Dinghy Caddy

fryedaze · Jun 28, 2019

I am looking for a davit system for the boat. We don’t use the dink as much as we would like due to the work require to boom it off the trunk cabin deck. I have narrowed my search to the Dinghy Caddy. It’s rated at 400 lbs and my dink and motor will be 200 lbs. Our boat is a Overseas MC42 sometimes called Monk 42. Some of the decision driver were cost, no reinforcement need for transom or swim platform, ease of use, installation cost and I can install it.
Looking for feedback from group.
Thanks

ranger58sb · Jun 28, 2019

It looks like it'll be mostly dependent on the load-bearing capabilities of your swim platform.

When I was shopping, I asked our boat maker what that limit was; 500-lbs LIVE weight, in our case. Given that at the time I wasn't sure what our next dinghy/outboard combo weight might be... I translated that to mean I would need additional bracing for either our swim platform or for the dinghy rack itself. Did the latter.

-Chris

manteomike2 · Jun 28, 2019

fryedaze said:
I am looking for a davit system for the boat. We don’t use the dink as much as we would like due to the work require to boom it off the trunk cabin deck. I have narrowed my search to the Dinghy Caddy. It’s rated at 400 lbs and my dink and motor will be 200 lbs. Our boat is a Overseas MC42 sometimes called Monk 42. Some of the decision driver were cost, no reinforcement need for transom or swim platform, ease of use, installation cost and I can install it.
Looking for feedback from group.
ThanksView attachment 90446 View attachment 90446

I have a Dinghy Caddy and like it. Much easier to launch than our old boat with dinghy on top of Sun deck. We have an aluminum rib we can 8hp 4stroke.

rsn48 · Jun 28, 2019

The weaver davit system is very popular out here. It is what I am installing. You will see the guy wind down the dinghy, you can also get an electric motor for the system instead of manually lowering and raising the dink. In the vid, he unclips the dinghy before getting in, many here get in, then unclip which is great if you have a nervous dog or guests.

I believe also called Sea Wise.

Also not seen in the vid is a secure bar across to secure the dinghy in weather.

Comodave · Jun 28, 2019

That is a Sea Wise davit system. I had one on a previous boat and it was wonderful. Very easy to launch and recover. You could leave the outboard on the dinghy and it would store vertically above the swim platform.

GFC · Jun 28, 2019

I just sold me Seawise Davit system to a boater from Canada. He's gonna love it as much as I did.

fryedaze · Jun 28, 2019

Price drove me away from Sea Wise. The system would cost as much as the new dink and motor. Also, I have had bad luck with gluing the Weaver pads and then having them fail in a few years. The system is very nice.

Comodave · Jun 28, 2019

Yes, Sea Wise is certainly not cheap. We didn’t glue pads on the dinghy that we had the Sea Wise system on. It was a Bullfrog dinghy and Sea Wise worked with Bullfrog and the pads came attached to the dinghy when we got it.

manteomike2 · Jun 29, 2019

The dinghycaddy uses a block and tackle to raise and lower dingy. Very simple and takes very little strength. Once dinghy is launched you can use caddy as a large swim ladder. Motor stores on dinghy and in an up right position which I think is required for 4 stroke outboards. Also you can easily remove caddy in a few minutes if you want. Not sure of cost since mine came with the boat.

fryedaze · Jun 29, 2019

manteomike2 said:
The dinghycaddy uses a block and tackle to raise and lower dingy. Very simple and takes very little strength. Once dinghy is launched you can use caddy as a large swim ladder. Motor stores on dinghy and in an up right position which I think is required for 4 stroke outboards. Also you can easily remove caddy in a few minutes if you want. Not sure of cost since mine came with the boat.

$2K in round numbers

fryedaze · Sep 21, 2019

Install complete. We will be doing a lot more exploring now that it will only take minutes to put the dink in and out.

fryedaze · Sep 21, 2019

In water

wpc691 · Sep 21, 2019

fryedaze said:
I am looking for a davit system for the boat. We don’t use the dink as much as we would like due to the work require to boom it off the trunk cabin deck. I have narrowed my search to the Dinghy Caddy. It’s rated at 400 lbs and my dink and motor will be 200 lbs. Our boat is a Overseas MC42 sometimes called Monk 42. Some of the decision driver were cost, no reinforcement need for transom or swim platform, ease of use, installation cost and I can install it.
Looking for feedback from group.
ThanksView attachment 90446 View attachment 90446

I went lightweight with dinghy and motor, and installed a Hurley davit. Capacity 400 lbs, simple, relatively inexpensive. To load, I just line the dinghy up parallel to the swim platform, and pull it up and across the davits by the bow handle - takes seconds. My dinghy is extra-lightweight, but I feel like I could handle a somewhat heavier one the same way.

BruceK · Sep 21, 2019

If the swimstep was meant to store a dinghy it would have been called " the dinghy platform" or something similar.
In the uses pictured above the swimstep is anything but that. In post 13 how would anyone access the ladder provided with the dinghy in place?

fryedaze · Sep 21, 2019

BruceK said:
If the swimstep was meant to store a dinghy it would have been called " the dinghy platform" or something similar.
In the uses pictured above the swimstep is anything but that. In post 13 how would anyone access the ladder provided with the dinghy in place?

If you zoom in on the pic, he has full access to the ladder.

wpc691 · Sep 21, 2019

BruceK said:
If the swimstep was meant to store a dinghy it would have been called " the dinghy platform" or something similar.
In the uses pictured above the swimstep is anything but that. In post 13 how would anyone access the ladder provided with the dinghy in place?

I mounted the davits at a slight angle so the bow of the dinghy is angled away from the ladder. With the curve of the forequarter, I have no trouble getting up and down the ladder. If we’re anchored out with a group coming aboard, we just cast the dinghy off, leaving the whole platform available for boarding.

BruceK · Sep 21, 2019

wpc691 said:
I mounted the davits at a slight angle so the bow of the dinghy is angled away from the ladder. With the curve of the forequarter, I have no trouble getting up and down the ladder. If we’re anchored out with a group coming aboard, we just cast the dinghy off, leaving the whole platform available for boarding.

That`s what I meant. To use the swimstep and ladder for its intended purpose, you have to remove the dinghy.
Look at the network of lines in post 1. No way can anyone board easily with dinghy and lines in place.

fryedaze · Sep 21, 2019

You are correct. It is a trade off for us, although we seldom access the boat from the swim platform. There are many times every year that we would go exploring in the dink, but we don't because it's a PIA to crane the dink off the aft deck.

BruceK said:
That`s what I meant. To use the swimstep and ladder for its intended purpose, you have to remove the dinghy.
Look at the network of lines in post 1. No way can anyone board easily with dinghy and lines in place.

healhustler · Sep 21, 2019

What happened to real men, Dave. First it was Jon & Bonnie and now you Guyz. Next thing you know, you’ll have an electric winch instead of the block & tackle. Actually, I’d like to hear how that system works out as time goes on. What about rain water collection while it’s tilted like that?

fryedaze · Sep 22, 2019

healhustler said:
What happened to real men, Dave. First it was Jon & Bonnie and now you Guyz. Next thing you know, you’ll have an electric winch instead of the block & tackle. Actually, I’d like to hear how that system works out as time goes on. What about rain water collection while it’s tilted like that?

Rain will be an issue. With the side tilt, the drain is way up there. I am considering adding a drain plug in the aluminium transom.

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