Traveling without a dinghy

Pack Mule said:

We carry ours on davits . We are on Kentucky Lake on Tn river . Only had it a couple of months but it' s been fun rowing around the marina or in the coves where we anchor .
By the way we used to live in Arkansas and have sailed a bunch on Lake Maumelle.

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Now, that's what I call class.

Go cruising without one, you`re sure to find you need it.

bikeandboat said:

The Weaver snap davits would not be just what I want on the boat we are considering, but may be the better choice if we do not tow, if we take a dinghy.

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Seawise offers another similar system. There are other products to carry dinghies on swim platforms (Jatco, Hurley, etc.) and St. Croix makes transom davits -- including a removable system. You could combine, sometimes: tow when you feel like it, lift and stow when you must.

Off Duty said:

The comment started me thinking. Since whatever we eventually decide on, may or may not be big enough to handle it, where would I put it?
I don't want it on the top, probably won't be room on the deck (don't have that kind of coin:lol, and I don't want to tow it.

Seems the stowable inflatable would be the best option. Get one that has the option of a small kicker, and you have the best of both worlds.

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Another option is on the foredeck, similar to what's shown in Codger's avatar. One of our owners club members did that, with a crane, and she said it was a snap to launch.

-Chris

Occasionally we will boat without our dinghy but always find that it is a comfort to have it. It is suprising how many times it has come in handy. After raising and lowering it and a jet ski a few times, we always tow ours.

When we bought our GB the dinghy was located on top of the aft cabin and we were supposed to use the boom to manually lift the dinghy off or back on. What a battle and one that totally discouraged us from using it. We bit the bullet and had some electric Davits installed. These came from Lester Davits in Tampa, FL. Now with remote in hand dinghy is launched or retrieved in a few minutes. After five years we replaced the small electric motors with small self contained hydraulic pistons and they work even better. Jus brought our boat back to dauphin island, AL from a trip to Key West. Used it at most anchorages and at some marinas for fun and exploration. Our two dogs love it too. Point is, if you get a dinghy make sure you can easily launch and retrieve it or you won't use it much due to the difficulty.

Moonstruck said:

Now, that's what I call class.

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Yeah I call my courting machine . Joy is always ready to for a row around the marina as long as I have my nitroglycerin pills I my pocket . She says it's my version of a cheap date .

Pack .. Marty I'm so jealous of your Tinker Belle and having it on davits.

I could do that if I took the dink off every time we came back to the home slip. What a PITA that would be. You must be charged extra moorage for the dink eh?

manyboats said:

Pack .. Marty I'm so jealous of your Tinker Belle and having it on davits.

I could do that if I took the dink off every time we came back to the home slip. What a PITA that would be. You must be charged extra moorage for the dink eh?

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Tinker Bell ? We pay for whatever size slip we have . Our Marina has 30,40 ,50 and 60 s
We have a 40 ft slip .

Tinker belle? The boat's named William, the dink should be Catherine or......wait for it...............

















lil' Willy!

FYI, we anchor almost always as we travel the ICW. Occasionally we will use a marina to visit with friends along the way. We traveled 30 days from Stuart, FL to Westport, CT. We made 3 marina overnights during that period to visit friends and family along the way. Our tender (a Boston Whaler) never got wet on the entire trip. We provisioned during those 3 marina stops.

Did we need our tender? No. Would we be without it? No.

hmason said:

FYI, we anchor almost always as we travel the ICW. Occasionally we will use a marina to visit with friends along the way. We traveled 30 days from Stuart, FL to Westport, CT. We made 3 marina overnights during that period to visit friends and family along the way. Our tender (a Boston Whaler) never got wet on the entire trip. We provisioned during those 3 marina stops.

Did we need our tender? No. Would we be without it? No.

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Were there no areas you wished to explore closer that the tender wasn't better for exploring than the main boat? We don't use our tender for provisioning. We use it for exploration and pleasure.

Codger2 said:

The dinghy you see in my avatar will hopefully be gone tomorrow morning to a new home.)

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It's gone! Now for the raft....

The buyer is in the red shirt.

Am I missing something? There's no davit on the bow? Or was it sold with the dink?

FlyWright said:

Am I missing something? There's no davit on the bow? Or was it sold with the dink?

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The davit & cradle are still there. I'm saving them for another day. (Another dink?)

Our tender (a Boston Whaler) never got wet on the entire trip.

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I agree with B and B, that's a darn shame right there. We made that trip a few times (actually starting further south and ending further north), I would have gone mad if I was restricted to the big boat the whole time. We too anchored or moored out almost all of the
time and one of the first orders of business was to launch the Whaler. Heck, even when we were in marinas the Whaler usually got launched.

caltexflanc said:

Heck, even when we were in marinas the Whaler usually got launched.

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That's the key... not only having a dinghy but being able to launch and retrieve with ease. If it's not easy, it won't be used.

When I first added the trolling motor to Algae I noticed immediately how much more frequently I used the dink. It was "easy" to putt along. Pulling the cord on an outboard won't work for me. That's why a trolling motor is my choice for an outboard.

You see, I'd get in, open my parasol and cast off. It's a rough life but someone has to do it.



Not that I don't have envy when the go-fast marshmallows fly by. There's a lot to be said for speed too.

Whatever the choice for OP is, just know that if it's a pain in the transom to use your dinghy it won't be used. Don't bother buying one in that case. However, I'd make sure I had one that was useable at a moment's notice.

For fun!

janice142 said:

Pulling the cord on an outboard won't work for me. That's why a trolling motor is my choice for an outboard.

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A cardiologist who I respected once said that no one over 40 should own a manual starting outboard or lawn mower. A boat dealer I knew wouldn't sell them. The motion of pulling across your body, across your heart, is the reason. This discussion came about after my father's fatal heart attacks. He had spent the afternoon mulching leaves and hand starting a rather balky leaf mulcher.

BikeandBoat:
Boating wihout - yes, it is possible, but no, once used to having a dinghy, I won't go without. In fact, I prefer bigger and more difficult to stow. I started boating with a "Sport Yak". Talk aout compromises. At least it was unsinkable, a good thing, as with two people, in it, the waves of 3" would fill it. Now Oliver's small RIB is my "Big" dinghy, which I tow half the time, as it is 750 lb and I don't have power davits. Which brings us to:
Towing - I have also towed a 19' runabout. What a PITA when coming in to a dock or even to an anchorage. Once you get to a boat that is that heavy, it has to be towed on a relatively long leash, so getting it under control when slowing down is critical, and time consuming. Then there is the hassle of making room for it alongside when docking, or putting it somewhere when rafting to more than one other boat. That boat was qickly abandoned as a tender, so back to the 12' RIB. Towing that dinghy is easy. It rides with stability, it won't attack the mothership when slowing down, it is always ready to help out when entering a busy anchorage or marina.
My conclusions: Get the biggest dinghy you can handle. Tow it if that is bigger than you want to lift, Don't go anywhere without one.
You need to be able to get your bikes ashore, don't you?

manyboats said:

Pack .. Marty I'm so jealous of your Tinker Belle and having it on davits.

I could do that if I took the dink off every time we came back to the home slip. What a PITA that would be. You must be charged extra moorage for the dink eh?

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Eric, I was thinking the same thing about extra moorage fees so I welded up a pivoting davit. My marina charges by the 5 foot increment and with the dinghy pivoted inboard, Panope squeaks in at just under 35 feet. Note that the radar dome is positioned so that it also pivots inboard.

The pivots have UHMW bearings for effortless pivoting. Two drop pins keep it in place while under way. Takes just a few seconds to pivot and a few more to cast off the hoisting line to launch dinghy.

This is all just a variation of the old fashioned ship lifeboat davit. Something similar could be arranged for your Willard if you could stand having a big metal thing grafted on to your otherwise beautifully clutter free boat.

Steve

Panope said:

The pivots have UHMW bearings for effortless pivoting. Two drop pins keep it in place while under way. Takes just a few seconds to pivot and a few more to cast off the hoisting line to launch dinghy.

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Hello Steve. Your system looks great. Help me understand though... in picture two there is a metal U-shape (extended 'u') that goes over the gunnel. Is that welded to your post or ??

Also, I see two lines aft to the port and starboard corners of the dink but nothing forward? Did I miss something. How do you get your Walker Bay up and down?

I've a similar centerline davit so my upper looks like yours -- just need to figure out the inboard part of the dinghy, as in how to hold it in place.

And yes, I know I could place it on the swim platform. The problem with that is I could not get out of the water -- it would block my swim steps. Being able to self-rescue is important, especially since I'm a soloist.

Thanks Janice,

janice142 said:

Hello Steve. Your system looks great. Help me understand though... in picture two there is a metal U-shape (extended 'u') that goes over the gunnel. Is that welded to your post or ??

The U-shape that the gunnel fits into is indeed welded to the post with a heavy gusset. I fabricated that shape to just fit the Walkerbay. A set of SS pins pass through the U-shape and gunnel to secure. If I change to a different dinghy, I will have to make a new shape or perhaps a clever adapter could be fashioned.

Also, I see two lines aft to the port and starboard corners of the dink but nothing forward? Did I miss something. How do you get your Walker Bay up and down?

In addition to the two lines (plastic covered cable) that you identified, a third line runs forward and under the bow seat. It is not very visible in that picture. So, just the single hoisting line is all that is needed. Once the gunnel is freed from the U-shape, the dinghy does swing and bonk into the mother ship. The plastic construction of the Walkerbay makes this a non-issue.

I've a similar centerline davit so my upper looks like yours -- just need to figure out the inboard part of the dinghy, as in how to hold it in place.

Yep, that u-shape channel is what makes this all practical. Without it, it would take a spider web of lines to keep the dingy from flogging all over the place. A dinghy that takes time to deploy or stow will reduce the number of uses of that dinghy.

And yes, I know I could place it on the swim platform. The problem with that is I could not get out of the water -- it would block my swim steps. Being able to self-rescue is important, especially since I'm a soloist.

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Thank you for the great explanation. I'm going to do some serious thinking on this. You might just have the solution I've been looking for since 2008. I've tried multiple methods and nothing so far has worked.

I do know it's going to require a pair of triple blocks (one with and one without a becket) as my dink weighs a bit now with the wood support down the gunnels. Double blocks are just not enough for me to hoist her up.

But this solution of yours, well, it looks doggone spiffy. I like it. Thank you, and for the pictures too.

No Dink

bikeandboat said:

We are close to purchasing a trawler. We sold our previous trawler last year and have been missing having one. A problem we had with the previous boat and it appears to be a problem with the boat we are considering is a good way to carry a dinghy. So, how many travel without a dinghy? Most of our travels will be on rivers and intercoastal, but a gulf crossing is always possible.

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We were just in Poulsbo sitting on a friends boat in the public marina when a large m/v came in looking for a slip. Several runs up and down the smaller slips and they headed out to anchor.

We noted their dingy cradle was empty, guess they missed the town that night.

We also have two inflatable kayaks on board for when we don't want to launch our dink, typically in smaller coves with no docks. We wouldn't go without our dingy.

We tow. 17' center console on the river, very handy for exploring and getting the pup to shore. We tow it close to the swim platform usually, that makes it easier when locking.

FlyWright said:

Tinker belle? The boat's named William, the dink should be Catherine or......wait for it...............

lil' Willy!

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Oh no you didn't ! :lol:

BandB said:

A cardiologist who I respected once said that no one over 40 should own a manual starting outboard or lawn mower. A boat dealer I knew wouldn't sell them. The motion of pulling across your body, across your heart, is the reason. This discussion came about after my father's fatal heart attacks. He had spent the afternoon mulching leaves and hand starting a rather balky leaf mulcher.

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I can see the doc's point.
As a guy pushing 60, I still hit the gym and do cross body cable work for various body parts, but I do them slowly and in a controlled fashion to get the most out of them.

But the act or quickly and repeatedly snatching on a freaking small engine (lawn mower, weed eater or small outboard), kick my arse! I can definitely feel it in the chest.

Then again, if the motor is in proper operating condition, a quick pull, 1 maybe 2, should get her going without issue.

Trolling motors are nice though. Light and economical.

This has been an interesting thread, because we just finished a run with our new boat, from Somerset, Mass to near Albany on the Hudson, about 330 miles total. We marina-hopped the whole way over two weeks. Even on Memorial Day weekend we never had a hard time finding a marina with available slips, even off Manhattan. The weekend before the trip we bought a Zodiac Zoom at Defender, and a Yamaha 4-horse for it. Never used it, never inflated it. It stayed in its bag on the bow the whole trip.

kthoennes said:

This has been an interesting thread, because we just finished a run with our new boat, from Somerset, Mass to near Albany on the Hudson, about 330 miles total. We marina-hopped the whole way over two weeks. Even on Memorial Day weekend we never had a hard time finding a marina with available slips, even off Manhattan. The weekend before the trip we bought a Zodiac Zoom at Defender, and a Yamaha 4-horse for it. Never used it, never inflated it. It stayed in its bag on the bow the whole trip.

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I guess different strokes for different folks. So many fun places to use a dinghy on that route, marina hopping or no. And a plethora of beautiful anchorages and mooring fields for those so inclined. To each their own!

We'd be hard pressed cruising without a dinghy. We seldom use slips at marinas($). We anchor out most of the time, or pick up a mooring. The dinghy allows... access to shore at any time without relying on launch service($), getting bikes to shore, getting dog to shore, harbor tours, exercise (rowing), fishing (in fishy areas, I anchor out and fish the shoreline and rocks in the dink).

Here's our setup. An 8' Trinka with sail kit, hanging on swim platform Weaver davits, 2 HP Honda (in cockpit locker). Can't tow a Trinka (or most hard dinghies) over 6 knots because it swamps. You could tow an inflatable, but you have to deal with it at a slip. Towing a dinghy is risky in bad weather and following seas. Some marinas will charge you extra LOA rates if your trailing a dink, plus difficult to deal with coming into a slip. As we get older, will consider a 9' RIB (for stability), and would store it on the platform the same way.

Off Duty said:

...if the motor is in proper operating condition, a quick pull, 1 maybe 2, should get her going without issue...

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If I don't keep the OB in proper operating condition, I pay for it in more ways than one. Lena takes the dingy regularly and it needs to start with 1 or 2 pulls. The motor will be maintained.