[C320-list] Dinghy Davits

[Jeff Hare]

Hi Scott,

I'd say before you choose a brand or style (ie Weaver), be sure you consider
the conditions you'll be launching/retrieving and sailing in.  Sailing in
San Diego is a whole different animal with Weaver davits than sailing in New
England or the Great Lakes with them.

Consider launch/retrieval in whatever non-ideal conditions you are likely to
encounter.  Consider sea state, like do you ever see 10'+ seas or have
rolling/bumpy anchorages?  What size and type of Dinghy are you considering?
RIB, Wood/Aluminum sectional, Rollup or High Pressure floor?

HP and Rollup floors require extra equipment work to use easily on lifting
Davits, Weaver Davits (in my opinion) are not appropriate/dangerous if you
ever need to launch or retrieve your dinghy in bumpy/bouncy conditions. Seen
some injuries as well as punctured tubes first hand.   Lifting davits for
wood/aluminum panel floor style dinghy work best and are the easiest, but
RIBs are fine and easy too but can become bit too heavy to leave the
outboard attached.  Lifting Davits and a relatively light dinghy can allow
you to leave your smaller outboard installed all the time which is super
convenient.

The 1-1/4" Garhauer davits are really high quality options in my opinion and
my top recommendation for both looks and strength.

The strength and rigidity difference between 1" and 1-1/4" tubing is huge.
We have no need for extra supports with 1-1/4" davits with our 10'2" wood
floor dinghy and 6hp Merc 4 stroke outboard. When strapped in place, it
doesn't move even in very rough conditions.

But again, look at the conditions you plan to sail, launch, retrieve in.
Consider whether you want to have to remove and reload everything in your
dinghy (fuel, outboard, seat bags, safety gear, lights, etc.) every time you
want to go ashore, or whether you want to just add fuel and passengers and
go.  Rough seas or high quartering seas, you don't want Weaver or weak
davits.  

If you go with lifting davits, how you mount them really matters for both
functionality, strength, visibility (as well as aesthetics). Ie: don't
attach them to the upper stern rail. Use the lower stern rail instead to
prevent excessive stress on the stern rail assembly.  Use the platform
steps, not the vertical transom to attach the lower feet.

You can see that my bias here is only thinly veiled.  :)

I've seen this project completed successfully (and a few cringe-worthy
installations) by a lot of owners over the years.  Feel free to ask if you
have more questions.

Good luck!
-Jeff Hare 

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
Of John Morrison
Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2018 4:50 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Dinghy Davits

I installed Garhauer a few years ago. Easy to install and they work great. I
got them direct from Garhauer. 
JohnM
1999#574

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 16, 2018, at 12:36 PM, Scott Westwood <scottwestwood at bellsouth.net>
wrote:
> 
> Anybody recently installed Dinghy davits on their C320?  Just starting to
look around.  Ours is 1998.
> What brand names Gauher others?? part numbers even better...  Catalina
Direct have options?
> Have not looked at our local marina to see what they would recommend or
do......
> I know the pros and cons.  May do some long range cruising in the next
couple of years and evaluating davits.  Admiral doesn't like towing dinghy.
More pros than cons right now but open to thoughts..... 
> Thanks,
> Scott Westwood scottwestwood at bellsouth.net H (919)-362-8538     C
(919)-618-7185