spinreach
Well-Known Member
Sorry about this as this is my third thread on the subject, but I am getting closer to fitting my weaver snap davits - I promise.
I'm all set to drill holes in the swim platform and feel happy about using the toggles. I've even resolved the issue of various add on protrusions on the side of the dink and so I have no restrictions in the positioning of the pads on the side of the dink.
So, I spent quite a bit of time at the weekend working out where to position the pads. I'm now in a big dilemna, as to place them high or low - the lowest having the bottom of the pad sitting just above the rubbing strake of the dink. High, being further up.
my thinking - When fitting low, the height is set with nobody in the dink when it is floating level with the d ring in the davit, once it's loaded, to disengage the davit will be difficult. Also, when coming alongside the boat, surely the D ring is too low so as to snap onto the davit. So the benefit of uisng the davits to maintain certain rigidity when disembarking seems minimal.
If fitting high (looking at a cross section of the tube and if the lowest point is 9 oclock, then high is 11 o clock) the above downsides are minimised but, when empty, the dink, if attached to the davits will be at an angle. The other possible negative will be when the dink is stowed it would need to be at more of an angle towards the transom.
By the time I left the boat, all things considered, I was ready to fit the pads high, but going through a final check and searching the internet high and low, the few comments knocking about suggest fitting as close to the strake as possible.
As the fitting instructions recommmend the pad should be at the lowest position (just above the rubbing strake) maybe this is something to do with minimising the "pulling" force on the pads when it is stowed?
As I have extended davits, the higher position is an option for me, but I don't think this is the reasoning for the longer davit.
So finally my question to everyone still with me - What was the reasoning behind your pad position and does anyone have the pads fitted high (higher than 10 o clock) and what experience do people have of snapping on and off the davits with different loadings on the dink? Good and bad.
many thanks in advance
I'm all set to drill holes in the swim platform and feel happy about using the toggles. I've even resolved the issue of various add on protrusions on the side of the dink and so I have no restrictions in the positioning of the pads on the side of the dink.
So, I spent quite a bit of time at the weekend working out where to position the pads. I'm now in a big dilemna, as to place them high or low - the lowest having the bottom of the pad sitting just above the rubbing strake of the dink. High, being further up.
my thinking - When fitting low, the height is set with nobody in the dink when it is floating level with the d ring in the davit, once it's loaded, to disengage the davit will be difficult. Also, when coming alongside the boat, surely the D ring is too low so as to snap onto the davit. So the benefit of uisng the davits to maintain certain rigidity when disembarking seems minimal.
If fitting high (looking at a cross section of the tube and if the lowest point is 9 oclock, then high is 11 o clock) the above downsides are minimised but, when empty, the dink, if attached to the davits will be at an angle. The other possible negative will be when the dink is stowed it would need to be at more of an angle towards the transom.
By the time I left the boat, all things considered, I was ready to fit the pads high, but going through a final check and searching the internet high and low, the few comments knocking about suggest fitting as close to the strake as possible.
As the fitting instructions recommmend the pad should be at the lowest position (just above the rubbing strake) maybe this is something to do with minimising the "pulling" force on the pads when it is stowed?
As I have extended davits, the higher position is an option for me, but I don't think this is the reasoning for the longer davit.
So finally my question to everyone still with me - What was the reasoning behind your pad position and does anyone have the pads fitted high (higher than 10 o clock) and what experience do people have of snapping on and off the davits with different loadings on the dink? Good and bad.
many thanks in advance
