Grand Banks Classic Davits

We are about to buy some davits for our GB36CL and are wondering what the conventional wisdom is for GB davits. It is important to us that we can easily deploy and retrieve a small RIB. Our cradle on top of the aft cabin is too cumbersome to use on a regular basis. I don't believe our swim platform is strong enough to support much weight, so we need something that will attach to the transom/aft gunwale. I am looking at St. Croix davits sold by Defender as a reasonable solution. Are there other options that we should be looking at? Any observations, advise, cautions, experience are welcome.

I have always admired the davit solution on Gadabaut:

https://www.jordanyachts.com/yachts_for_sale/gadabaut

We will probably do something similar.

Rain Dog,
I like the solution on Gadabaut and would like to learn more. Do you have information on the manufacturer?
Doug

I too would be very interested in the origins of that system.

Thanks,

romany275

I think it is custom. Lots more details and photos here: dinghy mounted on swim step davits - safe system? - International Association of Grand Banks Owners

I'm planning a system on my boat. I've been researching DIY davits and have come across some pretty interesting setups. My dink will weigh around 150-175lbs ready to move out. Since you're not looking to use the swim step, consider sailboat davits.

I really like this concept. I need to do something this year for my 10'6 rib/15hp

I think the hardest part will be the block at the masthead. My back of the envelope on this project is:

- Have pro fabricate the bow: $1000 (supplies and labor)
- Install bow: $300 (supplies only, my labor)
- Hire rigger to consult on mast loads and design of lifting rig: $300 (labor)
- Rigging supplies for lifting harness and reinforcing mast: $500 (supplies only, my labor)
- Install manual self-tailing winch on the mast to lift dinghy: $600 (supplies only, my labor)

That would make the whole project about $2700 plus maybe 20 hours of labor.

The big variable is what the rigger says about the mast supporting the load. My dinghy + outboard is about 250 lbs, but I want it to support 400 lbs in case we want to upgrade the dinghy later.

Anyone think these numbers are wildly optimistic (or pessimistic?).

These:
https://www.nickjacksonco.com/transom.html

koliver said:

These:
https://www.nickjacksonco.com/transom.html

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That looks like a $10,000-$15,000 solution that is no better than the $2700 solution proposed above.

I say $10,000 - $15,000 because the link posts no prices and it would require a whole new, and substantially upgraded, swim platform.

I put St. Croix on our 36 Classic a few months ago, they work great

Different application, but we have a St.Croix Dinghy Crane fitted on the FB,it is a quality well made product. I`m no fan of a dinghy hanging in davits off the transom,I like Rain dog`s suggestion, or something similar.

BruceK said:

Different application, but we have a St.Croix Dinghy Crane fitted on the FB,it is a quality well made product. I`m no fan of a dinghy hanging in davits off the transom,I like Rain dog`s suggestion, or something similar.

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I am very torn between going with a crane vs davits.

I am a little worried about the install of the crane (big hole through the aft cabin top that was not designed to carry a load), but I love the simplicity and seaworthiness.

I am leaning toward the davits because I think it will be cheaper, fewer holes in the boat, and it leaves room for me to store kayaks and/or sups on the aft cabin top.

I am for sure still on the fence.

Rain Dog said:

...I am a little worried about the install of the crane (big hole through the aft cabin top that was not designed to carry a load), but I love the simplicity and seaworthiness.

I am leaning toward the davits because I think it will be cheaper, fewer holes in the boat, and it leaves room for me to store kayaks and/or sups on the aft cabin top.
e.

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The St Croix crane is designed to be deck mounted and supported on the deck railing. As we were mounting ours on the FB we added a substantial load plate under the deck fitting. After the install we added a fillet type right angle vertical plate at the aft bulkhead,adjacent to crane. We saw some deflection although our dinghy is < 30kg, so we further supported the crane mast by a tensioned lifting strap attaching (temporarily) to the mast.
With all that done it worked well enough,but I think you are right to have reservations. Quite often we manhandle the inflatable(less motor) onto the FB. Two people can do that, with "occasional coarse language".
The Crane is demountable, so except when in use regularly all save the base fitting is removable. It is well engineered and thought out.

Here is our solution..... less that $300 and works great. No holes, non-permanent, and travels well. Easy to use. We use it with a 9’ inflatable floor dinghy. I believe it max’s out around 250 lbs although it is sturdy enough to handle more.

Rain Dog said:

That looks like a $10,000-$15,000 solution that is no better than the $2700 solution proposed above.

I say $10,000 - $15,000 because the link posts no prices and it would require a whole new, and substantially upgraded, swim platform.

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not so.

I have seen many of the Nick Jackson style, all attach directly to the transom, so are an excellent solution on such boats as the old GB 36 and 42, neither of which have a viable swimgrid. But no, I don't know their current pricing.

djewell said:

We are about to buy some davits for our GB36CL and are wondering what the conventional wisdom is for GB davits. It is important to us that we can easily deploy and retrieve a small RIB. Our cradle on top of the aft cabin is too cumbersome to use on a regular basis. I don't believe our swim platform is strong enough to support much weight, so we need something that will attach to the transom/aft gunwale. I am looking at St. Croix davits sold by Defender as a reasonable solution. Are there other options that we should be looking at? Any observations, advise, cautions, experience are welcome.

Click to expand...

What tender do you in mind? How heavy is it?

I had a heavy tender (ca 400 lbs.) on my Grand Banks 42 Classic and I installed a Nick Jackson pipe davit to carry the tender on top of the aft cabin. It worked well.

We found early on that if it is not easy and convenient we will be less likely to use it. Our boat came to us with a 12' double hull fiberglass hull Flexboat/8hp outboard on Weaver davits. That configuration was a pain to tilt up and down using the installed ratchet mechanism. It was hard enough to tilt up that we almost dreaded using the dinghy.

We added a fair amount of weight to the boat by installing St Croix seats, steering, and a 20 hp outboard. At the same time, we changed to Sea Wise davits.

The PO had installed triangular steel brackets attached to the transom under the Weaver load points. The Sea Wise davits are mounted in the same location. The boat is quite heavy. They seem to take the weight just fine.

The look of the boat tipped up is not ideal to me. Sometimes the dinghy is in the way. We occasionally back in to a slip and have to drop the dinghy and move it to the bow first. The usability of the Sea Wise davits trumps everything else - at least for us. The boat is easy enough to tip up and down that my wife can do it by herself in about two minutes.

SeaBreeze. Where can anyone buy the dingy system you have

Rain Dog said:

- Hire rigger to consult on mast loads and design of lifting rig: $300 (labor)
- Rigging supplies for lifting harness and reinforcing mast: $500 (supplies only, my labor)
- Install manual self-tailing winch on the mast to lift dinghy: $600 (supplies only, my labor)

That would make the whole project about $2700 plus maybe 20 hours of labor.

The big variable is what the rigger says about the mast supporting the load. My dinghy + outboard is about 250 lbs, but I want it to support 400 lbs in case we want to upgrade the dinghy later.

Anyone think these numbers are wildly optimistic (or pessimistic?).

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Good think you aren't using my credit card, way too high an estimate.


If I follow you want to add a small mast an boom as crane lift correct?


If so I'll lay it out for a lot less $$




If it's something else ignore post

Lucy -

https://www.amazon.com/Dinghy-Sling...s=gateway&sprefix=Dinghy+Sling,aps,125&sr=8-1

Fishing Fool
Can you post some photos of your davit system? I'm interested to see how they are attached to the transom.

I don't yet have a tender, but am planning on a 10' RIB with about a 15-20 HP motor. Probably in the 300# - 400# range.

I considered our swim platform an integral portion of the seamanship requirements of our GB42 and would never consent to cluttering up access to it being for rescue or towing others or sometimes boarding at difficult piers, you name it, a dink back there would have been a pita. When we delivered a GB36 up the rivers the Lake Michigan, I removed the 12-foot rib with engine from its tilted up position on the swim step where it was getting beat up in heavy seas and partially filling with water and placed it in the aft cabin top cradle for the trip and was darned glad I did, especially when using a stern anchor in some narrow creeks. Of course we had no intention of ever using the dink and deflated it to better see astern from the lower station and to ease movement on deck around it. On my own GB, I used the boom and davit with added sailboat winches for the lifting tackle and the topping lift. If we were going to use the dink on a regular basis for a few days, I left it hanging at the rail where all I had to do we release the downhaul and down she went into the water, much like old destroyers did when of plane guard duty behind carriers. I must say I very much like the photo of the Nick Jackson pipe davit on their site on what looks like a GB. I bet I would have eventually done that with my rib had I kept the old GB.

rgano said:

I considered our swim platform an integral portion of the seamanship requirements of our GB42 and would never consent to cluttering up access to it being for rescue or towing others or sometimes boarding at difficult piers, you name it, a dink back there would have been a pita.

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You are spot on



Mast boom crane is so simple, most trawlers have them.

I put a Olssen Davit system on my 37 trawler. It lifts 500# and I can launch in 1-2 min. Very easy and very expensive, worth every penny. 6K.

http://www.boatdavit.com/

Roskelley Davits

We started out with the dink on the aft coach roof of our GB 36, using the boom and tackle to deploy and retrieve. Just too much work, IMHO. We then considered Weaver clips installed on the swim step, but then what to do with the outboard. Maurer Marine in Costa Mesa, Ca suggested the Olsson-Rothskelley davit mounted on the swim step. Easy deploy and retrieve with a 4-part tackle. Be sure and have a cam lock on the tackle so you don't have to tie or cleat off to fix the davit at the level you want. We are more than happy with the look, performance and ease of use. The swim step handles the load (10' RIB, Yamaha 4 hp) easily. We have had no trouble with boarding seas. You will need to have a ladder to fit. Ours is fold-out, telescoping, and accessible by folding out to the side of the starboard side of the swim step.

Kato Davits

We just installed a set of Kato davits and just purchased a Highfield CL290 RIB. Davits are well made, haven't used them in practice yet, but anticipated they will work well.

I sold a pair of St Croix Davis to Airstream345 last month before he bought the 54 Krogen.

He probably will not need those on the Krogen.

Hylas Davits: Simpson-Lawrence, Wells Marine, Atkins and ...

www.jordanyachts.com › Yachting

" The four most popular options are Simpson-Lawrence, Wells Marine, Atkins and Hoyle, and Kato davits. All these companies have experience ..."


These have advantages that the dink load need not be balanced before hoisting , and the dink upright with drain plug out is great for storing stuff.

Folks set up to anchor out long term can find the dink a great spot to store trash..

Biggest downside is he dink adds to the LOA , so docking is more expensive.
The SL can be deck mounted in a shoe , so can be struck rapidly if required.