Dinghy recommendation for 2004 SR 420 DA

La Maddalena

La Maddalena

New Member
Dec 16, 2009
266
Seattle
Boat Info
2004 420 Sundancer w blue hull and hardtop
Engines
twin Cummins 6CTA 8.3 M3 and ZH Hurth V drives
We moved up to this boat six weeks ago and are shopping for a new console dinghy - will be selling our Zodiac with 15 HP Honda. The 420 has the molded swim platform with a Seawise manual davit system, so the dinghy will be held at 90 degrees with the engine swiveling. We've been eyeing console dinghies for awhile so instead of modifying the Zodiac to work with the Seawise system we're going to make the change now. First thought is an AB or Caribe in the 10 to 12 ft range with a 25 HP engine. The Seattle Boat Show is in one month so we'll be shopping seriously then - any recommendations and suggestions welcomed!
 
Look at BullFrog at the show. I almost bought one last year but with the CDN dollar it was 18K CDN only 14US. They seem to be a solid boat and do not puncture like inflatables on barnacles.
I have a 12.5' Zodiac with a 20 and soft bottom for lakes it goes 26MPH. It would last for one trip ashore where we boat with the cruiser.
 
I'll do that - thanks.
 
We have a 2013 Caribe D11 with a 40hp motor and love it.

It is about the largest Dingy I would put on a 40
 
We have friends with a Caribe and i really like the way it handles and drives. I was planning to limit the outboard to around 25 due to weight. What davit system do you use with the 40? Do you lift it up on the boat, or tow it?
 
We met a couple who had a BullFrog and said good things about it. I talked to the owner of the company and he builds to suit your requirements. IE he puts reinforcing where your davit system goes in the pontoons on the inside and then a plate on outside of the hull to take your davit so you do not have floor mount supports like on an inflatable. The hull is aluminium. They come with Honda and long shaft. The transom is high and looks like it will not swamp from behind. If it had not been for price I would have got one.
 
We have the hydraulic lift. The shape of the hull on a Caribe improves handling but does make it more of a challenge to fit on the cradles in a lift.
 
I don't know if I would hang a dinghy of this weight on a Seawise davit. I know they say the rating is 850 lbs but Im not crazy about the set up.
you hang the dinghy vertical so that means all the weight is directed towards the "U" bracket that cradles the tube of the dinghy putting all the weight in one spot.
where if it was sitting horizontal? The weight is more evenly distributed onto chicks, or davit.
most center console dinghy so weigh in at 400-+ dry, Yamaha 25 hp says it weighs 181 lbs
add gear,fuel etc your almost at max weight.
i don't think I would trust that in some bad weather.
View attachment 43213
 
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Havana Shamrock said:
I don't know if I would hang a dinghy of this weight on a Seawise davit. I know they say the rating is 850 lbs but Im not crazy about the set up.
you hang the dinghy vertical so that means all the weight is directed towards the "U" bracket that cradles the tube of the dinghy putting all the weight in one spot.
where if it was sitting horizontal? The weight is more evenly distributed onto chicks, or davit.
most center console dinghy so weigh in at 400-+ dry, Yamaha 25 hp says it weighs 181 lbs
add gear,fuel etc your almost at max weight.
i don't think I would trust that in some bad weather.
Click to expand...

Joe, I'd say that by getting caught in some nice 5-7'er chop will "demonstrate the asnwers" to all unknowns.

Trust me guys on this one, as soon as you move up to the heavy CC type dinghy, you better have top nuch heavy duty setup that provides solid holding power keeping the dink attached to the big boat.
 
Thanks for the comment - can you clarify the weight limit you mean? 500 lbs max? Not sure what you mean by "a dinghy of this weight". I agree the Seawise is a bit of an awkward system with pulling the dinghy up 90 degrees - wouldn't have been my first choice but it came with the boat and replacing it with another system would be big $$$$
 
Well I checked the specs on 3 brands of 11' dinghy's. AB,Caribe', and also mine Nuvarania. (Lightest of the 3) mine was 375lbs dry, the others are 440 and up add the motor of 181 lbs your up to over 600 lbs. I'm just saying I wouldn't be comfortable swinging that kind of weight on a bracket in bad weather. You may need to reinforce the system or re think the kind of dinghy you will need.
Alex has first hand experience in how a well manufactured lift even needs beefing up when you put weight and waves together.
safety should always concur .keep us posted on your decision.
 
AB has a new 10'-6" model that is 262 lbs - I check on that at the boat show. Did you add info to your post ? When I first responded there wasn't any detail and no photo, and now there is.
 
I have to say, I went and googled some Seawise pics yesterday after reading this thread. I have never personally seen a heavy CC dinghy stood up on its side and agree it wouldn't be for me.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
I'm wondering if this is a regional issue - there are at least three boats in our yacht club that have Seawise Davits with center console dinghies and three other Sea Rays on my (new) dock with the same - haven't met them yet so haven't had a chance to discuss with them. Maybe the Pac NW weather and waves are more benign ?
 
I have a hand crank SeaWise and was told by marina it was good for 450 pounds. Make sure your swim platform is supported at the weight points and the horizontal pull point will take the load on the transom.
 
Go with the AB 9.6 or 10 foot rib. Then get the Euro helm. Put Bennett spring tabs on it but keep the lockout pins in to keep them up when you want to go fast. (Most of the time for me) Here is the key. I started with a 15hp yami 2 stroke. Top speed 30mph with no Euro helm. It was dangerous. Just ask Biscut (Perry). After Euro helm it was much safer and stable. Fast fwd this is the key. MORE POWER. Now I run a Yami 25hp 2 stroke. Now it's a blast. Does 33.7mph going 400 rpm over red line so I have to pull throttle off wot slightly. Changed the prop and it went 35.5mph but hole shot was crap and was scary when it started chine walking . I take it fishing on the flats and skinny water. I would run some days more than 20 miles. It fits on the big boat great and also have a jet ski trailer for it and take it to the lakes by my house for some bass fishing and a morning cruise around the lake before work.
 
The dinghy question is probably one of the most hotly debated topics in boating. My suggestion is to get the smallest that you can get given what you plan on doing with it. Unfortunately , that is an individual question that you will have to answer, especially given what type of lifting hardware you plan on using.

Semi long story -
For me, we started with a 10' roll up aluminum floor and a 6 hp motor. The motor was just too small on that type of dinghy to push me, my wife and our two boys in anything but a dead calm current so we upgraded to a 9.9. This was better but not the best as we now found ourselves "plowing" for many miles but not getting on plane. We swapped the dinghy for a West Marine 310 RIB and the ride was much better. With all four of us we couldn't get on plane but we could cruise around at 6kts. which worked.

A few months ago the dinghy was stolen and recovered minus the motor. I found a early 2000's 15hp 2 stroke and put it on the dinghy. This made a huge difference! We can now zip around at 20kts. with all four of us which means a lot when you are covering 5-10 miles gunkholing.

Two weekends ago I loaded up the dinghy with myself, my oldest son and my inlaws and their stuff. We had to travel about 2nm to the big boat and we managed to get about 7kts. out of it. The total weight of people in the boat was over 800lbs. though.

As for the davits you have to be careful. My setup weighs around 300lbs including the motor. I have it on the St. Croix swinging davits that are rated to 380lbs. I would love to have a center console dinghy back there but the davits won't support it. On a crossing back from the Bahamas this summer we were in some pretty nasty stuff. Even with the dinghy secured tight you could tell that there was some movement.
 
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