dinghy size on the swim platform

Lobrim

Member
Sep 2, 2008
56
Great Peconic Bay, ny
Boat Info
1999 400 sundancer
Engines
CAT 3116
I posted this in the offical 410 dancer thread but others advice would be helpful.

I have a 99 400 Dancer the swim platform is 12 feet wide I am trying to decide between a 9.6 foot or a 10.6 foot setup with the Hurley davits. My concern is getting off the back when there are no side docks available if I go with the bigger. add one foot for the motor tilted up and it doesn't leave much space.


The extra foot of dinghy would make a difference for my crew for sure. But I don't want to kick myself for jamming up the back.
THanks
 
If there are no side docks then I don't think it matters if you have a 5 foot or a 12 foot dinghy, does it? Once there is a dinghy back there, the only way to get off the back of the boat with no side docks would be to crawl over / through the dinghy. Even if you have space on either end of the dinghy, you won't be able to back the boat right up to a rear dock such that you can step off from the swim platform since the dinghy is there creating a gap of water between the dock and the platform. Or am I missing something...?
 
I'm not sure about the Hurley loading capacity but it's not unusual for us to step through the tender when a side dock isn't available.

If you are storing the tender w/o an outboard, the large tender may be fine. But if storing with an outboard that will be permanently mounted, I would go with the 9'6" for other reasons.

The outboard is probably stored raised which could add 18" or so to the overall length. When possible, I try to keep the overall length within the limits of the platform. But that is to minimize interference when backing into a tight slip and side tying.
 
If there are no side docks then I don't think it matters if you have a 5 foot or a 12 foot dinghy, does it? Once there is a dinghy back there, the only way to get off the back of the boat with no side docks would be to crawl over / through the dinghy. Even if you have space on either end of the dinghy, you won't be able to back the boat right up to a rear dock such that you can step off from the swim platform since the dinghy is there creating a gap of water between the dock and the platform. Or am I missing something...?

Bingo!

I totally agree, the size of the dink doesn't matter. Those are two separate issues (dosck with no fingers and width of the platform in relation to dinghy length). As others have said, if you come to a dock with no fingers, you have the folliwing choices:

1. Unload your dinghy, tie it to the bow (make sure the engine won't hit the hull), back in and use your platform.
2. Have a custom ramp made.
3. Step over the dinghy.

Having said that, I would focus on the dinghy's length. From my experience, your goal is to stay within dimensions of the beam at the the stern. As long as you don't exceed it (with engine tilted), you'll be fine. If you exceed it, chances are you'll be banging the dinghy on pilings and fingers while docking on windy days.
 
I have traditional Hurley davits, and I ordered the longest attachments, which will push the center of my Zodiac Zoom on the end of the platform... For me, I get a larger dinghy because the width is the problem, not the length... Since you get off the stern, you may want to have boarding ramp... Even with the dinghy in tight, you will may have trouble getting off the stern...
 
I want the largest possible Dinghy which will fit (including tilted motor) on the swim platform with nothing protruding beyond the edges of the platform.

It is a hassle, but often times we have had to ask the Marina what the slip situation is in advance. If we determine we are in a situation where we cannot offload the Dinghy "in the slip", we make a temp stop somewhere in the Marina, off load the dinghy, then walk back and bring it over to the slip and tie it off to the front of the boat.

Sometimes if we are stopped for a night and planning on leaving the next morning, we just leave the Dinghy on the boat. Depends on each mounting and platform scenario. We have room to move between the lazarette and the Dinghy. Not ideal, but still works satisfactorily.

Mark
 
Thanks I comple forgot about the distance off the back of the swim platform- I'm going with the bigger size - even with the engine tilted up it will still fit on the width of the swim platform .
 
Another key point to keep in mind when setting up your davits, make sure that you have access to the stern locker. If the dinghy will block it, then it'll be a PITA in the long term.
 
went with the bigger size on the hurley davits. It sits nice and is very secure. still room to get into the locker and should be good to get on and off boat easy enough. Hopefully in the water in another 10 days to really get it going.
 

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That's a 10.6' on a 12' platform? Must be a crazy optical illusion from the perspective, but that thing looks like a 13' in the picture. That's not hanging out over the edge of your platform?
 
We installed a davit system last year on our 44. We bought a10 ft dingy which is good for 3 people and our 90lb dog. We wanted access to the swim deck as well as the locker. We went with the davits from St. Croix http://davit.com/catalog.html

Terrible instructions or installation and a ton of modifications but after that loving the access. If you are not handy this is not something you would want to take on. St. Croix is under new ownership and not the same as it was years prior.
 
Optical illusion. 10' inflatable on a 12' beam transom. My friends of course said I need a bigger boat for my dingy.
photo (3).JPG
 
I just bought a 2007 310 Sundancer with twin inboards. Wondering what the best dinghy David or set up I should do. I have a 9' dinghy but not a big swim platform area on the 310 I think the interior width is roughly 7' 10". Looking for suggestions, ideas. Thanks
 
Start your own post here or ask in the 310 post. Best way to have that question answered
 
I just bought a 2007 310 Sundancer with twin inboards. Wondering what the best dinghy David or set up I should do. I have a 9' dinghy but not a big swim platform area on the 310 I think the interior width is roughly 7' 10". Looking for suggestions, ideas. Thanks

On our previous boat we had a Ross-Kelley Olsson "Tilt Davit". Worked great:

http://www.boatdavit.com/Home/Details/2

It works great for a smaller boat.

Sandy
 
We installed a davit system last year on our 44. We bought a10 ft dingy which is good for 3 people and our 90lb dog. We wanted access to the swim deck as well as the locker. We went with the davits from St. Croix http://davit.com/catalog.html

Terrible instructions or installation and a ton of modifications but after that loving the access. If you are not handy this is not something you would want to take on. St. Croix is under new ownership and not the same as it was years prior.

I have installed the St. Croix on a 390 and a 40DA and believe IMHO that there is no better way to have the dink in the back of the boat. The whole swim platform is open. Then, and I feel this is the best part, in an emergency the Admiral and I can just get in the dink and cut the lines with the knife I have tied to the dink, and drop in the water. See the signature pic. Messing around with the dink in an extreme abandon ship emergency is not my cup of tea.

Just my 2 cents.
 

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