Never the necessity until you ride in one, akin to the family car on the water, and the source of great fun.  The dinghy.  We managed without one for our first year.  Looking back we did so because well... we didn't know we were missing out.  I'm glad we got one for the 2017 season.  From researching them to finally purchasing one and commissioning it, in the following I'll tell you how we added "Danger Mouse" to our fleet.   Also, I'll give you some tips to help you select what's the best dinghy for your boat. 

What fits where?

Noticed above that I said "selecting what's the best dinghy for your boat", not "best dinghy for you".  Speaking from experience, I can tell you that your boat's dinghy retrieval and storage options should dictate what type of dinghy you get.  As any dinghy too large to be stored  aboard your boat technically gets moved from dinghy status over to second boat status.  Which allows you to call yourself commodore instead of captain but there's a hefty price tag that comes along with that title in the form of storage fees.  

In part 1 of this article I'm going to cover just retrival and storage options.  

Coraline didn't come equipped with dinghy retrieval or storage gear.  The one of the previous owners did leave behind an $500 8' inflatable slat floor West Marine/ Zodiac special. That I found tucked away in the lazarette.  But, this type of entry level dinghy is a bit of a sucker's game and should be avoided (even if it's a freebie). Which I'll cover later on. 

If your newly purchased boat has retrieval and/or storage equipment the first thing you need to do before purchasing a dinghy is to figure out the weight capacity of the retrieval gear.  Inflatables and rigid dinghies may look more or less the same when they're in the water but trust me they weigh in at all sorts of different amounts.  Buying a dinghy that's too heavy for your retrieval system can result in serious injury and/or heavy duty damage to your boat.  So, find that manufacturer's name and figure out those specs!  No guess work! 

If you're starting this venture without retrieval and storage gear.  You may be in a catch 22.  You might have to do some guess work.  By figuring the weight of the dinghy you'd like to get, you then can figure the type of R&S gear you'll need.  Problem is figuring the dinghy's true weight will most likely be done after you've purchased it.  Hence, how do you know exactly what R&S gear to get, will it work on your boat, and/or does the whole package fit into your budget.  If possible, the best thing to do is get permission from the boat dealer or the selling owner to weight the boat. The easiest way to do this, is to load it onto a trailer fully geared & fueled up.  Drive to a truck stop that has a truck scale or possibly your local landfill (they use scales to determine how much trash is dumped from a visiting truck).  Weight the truck, trailer, and boat all in one.  Take the dinghy back and remove it from the trailer.  Return to the scale and weight the truck and trailer.  Subtract the return visit from the first and there you go...the true weight of you dinghy.   

Whether you're starting from scratch or trying to identify your retrieval and storage gear here are some types of retrieval and storage gear with my obligatory opinions attached:

Davits

Davit is a generic boat term.  It's more or less interchangeable with the land side term "crane"or "lift".  It can also be used to refer to any type of equipment that's used to lower or retrieve items from overboard. The ones pictured above are most commonly found on the aft deck of sailboats.  They can be installed on power boats but there's a less expensive option below that you'll usually see on anything that has a swim platform.  Price wise this type of manual, formed stainless steel tubing, davit system is the overall least expensive of it's type.  With a turn key set coming in around $1500.  More expensive motorized and heavily reinforced units can range upwards of $10,000. The less expensive bolt-on versions are easy to install but have limited lifting ability.  Usually, in the 100-200 lbs. range.  Since this is the average weight of an un-powered dinghy.  Hoisting the dinghy will require removal of the motor, fuel and gear.  Leaving you to find a way to stow those things safely as well.  

Overall, it's not a bad system if you can get a unit that will be able to handle the full (true) weight of your dinghy, plus an additional 50-75 lbs.  That way trapped rain water, life jackets, wet gear, future upgrades, etc. won't over tax the system.

Weaver Snap-Davits

Weaver Davits are a very popular choice. A great entry level and modular system for any boat that has a swim platform.  The price will vary based on how many adapters or accessories you end up needing.  The base set of hooks and receivers is around $350 on sale.  The main factors in determining what combo of add-ons you need to buy are the level of the swim platform over the water as opposed to the height of the dinghy in the water, whether you have a soft or hard bottom, and the inflatable tube's diameter.  Lashing the dinghy to stand straight up like in the first picture will add to your cost as well.  There are hand or power crank winches available for rocking the dinghy up out of the water and even motor mounts that tilt the outboard motor out of the way as the dinghy lifts.  Trying to figure out what works and what doesn't for your situation can be a little daunting.  It's best to call a vendor with your specs to get a recommendation.  Weaver Davits has a ton of specialized brackets and continues to design more. 

Downside, there again, is weight.  In most cases, any motorized dinghy that is over 250 lbs you'll be stripping apart to lift up.  Also, if you board via the swim platform this set up might have you doing the limbo to get by.  Other, things to consider is that this set up can block visibility of your boat name and port of call.  This isn't illegal as long as there's a visible gap wide enough to see the name through but it's a good excuse for officials to board.  Two, as pictured, the Wevar Snap-Davits that glue to the inflatable side tubes relies on your dinghy being fully pumped up with air.  Any inflatable owner will tell you that no inflatable stays inflated.  So, this could lead to issues as air contracts or escapes allowing the boat to sag down.  I'd recommend doing a Weaver Davit system only if you can connect it to a hard bottom dinghy with the C-Adapters.  Or only using it on a hard side dinghy like a Portland Pudgy.  

Power Davit

On larger boats you may find single arm swing davits like the one pictured on this sport fish.  These have a little more in the muscle department and land in the higher price spectrum.  Even though they're motorized, launching and retrieval of a dinghy with one of these can take upwards of 30 minutes.  If you're in a little chop, given the single point of lift, the dinghy can swing and pivot making it harder to control.  Or if you're berthed in a marina with boats on either side, swinging the dinghy out to the side will be next to impossible unless you're trying to place your dinghy on your neighbors deck.  This setup requires that you have chocks on the deck to hold your dinghy.  Which is good and the most secure way to keep a dinghy on board in blue water.  Chocks make it easier to service your dinghy as well.

I'm not an expert on this design but I been told that this type of davit requires a support post be run from the bottom of the davit all the way down to the boat's stringers (support beams).  What concerns me about this is that the deck flexes at a different rate than the hull.  The hull and deck are separate components bonded to one another around the perimeter, typically at the rub rail.  Adding the lifting post connects the two together making a stress point.  Like having a toothpick between your tongue and the roof of your mouth while trying to talk.  Over time stress cracks and leaks can form around the base of the davit.  

Swim Platform Pivot Chocks

Another swim platform set up that has weight handling advantages over the Weaver Snap Davit are pivoting chocks with integrated ramps.  The idea is that you heft the dinghy up the ramp and into the chock by muscling it up or via a removable winch.  The system mounts on the edge of the swim platform and acts as a fulcrum to rock the dinghy up and out of the water.   This system will tend to eat up all of your swim platform walking space though. 

This is a great middle of the road way to go.  It works great on most express cruisers or any boat with a large swim platform.  The average price is just around a $1000.  And given their extra weight capacity over Snap-Davits, the cost ratio of weight handling ability is much better.  In most cases you won't have to take the motor off and can leave the dinghy fully geared up. It keeps the dinghy in a lower horizontal profile, not blocking your boat name or the captain's view. But, it does open the boat up to being a rain collector. 

Fitment can be tricky based on the height of your swim platform.  The higher the platform the higher you'll have to pull the dinghy out of the water to get it into the chock.  In order to compensate for the height, the ramp length will be extended.  This means the dinghy will be further away from you when you reach out to pull it up.  Now, if you're talking about tilting/lifting a 300 lbs dinghy up 20" at a goofy angle, I'm out.  I like to going swimming on my own terms.  Also, note in the picture how the motor is raised and laid over on it's side.  This has to be done to prevent it from slamming into the swim platform.  I can tell you that, inevitably, one of the crew or yourself will forget to lay the motor over one day and bam! So, I recommend getting some stainless steel plate cut and shaped to make a ding protector for the swim platform edge to prevent damage. 

Other considerations with this style is whats called float away.  While underway the bow of your boat will naturally come up and out of the water.  While the swim platform will angle and dip down.  If your platform is low to begin with and if the dinghy hangs over the side, it could dip down far enough for the water to lift the dinghy out of the cradle. This is more likely to happen in rough waters. Even if you've got the dinghy strapped in like a pro, dragging it in your prop wash isn't a great idea as it can start filling with water.  Removing the drain plug from the dinghy may not be enough to handle that much water rushing in.  A dinghy rushed full of water could add an instant 1000 lbs to your boat.  Not so good. 

Hydraulic Swim Platform Lift 

Here's where we get crazy.  This lift is a "wet" swim platform that can be used while it's lowered into the water and also a dinghy launch with substantial lift power.  These lifts can handle upwards of 1500 lbs. and typically start out in the $25000 range.  A semi-custom design, the hydraulic rams and arms are mostly off- the- self components, but the platform itself has to be custom made to marry up to the existing shape of the swim platform or transom.  

I've seen units with the ability to lift up even higher than the level of the existing swim platform, reaching to dock height for wheel chair accessibility.  The chocks on the platform are easily adjustable/stowable and can carry a variety of watercraft.  This guy is made for enjoying the water.  While anchored out, you can lower it down, grab a drink, and sit out watching nature. All from the platform while it's lowered down into the water to keep you cool.  

It's not without it's trade offs though.  Unless designed into the hull by the factory or mounted to larger boats (60'+), adding this much weight off the back of the transom will change everything about your boat's attitude.  The extra length can cause drag in the water with a whale tail like effect.  Listing to stern from the weight is a possibility, changing the capacity of fuel, water and holding tanks by tilting them backwards. Also, your turning pivot will change potentially increasing difficulty in docking maneuvers. On twin engine deep V boats in the 30-50' range plan on this lift slowing you down and changing your boat's performance.  That might be a trade you're willing to make.  Not me, but I do think this is a great lift for trawlers given their weight distribution and hull design.  But, I've only ever seen one trawler with this style lift. You usually see large power davits mounted on the upper deck of these boats instead.  

Costs.  Here's where I get sourpuss on this lift.  This lift is the most expensive option by a long shot.  Not just the original purchase and installation.  Maintaining this unit is not cheap.  Think about it,  you've got a complex mechanical and hydraulic system made of metal sitting in the water all the time.  It's like an electrolysis clockwork / lightening rod in a pool of battery acid.  It's going to break down.  Which repairing it requires hauling your boat out. Another potential issue is that you have hydraulic cylinders full of oil sitting in the water.  The oil is held in place with a rubber seal around the ram rod of the cylinder. This seal has to pass over and clear off any sea life that has taken up residency on the rod.  Say the rod sits exposed long enough to grow a couple barnacles.  Do you think a rubber seal can scrape off a barnacle by sliding over it?  Maybe a few times, but not without taking some damage.  An oil leak can land you a massive fine, in addition you'll get to pay to fix the lift and to clean up the environment affected by the oil spill.  Why take the chance.  Lastly, adding this lift could increase your slip requirements.  Boat slips usually increase in increments of 10' once over 30'.  If your boat currently fits in a 55' slip and adding this lift bumps you to a 65' slip your annual slip fee just went up at least $1000.  I'm not sure that this lift is worth the price of admission. 

Transom Lifts

One of the upper price range lifts.  This style of lift costs around $10000.  It's weight retrieval  is quite good.  Handling dinghies up to 1000 lbs.  It's a simplistic design that utilizes an electrical winch to lower and raise the "transom fork".   The transom fork is mounted to either the swim platform or the transom itself depending on your needs.  Mounted in pivots, the fork can be lowered to the water to attach to the dinghy and then pulled back up into position.  Mounted to the fork is an electrical winch that does all the heavy lifting.  The winch cable can either be attached to the transom itself or what are called compression posts.  The compression post are reinforced posts that bolt through the swim platform and act as the winch cable's point of contact.  Thereby, allowing crew passage between the lift and the transom without having to duck.  Units are 12v and 24v. Easy install (in my eyes) and relatively self contained units with little to break.  

I was gungho for this lift until I started digging a little deeper.  These lifts are well built and quality. But, in my opinion, for the price it's a bit of a compromise in design.   After studying the design I noticed that the weight distribution is the same as the hydraulic lift... just too far out from the transom.  You're hanging a 1000 lbs out like a rooster tail off the back of your boat.  Again, boats in the 30' to 40' range are going to suffer from this.  This isn't as bad if the "transom fork" is actually mounted to the transom.  But, if you're using the "compression posts" then you're really hanging it out there.  Another issue is the "transom fork" takes up all of the good boarding area.  So, to launch,  you lower the fork and then have to crawl over it into the dinghy to release the lift hooks then work your way back out to the swim platform to lift the fork back up again.  Even once the fork is up, its completely in your way when trying to board the dinghy.  I wonder how many owners have banged their head on the fork when trying to unload?

Presto Marine Tender Lift

This is my current dream lift.  It addresses all of the other lift's short comings and is a well executed retrofit design.  I'm going to bullet point why I think it's a fantastic design:

• Three different weight class models you can size to your needs. 
• Thought was given to weight distribution. If you're working with a larger swim platform, a sliding model is available. This allows you to bring the center of gravity of the dingy and the lift closer in toward the transom.
• The slide rails also give you walking room on the swim platform.  By sliding the dinghy over the water into the launch position, you've cleared the platform to walk on with minimal obstruction. 
• Minimal moving parts exposed to the elements.  Outside of the arms, cylinders and tracks, all of the working components can be stashed away in a transom locker or lazerette.  The the lift's hydraulic cylinders do not enter the water.  Corrosion, sea life fouling and the possibility of electrolysis are not an issue. 
• Launching takes 60 seconds.  Other lifts can take up to an hour.  Time is of the essence if you've got a squall baring down on you. I'll take the 60 second lift, please. 
• You can mount a platform between the two arms making a "wet" swim platform just like a hydraulic swim platform lift. 
• Boarding and disembarking the dinghy is clear of obstruction.  With the lift arms dipped down there is very little in your way to enter the dinghy.
• Installation is possible for the medium skilled do-it-yourselfer.  
• Oozes in coolness factor and marina envy, absolutely.   

This one checks all the boxes for my particular situation.  Not to say that this guy is the magical unicorn of lifts for everyone.  I did spend the time to speak with some owners of these units.  There were a handful of complaints.  One couple did have a pump failure but it was handled under the warranty.  The other complaints turned out to be installation failure and not product failure.  Mostly, swim platform damage due to not adding any under bracing to carry the extra weight.  Adding stainless steel support braces below the swim platform would have prevented these owner's problems.  Which, I'd recommend installing these braces anytime you bolt something heavy to your swim platform regardless. 

I do have one complaint about this lift, I don't own one.  The cost for the mid level unit will set me back $12000 plus installation costs.  Given its features though, I think that's a fair price.  But, since I don't have that to spend, it makes me grumpy.  And Coraline has more pressing needs.  Que sira. 

Ball Screw Lift

I'm not 100% sure that this lift is available.  I tried contacting this company multiple times but never heard back.  They're located in Sweden and I had to use google translate to navigate their site and email them.  The price to weight capacity ratio for this lift is pretty good.  At the time of writing the drill driven version is $4700 to lift 800 lbs.  The units are priced in Swedish Krona and fluctuate with the exchange rate.  Not that it matters if you don't hear back from the company anyway.  Weight distribution isn't optimal for a large swim platform boat but given the price the trade off might be worth it.  The boat in the video has a small swim platform and watch what happens when the weight of the jet ski transfers to the water. Watch the boat lift up.  

Another interesting thing I noted is that it may be possible to adapt their powered lift system to a sailboat transom without any modification.  As the mounts are basically pivot brackets.  This would allow for the often sharp transom angles and lack of swim platform of sailboats.  This design could become popular choice over the standard hanging davits.  

Ball screws are used in manufacturing automation and plant assembly lines.  The theory is simple.  You have a long screw inside a box tube.  Riding on the screw is a carriage that contains ball bearings that rotate in the threads of the screw.  When you turn the screw the carriage will move up or down the length of the screw based on the direction of the screw's rotation.  In the example above, when the guy uses the screw gun to turn the screw the carriage (which extends from the bottom of the box tube) starts to lower.  Ingeniously simple, tough as nails, and energy efficient.   

Being that I never heard back from this company but loved their idea.  I set out to design my own ball screw lift.  I found that there are customize-able corrosion resistant ball screws available online.  I spoke with several of these companies.  They were happy to work with me on the ball screw requirements but couldn't help with the outer tubing and mounting brackets. The design I've sketched out differs in that it does not extend from the bottom of the tube.  Instead of extending from the bottom, it uses a mounting tab on the carriage that extends from a track in the outer box tube, the design could mount different cradles or platforms that could extend down into the water to retrieve a PWC and then "slide" it up over the transom. Possibly even, lifting all the way to another deck.  Thereby, keeping the boat's handling and attitude.  Launching and retrieval would take seconds.  No need for a hydraulic system and installation would be do-it-yourself friendly.  I'd love to take this design to the next level but that's a bit past my current scope.  Contact me if you're interested.  

End of Part 1 

Next up, we can start diving into dinghies and motors.  I'll cover inflatables, hardsides, foldables, RIBs and motors.  What to look for and what to steer clear of.  Where to look for deals and where to avoid traps. 

Cheers

Mike

Life's a port