Dinghy weight for Hurley or other davits ??

[jmunro123]

I was wondering what people feel the heavest weight is they feel they can manage to bring up a RIB on a Hurley or similar davits?

SeaDoo has a new Jetski being brought to market next summer called the 'Spark' which comes in 2 versions, a 2 seater which weights 350lb and a 3 seater which weights 450lbs.

How heavy are your RIB and how heavy do you think is manageable, do you think a 450lb Rib on Hurley's would be manageable, and I really mean could you actually get it out of the water???

 

[mmcguire2002]

I'm not sure I would use one of this Davits systems on a jet ski. I'm not sure they are robust enough to handle it. As for being able to pull it out of the water, a lot depends on how high your swim platform is off the water.

 

[Pseudomind]

I think I would check with Sea Ray as you have 8.1's you may have an issue with weight on the stern affecting your performance somewhat. As what will the total weight be with fuel and the davits. I am NOT saying you cannot do it, but to just check with Sea Ray beforehand. I actually hope they say all would be okay.

 

[kevin27]

I think your best bet would be these. Depending on how there are attached to the boat they can handle up to 500 lbs total weight. I have them and supports my 200lbs tender and me(155lbs) standing in the boat while cleaning it with no problem. Question is will the platform handle it? My boat has a solid fiberglass(no core) platform with large support rods underneath and would most likely support that weight with no problem.http://www.dinghyramp.com/dinghyram...p-content/uploads/2008/04/dinghyramp_xl_1.jpg

 

[jmunro123]

The ramps are a good idea.

Let's say the swim platform is 1 foot off the water and the Spark (jetski) is 450lbs. Seems like a beast to get up on the swim platform. I read on the Hurley site that their davits are good for 650lbs. How can anyone pick up that kind of weight???

 

[HomePort]

I have a Hurley Davit and it supports my 9.2 foot AB Inflatable (hard bottom) plus a 9.9hp motor without a problem.

The issue is retrieving the dinghy.

I'm fit and probably stronger than most and I can't retrieve the dinghy with motor singlehanded. It's a two person job.

There is no possible way I could retrieve something 450 lbs. Just do the math. When is the last time you deadlifted 450 lbs? Not to mention while leaning over the edge of a swim platform that's 12 inches above the waterline on a boat is rocking.

If you have a hydraulic swim platform, well that's an entirely different story. Or, if your swim platform is right at the waterline, for some reason, then maybe. But, without hydraulics, I don't see it happening.

 

[jmunro123]

I have a Hurley Davit and it supports my 9.2 foot AB Inflatable (hard bottom) plus a 9.9hp motor without a problem.

The issue is retrieving the dinghy.

I'm fit and probably stronger than most and I can't retrieve the dinghy with motor singlehanded. It's a two person job.

There is no possible way I could retrieve something 450 lbs. Just do the math. When is the last time you deadlifted 450 lbs? Not to mention while leaning over the edge of a swim platform that's 12 inches above the waterline on a boat is rocking.

If you have a hydraulic swim platform, well that's an entirely different story. Or, if your swim platform is right at the waterline, for some reason, then maybe. But, without hydraulics, I don't see it happening.

I hear you on that - but what does your dinghy and motor weight and how far off the water is you swim platform?

 

[chpsk8]

I've got a Spark on my wish list for Spring. I think I'll drag it, I think it would be easier than trying to hoist it.
From the specs it look like its going to be closed cooling so it should be able to be towed without too many issues.

 

[jmunro123]

I've got a Spark on my wish list for Spring. I think I'll drag it, I think it would be easier than trying to hoist it.
From the specs it look like its going to be closed cooling so it should be able to be towed without too many issues.

We have a 2006 Seadoo Wake and tow sometimes. Normally my son drives the jetski and we take the boat, it would be nice to have it on the platform for two reasons, one it would keep the bottom clean and two we could take it out even if our son does not come with us .

But yes the Spark looks like a cool and inexpensive addition, the base price is $5,000,

 

[Alex F]

IMO, don't even think about lifting 450lbs machine out of the water on your platform. It's not possible unless you and your mate are heavy weight buddy builders. It's also way to risky. Imagine if you're rushing home on Sunday night and don't put your boat shoes on, you both monsters lift this thing and your foot slips from the wet platform........use you imagination from here on....

You have only couple of solutions:
1. Light weight crane ~500LBs to load the ski on a set of solid ramps.
2. Install a lift similar to mine (single arm that's lightest on the market and is rated for 900LBs) or a competitor "Freedom Lift" (this one is using two arms).
3. Go the whole 9 yards and install extended platform, but I'm sure the extra weight will affect your performance big time.

Whatever you decide, just remember that when you move up to heavy machines there's no short cut or a "cheap" solution. Chances are that if you go for a "cheap" approach it won't be long before you'll realize that it's not working well.

If you don't take my comments seriously, do a real life test. If you have a friend with a RIB 9-10'er that wights about 200-250lbs which they load on manual davits, load another dink the same size/weight on top of it and load it on the platform. That will give you the best idea what you're up against.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[HomePort]

Hi Jmunro123,

My AB Inflatable weighs 107 lbs, if I remember correctly, and my 9.9hp motor weighs 85 lbs. Still under 200 lbs.

 

[jmunro123]

IMO, don't even think about lifting 450lbs machine out of the water on your platform. It's not possible unless you and your mate are heavy weight buddy builders. It's also way to risky. Imagine if you're rushing home on Sunday night and don't put your boat shoes on, you both monsters lift this thing and your foot slips from the wet platform........use you imagination from here on....

You have only couple of solutions:
1. Light weight crane ~500LBs to load the ski on a set of solid ramps.
2. Install a lift similar to mine (single arm that's lightest on the market and is rated for 900LBs) or a competitor "Freedom Lift" (this one is using two arms).
3. Go the whole 9 yards and install extended platform, but I'm sure the extra weight will affect your performance big time.

Whatever you decide, just remember that when you move up to heavy machines there's no short cut or a "cheap" solution. Chances are that if you go for a "cheap" approach it won't be long before you'll realize that it's not working well.

If you don't take my comments seriously, do a real life test. If you have a friend with a RIB 9-10'er that wights about 200-250lbs which they load on manual davits, load another dink the same size/weight on top of it and load it on the platform. That will give you the best idea what you're up against.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I totally agree with that kind of weight it would be impossible to get it out of the water without some mechanical advantage. So it looks like one person could however lift about 150lbs on a Hurley Davit by themselves? After that they need some help either another person or a mechanical system. Is that about right?

 

[Alex F]

Yeah, I think you can say that at the high level up to 150lbs=1 person, 150-250lbs=2 people and over 250lbs it'll require hydraulic/electrical equipment.

However, I'd say that your biggest challenge is to find proper setup, which won't affect performance of your boat too much. I doubt that 390MY (especially with gas engines) was designed to carry a jetski with some sort of a lift, which weights quite a bit as well.

I've heard that some 400DB diesels had trouble getting on plane after rigging jetski on the swim platform.

Make sure to do all necessary homework, call SR, talk to installers before spending tons of money. It would be a shame if you spend thousands of dollars and now the mothership barely moves.

Just an FYI, even with models like 420/44DB (with much bigger engines) you can't just go and load them with extended platforms and get heavy water toys (ski or center consol dink). You have to take in to account all the weight you're adding or the performance will be dissappointing. It's different on 50'ers, but with anything smaller you have to be careful.

 

[Pseudomind]

Basically that is what I was told and I only wanted to put a hydraulic lift with a nine foot dinghy and a 40 horsepower outboard, perhaps dinghy and outboard 300 pounds-350 pounds, but with my 8.1s it was considered a no go, main reason performance, and my platform is low to the water, so ???