seaway, it would be a slightly more tricky issue launching it without banging it against the boat, but everyone seems to work that out.

My contribution is just to confirm that unless you have the money and room for one of those fancy swim-board mounted arrangements that allow the motor to stay fixed on, then even with a light motor like mine, (Honda 2.3hp), taking the outboard off and putting it on are a literal PITA..! And that's when the water is calm...
 
If you can remove the motor with little effort so can anyone else.

Hoist it with the dink motor bolted in place.

Remove the motor for winter storage or a trip to a repair shop.
 
Tonic said:
No dinghy when I bought the boat, but had a crane for putting one on the hard top. I went with a lightweight ABI and a 9.9 Honda. No problem putting it up there with the motor.

BUT...the dink on the sundeck hardtop really killed the view aft from the fly bridge helm. I would have to stand to look over it. A PITA. Then one almost out of control deployment from that height with some wind rocking the boat convinced me there had to be a better way. I installed a set of St Croix davits with their custom mounts. No power, but the 9 to 1 tackle permits a fairly easy lift. Deployment is a breeze. The dog is much happier as he gets to go ashore that much sooner. The biggest benefit is gaining a 360° view from the upper helm chair (see last photo).

It added about 3 feet to our OAL (for transient dock $). I can still put the dink on the roof, but rarely do.
Click to expand...

We have almost the exact same boats (just mine grew a little :D).

We put our tender, a 13' Whaler w/a 30hp Nissan, on top of the sundeck for storage most of the year. Once it goes in the water (usually late spring) it stays afloat till fall.
 
markpierce said:
Would hate to drop the motor and mangle my foot/deck or into the water while manhandling the thing.
Click to expand...

Mark, did you just actually post a message without a picture? Whoo HOO! I think I just won a forum pool for spotting it first..:rofl: Administrators?
 
bligh said:
Mark, did you just actually post a message without a picture? Whoo HOO! I think I just won a forum pool for spotting it first..:rofl: Administrators?
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Getting even ... My now-sold Seagull outboard used as the auxiliary engine of my previously-sold sailboat:

img_226082_0_de691d11a3560c805ddb4a5a48ee275d.jpg


I always removed the outboard when not using the boat (kept in dry storage on a trailer between usage). Didn't want to tempt thieves.
 
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I suppose you could say, the only upside to the fact when I pull the dink up on its side to stow it on the duckboard and have to take the motor off, is that I just take it off the cockpit mount and lock the motor in the boat once we are docked and going home.
 
Peter B said:
I suppose you could say, the only upside to the fact when I pull the dink up on its side to stow it on the duckboard and have to take the motor off, is that I just take it off the cockpit mount and lock the motor in the boat once we are docked and going home.
Click to expand...

What is a duckboard?
 
Duckboard: It's a slotted board or similar device to keep ones shoes/feet dry like over a muddy/swampy area, but in this context, on a boat's deck or cockpit. The photo shows ducks keeping their feet dry by staying on the slotted wooden swim platform.
 
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Gave up waiting to cross, now in Vero Beach heading to the Chesapeake . The Bahamas will still be there in the Fall hopefully the crossing windows will be better. Most of the regular crossers we spoke with said they haven't seen a spring like this for a long time with no real good weather windows for slow boats like ours.
 
gwkiwi said:
Gave up waiting to cross, now in Vero Beach heading to the Chesapeake . The Bahamas will still be there in the Fall hopefully the crossing windows will be better. Most of the regular crossers we spoke with said they haven't seen a spring like this for a long time with no real good weather windows for slow boats like ours.
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That's exactly why we wait until May for our Bahama trips. By that time the spring fronts that blow through every 4 or 5 days are about done, and the weather patterns settle into their summer pattern. The prevailing winds shift to the East and southeast, so they don't buck the current in the stream. It is also before the daily thunderstorms that build later in the summer. It's about as good as it gets over there. Warm days and comfortable sleeping nights. Hurricane season starts in June. We have always been back before July 1st.

By the way, I hear that many springs by cruisers waiting to cross. Most springs have a lot of fronts.
 
Waiting for May here, too. Plan to go from NC down the SE coast and jump off toward the Abacos.
 
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