Dingy Lifting Straps

[Simi 60]

Pretty popular over here and made a couple of hundred miles away

On their webpage they have lifting U bolts

https://www.polycraft.com.au/product/300-u-bolts-for-lifting-points/

 

[BruceK]

Something to consider, I had some contact with lifting straps. They had failed, a steel sailboat fell a long way, property and person injured. Turned out the straps were repaired by someone other than the maker,and the repair failed. Can`t recall all of it, but I remember how attachments/knots were made significantly affected strength capacity. Your weight is modest in comparison. Can`t recall anything about weathering but with a travelift, the straps seem to be left attached in open air for extended.
periods.
One issue with double skinned poly dinghies is water getting between the skins. They get very heavy if that happens.

 

[FWT]

Pretty popular over here and made a couple of hundred miles away

On their webpage they have lifting U bolts

https://www.polycraft.com.au/product/300-u-bolts-for-lifting-points/

WOW. Will look into that. The US site doesn't show that. Something to ask about, how to install, etc. Many thanks.

 

[FWT]

Bruce:

"One issue with double skinned poly dinghies is water getting between the skins. They get very heavy if that happens."

This boat has removable plugs at the tail ends of the pontoons, specifically to address that. I like the Whaly models a lot too, but that's one thing they don't have, so one thing to create the lean toward the Polycraft.

 

[FWT]

I did receive a fast response from Polycraft in Australia. They said the side handles more than strong enough to lift, but hinted not to be used to carry it suspended. That reduces incentive to try to install lift points. And reason to head toward straps on the handles rather than straps under the boat. And can revert to straps under if any signs of stress starts to appear. Good news.

 

[Nepidae]

Dinghy placement and straps

In my experience, placement of a dinghy will be proportional to the amount of time you use it.

Depending on your cruising style and area if you need to use a crane or boom to lift and place the dinghy you probably won't use the dinghy as much as you think you will.

I know an owner who had his dinghy on the top of a sundeck roof who moved it to davits on the back of the boat. It was too much of a production to get it down from the roof.

Davits seem to be the best way to store and retrieve a dinghy.

I purchased ours from Atkin & Hoyle in Canada and they have worked out well.

Good luck.

 

[mvweebles]

I did receive a fast response from Polycraft in Australia. They said the side handles more than strong enough to lift, but hinted not to be used to carry it suspended. That reduces incentive to try to install lift points. And reason to head toward straps on the handles rather than straps under the boat. And can revert to straps under if any signs of stress starts to appear. Good news.

That is good news. As a suggestion, would use webbing instead of line to avoid point load on the handles. Sailrite sells 2" polypropylene webbing that is UV stable, though 2" may be a bit wide to find a decent snap clip for fastener.

Also, US Stainless has decent 316 Snap-Carabiners for affordable prices. They sell on Amazon, but are a bit less expensive directly through their usstainless.com site.

https://usstainless.com/hardware/sp...k-carabiner-1-4-6mm-marine-grade-safety-clip/

Finally, Suncor makes a very nice snap-carabiner with an integral D-ring for 1" webbing vs line.

https://suncorstainless.com/steel-product/harness-clip-w-d-ring/

Good luck.

Peter

 

[SteveK]

In contrast, I use my dingy more often since being able to lift it with the motor attached. Before the thought of lowering from transom, then manhandling the OB, left it on transom more often.
OP said he would store OB separately, not sure why.

 

[FWT]

Thanks Peter. I have some shopping to do. To date I have been more concerned about what I want than where to get the exact right gear. Focus will shift.

Charles: Yes, everyone has their own needs and habits. We are not heavy users of dinks. No dogs needing a beach run on a regular basis, and so forth. So the PIA factor of having it in the way on the stern is greater for us than the PIA factor of launching it when needed. Totally get it that the relative pain calculation varies by user. Add to that this important (to me) element. My home waters are the Chesapeake. The tidal range is lower than some other places, and fixed docks are still pretty common. Dockline strategies generally involve crossing stern lines to cleats on the dock, and dinks on the stern generally prevent that. Carrying a dink up top was a checkbox need when selecting the boat.

Steve: I knew up front I was going ePropulsion. They are much easier to deal with to remove and reinstall than gas. And, it just seems to me the electrical points will hold up better out of the elements, as well as be one less bit of thief bait to leave on display. Not leaving it attached was not based on lift weight or similar considerations. If I were going rib + gas, I'm pretty sure I'd be making different tradeoffs.

 

[SteveK]

..............................
Steve: I knew up front I was going ePropulsion. They are much easier to deal with to remove and reinstall than gas. And, it just seems to me the electrical points will hold up better out of the elements, as well as be one less bit of thief bait to leave on display. Not leaving it attached was not based on lift weight or similar considerations. If I were going rib + gas, I'm pretty sure I'd be making different tradeoffs.

Ah OK, theft and weather.
Did you ask supplier how those U bolts are mounted, just curious, the handle plan will work for you.

 

[Nepidae]

Dinghy Lifting Straps

As someone mentioned and I'm not familiar with the dinghy you are anticipating getting, BUT if it isn't hard bottom, be careful with repeated arrivals on a sand or rocky beach.

Rather than make your own netting, unless you are prone to do those things, there is a product called a Sling Davit (https://www.harbormenmarine.com/product-page/dinghy-sling-davit-system).

As you can see from the picture, this is a net setup that you could modify to work for you.

We had 1 in operation, just like the picture shows,

for a while and still use it when winterizing the boat moving the dinghy from the davits to the sling. I may have posted my 1st picture, more trouble than it is worth.

The main reason we stopped using the sling was that it put the attached motor at a bad angle and removing and re-installing the motor could lead to it taking a bath.

Hope this helps.

 

[Nepidae]

Here's another attempt to post a picture to my last post.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BvEiM8-uiZtNRUmddioXDYAKlNENrO5B/view?usp=sharing.

Maybe this 1 will work.

BTW Peter,

We boated on the Chesapeake for 6yrs before we started our Loop and during our Loop with multiple ways to tie up and as of yet, the davits have not been an issue on our stern when tying up. Even cross tying.

Regardless, you have checked your box and that is what is important.

We are returning to the Chesapeake after what will be an 8yr Loop, this coming year, so we may see you on the bay. We should end up somewhere around the Annapolis area.

 

[FWT]

Ah OK, theft and weather.
Did you ask supplier how those U bolts are mounted, just curious, the handle plan will work for you.

I emailed a question about using the handles before the info was posted here about the U bolts. So no.

 

[FWT]

Charles: thanks, and I do hope to see you on the Bay. I'll be on Kent Island.

 

[Circumnavigator]

You can get straps made for lifting with eyes in both ends from places like McMasterCarr. They will be longer than one thinks. Use a piece of line to run under the hull and up to the lifting point to get a measurement.

Yes -- I would absolutely go to McMaster -- you will find exactly what you need there perhaps including a new idea or two.
https://www.mcmaster.com/lifting-straps/


Jim

 

[mvweebles]

UPDATE. Finally installed dinghy. I sewed this lifting harness - stainless hardware is from US Stainless, tubular webbing is from Sailrite and is made for safety harness tethers with 2500 lb breaking strength. Hardest part was determining the right lift point. I used 4 long compression straps (Harbor Freight) and adjusted them until balance was correct, then measured. Took me about an hour to sew.

Peter

 

[Comodave]

Nicely done.