Install Life raft bracket/cradle on bow of Hunter 41DS.

Jun 25, 2020
17
Hunter Hunter 41 DS Jacksonville
Hey everyone, I just purchased a Hunter 41DS and was wondering if anyone has installed a life raft mounting bracket/cradle on the bow of their Hunter. I would want to through bolt through the deck ( not just screw into the topside). Any advice on removing the whisper air on the roof of the cabin?

Cheers,
Jon
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
In the event you need to ditch your sailboat and manage to deploy a life raft, which is not only heavy but dangerous to move around on a pitching deck and lift high to heave over the rail with everyone panicking, you might conclude that is simply too unsafe and would want it mounted either at the transom best case or closest to the cockpit. Consider mounting the life raft where it can easily kicked straight into the ocean or extracted manually if the boat is upside-down. The ideal mounting location would seem to be on the arch (with a pulpit mounting like the one shown on the rail below without drilling into the deck) or sugar scoop transom, albeit the latter does not interfere access to the stern lazarette access. This Hunter 41DS mounted one just mounted in a cradle aft of the mast. Let us know what you decide with photos as I am considering on on my Hunter 46.

1597102452252.png


This article might be helpful: Focus on liferafts: are you ready – Yachting World
 
Jun 4, 2004
1,071
Hunter 410 Punta Gorda
I have one mounted on my foredeck on my 410. Bad idea. As just stated above its better near the stern on portable somewhere. On the deck the genoa sheets get caught sometimes.
 
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Jun 25, 2020
17
Hunter Hunter 41 DS Jacksonville
Yea @sail sfbay you are right mounting to the side of the the arch could be good spot. One concern would be smashing it on a piling while docking. Last thing I need is for it to deploy in my home marina after a sunset cruise.

@Sailgunner did you mount it yourself? How did you access the cabin top to though bolt it? Did you just peel back the liner, reuse, and reinstall it? Or did you have to buy another liner?
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
I have seen life rafts mounted on the side rail. However, mounting on the stern rail or stern sugar scoop would mitigate the risk of side rail or arch smashing into a piling while docking and would be accessible from the cockpit for deployment OR removal for inspection/servicing.
 
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Jun 4, 2004
1,071
Hunter 410 Punta Gorda
Yea @sail sfbay you are right mounting to the side of the the arch could be good spot. One concern would be smashing it on a piling while docking. Last thing I need is for it to deploy in my home marina after a sunset cruise.

@Sailgunner did you mount it yourself? How did you access the cabin top to though bolt it? Did you just peel back the liner, reuse, and reinstall it? Or did you have to buy another liner?
I did not. Previous owner installed. Not sure how he did it.
 
Jun 25, 2020
17
Hunter Hunter 41 DS Jacksonville
Very helpful indeed! Definitely committed at that point. But seems like a reasonable option if you didn’t want to through bolt through the cabin top and risk messing up the headliner.
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Since the arch angles inward it is doubtful a life raft mounted to it would hit a ping while docking. That is what I am exploring for my life raft mount. That way no one leaves the cockpit to access and deploy the life raft. Whatever you do I am confident you will be very satisfied.
 
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
If it would fit on a Hunter 42 like shown n the left hand photo I would mount it on the stern of the sugar scoop like the Hunter 31 from Cardiff Wales in the right hand photo.

1597189300417.png
 

senang

.
Oct 21, 2009
304
hunter 38 Monaco
The straps are fixed to the underside of the shelf. The other end is attached inside the cockpit. Attach painter line somewhere. When needed cut straps and kick raft in the water. Being a sailboat I always have a knife in the cockpit. I installed it over 5 years ago, no problems. Only difficulty was getting at the nuts on the inside of the hull there where the BW tank impedes access.

P.S. Your brackets look rather big to me, but their size depends on the size of your life raft.
 

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Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Thanks for clarifying how you connect the straps to the shelf and to the cockpit,.
 

senang

.
Oct 21, 2009
304
hunter 38 Monaco
The raft is held a small distance from the hull to prevent dirt accumulation. I soak the straps in water before I tighten them around the raft. When drying they tighten even more.
 
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Jun 25, 2004
475
Hunter 306 Pasadena MD
No personal experience here, but reading John Kretchmer's books, he has very strong opinions about mounting the life raft somewhere where it's accessible from the cockpit. I.e., not up forward. The theory is that when things get really ugly, you won't be willing or able to go up forward and wrestle the raft back to where you can deploy it. So senang's pictures look just about perfect: mount the raft where you'd want it to be when your boat is about to sink.