Add a crane to the bow of a 480 DB ?

Greg

Greg

Active Member
Mar 27, 2008
1,310
North Jersey
Boat Info
2003 480 Sedan Bridge
Engines
QSM-11's
I was sitting here at looking at wave runners, thinking it would be nice to have one.

We currently have a dinghy that we keep on the platform. I could just off load the dinghy and put the wave runner there, like Gary does, but it would be kind of a pain. We can't keep either of them at the marina, and the ramp is a couple miles away. We also use the dinghy quite a bit.

So I was wondering if it was possible to add a crane type davit to the bow, and put a wave runner up there.

I know it would look pretty stupid and I haven't even looked at dimensions. But has anyone ever seen something like this? Could the boat handle all that weight up there?
 
I have been on Vikings that have cranes on the bow. It's not a trivial install. The shaft for the crane would have to go all the way down through the cabin (probably the port side master closet) and be reinforced. Additionally, you would probably have to reinforce the dick that it would sit on. I think it would be a major engineering effort/modification... I doubt weight would be an issue... but I sure as hell wouldn't want it to break anything. I bet it would make your hydraulic platform seem "cheap"

My 2 cents.
 
:smt043:lol:

Holy crap that was funny.

I figured it would be a big deal to install, maybe it's just time to upgrade to something a little bigger. (I know there's probably some sort of apparatus you can get for that too.)
 
Greg

I saw this 42 Sedan Bridge for sale with a set up that I think are describing:


This is the add:
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/2004-Sea-Ray-Sedan-Bridge-95191669

95191669_1thumb_550x410.jpg
 
looks nose heavy... I don't think that boat is big enough for that setup....
 
The vertical member (notice my very careful word choice) on deck mounted davits is about 6" in diameter. They almost always have to be placed directly over a closet or dead space in the boat's interior since they are usually fastened directly to the interior of the hull. The end result gets you a crane, but makes the closet essentially useless.

You also have to be very careful of the weight you place on a cored deck. And, expect to spend $7500 up to have a well designed davit system installed or your boat.
 
The Vikings and Oceans that I have with jet skis on the bow have had flat foredecks. Is the 480's foredeck flat or angled forward? Other than the one pictured above I don't believe that I have seen a Sea Ray with a davit on the foredeck.
 
Where in the world does the shaft go for that set up? Looks like it would eat up part of the port side head? Did they lose the door from the port stateroom to the port head?
 
From the looks of that picture I bet it just runs down behind the television in the master stateroom. There is a ton of room behind there and if he converted to a flat screen there you go, brace it well and pull power from the bow thruster batteries. The third port light is in the guest shower. Boy the power of this site. Ask and you shall see! Not sure if I would want the weight of some of those new wave runners up there though. Much different lifting and stowing one of those versus an inflatable with a small outboard.
 
Great, thanks for the photos. I was thinking of photoshopping one on to see what it would look like. Wow, that is ugly. Not as bad looking as on the 42, but I think it still changed my mind.
It does look like they did lose something in the port side head, not sure if it is as far back as the door though, isn't that middle window the shower?
 
Its in the head. I think its uglier than sin but you wanted to see what it looked like! I think the boat has been on the market for a long time now and I am sure the davit is a major reason.

1847108_4.jpg
 
Wow, that is nuts! That damn pole just took up 6" for your shower seat! Better keep those bon bons to a minimum!

Doug
 
I have been on several boats with Davits. My opinion is a 52' boat is too small for this setup, especially with a jet ski, all that weight makes them very bow heavy. At about 60', this setup is pretty cool.
 
Someone makes a davit system with kind of an elbow in it that allows the main lifting arm to lay flat on the deck, if the deck is flat to begin with. I saw one on a Sea Ray 380AC that was properly done. It took up one of the closets in the master stateroom, but upright was hidden. Whomever installed the one thru the shower module pictured on the boat above knew nothing about Sea Ray construction and should be charged with boat abuse.

You should ask Sea Ray before planning to store a PWC on the foward deck. I believe all the cored deck is stressed for is something like an inflatable with a small outboard.
 
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