Has anyone raised their dink onto the deck without a sling system? I've read many posts describing how they store it on deck any use the spinnaker halyard to raise and lower it. I was just wondering if a three point system was needed of if raising it from the bow would be ok. Mine is a 10' inflatable with an air deck. Thanks Frank
Raising the Dink
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Probably OK
If your D ring on the bow is substantial enough you should be able to raise it from the bow OK. Some D rings are light duty and are just bent bent into shape without being welded. I think the one on the Caribe should be strong enough, and the glued patch should be more than strong enough. In all honesty however, I don't have personal experience with your dingy.
If your D ring on the bow is substantial enough you should be able to raise it from the bow OK. Some D rings are light duty and are just bent bent into shape without being welded. I think the one on the Caribe should be strong enough, and the glued patch should be more than strong enough. In all honesty however, I don't have personal experience with your dingy.
Three Point
I have seen many boats use the spinnaker to raise a dink onto the bow and they did use a three point system to keep it level. The three point system makes it much easier to handle bringing on board. Nick
I have seen many boats use the spinnaker to raise a dink onto the bow and they did use a three point system to keep it level. The three point system makes it much easier to handle bringing on board. Nick
DO IT ALL THE TIME
We lift them all the time by the bow. I have had no problem. it is sometimes a wrestling match if the wind is blowing. some times i rig a two part lift on side of the stern and the bow and let it come up sideways. you dont have to raise it as high. The key is practice at home and get proficient at one system that works for you.
We lift them all the time by the bow. I have had no problem. it is sometimes a wrestling match if the wind is blowing. some times i rig a two part lift on side of the stern and the bow and let it come up sideways. you dont have to raise it as high. The key is practice at home and get proficient at one system that works for you.
Three point sling with spinnaker halyard
I use a three point sling I made with webbing and raise and lower my Avon 280 with air floor. This system works very well, but it takes someone keeping the dingy away fron the boat to get it up. Friction against the side of the boat can be substantial if you don't. I use the front handle/hook to raise on deck for turning over so it will face dowm. You could lower it with the handle, but retrieval would be hard. We have a loop on the sling attachment point that reaches to the deck. We grab the loop with the boat hook and then attach the halyard.
I use a three point sling I made with webbing and raise and lower my Avon 280 with air floor. This system works very well, but it takes someone keeping the dingy away fron the boat to get it up. Friction against the side of the boat can be substantial if you don't. I use the front handle/hook to raise on deck for turning over so it will face dowm. You could lower it with the handle, but retrieval would be hard. We have a loop on the sling attachment point that reaches to the deck. We grab the loop with the boat hook and then attach the halyard.
We tie the dinghy painter lines together
since they're connected to the inside D rings, then lift with the spare halyard onto the foredeck. It comes up sideways, we twist and drop. One man operation. No three or four point attachments needed. That said, if we were going cruising and needed to raise the dinghy every night, I'd do a four point tether to avoid having to take the engine off every night. I've seen the pole idea published in Cruising World and it seems to work for that author. Same boat as yours, 10-2 air floor.
since they're connected to the inside D rings, then lift with the spare halyard onto the foredeck. It comes up sideways, we twist and drop. One man operation. No three or four point attachments needed. That said, if we were going cruising and needed to raise the dinghy every night, I'd do a four point tether to avoid having to take the engine off every night. I've seen the pole idea published in Cruising World and it seems to work for that author. Same boat as yours, 10-2 air floor.
Use your painter
and wrap another line over the aft tubes tied together they can lift your boat level, You can use a docl line for wrapping around the tubes, It works well and no extra expense for new lines.
and wrap another line over the aft tubes tied together they can lift your boat level, You can use a docl line for wrapping around the tubes, It works well and no extra expense for new lines.
Slow and Easy
We've hauled the dinghy onto the fore deck, and turned it over, with the use of the spinnaker halyard. All that being said, be careful and take it easy. Particularly be kind to your back. I do not have a bad back, but once wrestling with the dinghy, managed to almost incapacitate myself. I was careless, thought I could yank it into place, and found myself in incredible pain and agony. [And still didn't have the dinghy in the right place.] So easier said than done and take advantage of every kind of leverage, but be kind to your back and anticipate problems. Paul
We've hauled the dinghy onto the fore deck, and turned it over, with the use of the spinnaker halyard. All that being said, be careful and take it easy. Particularly be kind to your back. I do not have a bad back, but once wrestling with the dinghy, managed to almost incapacitate myself. I was careless, thought I could yank it into place, and found myself in incredible pain and agony. [And still didn't have the dinghy in the right place.] So easier said than done and take advantage of every kind of leverage, but be kind to your back and anticipate problems. Paul
caguy, the "hoisting for cruising" idea comes
from folks way, way, way south of both you and me. Folks in Mexico and south of there find that raising the dinghy every night precludes bottom growth (and has the added benefit of deterring theft). 5 days doesn't qualify as cruising, altho if you're going to the Channel Islands, that should qualify, it's a good cruising-testing place and good practice from what I hear.
from folks way, way, way south of both you and me. Folks in Mexico and south of there find that raising the dinghy every night precludes bottom growth (and has the added benefit of deterring theft). 5 days doesn't qualify as cruising, altho if you're going to the Channel Islands, that should qualify, it's a good cruising-testing place and good practice from what I hear.
Stu is right and
towing is dangerous for your dingy. When you tow you often have stuff in your dink like oars, tank, motor or whatever, and whether you tow up close or on the second wave as recommended, the wind can lift a dingy and flip it. It then becomes a drogue which dumbs your stuff, wets your motor, or just breaks your painter. If the weather is bad you may not be able to recover it. I speak from experience because I lost a 10' Dyer off the New england Coast in 1965 and have never towed a dingy any distance again. Joe
towing is dangerous for your dingy. When you tow you often have stuff in your dink like oars, tank, motor or whatever, and whether you tow up close or on the second wave as recommended, the wind can lift a dingy and flip it. It then becomes a drogue which dumbs your stuff, wets your motor, or just breaks your painter. If the weather is bad you may not be able to recover it. I speak from experience because I lost a 10' Dyer off the New england Coast in 1965 and have never towed a dingy any distance again. Joe
They're Right
...you should hoist it for all the reasons stated. Of course, I don't and have towed mine thousands of miles and in some nasty conditions. In those nasty conditions, I sometimes wish it had been on deck. I only once had to let a lot of line out in big following seas to keep it from trying to climb in the cockpit. I have towed both inflatables and hard dinks. In both cases, I use two tow lines to a single bow point on the hard dink and to each side D ring on the inflatable and find it makes it very stable. I use long 3/8 dock lines with clips on the end and water-ski floats about a third the way up to keep the line away from the prop and rudder. Anyhow, there is some risk as people have pointed out, altho it has proven manageable for me. I did once have an inflatable go airborne with an OB attached and spin like a kid's toy when I was on a mooring. That was a very long time ago tho. Rick D.
...you should hoist it for all the reasons stated. Of course, I don't and have towed mine thousands of miles and in some nasty conditions. In those nasty conditions, I sometimes wish it had been on deck. I only once had to let a lot of line out in big following seas to keep it from trying to climb in the cockpit. I have towed both inflatables and hard dinks. In both cases, I use two tow lines to a single bow point on the hard dink and to each side D ring on the inflatable and find it makes it very stable. I use long 3/8 dock lines with clips on the end and water-ski floats about a third the way up to keep the line away from the prop and rudder. Anyhow, there is some risk as people have pointed out, altho it has proven manageable for me. I did once have an inflatable go airborne with an OB attached and spin like a kid's toy when I was on a mooring. That was a very long time ago tho. Rick D.
Anyone know about Dinghy-tow?
Has anyone used or familiar with the "dinghy-tow" solution? It's an Ontario company, just north of Toronto. I've wondered if it would be worth the cost and the trouble of installing it. I think when I inquired some time ago it was about $1500? Small operation, I suppose, as they don't seem to have dealers.
Has anyone used or familiar with the "dinghy-tow" solution? It's an Ontario company, just north of Toronto. I've wondered if it would be worth the cost and the trouble of installing it. I think when I inquired some time ago it was about $1500? Small operation, I suppose, as they don't seem to have dealers.
An archive search on dinghy tow
comes up with lots on a search - I can't link to the results, but there are many
comes up with lots on a search - I can't link to the results, but there are many
Use a Block System
Simply using the spinnaker halyard to lift the dink usually entails grinding away on a winch handle at a point located quite a long way away from the scene of the action. A two person job. I have made up a block system with a 3:1 reduction so that I can lift the dink onto the foredeck without using a winch. The halyard holds one block aloft, a second block is tied off to the bow of the dink and a third turning block, fitted with a jamb cleat, is tied off at the bow of the main boat. This arrangement means that the whole lifting process can easily be done by one person, even while fending the dink off from getting snarled with the life lines.
Simply using the spinnaker halyard to lift the dink usually entails grinding away on a winch handle at a point located quite a long way away from the scene of the action. A two person job. I have made up a block system with a 3:1 reduction so that I can lift the dink onto the foredeck without using a winch. The halyard holds one block aloft, a second block is tied off to the bow of the dink and a third turning block, fitted with a jamb cleat, is tied off at the bow of the main boat. This arrangement means that the whole lifting process can easily be done by one person, even while fending the dink off from getting snarled with the life lines.
Neil McD, great idea!
I've added this as a "to-do" on my winter project list. To save reinventing the wheel, can you recall the brand and size blocks you used, assuming they are working fine? I have a 9'6" inflatable weighing 85lbs, so load is modest. Much as I love reading the WM catalog, the selection of blocks in it is a tad overwhelming. Thanks!
I've added this as a "to-do" on my winter project list. To save reinventing the wheel, can you recall the brand and size blocks you used, assuming they are working fine? I have a 9'6" inflatable weighing 85lbs, so load is modest. Much as I love reading the WM catalog, the selection of blocks in it is a tad overwhelming. Thanks!
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