Lifting a Dinghy

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rigpigpaul

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Hi All, I have an opportunity to buy a RIB dinghy which I plan to tow or store on the fore deck. The problem I have is that it weighs 60Kg. I thought about using a spinnaker halyard and a handy billy. The dinghy has a lifting bridle. Any tips greatly appreciated. RPP.
 
My dinghy (zodiac 260 rib) is the same size and weigt. I also use spinnaker (gennaker) halyard. But I do need someone on the bow to "guide" the dinghy when liffting...
 
I lift mine, which is about the same weight, using my staysail halyard on a mast winch. I can do it on my own providing it is not windy. The 18hp motor goes on the pushpit.

I see a few people usually with bigger boats than my 44 ft cutter who leave the motor on and store the rib on chocks.
 
Well, if I leave aside that I wished we'd bought a 2.3m rib instead of a 3m one simply because of the lifting, then we have the following set up:
Rope with fixed loop under the dinghy from bow to stern to lift it horizontally from the water and flip it upside down once in the air.
Spinnaker halyard through the spinnaker pole which we use as a derrick so the lifting point starts well away from the sides and out over the water.
Hoist dinghy with horizontal pole until clear of water
Allow pole to start lifting to bring the dinghy above the guard rails and towards the boat. Swing pole inboard and gently lower onto foredeck.
Undo rope with fixed loop from bow, and reattach it so that when the dinghy is lifted from the foredeck next time it will flip to the right way up.

Sounds complicated but using the pole means that the lifting angle is vertical and easy when way out over the water and equally vertical and easy when lifting from the foredeck. Makes a hassly job into a simple 5 minute job for 2 people or a couple more minutes for one.
 
Plastic rowing dinghy about 54kg stowed on coachroof forward of mast. Bow and stern lifting bridle to outside of transom and stem so dinghy can be turned over while suspended. Spinnaker halyard plus 4 part tackle makes lifting and control easy. Can be launched and recovered singlehanded with painter to pulpit to hold dinghy forward, but easier with second person to guide. Will try spinaker pole to see if it improves the operation.
 
alexalchi said:
My dinghy (zodiac 260 rib) is the same size and weigt. I also use spinnaker (gennaker) halyard. But I do need someone on the bow to "guide" the dinghy when liffting...
Click to expand...

We do exactly that but with a halyard NOT led back but winched and secured at the mast. This allows it to be done single handed. We also use the "Handy Billy" (an old mainsheet tackle from a 22ft boat we used to own) as this gives even more control. When not in use the dinghy is lifted clear of the water on the shaded side and kept off with a couple of fenders. This avoids growth on the bottom.
 
RupertW said:
Well, if I leave aside that I wished we'd bought a 2.3m rib instead of a 3m one simply because of the lifting, then we have the following set up:
Rope with fixed loop under the dinghy from bow to stern to lift it horizontally from the water and flip it upside down once in the air.
Spinnaker halyard through the spinnaker pole which we use as a derrick so the lifting point starts well away from the sides and out over the water.
Hoist dinghy with horizontal pole until clear of water
Allow pole to start lifting to bring the dinghy above the guard rails and towards the boat. Swing pole inboard and gently lower onto foredeck.
Undo rope with fixed loop from bow, and reattach it so that when the dinghy is lifted from the foredeck next time it will flip to the right way up.

Sounds complicated but using the pole means that the lifting angle is vertical and easy when way out over the water and equally vertical and easy when lifting from the foredeck. Makes a hassly job into a simple 5 minute job for 2 people or a couple more minutes for one.
Click to expand...
I did almost the same with a tinker tramp and outboard but with the halyard going through a block which in turn was attached to a line going through a block at the end of the poles the pole could stay stationary. Once set up it was quick and easy every night to lift the dinghy alone
Excuse my awful art...

23.png
 
Hi All, thanks for the advice. I will be using a handy billy for the outboard so I will make it extra long. I can then clip it to the halyard to bring the dinghy onboard (when the wife gets tired)
 
Do have a think about the horizontal spinnaker pole idea to swing the dinghy aboard - if you find that dragging it over the guardrail has a lot of friction or effort to avoid bending the stanchion posts.
 
Seen a guy using a 12 v electrical wire winch to lift his moped from the dingy into a stern locker on his yacht. He hung the winch from the boom of his ketch mast.

They come even wireless controlled for little money.

Saw the same guy lift a quad bike onto his deck with the winch supported on the spinnaker boom.
 
we lift our 3m rib with the 10hp engine with the spinnaker halliard straight onto the foredeck. We use the rope drum on the windlass to hoist. We don't use a pole but I do tie the ribs painter to the forestay such that when it lifts it stays forward and doesn't swing into to the mast. I have marked the painter so I know where to attach it to the forestay so the rib lands in the correct place on the deck each time we lower it. I still need to push the rib away from the side of the hull as it lifts out of the water but this is no problem. it is easier, in my opinion, than rigging the pole.
 
geem said:
we lift our 3m rib with the 10hp engine with the spinnaker halliard straight onto the foredeck. We use the rope drum on the windlass to hoist. We don't use a pole but I do tie the ribs painter to the forestay such that when it lifts it stays forward and doesn't swing into to the mast. I have marked the painter so I know where to attach it to the forestay so the rib lands in the correct place on the deck each time we lower it. I still need to push the rib away from the side of the hull as it lifts out of the water but this is no problem. it is easier, in my opinion, than rigging the pole.
Click to expand...

I like the windlass idea - it's easy and close by too.

I wonder why we find it so hard to avoid scraping and bending guardrails and therefore use the pole to completely remove the problem. We have a rotuine now and pole is permanently attached to the mast so just needs lowering enough to pass the spinnaker halyard through the end, so it's not a chore but...
 
geem said:
we lift our 3m rib with the 10hp engine with the spinnaker halliard straight onto the foredeck. We use the rope drum on the windlass to hoist. We don't use a pole but I do tie the ribs painter to the forestay such that when it lifts it stays forward and doesn't swing into to the mast. I have marked the painter so I know where to attach it to the forestay so the rib lands in the correct place on the deck each time we lower it. I still need to push the rib away from the side of the hull as it lifts out of the water but this is no problem. it is easier, in my opinion, than rigging the pole.
Click to expand...

I like the windlass idea - it's easy and close by too.

I wonder why we find it so hard to avoid scraping and bending guardrails and therefore use the pole to completely remove the problem. We have a rotuine now and pole is permanently attached to the mast so just needs lowering enough to pass the spinnaker halyard through the end, so it's not a chore but...
 
Similar to Geem, using windlass rope drum and halyard led via a snatch block.As the engine is removed first and stowed, the Zodiac 2.4 slatted floor is unceremoniously hauled up by its bridle painter.Foredeck or cabin top stowage.Sometimes it is lashed across the transom for shorter hops.
 
geem said:
we lift our 3m rib with the 10hp engine with the spinnaker halliard straight onto the foredeck. We use the rope drum on the windlass to hoist. We don't use a pole but I do tie the ribs painter to the forestay such that when it lifts it stays forward and doesn't swing into to the mast. I have marked the painter so I know where to attach it to the forestay so the rib lands in the correct place on the deck each time we lower it. I still need to push the rib away from the side of the hull as it lifts out of the water but this is no problem. it is easier, in my opinion, than rigging the pole.
Click to expand...

+1

We have a hard dinghy and a strop between bow and stern. A couple of roller fenders, set horizontally on the topsides until the guardrails are reached and then another person guides the uphaul part out from the side.
 
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