Re: TWL: Dinghy crane info
At 11:48 AM 9/22/01, you wrote:
Rather I think I'd get an inflatable or RIB dinghy and mount it with one
of the tilt up approaches on the stern. I've never actually had a dinghy
mounted that way though, and there are probably problems with that too
that I've just never experienced myself. (Mount a
I would be very cautious about real low mountings of dinghys. I have seen
and used just about every kind dinghy mounting and the ones real low on the
stern are a bad deal in open water.
For instance, a 50' boat with the dinghy mounted on the swim platform. Torn
to uselessness on a passage from Puerto Vallarta to Newport Beach.
Several boats with fold up, pivoting at the edge of the swim platform.
Still subject to being wiped off the stern by any decent size wave.
On the other hand, low moutings are real handy for launch and retrieval.
If I had to do it I would have mounts low and another setup up high for
rough water passages.
Capt. Mike Maurice
Near Portland Oregon.
Anyone on the list had any experience installing an electric Dinghy Crane
onto the top of a sundeck to hoist up a dinghy? I am interested to know
what one of these units costs to have put onto a boat.
I have one of these on my boat Jim -- it came with the boat, I didn't
install it myself. I have a few observations about it for what it's worth...
-
The original owner apparently screwed up and mounted it where that it
didn't have enough room to swing through a big enough angle. The person
that I bought the boat from then ripped it out, capped the hole that was
left and moved it to a slightly more obtrusive position, but with good
freedom to move. It's not on as structurally sound a location now, but
probably plenty strong anyhow. Moral: As usual, don't cut any holes in a
boat until you've thought about it a long time first. -
The winch on the crane is a 110v version. It works nicely (though the
gearbox is in serious need of grease and I can't get the vendor to respond
to questions of how to access it). It is a bit of an inconvenience though
to have to go below to start the generator every time I want to raise or
lower the dinghy (too much current draw for my inverter). I would
seriously consider a 12v setup instead and paying to run the heavier
cabling necessary. -
The hard dinghy mounted up on the sun deck does substantially obstruct
vision to the rear -- more than you might think. It's not enough to be a
safety hazard, but I do find myself moving about to peer around it
periodically to keep an eye behind. Ignoring that aspect, it also blocks
casual enjoyment of the scenery in that direction from the fly bridge. The
prior owner did install a big side view truck mirror up on the bridge to
give a view aft from the helm seat, but... On the other hand many people
have pilot house boats with even less aft visibility and are happy with it. -
It is easy to use, but... If there is ever bumpy weather at anchor I
don't think I'd have the nerve to use the crane. The idea of a heavy solid
dinghy with 9hp outboard hanging on the end of a 10 foot pendulum while the
boat rolls is scary. It would seem pretty easy to bash the side of the
boat in. It's a quiet water setup only as far as I'm concerned. What
happens when I have the dinghy half way up and some bozo unexpectedly zooms
by close with a big wake I haven't wanted to think about so far. -
Along those lines, I'd also note that the dinghy takes up most of the
width of the sun deck so to detach its lashings (or to replace them)
requires you to edge around it with parts of your anatomy hanging out over
the water way below. Again, not a problem in quiet water, but not
something I'd want to allow anyone else to do in rolly conditions -- and if
I wouldn't let anyone else do it, then it probably means I shouldn't
either. Maybe it would have been better to mount the dinghy fore and aft
rather than athwart ship. -
The dinghy is one of those rigid twin hull configurations. It is very
stable in the water and so far I've been unable to tip it over even trying
to do so deliberately. Full power hard turns, standing on the edge,
etc. It seems to have most of the advantages of inflatables with which I'm
more familiar and have preferred up to now, but it also has most of the
advantages of a hard dinghy. A reasonable compromise if you want a hard
dinghy. -
Given my limited experience with this new boat, I'm still in the "give
the previous owners the benefit of the doubt" mode, and not ready to make
serious changes yet but... If I were starting with a clean slate I don't
think that I'd mount a hard dinghy up on the sun deck. Rather I think I'd
get an inflatable or RIB dinghy and mount it with one of the tilt up
approaches on the stern. I've never actually had a dinghy mounted that way
though, and there are probably problems with that too that I've just never
experienced myself. (Mount a hammock up on the sun deck instead <g>!)
I'm sure that other people here probably have a different experience and
would recommend putting the dinghy on the sun deck wholeheartedly. I just
wanted to give you a little different perspective.
Good luck...
Bill
At 11:48 AM 9/22/01 -0400, you wrote:
Anyone on the list had any experience installing an electric Dinghy Crane
onto the top of a sundeck to hoist up a dinghy?
I have one of these on my boat Jim -- it came with the boat, I didn't
install it myself.
-
The original owner apparently screwed up and mounted it where that it
didn't have enough room to swing through a big enough angle. The person
that I bought the boat from then ripped it out, capped the hole that was
left and moved it to a slightly more obtrusive position, but with good
freedom to move. It's not on as structurally sound a location now, but
probably plenty strong anyhow. Moral: As usual, don't cut any holes in a
boat until you've thought about it a long time first. -
The winch on the crane is a 110v version. It works nicely (though the
gearbox is in serious need of grease and I can't get the vendor to respond
to questions of how to access it). It is a bit of an inconvenience though
to have to go below to start the generator every time I want to raise or
lower the dinghy (too much current draw for my inverter). I would
seriously consider a 12v setup instead and paying to run the heavier
cabling necessary. -
The hard dinghy mounted up on the sun deck does substantially obstruct
vision to the rear -- more than you might think. It's not enough to be a
safety hazard, but I do find myself moving about to peer around it
periodically to keep an eye behind. Ignoring that aspect, it also blocks
casual enjoyment of the scenery in that direction from the fly bridge. The
prior owner did install a big side view truck mirror up on the bridge to
give a view aft from the helm seat, but... On the other hand many people
have pilot house boats with even less aft visibility and are happy with it. -
It is easy to use, but... If there is ever bumpy weather at anchor I
don't think I'd have the nerve to use the crane. The idea of a heavy solid
dinghy with 9hp outboard hanging on the end of a 10 foot pendulum while the
boat rolls is scary. It would seem pretty easy to bash the side of the
boat in. It's a quiet water setup only as far as I'm concerned. What
happens when I have the dinghy half way up and some bozo unexpectedly zooms
by close with a big wake I haven't wanted to think about so far. -
Along those lines, I'd also note that the dinghy takes up most of the
width of the sun deck so to detach its lashings (or to replace them)
requires you to edge around it with parts of your anatomy hanging out over
the water way below. Again, not a problem in quiet water, but not
something I'd want to allow anyone else to do in rolly conditions -- and if
I wouldn't let anyone else do it, then it probably means I shouldn't
either. Maybe it would have been better to mount the dinghy fore and aft
rather than athwart ship. -
The dinghy is one of those rigid twin hull configurations. It is very
stable in the water and so far I've been unable to tip it over even trying
to do so deliberately. Full power hard turns, standing on the edge,
etc. It seems to have most of the advantages of inflatables with which I'm
more familiar and have preferred up to now, but it also has most of the
advantages of a hard dinghy. A reasonable compromise if you want a hard
dinghy. -
Given my limited experience with this new boat, I'm still in the "give
the previous owners the benefit of the doubt" mode, and not ready to make
serious changes yet but... If I were starting with a clean slate I don't
think that I'd mount a hard dinghy up on the sun deck. Rather I think I'd
get an inflatable or RIB dinghy and mount it with one of the tilt up
approaches on the stern. I've never actually had a dinghy mounted that way
though, and there are probably problems with that too that I've just never
experienced myself. (Mount a hammock up on the sun deck instead <g>!)
I'm sure that other people here probably have a different experience and
would recommend putting the dinghy on the sun deck wholeheartedly. I just
wanted to give you a little different perspective.
Good luck...
Bill
---====================
Bill.....I keep preaching ......... we carry our 11' Whaler on the platform.
Less than one minute to launch less than one to retrieve in almost any
weather.
Anyone with a dink on the roof cannot feel it is a lifeboat because of what
it takes to get it down, especially in rough weather.
Bill did a good job telling us the way it is............
Check this site
http://home.earthlink.net/~yourcaptain/pics.html
.
Captain Al Pilvinis
"M/V Driftwood"--Prairie 47
2630 N.E. 41st Street
Lighthouse Point, Fl 33064-8064
Voice 954-941-2556 Fax 954 788-2666
Email yourcaptain@earthlink.net
Website http://home.earthlink.net/~yourcaptain