Californian 42 LRC where to carry tender

As we move towards survey and possible purchase a lot of questions come up. One for us today is where to carry the tender? The options we're considering are:

1. On the cabin top over the aft cabin? Launch and recover with mast and boom?
2. On the transom swim step using"tip up" davits that stand the tender on it's side?
3. Hanging in davits?

Our preferred position is on the aft cabin top, launch and recover by mast and boom. Chasing images around the internet there seem to be more boats with the tender on the transom.



There are two concerns with carrying the tender on the cabin top:

1. Effects on stability and trim.
2. Is the cabin top strong enough to carry the load?

Thank you all for you input.

The first question is how heavy is the dink and how are you using the boat.

I will tell you how I do it and why. This isn’t suggesting how you should do it but it will give you food for thought.

First my dink is 1,000 lbs. I store it on the cabin top. My primary reason is I fill a 60’ slip. If I had it hanging off the back I would need a larger slip which are not common here.

Second, I can strap it down. When coastal cruising things can kick up fast and harbors can be hours away. It’s much harder to secure a 1,000# dink hanging from davits.

Third, dink’s on swim platforms hide boat names.

Now the cons, I can’t tip it up, to heavy. It’s a much bigger job to crane a dink than to just lower a davit. Cranes are not cheap.

Your needs might be totally different.

tiltrider1 said:

The first question is how heavy is the dink and how are you using the boat.

I will tell you how I do it and why. This isn’t suggesting how you should do it but it will give you food for thought.

First my dink is 1,000 lbs. I store it on the cabin top. My primary reason is I fill a 60’ slip. If I had it hanging off the back I would need a larger slip which are not common here.

Second, I can strap it down. When coastal cruising things can kick up fast and harbors can be hours away. It’s much harder to secure a 1,000# dink hanging from davits.

Third, dink’s on swim platforms hide boat names.

Now the cons, I can’t tip it up, to heavy. It’s a much bigger job to crane a dink than to just lower a davit. Cranes are not cheap.

Your needs might be totally different.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. I understand and agree with most of what you've said. I'm a bit confused by your response. You carry it on the cabin top? In davits?


I'm still looking for Californian 42 LRC owner's input. The aft cabin top may not be strong enough.

For light-weight dinghies, some like the saloon roof, some vertically on the swimstep or on top of the forward cabin if not being towed, and some on davits.

I've never seen davits mounted way up like in the third picture. Interesting approach.

I carry a 600# 12' fiberglass dinghy on my boat deck.

I lift it up there with a Nick Jackson 900# pipe davit and it sits strapped on a cradle

I had to reinforce a roof beam with additional lamination in order to support the additional weight.

I don't notice any difference in stability but the back of the boat sits lower in the water, which I trim out with water and fuel tanks. Your aft cabin top is lower than mine so the dinghy won't be as high.

If you are concerned about the roof being able to support the weight of the dinghy, get a couple guys, where their total weight equals the dinghy, to stand on the roof. See how much the deflection is and go from there.

Though transom storage is popular, it does present issues:

Getting off the boat via swim step past the struts holding the dinghy up. Or the davits sticking out.

Adds length to the boat, which may necessitate a longer slip.

Must drop dinghy before backing into a slip.

If the dinghy is longer than the width of the transom, it can create difficulty docking.

Boats have had waves catch a dinghy tilted up on the transom causing damage.


Roof top dinghy storage takes more time to launch and unless you can launch at the back of the boat, have to launch before docking or rafting on the dinghy drop side.

Hard to launch in lumpy sea.

Davit and winch to maintain.


Launching a dinghy with mast and boom is more difficult than launching with a davit or crane.

Portage_Bay said:

Thanks for the input. I understand and agree with most of what you've said. I'm a bit confused by your response. You carry it on the cabin top? In davits?


I'm still looking for Californian 42 LRC owner's input. The aft cabin top may not be strong enough.

Click to expand...

On my current boat, the dingy is stowed in a cradle on the top deck we’re it can be strapped down. On my Uniflite 42 I had a transom davit.

If I was never planning to leave the inside passage and over all length is not an issue I would prefer the transom davit.

If I was planning on coastal cruising or like in my case, over all length is an issue, I would prefer the cabin top option.

tiltrider1 said:

On my current boat, the dingy is stowed in a cradle on the top deck we’re it can be strapped down. On my Uniflite 42 I had a transom davit.

If I was never planning to leave the inside passage and over all length is not an issue I would prefer the transom davit.

If I was planning on coastal cruising or like in my case, over all length is an issue, I would prefer the cabin top option.

Click to expand...

I prefer the cabin top option, I've got a lot of experience with that set up and am of the strong opinion it is the best way to go. The single advantage I see to transom mount on these boats is the ability to carry a longer tender.

Thanks everyone for the good input. I'm wanting to hear from Californian 42 LRC owners about the strength of the cabin top. These boats have a long window each side that >MAY< reduce structural stiffness of the cabin sides.

I'm planning two options for my boat. Tip up davits (think Weaver style) for those short runs with frequent stops and a roof cradle for those long cruises where the dink won't hit the drink for a while.

I had a Californian 42LRC and stored the dinghy on the aft deck roof. It is plenty strong enough, my dinghy and motor weighed about 275-300 pounds. I did have a crane on that deck so raising and lowering were pretty easy.

Cheers, Bill

I use davits on the transom to lift a 750#Caribe 12 with a Honda 40.

Californian 42s don't have a strong enough mast and boom, nor a power winch capable of lifting anything with an outboard (even 5hp would be too much) so you would be in for a whole system if you want a useful dinghy. The length of the dinghy is also limited to the length of the aft deck, 8' is about all you get, so not enough for a useful dinghy.

Weaver and SeaWise are good for dinghies up to about 300# but past that the weight thing gets tough to handle. My Dinghy has been abused by a Seawise, where the FG parts at the SW attachment points have failed and had to be repaired. Dinghies of a generous size are not built to handle the weight and pounding while on their sides. Then there is the access issue if you use standoffs.

Nick Jackson type davits would be my first choice for your boat. They attach to the transom and swing out to where your dinghy sits in the water. You will need to strengthen the transom for the top of the tackle attachment, especially if you hoist a heavy dinghy.

For a straight up lift, you can find cheap davits for lightweight lifts, but for a decent dinghy you will likely need custom built davits or a crane.

You could tow, then get a dinghy like this: https://www.google.com/search?q=AB+...KHcwnAJYQ9QEwAnoECAkQBg#imgrc=ONw5vEyqv6fzbM:

Hello, We have a 38' Californian with the same aft cabin top deck as your 42'. We carry a 9' Boston Whaler in a cradle on the port side of the cabin top. The dinghy is powered by a 6hp outboard. We also have an electric trolling motor we use when going short distances. We use the Mast/boom to launch and retrieve the dinghy. This is normally a two person operation. Raising and lowering the boom is aided by an electric winch with a remote control. The 9' is not the best for long commutes or extended exploring. We have towed a 13' Boston Whaler for those activities. It has been useful in the California delta and we also towed it from San Francisco to the Channel Island and back without incident. I am getting ready to build a 10' Garvey style dinghy to replace the smaller Boston whaler. It will have more carrying capacity and the ability to mount a 15hp outboard. That is the maximum length for carrying on the aft cabin top. Good luck with your new vessel. We've sure love our Californian.

mfreeman_1998 said:

Hello, We have a 38' Californian with the same aft cabin top deck as your 42'. We carry a 9' Boston Whaler in a cradle on the port side of the cabin top. The dinghy is powered by a 6hp outboard. We also have an electric trolling motor we use when going short distances. We use the Mast/boom to launch and retrieve the dinghy. This is normally a two person operation. Raising and lowering the boom is aided by an electric winch with a remote control. The 9' is not the best for long commutes or extended exploring. We have towed a 13' Boston Whaler for those activities. It has been useful in the California delta and we also towed it from San Francisco to the Channel Island and back without incident. I am getting ready to build a 10' Garvey style dinghy to replace the smaller Boston whaler. It will have more carrying capacity and the ability to mount a 15hp outboard. That is the maximum length for carrying on the aft cabin top. Good luck with your new vessel. We've sure love our Californian.

Click to expand...

Thank you! That's the kind of input I've been looking for.

mfreeman_1998,

Some more questions if I may.

• Do you store the dinghy with the motor tipped up? Or Down?
• When in the cradle, motor as you store it, what is the total length from the bow to the aft most point of boat + motor combo?
• Does anything hang over aft of the cabin top and intrude on the aft deck walking area?
• Do you require a the cradle tall enough to get the boat above the hand rail?
• What is the total weight of the Boston Whaler + motor + gas tank + battery + anything else that stays in the boat full time?

Thank you in advance! You responses will be very helpful.

Dinghy on aft cabin top

Happy to answer your questions:
- when not underway or not expecting to use the dinghy, I leave the canvas cover in place.
- Estimated weight:
- 9’ Boston Whaler with motor, fuel and oars - 400 lbs.
- when underway I remove the cover, the motor is stored laying on its side in the dinghy. Plugs are it and it could be launched quickly.
- Underway and immediate use expected. Motor is mounted in the up position fuel tank connected. It extended past the end of the cabin but not beyond the storage lockers against the aft cabin wall. I will wrap the prop with an pad to prevent damage to it or a crew member.
- Cradle: There is a cradle. The boom and electric winch lift the boat up to clear the cradle and swing over side. Winch the lowers dinghy into water. Reverse process to retrieve. Two person exercise!

Thank you! Very helpful.

Californian 42

tiltrider1 said:

The first question is how heavy is the dink and how are you using the boat.

I will tell you how I do it and why. This isn’t suggesting how you should do it but it will give you food for thought.

First my dink is 1,000 lbs. I store it on the cabin top. My primary reason is I fill a 60’ slip. If I had it hanging off the back I would need a larger slip which are not common here.

Second, I can strap it down. When coastal cruising things can kick up fast and harbors can be hours away. It’s much harder to secure a 1,000# dink hanging from davits.

Third, dink’s on swim platforms hide boat names.

Now the cons, I can’t tip it up, to heavy. It’s a much bigger job to crane a dink than to just lower a davit. Cranes are not cheap.

Your needs might be totally different.

Click to expand...

I have a 42' and I have a caribe hardbottom inflatable with a 20 hp honda also a seadoo spark both on my aft cabin top with no stability issues whatsoever your cabin top is 3" of plywood plus fiberglass there's no issues. Much less likely to have problems when it's really rough. It's also very easy to launch takes me less than 5 minutes by myself.

Sea wise

I have a marine trader 41 with a Walker bay Genesis 310 & 20hp Tohatsu. I use a Sea wise. Very stable no real issues. When i’m at a dock I always enter at the side entrance so the dingy is not an issue. It’s worked fairly well.


I have been thinking of getting a minto sailing dingy to go on the aft cabin roof. But I am concerned with how robust a mast and boom you would need.

This is our set up on a 42 LRC. The boat came with a much heavier tender.

With the Sea Wise Marine davit system, the motor is pulled up and off the dinghy as it is raised and lowered back onto the dinghy when lowered. You can use the manual crank or have it electrified.

My own preference is to have it off the swim grid, the problem with raising it up is the wind can be an issue and I don't want something big and heavy clunking around.

Short vid of the unit deployed:

https://vimeo.com/234499063