Any suggestions on dinghy davits

Robin3

.
Dec 29, 2014
14
beneteau oceanis36cc Daytona Beach
Installed Martek on my 41DS. Very satisfied!
I thought I had replied also recommending Martek, but maybe I pressed a wrong button and lost it. We used Martek 600 version on our oceanis 36CC and had the optional cam/ jam cleats and 6:1 tackles for our west 310 Hypalon RIB and Mercury 9.9hp 4 stroke motor. Excellent quality and service.The pics posted BTW show only theoriginal 4:1 tackles, we swapped these later for 6:1 as we wanted to keep the motor mountedd on for sheltered trips and the extra poewer is useful, although in our case we can also take the rope tails to the cockpit sheet winches if needed in which case it is really easy, but take care to avoid a riding turn as the lead is not perfect.

You can also see we put the ensign staff on the cross support strut ( a clamp on ensign staff holder bought from West Marine and a staff made from a spare piece of stainless steel tube)
 

Attachments

Last edited:
Oct 29, 2006
388
Beneteau 381 Olympia, WA
Great setup and nice looking Oceanis Robin! We have a 99 361 and I've been wanting a davit for years! Did you have to do much reinforcements to the transom?

It looks like you went with 2 braces to the swim step, do you still have adequate room on the step and did it have to be reinforced too? I know the underside of our swim step would be a PITA to get to and I'm really hesitant drilling in it. Looks great and if you have any inside pictures of attaching points that would be awesome. If I get one I'd probably install it myself but I'm nervous about the loads.
 

Robin3

.
Dec 29, 2014
14
beneteau oceanis36cc Daytona Beach
It is a 1998 Oceanis 36CC and we had a local guy install for us as I had had a stroke 6 months earlier, after which we sold our 47ft motor yacht we were living on and downsized back to sail which had been my life for over 50 years. we wanted the dinghy in davits to help with launching and boarding. The motor yacht had a RIB on the hard top sundeck cover with an electric crane lift. the davits on the sailboat give excellent handholds for boarding from the RIB. THe engineer guy who fitted the davits suggested getting the extra strut supports as the pushpit was moving a bit under the load, Martek offered them as an option, we also had the optional cross brace between the two arms. Access to the transom and under step area was possible for the skinny engineer at least, via lockers in the stern cabin on our boat ( centre cockpit) but I think he drilled and tapped the holes for machine screws from above rather than used through bolts/nuts for the strut bases. The mounts are universal jointed at the bases which makes life a little easier on installation. Look at Martek's website and there is a report from one customer that installed his himself whilst on a mooring ball.

Don't forget you will need lift points on the dinghy and a lift harness between them. We made ours ourselves, rather than buy the optional Martek webbing one, from white PVC coated Stainless gueardrail wire from the local West Marine store and they even helped me make them up in the store to put in the swaged hard eyes. Mind you that store has since closed and been replaced bythe new superstore West, which is more boutiquey and less practical so we lucked out on our timing maybe.

I'm pretty well recovered after my stroke but the davit and the tackles really help hold the RIB still whilst I get in and out.

we also have a single motor lift davit/cran on the starboard quarted to lift the outboard on and off it's pushpit bracket, but for local meanderings in calm waters we hoist the RIB with the motor in place.
 
Jun 9, 2004
615
Catalina 385 Marquette. Mi
One thing not mentioned. Beware of weight, weight, weight. Dont get caught trying to hang a rib + outboard in the davits. I have a 110 plus a 6hp..(downsized)...and thats about all I feel comfy with, regardless of what the manufacturer advertises.
 

Attachments

Jun 23, 2013
271
Beneteau 373 Newport
I installed Garhauer on our 2004 373. Extremely satisfied with the construction, quality, and recommendations from
 
Jun 23, 2013
271
Beneteau 373 Newport
Sorry hit the send button by mistake
Continuing,
Check total price before deciding. Some others I checked looked less until the "required extras" were added. Garhauer price includes all required extras - stern pushpit supports, required arm lengths, cross braces, etc.
 

Gunni

.
Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
One thing not mentioned. Beware of weight, weight, weight. Dont get caught trying to hang a rib + outboard in the davits. I have a 110 plus a 6hp..(downsized)...and thats about all I feel comfy with, regardless of what the manufacturer advertises.
I also have the Kato davits and they are rated to 350 lbs which is way more than enough to swing my 10.2 Zodiac RIB, and a 9.8 Tohatsu. To do this you need the cross-brace and the reinforcing strut that strengthens the stern rail. Keith can help you get the engineering right.
 

Robin3

.
Dec 29, 2014
14
beneteau oceanis36cc Daytona Beach
I also have the Kato davits and they are rated to 350 lbs which is way more than enough to swing my 10.2 Zodiac RIB, and a 9.8 Tohatsu. To do this you need the cross-brace and the reinforcing strut that strengthens the stern rail. Keith can help you get the engineering right.
My Martek ones are rated to 600lbs ( 300 lbs per davit arm) about double the weight of our 3.1 metre RIB with it's 9.9hp Mercury, but it does recognise that probably 80% of the all up weight would be on one of the two davit arms. WE do not intend to carry the motor on the RIB other than in very sheltered waters like in the ICW, and we have a manual motor lift crane/davit/tackle to enable us to lift the motor off the Rib and transfer it to the bracket on the pushpit before heading offshore.

Some of the davits for sure are too flimsy, but do the research and choose wisely is the answer as always.