Advice required fitting tender to normal davits

[RIN]

Our new boat has a normal (not snap davits) set of removable davits fitted on the transom. We have just bought a cheapish tender, a Waveco 2.3 Airdeck and would like to make use of these davits to carry the tender when we are cruising. When we are not cruising the davits will be removed or locked closed so we don't have to pay increased berthing charges.

Question is how to secure the tender to the davits. At the transom (solid) end of the dingy, I can easily fit a bridle to connect to the Caribiner dangling from the port davit or even use a strap through the aft carrying handles and underneath the tender to support its weight or both.

But the other end of the tender is a bit more difficult. I do not want to have new fittings glued to the tube of the tender taking the weight of the tender.

I thought I might be able to run a 1" or 2" strap through the existing D rings fitted low forward on both sides of the tender (see pic) and run this underneath the tender to the stbd davit. This would have the advantage of not carrying the weight of the tender directly through a glued patch but instead supported by the strap. But the D ring patch would still have to carry some lateral force to stop the strap sliding off the bows of the tender as at the point these D rings are fitted the bows raise slightly.

What does the team think? or am I missing an easy and obvious way of supporting the tender on the davits. The tender has only just been inflated so it still looks a bit crinkly. Any ideas welcome. The tender weighs 31Kg

 

[rich]

I have the same dinghy, a strap from the side rings thru the forward lifting handle. there is not a lot of weight at the front. I have been carrying dinghy's like this for 40+years with no problems.

ps, eye bolts at the transom will also carry weight of the outboard.

 

[Alpha22]

I have a similar dingy, but slatted floor. I hang mine as you describe at the front, no problem. I installed eye bolts and a bridle at the back eventually, but prior to that hung it on the eye at the bottom of the motor mount. It sits OK like that even with a 2hp engine on the back. Although I generally remove the engine.

Also, as we transit many small river locks and length is an issue, I sometimes hang the dinghy vertically with the uppermost tube over the top of the ends of the davit arms. A cloth pad prevents chafing.

 

[P4Paul]

Have a word with Roy (spottydog5) from this parish, he will be able to sort you out with all the right kit to safely carry your tender.