Donna
Guru
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2016
- Messages
- 1,231
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Southerly
- Vessel Make
- 1986 Marine Trader 36' Sundeck
Who ever quoted the "golden years"? Not so "golden."
For those concerned about the structural integrity of the crane and its attachments. I have owned a Rosborough. I have friends with Rosboroughs including two boats with this same crane. The vertical loads are carried by the cockpit floor, not by the cabin top. . The bracket on the side of the cockpit hard top, is merely there as a bracket, as the upper swivel point for the crane. It carries no vertical load.
For those that love to judge boats from just a picture....have at it...
See avatar and photo. I launched 11' inflatable and reached down 8 hp o/b off sundeck railing. Hauled em back up by hand too. Don't need no mechanical lifts!
If that's a Tollycraft, you are one lucky guy. Love those Kelso, WA boats.
To quote some wise person, "getting older is not for sissies".
But, it beats the alternative.My father's favourite saying was "getting older sucks." ....
But, it beats the alternative.
Al, I checked my inflatable weight,a 2.6M dinghy, not a RIB, 30kg. I won`t be lifting the outboard on it, just the dinghy.
Plan is to have top and bottom plates bolted through the FB, with a right angle turn down of the inside edge of the underneath plate, to butt and attach it to an adjacent longitudinal timber beam(?) as well. The mast tube also gets support on an upright tube of the railings, St Croix designs it to do that,and supplies the attachment brackets. Crane is rated for 200lbs, but I understand the need for a good sound mounting.
The guy making the underneath plate is a cautious marina neighbour/engineer, who I think knows his stuff. We will check for deflection etc as we load it up, before putting it into service.
No crane certainly inhibits using the dinghy, fortunately we have 2 kayaks since Santa visited. The St Croix is a simple design,nicely built, no buttons to press, just a multi sheave rope system to pull on, which is supplied. The idea is simplicity, light weight, and easy fitting. I hope we get past the "easy fitting" stage soon.Bruce-- A crane makes a such huge difference, you should have considered one (if possible) with a higher rating. I installed a davit crane onto the forward deck of my Silverton when I purchased the boat some 10 years or so ago..... The task is reduced to pushing buttons.