How does your dinghy hang?

[HeadedToTexas]

It took me 4 days to get out of Lake Michigan thanks to some harsh weather. There were a few light casualties, and thankfully no injuries or serious losses. I discovered this in the slip at Cheboygan and had to sit down. So very close to damaging the dinghy and maybe losing the outboard.

The dinghy hangs from St. Croix davits on Dyneema lines connected to wire gated carabiners mounted to a block and tackle rig. In the course of the big Lake Michigan waves, the stern carabiner let loose of its wire gate leaving the Dyneema line eye hanging on to the notch in the 'biner. Very thankful it did not let go.

Rather than carabiners, my mentor recommends Pelican Hooks. They are on order. What do you guys use to hang your dinghy from davits?

 

[KnotYet]

The pelican hook pictured does not look like a good choice for the intended use
and it could cause abrasion to the lines passing through it.
A rigging carabiner with a safety closure would be a better choice, IMO.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

I'm a little tentative on carabiners, but what about this variant? The hook carries all the load; the gate only keeps the lines inside.

 

[lwarden]

I've got the same davit but it has a couple threaded quick links on it. Kind of a pain to attach but secure.
I'm surprised that pelican hook straightened out, must have had a hell of a force or the bail was not locked for some reason.

 

[angus99]

How about a pair of these, some of which have a 6,600-lb break strength?

 

[Peter B]

I'm a little tentative on carabiners, but what about this variant? The hook carries all the load; the gate only keeps the lines inside.

This one looks good to go for me.

 

[psneeld]

How about a pair of these, some of which have a 6,600-lb break strength?

I use these, quick tug on the tag lines.... off I go.

If you ever need a release without lowering the dink or a line fouls and remains under tension, carabiners are troublesome

 

[slowgoesit]

Title of the thread had me wondering . . .

 

[DDW]

One issue you have with that and any opening shackle is that you have two lines on it pulling at about 90 degrees, and pulling the shackle apart. Most are not designed for that type of loading. They are designed for a single point load pulling directly in line. Any shackle that opens is a C shape, inherently weak in the direction you are loading it.

What I'd do is to get a high quality welded ring. Undo the eye splices in the Dyneema and resplice them though the welded ring. Then shackle to the ring. Those are Brummel splices, very easy to do. If you don't want to mess with that, then a substantial SS chain quick link. Or even a screw shackle. Both of these may distort from overload, but the ends of the C are held together with something more than hope.

Another way might be to cow hitch the existing eye splices onto a welded ring, it the other ends of those lines can be freed.

 

[psneeld]

Not sure what you are talking about 90 degrees...unless you rig the opening part to the two legs of the bridle to the dingy.

If you rig then so the opening part is UP and hanging from a loop or metal part of the falls, it isn't an issue and is the way I use them.

 

[Simi 60]

I'm a little tentative on carabiners, but what about this variant? The hook carries all the load; the gate only keeps the lines inside.

Its what we use for hanging a 14ft alloy tender with a 30hp electric start ob and 25 litres of fuel
About 350kg

Lifted using hand crank trailer winch and 6mm dyneema

 

[DDW]

Not sure what you are talking about 90 degrees...unless you rig the opening part to the two legs of the bridle to the dingy.

Which is exactly what he did.

If you rig then so the opening part is UP and hanging from a loop or metal part of the falls, it isn't an issue and is the way I use them.

Then the hook has to be small enough fit through the small shackle on the triple block, and the bridle will not separate.

But that is how I rig them as well. Still should use one with a closed or welded eye.

 

[BruceK]

Title of the thread had me wondering . . .

"How`s It Hanging? might work.

 

[koliver]

My setup is similar in design, But:

I have had a failure of the block at the aft end of the dinghy, which weighs ~500 lb.
I now add a pair of safety lines from the davit arms to the transom of the dinghy, after hoisting. Once the safety lines are in place, I lower the dinghy so they take the weight, and set the hoisting line so that it is taking a small portion of the weight.

The safeties are attached at the davit arms, to a welded eye about 20" in from the end, and to the end. Once the dinghy is lowered onto those lines, it can't sway.
With the weight on the block significantly reduced, I don't have any concerns about its capacity being challenged.

The bow end of the dinghy weighs ~250 lb. so doesn't need the same, though at times I do add a safety there too.

This approach will take the strain off your gated carabiner to the same extent.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Safety lines that bear the weight instead of the lifting apparatus. Smart! I like that.

 

[RLKramer]

Everyone has mentioned a better way to attach it. My hanging davits had the to lines permanently attached to a ring and stayed attached to the pulley at the bottom of the line. The two ends then hooked to separate eye hooks attached to the dinghy.

I might recommend also that once you have the dinghy raised all the way up, that you take the tail end of the lines and wrap the line over and under the end of your inflated sponson on the dinghy and they pull it snug and cleat it off or tie it to the hardward on your davits.

Do the same on your bow eye or rings.

This keeps the dinghy from swinging violently if you start tossing and turning.

Lastly, that little 1/8" diameter pin on your pulley/tackle broke on mine and the only thing holding the dingy to the boat was the line around the sponson.

 

[Scottwb96]

I switched from cables with crimped lugs over to these a few months ago and couldn't be happier. no more "frayed" cables that scratch/cut your hands/legs. More "plyable" and easier to clip in, especially if water is a bit rougher.


The C-Level Davit Lifting Sling is designed for boats that are stored on davits
(2) Slings Required for a (2) Arm Davit Systems*
May also be used for single point lifting systems or lifting with a halyard
Safe Working Load: 1000 lbs per pair
Test Strength: 3800 lbs
1" UV resistant webbing
Stainless Steel quick-release snap shackles & Stainless O-ring
Size: 21" Davit Sling (Based on the length of webbing on one leg))

https://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=98591

 

[bill.kimbell]

Dinghy on Davits

I have found that securing the raised dinghy from Any Movement is critical to reducing loads and risks. I use a ratchet strap (from far side of transom to opposite end davit - transom mount end), a line tied from near side of transom to same end davit - transom mount end) and a line from far side of dinghy bow to same end davit - transom mount end). The two lines are doubled back and tied through a bowline for 2X mechanical advantage. All this once the dinghy is fully hoisted and cleated. Takes about 2 minutes and holds the dinghy/outboard nearly perfectly motionless, even in a seaway. Any movement while underway is exaggerated and bad.

 

[rgano]

Regardless of what you use in the routine use of the dink, any time spent in transit with the least threat of challenging seas should be preceded by a walkaround of the vessel looking for trouble - basic seamanship. My own review has always included extra lines to secure dinks beyond the normal lifting tackle. I used to have cargo straps with stainless steel ratchets to secure the dink on the trawler.

 

[firehoser75]

"I have found that securing the raised dinghy from Any Movement is critical to reducing loads and risks."
This advice from Bill is not only excellent, but critical in my estimation. I first received this info from the owner of a davit manufacturing company, and he stated that it should always be done before getting underway. You never know when you may experience unexpected waves including large wakes, or bad (a turn) weather.
To achieve this, you can use the "safety" lines discussed above, but the dinghy needs to be secure for not only up and down but side to side and fore and aft swinging as well. The inboard tube of the inflatable should be nestled as close as possible into the elbow of the davit and secured in place. The securing methods will vary slightly based on the exact davit, boat, and inflatable. Attachment points, etc. vary.

 

[welovethewater]

Caribiners

Caribiners are very useful but always go with ones that far exceed the working load that you have. The ones sold for high angle rescue are super strong and depending on the design can reduce the possibility and/or tolerate some degree of side loading.

https://www.allhandsfire.com/CMC-Rescue-Carabiner-Auto-Lock-StainlESS-Steel-NFPA-Ansi

 

[Wayfarer]

Title of the thread had me wondering . . .

"How`s It Hanging? might work.

Sigh... short shriveled and always to the left.


Sorry.


I’ll see myself out.

 

[BrianG]

I'm good for a few more years before I might need surgery or meds.

 

[Rufus]

Our Nick Jackson arrangement uses cables for suspension, and threaded hoops at the main attach points. I think they can be seen fairly well by enlarging the photos. The dink is also rigidly braced to eliminate any movement. I use spring loaded links at the dink hard points since the loads are spread out between them.

I moved our boat to storage at a Lake Michigan location earlier this month. It was the only possible day in an extended period of high winds, and it was still a nasty ride with steep breaking six footers directly on the beam. Theboat got slammed around like a cork in a blender. One of those now or never decisions. The dink did fine. (Not the day of these photos, by the way)

 

[OldDan1943]

My AVON double bottom RIB hangs limply from a davits of unknown maker.
I hope the valves are leaking or perhaps it is time to consider re-tubing or total replacement.

 

[Art]

How does your [i.e. my] dinghy hang?

On a line that hooks onto center of a bridal attached both sides of transom... She tows straight behind our Tollycraft.

Our Crestliner has two comfy back to back seats [4 adult seater] a canvas top and 50 HP Johnson o/b; with fixed in place trim tabs.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Our Nick Jackson arrangement uses cables for suspension, and threaded hoops at the main attach points...

View attachment 109190

Those davits are slick, Rufus, but ultimately the dink still hangs from single components if I am seeing that right. My near miss has left me gun shy about cruising without safety chains of some design.

Locking the dinghy down to the point where it can't move at all makes a ton of sense, but that is easier said than done. I suppose ratchet straps do a far better job than rope. That's my 2021 strategy and I have the winter to get it figured out.

 

[Rufus]

I went with the oversized threaded closure links after a similar issue with bending quick closure designs such as the ones previously depicted. Since that time I've never had an issue or a worry...and that Avon+4-stroke is heavy.

https://www.amazon.com/MarineNow-St...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583657830467285&psc=1

Looking at your setup, I'd switch to SS cables between the dink and the lower blocks. Rope stretches, so you'd never get a rigid attach for the dink. In fact, if you can fabricate an add on structure that takes the rope block out of the equation during transit I'd do that too....use the block to raise the dink, hook up the new rigid attach link(s), and then slightly ease off on the rope block to allow the weight to settle on to the new links. The rope block would become your backup instead of primary.

The Nick Jackson design uses a "tripod" cable hookup at the aft end of the dinghy. So that helps check motion. Also, long, rigid (Weaver snap davit) links triangulate between the dink and the big boat. One checks fore and aft movement and one checks lateral. The dink is truly locked in place....but it begins with no-stretch primary support cables.

 

[C lectric]

Sounds like good advice about limiting the movement of the dinghy . Movement, Cycling, creates force which can damage even what looks like robust parts and may cause things to break/bend that otherwise will not break/bend under a steady load.

I learned never to trust a carabiner in any kind of motion possible situation.
My dinghy took off on me twice from its tie point when docked. First time I thought I'd goofed with the attachment. Second time I started playing with the hook and got it to release by just wiggling and jiggling it by grabbing the line several inches away and playing. I could not actually see the specific combination of movements that opened it but I redid it two or three times just to be sure. And no, the hook itself never was the problem as it was NOT bent at all. It was the lock arm.

I changed the carabiners for Snap Shackles, not swivel types. Never had a problem since. Just use greatly over rated types for the expected load and good quality units which won't be cheap. There are a lot of inexpensive ones that are good for my light use but won't be for what your problem was.


The snap shackles have been suggested in posts #5 & #7.

 

[catalinajack]

Yup, yup, and yup. Two years ago we made an overnight crossing from Carabelle to Tarpon Springs. The wave forecast was good but turned out to be incorrect. At about 10pm the waves began building. We spent the next eights hours pounding through five-foot short period waves. When we were pulling into Tarpon Springs it was finally safe enough to move about the boat. I went aft and found our 11-foot hard shell skiff hanging vertically from two lift points rather than four. All night long the dinghy had been swinging violently, unbeknownst to us, fore and aft. The securing lines had loosened. The skiff had been slamming its gunwhale against the swim ladder. The fiberglass was shattered for 30 inches exposing both pieces of the two-shell construction. The skiff was unrepairable.

My mistake, of course, was not ensuring that the guy lines were absolutely tight. And, when the waves started I should have checked them. I think that they may have been a bit loose, the skiff started swinging and stretched and loosened the lines. No way of knowing for certain. All I know is it cost me $3,000 over and above the insurance reimbursement to replace the skiff.

What do I do differently now? The new skiff has cleats fore and aft specifically installed for additional lines. I run lines from the far cleats to cleats on the boat in line with the boat. From the inside cleats I run lines left and right to the boat. Now, the dinghy is secured for both fore and aft movement and side-to-side movement. Works quite well but I do have to ensure that the lines are very tight before each trip. I do like the idea of ratcheting straps.

"I have found that securing the raised dinghy from Any Movement is critical to reducing loads and risks."
This advice from Bill is not only excellent, but critical in my estimation. I first received this info from the owner of a davit manufacturing company, and he stated that it should always be done before getting underway. You never know when you may experience unexpected waves including large wakes, or bad (a turn) weather.
To achieve this, you can use the "safety" lines discussed above, but the dinghy needs to be secure for not only up and down but side to side and fore and aft swinging as well. The inboard tube of the inflatable should be nestled as close as possible into the elbow of the davit and secured in place. The securing methods will vary slightly based on the exact davit, boat, and inflatable. Attachment points, etc. vary.