Bow

Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
I installed stern rail mounted dinghy davits attached to the arch on my Hunter 386. I routinely sailed with the dinghy secured to it and 3.5 hp motor attached to the dinghy in the bay and down the coast. There are many manufacturers including Garhauer, Kato, Forespar Nova, Edson Marine, Mar-Tek, Ocean Marine, St. Croix, Sailboatowner, Baysystem, etc. made of 304 or 316 stainless. Each has weight load limits and special mounting requirements.
 

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Apr 8, 2011
768
Hunter 40 Deale, MD
PO installed Kato Island davits with the optional removable stainless steel stabilizer bar on my 2009 H36. I only bring my dinghy occasionally, and the rest of the time the davits aren't an issue for the view, backing, or swimming off the stern. If anything they're pretty good handholds back there. I choose to leave the stabilizer bar in place all the time, and barely notice it anymore. Really great quality, and I much prefer it to towing. I just leave the 6hp Mercury attached and cinch the dinghy in tight so it doesn't swing. Avoiding the hassle of taking the motor on and off to tow is awesome. If you want to go swimming for the afternoon, its a cinch to lower the dinghy into the water, tie it off to one side, and use the sugar scoop without the dinghy in the way. One person can easily launch or recover the dinghy very quickly.
 
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Apr 11, 2010
946
Hunter 38 Whitehall MI
Do a search in the archives. You will find many threads on davit choices and what you will find is that there as many favorites as there are posters. You will see some common themes in the brands people like best.
 
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Dec 19, 2006
5,809
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
I never did want Davits on my 2007 H-36 but after trying all ways to carry my dinghy and watching many club members having Davits and we anchor out a lot so I installed Ocean Davits and now love them and make our life so easy when sailing up and down SW Florida.
I do leave my 8 hp outboard on my hard bottom 9’6” dinghy while sailing.
Nick
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
In my opinion, a large dinghy, plus outboard, suspended from davits at the stern of a boat of your length, as well as of mine, also 38 ft, spoils the look of the boat. It also affects the trim somewhat. That being said, there are few carry alternatives for a 10-ft inflatable with aluminum hull. That boat weighs probably 120 - 125 lbs. A four-stroke outboard with enough power to plane it w/ just two (adults) aboard, say 10-hp, might weigh another 90 - 100 lb. (With two adults & teen, that might not be even enough.) That, stuck outward from the transom, plus the weight of the davits, is what will be loading your boat at the stern :(.

FWIW, I have (since May, 2018) a 9.5-ft aluminum hull inflatable & 8-hp Honda four-stroke. Love the boat; outboard has been a disappointment, frankly. I installed a “crane” to my stern-mounted radar post to lift the engine (89#) which rides on the port-side stern rail unless stowed in my (deep) starboard locker. The boat is carried on the foredeck bottom-side up, of course. I lift it with a 6-fold-purchase block and fall that I had made up for the purpose and which hangs from my spinnaker halyard several feet above the deck. I have a lift bridle rigged to the cockpit lift eyes (four point attachment). I basically can lift the dink by it’s transom high enough to spin it over. Then reattach to the lift bridle and haul it up more or less horizontal, and lower over the side, all in but a few minutes. Don’t need any help with this. Control everything from the foredeck. Then, drop on the outboard. Another maybe 8 min. If not going far to another anchorage, or in relatively flat waters, I’ll tow after initial launch, sometimes with outboard still attached. For me, the towing bridle has to be twin warp or the dink slews around too much. For the trip home over open seas, everything is pulled back up and secured.

The whole business is only slight more trouble than with my 8 1/2 ft Achilles with inflatable floor. That one was nearly always stowed deflated in the locker on the outbound. So, had to lug it out of the locker, then to the foredeck; unpack & inflate, then muscle over the lifelines into the water. This was also a one-person job, but more steps and more brute lifting than for the RIB, as I describe above. It usually rode inverted & strapped on the foredeck for the ride home.

Finally, for all of the trouble and expense you’re talking, you might wish to CRITICALLY access your actual need for that particular model of inflatable if you have not already, or any other. It being summer time in FL for nearly another 3 mo, you with a new yacht, where will you be going where you might need that kind of “transportation?” Anchor out locations? Egmont Key? Pt DeSoto? Very hot and humid. Not so great for a pleasant week or weekend out, even with AC below, IMHO. Also, consider where to stow it (inflatable) when in the slip? Answer—on your davits!!! Your yacht will be married to the davit system as long as you have the RIB. In most places, you’ll be charged for that overhang of the davits at the $/ft rate of the hull. Figure two, maybe three, extra feet added to your monthly slippage tab. But, even if you decide to leave the RIB home in the slip, as in just going for a daysail, you’ll still have the davits attached, most likely.

Perhaps, consider a “rubber ducky” for now :doh:.
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
PP. If you’re talking to me, my “crane” is attached to the post which supports my stern-mounted radar, port side. So, it’s a custom job. If you look closely at my Avatar, right at the orange buoy, you can see the old post. Just imagine it being of stainless steel, with an “arm” that can swivel out over the port stern from about the height of the Bimini.
 
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jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
I've fantasized about a "drone dinghy," which would have the motor running and just follow me, say 1/4 to 1/2 mile behind. Sure, it would need a bigger fuel tank with my 2-stroke motor, but it would be way cool.
 
Dec 29, 2012
148
Hunter 37 Jacksonville
Another option is an arch. We just installed the Atlantic Towers arch and I was impressed with it. Installed with reasonable effort and I actually think it looks good. It's up high and out of your vision. Also gives nice options for other things like solar panels etc.
 

Twille

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Oct 8, 2012
63
Hunter 38 Henderson, nc
Another option is an arch. We just installed the Atlantic Towers arch and I was impressed with it. Installed with reasonable effort and I actually think it looks good. It's up high and out of your vision. Also gives nice options for other things like solar panels etc.
Picture?
 

JRT

.
Feb 14, 2017
2,037
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
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