We have just acquired a set of St Croix davits on eBay and I am looking for
advice on how to best attach the lifting rings on the dinghy. It's a WM 9'
with a 5-section rigid wood floor with a inflatable keel. What I have gleaned
from the NET so far is that two rings should be installed on the transom, that
the davit arms should be somewhat closer together than that lifting points on
the dinghy so there is a trapozoidal shape to the harness, and that the
engine, if left on the dinghy, should be outside the davit when the dinghy is
in the up position. Where should the front lifting point(s) best be located
and how? One site has a strap with a d-ring on each end run under the wood
floor forward. My thought is to bolt one or two rings to the floor in the bow,
backing with washers, where there is room between the hull and the floor to
avoid chafe, and attach the bridle there.
I'm sure I'm over-thinking this, but it's the dregs of winter and there's too
much time for excessive thought. In season, I'm sure I'd just drill the d--n
holes and be done with it. Thanks.

Phil Pennington
AMY B, '88 Nauset 35'
Kent Narrows, MD

< http://www.clevel.com/dinghylift.shtml#XL > has some pictures of
attachment points. When I bought their Dinghy-Lift XL Series strap kit, the
inflatable store sold me two "D" ring patches to glue forward on my Avon
280. I had already installed two "U" bolts on the transom. The St. Croix
instructions, available online, tell you to locate the davits after you have
placed your dinghy where you want it. It follows that you locate your
attachment points next. If you decide to penetrate the plywood flooring, be
sure to seal the holes with epoxy and then caulk the bolts and fender
washers with 5200 to prevent water penetration.

Using the floor assumes that the raft remains fully inflated all the time? I
ask because I have seen such raft hanging under-inflated and sometimes with
rainwater inside - my old folding floor raft needed to be inflated to retain
the flooring.

And now, back to the movie,
Ron Rogers

----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil & Kate" pkpennington@suscom.net

| We have just acquired a set of St Croix davits on eBay and I am looking
for
| advice on how to best attach the lifting rings on the dinghy.

If you plan on cruising, I'd recommend the following:

1. Get the boat as high off the water as possible.  Above the stern rail is
   best.
2. Use a short length of chain as flat as possible to the sole for the rear
   attachment. The stern represents 75% of the weight if you leave the motor on
   (recommended)
3. A through bolted eye in the forward section for the front attachment
   point.
4. Attach the davits for a straight pull to those two points.
5. Use fore and aft spring lines to opposing davit bases and bow/stern lines
   to the closest base.
6. Always, always, pull the drain plug in the lower aft corner whenever you
   hoist.  Don't ask me how I know...

The trick is to make hoisting and launching the dinghy an easy simple
process.  That way it will always be high and safe and you won't be tempted
to tow it.  I evolved through 3 methods before arriving at my
recommendations.

First I tried tilting the 11' inflatable up on the swim platform securing it
low and high at a 45 degree angle.  One nor-easter off Block Island with 10'
following seas ripped it off the platform and I had to tow it with the motor
under water for 5 miles before I reached the breakwater at Point Judith.  I
spent the afternoon flushing the engine.

Next plan was a "strong back" in a "T" configuration made out of aluminum
and designed to let the davits pull on the strong back rather than the
skiff.  I replaced the inflatable with a Carolina Skiff (also recommended)
and tried to avoid having to relocate the stern davits by use of the strong
back. This turned out to be a bad plan because it took a lot of time to
launch and hoist the skiff and it wasn't high enough over the stern.  The
strong back is, to this day, in a consignment shop in Annapolis.

The last and current configuration is as described.  I've got lots of
bolt-on cleats on the davits for spring lines, and the skiff is high enough
to pipe a hose from the aft drain to the water tank to catch water in the
Bahamas. It's also high enough to store the bikes in the skiff while
operating in the ICW to make a 2 hour bike ride doable with little
aggravation. I added a winch to access the stern line on the 6 part block
and tackle in case I injured an arm or a smaller person had to hoist the
skiff.

If you mount SS tubing braces for the davits in a rectangle, you can easily
mount two solar panels on top depending on your thirst for power. Bottom
line is keep it high, keep it dry, and make it easy to use...

                                      Regards....

Phil Rosch
Old Harbor Consulting
M/V "Curmudgeon" MT44 TC
Currently lying Bond Creek, NC