[C320-list] Soft Dinghy Davits (Brian/Carol McLamb)

[Michael Ferguson]

David I use the weaver davits on my soft bottom inflatable. Was easy to install and very easy to lift out out water by myself. Only negative is, in high seas on quarter the waves hit rear area of pontune as boat heels. One trip caused bracket to bend on transom. Mostly I enjoy this system. 

Michael

Nauti Clew 169

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From:"David MacKinnon" <david.mackinnon99 at gmail.com>
Date:Tue, Apr 7, 2015 at 5:19 AM
Subject:Re: [C320-list] Soft Dinghy Davits (Brian/Carol McLamb)

Hi All,

I thought I would update a post I made several months ago about the soft davits available from Harbormen as we recently installed the system on our Mk1 320.

Whilst I was initially enthused about the concept, I found that the sling was quite difficult to manage and align in the water, even with virtually no current flowing in the marina. In fact, it may have been better with a current flowing to help stream out the sling in the water but we did not have that opportunity to test out when we installed and re-installed.  We also experienced problems with getting the dinghy sitting properly on the transom of our Mk1, although it may sit a little bit better on a Mk2 with a different transom.  After using it over the last long weekend, my wife & I decided that it was far to difficult to manage so we have decided to remove it.  My wife and I are are 60+ & we can do without the hassles that the sling system presents but it may better suited younger, more agile sailors.  Overall I really cannot recommend for the 320.

Having said that we have decided that we will now  either go for the Weaver/Ocean Marine  davits or less likely, because of cost here in Australia,the Gerhauer davits. This raises a question for me that I do not know the answer to (at least at the moment) as to what is actually below the swim platform on the Mk1 (is it hollow?) & whether there are any issues/recommendations in drilling holes in the platform to support a Weaver system. I did see the post regarding an installation that was installed on Dave Swanson’s Mk2 Emily Ann (Hull 1107) but I can no longer see the photos for it on the Association website but I am assuming that the setup on the Mk1 is completely different so does anyone have the details of the Weaver davits for a Mk1? Also, are there any recommendations of the Weaver davits compared to the Ocean Marine davits?

David MacKinnon
Figment
Hull #162
Brisbane, Australia