Dinghy storage on swim platform

[fsudelt]

This might be a stupid question but thought I would ask. On my 310 I have the built in swim platform, like the 340's. Has anyone stored the dinghy just on the back on the platform and use tie downs to keep stable when riding? Thought of this as an alternative to buying a davit system or deflating? If anyone has done this or tried it I would appreciate the input. Thanks a lot!

Brian

 

[Dancin Dave]

like this on a 280?

 

[fsudelt]

like this on a 280?

Yea, except I have a bigger platform (integrated into boat)(guessing mine has to be 3+ ft long) so I'm thinking there would be enough room to fit it w/ keeping motor attached and using tie downs? Just from everything I've read I haven't see anyone else talking about it or saying they've tried or done it.

 

[Turtlesboat]

How high is your platform off the water? Mine sits pretty low and my dinghy is really tiny. If your platform sits kind of high or you have a big dinghy, It'll be tough to pull it up onto the platform.

Another thing is, in rough seas, the dinghy might float off the platform causing all sorts or problems since the straps won't hold it down.

 

[fsudelt]

How high is your platform off the water? Mine sits pretty low and my dinghy is really tiny. If your platform sits kind of high or you have a big dinghy, It'll be tough to pull it up onto the platform.

Another thing is, in rough seas, the dinghy might float off the platform causing all sorts or problems since the straps won't hold it down.

I got a 8.5 dinghy (so I would consider it smaller) and my platform is one of the higher ones (compared to picture above as well as 320 platforms), mine is higher like the new 340's and 360DB's. I'm thinking of this as a more temporary storage for awhile, then will eventually get davits I'm sure, but right now main use is just taking down ICW so won't really ever be in rough water. Only would take out in ocean in summer to Bahamas, which would be next year and will have davits by then.

 

[drob]

We pull the bow of the dinghy up and tie off at the sides. We do put a line from the front of the dinghy to the rumble seat handle. The stern of the dinghy is in the water. It does not appear to affect the running of the boat. On longer trips (over 1 hour) we take the motor off.

 

[Turtlesboat]

It's going to be tough hauling it up onto a high platform. factor in the weight of the dingy and outboard, lifting it say 10"? You're either going to rip the hell out of the bottom of the dinghy, rip the hell out of your swim platform, or both. In the pic above, I have a 6'5" dink with a 2.5hp outboard. I've already cracked two wooden slats in the dinghy floor lifting it just 3" onto my platform.

 

[JohnEGraham]

I have a 8 1/2 Zodic w/ 4hp motor and noticed that I need about 200 more RPMs to go the same speed with my 25 ft boat using the davits. I belive its a combination of the Air being caught into the one area plus the extra weight of the dingy & motor (Motor clamped in the Cockpit )
RE: Davits
I Like the davits but backing the boat into my slip is not an option with only less than of foot of space extra 8 1/2 beam 9' 3'' space. What we do now is there is an open slip two spaces down from me ( not rented ) so I installed a hook on there outside pole ( No charge ) and using my extended pole I hook the dingy rope and push the dingy into the space.
Before the hook I would just push the dingy into the empty slip with the extended pole, dock my boat and go and retrieve my dingy with the pole. Tried this 5 times with out failure. ( Failure would be the dingy floating down the canal ) I guess where in a basin ( dead end ) makes it easy. I guess once the boat size get big enough this would not be a problem. John G

 

[mawyatt]

This might be a stupid question but thought I would ask. On my 310 I have the built in swim platform, like the 340's. Has anyone stored the dinghy just on the back on the platform and use tie downs to keep stable when riding? Thought of this as an alternative to buying a davit system or deflating? If anyone has done this or tried it I would appreciate the input. Thanks a lot!

Brian

Brian,

We pull the dinghy bow up on the swin platform and let the stern sit in the water. Initially I just used the boat's stern cleats to tie to the dinghy bow port & stbd rings. I installed two SS rings on the transom port & stbd sides and now tie the dinghy off to these cleats. Our dinghy is small and has a inflatable floor, the motor is a Suzuki 2.5hp 4S and I can lift the dinghy and motor onto the swim platform as described without much effort. I got some clips & rope that are pretied to the correct lenght and just snap to the boat rings.

So far it works well (we haven't been in rough seas though) and you just need to come off plane slowly to keep from swamping the dinghy.

 

[fsudelt]

Brian,

We pull the dinghy bow up on the swin platform and let the stern sit in the water. Initially I just used the boat's stern cleats to tie to the dinghy bow port & stbd rings. I installed two SS rings on the transom port & stbd sides and now tie the dinghy off to these cleats. Our dinghy is small and has a inflatable floor, the motor is a Suzuki 2.5hp 4S and I can lift the dinghy and motor onto the swim platform as described without much effort. I got some clips & rope that are pretied to the correct lenght and just snap to the boat rings.

So far it works well (we haven't been in rough seas though) and you just need to come off plane slowly to keep from swamping the dinghy.

Mike,
So are you saying you now pull the entire dinghy up on the swim platform of just bow and tied off to cleats? I'm all new to this so not sure what SS rings are? Thanks for the input.

 

[mawyatt]

Mike,
So are you saying you now pull the entire dinghy up on the swim platform of just bow and tied off to cleats? I'm all new to this so not sure what SS rings are? Thanks for the input.

No, I just pull the bow of the dinghy up on the boat swim platform and tie the dinghy to the boat's stern cleats. I installed 2 rings on the boat's stern to allow to tie without using the stern cleats. The dinghy has two rings on each side on the bow, I use these. The dinghy rides with the bow on the swim platform centered with the dinghy stern riding in the water.

 

[sb in gp]

This might be a stupid question but thought I would ask. On my 310 I have the built in swim platform, like the 340's. Has anyone stored the dinghy just on the back on the platform and use tie downs to keep stable when riding? Thought of this as an alternative to buying a davit system or deflating? If anyone has done this or tried it I would appreciate the input. Thanks a lot!

Brian

I carry an 8.5' Baltik Dinghy with a 2HP motor strapped directly to the platform. This setup is so light that it is easy to load and very stable. I have an air floor in the dinghy and I deflate the little dinghy keel chamber so that the dinghy sits flatter.

 

[fsudelt]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I may try storing it on the back at first (I have the Baltik w/ airfloor also) and then will eventually probably look into getting some type of davits (hearley or nautley) down the road.

 

[sb in gp]

Thanks for all the info everyone. I may try storing it on the back at first (I have the Baltik w/ airfloor also) and then will eventually probably look into getting some type of davits (hearley or nautley) down the road.

Buy 4 good straps (3 short and 1 long) at home depot, strap the front, both rear corners and throw a strap over the width of the boat and through the swim platform and that baby would follow your boat to the bottom of the sea if she sunk.

Not as convenient as davits, but less expensive and no holes drilled in the fiberglass. If you carry the dinghy only occassionally, then this works well. Takes about 10 minutes to mount.

 

[skolbe]

Have any pics of this setup?

 

[sb in gp]

Have any pics of this setup?

I don't, but it is pretty easy to imagine if you look at the back of your 320. I strap to the little ring trailer connectors that are on either side of the platform near the waterline.

 

[Emagine]

On my 320 Sundancer swimplatform I store a 8ft inflatable bottom using a hurley marine davit. It works on small platforms as half the dinghy width overhangs the platform. I can launch the dinghy with the engine on it without the help of an additional person. It works great and is as easy as they say. The only caution that I exercise is in slowing down as I have to watch my stern wake to avoid flooding the dinghy. That just requires a gradual slowdown. The davit is easily removable for times when the dinghy is not in use. Check out hurleymarine.com for guidance on measuring I am sure they have something to fit.

 

[fsudelt]

Well took the dinghy over this past weekend to the boat, after inflating and laying it across back platform my wife and I decided I think we are going to look at getting some type of davit system (boat took up pretty much entire platform, cant even walk behind by transom to tie down other side- had to go over back seat to reach). Any recommendations on davits? I see most have either Nautley or Hurley? After much reading on other posts, I think I'm just more confused on which is better, seems very mixed feelings on each. We want something that will give us more room on platform to get around when it's tied down and also allow engine to stay on dinghy.

 

[sb in gp]

Well took the dinghy over this past weekend to the boat, after inflating and laying it across back platform my wife and I decided I think we are going to look at getting some type of davit system (boat took up pretty much entire platform, cant even walk behind by transom to tie down other side- had to go over back seat to reach). Any recommendations on davits? I see most have either Nautley or Hurley? After much reading on other posts, I think I'm just more confused on which is better, seems very mixed feelings on each. We want something that will give us more room on platform to get around when it's tied down and also allow engine to stay on dinghy.

You definitely want to be able to walk past it. Without davits my 320 has about an 8" ridge above the platform that is not covered by the dinghy so I can get by. If you don't have that then davits is the way to go.

 

[drob]

Seeing there a lot of 310 owners on this thread, where do you keep the motor when going long distances? There is soooo much space in the engine room...