Dinghy configuration for 340 Sundancer

[Odayssea]

I am trying to come up with a dinghy (size, make, model), motor and transport method for a 340 Sundancer (2000 model year). Use is typical weekend family use in the Chesapeake Bay; 4 people (2 adults and two teenage kids); use around Annapolis harbor and Eastern Shore inlets. Any suggestions?

 

[jmunro123]

I just went through the same decision process, also 4 people + dog. Some time ago there was a thread on a Baltic Boats, http://affordableinflatable.com/estore/. I purchase the 9.5 with the second seat, for a motor I am using a Torqeedo electric. http://www.torqeedo.com/us/hn/home.html . Almost everyone has small gas outboard but I wanted a motor that was compact and could be stored in the engine compartment. The Torqeed folds up. I did not want to have a second source of fuel in the engine compartment, so electric was the choice for me. The motor is about $1,700 so its expensive but for me it should do the trick. Generally, small gas engines are smelly, dirty things and I really want nothing to do with them.

 

[Sea Gull]

You have just identified one of the primary reasons that people trade up froma 340.

 

[BillCT]

I have a 10'2" Zodiac Cadet Fastroller with a Johnson 8hp two stroke. We carry the dinghy using a Hurly davit on the back of our 2005 340. We're very happy with the setup. The swim platform is a bit off the water and it takes some effort to get the dinghy up, but overall the setup works for us. The dinghy rides in a horizontal position with the motor attached. In terms of size, we have two adults, one teen, a "tweener" and a dog. The dinghy will plane with the two boys or just me, but no way with all of us.

 

[PMvdb395DA]

Hello and welcome here!

I think the max size for that your 340 swim platform can take is a 10ft dinghy easy.
You can go with 4 persons in that size.
I like the Hurley system, because it's easy to handle.

As already mentioned: this site you can find a lot of systems and info: http://www.allinflatables.com/shopping/davits/index.html

Peter.

 

[Hampton]

I have a 10'2" Zodiac Cadet Fastroller with a Johnson 8hp two stroke. We carry the dinghy using a Hurly davit on the back of our 2005 340. We're very happy with the setup. The swim platform is a bit off the water and it takes some effort to get the dinghy up, but overall the setup works for us. The dinghy rides in a horizontal position with the motor attached. In terms of size, we have two adults, one teen, a "tweener" and a dog. The dinghy will plane with the two boys or just me, but no way with all of us.

Can you post a picture? Which way is the motor? How is it centered? What would you do differently if you had to do it again? Is it a pain to gain access to the trunk? How about to the cockpit?

 

[BillCT]

John - I'll look for a picture when I get home this evening. I typically dock the boat stern first with the finger pier on the starboard side. The dinghy sits so that the motor is on the port side and the front of the dinghy is on the starboard/finger pier side. I centered the davit on the swim platform and I center the dinghy and motor on the cradle. Because of the additional length added by the motor, the hull of the dinghy is a bit offset toward the starboard side (this allows more weight to be carried toward the rear bracket of the davit). The full length of the dinghy with motor is just about 12 feet, which as you know is the beam of the boat. The dinghy just about takes up all the room on the platform and extends by several feet over the back of the platform (5+ ft foot beam). As I noted, we usually enter the boat from the starboard side. The "v" of the dinghy's bow gives us access to the platform. We then typically walk on the raised shelf between the platform and the transom. Not a perfect solution, but we have no problem getting on or off. With respect to the transom door, we either sit on the dinghy tube to get access from the platform, or access it by reaching over the transom from the cockpit.

I will note that, with the engine in the tilt position hanging off the back, you need to be very careful when entering or leaving a slip with outside pilings. If you pivot incorrectly, you clould slam the lower leg of the motor into the piling. Knock on wood, this hasn't happened to me yet, but I'm very alert to the issue coming in and leaving. The only other issue I've encountered was my own mistake. We were coming back in some heavy weather (turned into a small craft advisory while we were returning home) and, just before reaching the breakwater, we came down hard off a large wave and the motor tilt mechanism unlocked and the lower leg crashed into the platform, damaging the prop with minor damage to the platform. This was my mistake - I need to find a better way to lock the motor in the tilt position. I will note that the dinghy rode very well and very stable throughout the trip.

All in all, I'm happy with the set-up and would likely do nothing different given the chance. If you need/want to carry a dinghy with the motor attached with easy on and off, the system works quite well. Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns, and I'll see if I can find any pictures.

Bill

 

[Hampton]

Thanks Bill! Our dock is the same situation as yours, except ours is a floating dock and the swim platform sits about 8" above the rear dock, so we walk on from the back. Maybe we could point the dinghy straight back?! (Just kidding, I think.)

 

[mrsrobinson]

On our 330 the dinghy fits perfecting under the radar arch in the helm/cockpit area. We tip it upsides down, bow first (bow facing the steering wheel) and push her in, bottom side up. Canvas fits right over her and we keep the motor in the cabin (with no gas in it of course, we run it dry before removing it).

 

[Hampton]

On our 330 the dinghy fits perfecting under the radar arch in the helm/cockpit area. We tip it upsides down, bow first (bow facing the steering wheel) and push her in, bottom side up. Canvas fits right over her and we keep the motor in the cabin (with no gas in it of course, we run it dry before removing it).

Are you serious? I've got to see a picture of that!

 

[mrsrobinson]

Works like a charm. The Mrs and I can handle it, not that heavy. The one downside is you lose the back seats while cruising. Once we arrive at our destination we just throw the ding in the water.

I purchased davits and all that but never installed them as this works perfect. Plus while away from the boat the ding is protected under the canvas.