Anyone know where to buy the little pads for a dinghy to fit snap davits?

ontheplane

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Hiya,

Have had an offer on a boat accepted - photos and so on to follow shortly.....

The boat has snap davits fitted but no tender - so I need to get a mini rib or similar....

However everywhere I look - to buy the pad I need to also buy the snap part that is on the boat - and I have that bit already!

Does anyone know anywhere that just sells the pad and metal u shape bit that goes with it to fix the dinghy onto the boat?

Screenshot 2025-10-25 125535.jpg
 
I bought replacement pads from polymarine, you have a choice to buy the originals (Weaver) or their own brand (instalock). I bought polymarine instalock which are just as good and no issues since fitted about 3 years ago.

Snap Davits

I also recommend buying their strong cleaner and glue, although pricey worth it if you don't want to do it again in a few years.

Edit: the rubber pad and metal arm are two separate parts.
Single Insta-Lock Rubber Pad
Single Insta-Lock Bar
 
Thank you and that's exactly what I want - but what a price!! ?

That comes to £191!!

I was looking at these - not sure if it's a pair or just for 1 304 stainless steel quick release snap davits set instant - Temu United Kingdom

Includes the "Snap" part as well....
Yes I was shocked at the price too, but still cheaper than the original weaver price.

I did look at the rubber pads in your link when I was replacing mine, I liked the idea of the handle integration, but some of the reviews weren't good, I think from memory the key issue was the reduced rubber pad area that is glued to the dinghy, it doesn't support the weight and comes apart overtime, so I decided to go with Insta-lock and to be honest no regrets.
 
Go for whatever "pads" have the largest surface glue area.
The most likely future failure will be the pad/glue/ dinghy tube interface.
Last summer had a manufacturors pad fail.
Buy a good quality twin pack adhesive, best price usually from ebay..
 
Twin pack for PVC........but check.
Normally a little tin plus catalyst in tube.

Supposed to somehow put weights on it .
If you want to be anal, mark up where pad is going and mask off with outside with tape, other wise excess adhesive which will squeeze out drys to a horrid brown colour.
If your existing pad has become detached vital to remove all old adhesive from both the pad and tube surfaces.
This might just involve abrading the old glue away with disc sander :eek: not much of a concern on the old pad, but with 🙏great care on the tube.

Ensure when attaching pads to dingy that they are in the right postion on the tubes, position the dinghy in the water at rear of boat, just enough to lift and drop onto snap connectors without a lot of heaving due to weight of dinghy.
The snap connectors will have of course been fixed to swim platform out far enough to do the same. ?
This could well be dictated by where other mouldings have been glued to tube(s) ie rowlocks etc :unsure:
 
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