Using dinghy from boat

[Neil]

I've just tried my new tender and outboard today. I'll skip over the schoolboy errors, suffice it to say that it holds less petrol that you'd think, a polythene bag with the corner cut off is not entirely successful as an oil filler, and the oil stays in better when you put the filler cap back on.......

I found that getting in and out of the dinghy and particularly, getting the only-13-kg Suzuki 2.5 off and on the dinghy from the boat was a somewhat precarious exercise. No doubt practice will improve matters, but any tips to get me there quicker would be appreciated.

I did find that a second line from the stern of the dinghy did help to keep it in one place, but I really did need two hands to the lift the outboard to the rail and a third to hold the dinghy steady....

Maybe I could try and lift the motor off the dinghy from the boat? The freeboard isn't so high...

 

[LadyInBed]

The way that I go about it is to tie dingy painter and stern line across the boat stern boarding ladder the lower engine into dingy on a rope, the other end of rope is tied to pushpit.
Climb down into dingy and with rope still attached at each end, brace knees against tubes and lift engine onto transom.

 

[Sybarite]

I've just tried my new tender and outboard today. I'll skip over the schoolboy errors, suffice it to say that it holds less petrol that you'd think, a polythene bag with the corner cut off is not entirely successful as an oil filler, and the oil stays in better when you put the filler cap back on.......

I found that getting in and out of the dinghy and particularly, getting the only-13-kg Suzuki 2.5 off and on the dinghy from the boat was a somewhat precarious exercise. No doubt practice will improve matters, but any tips to get me there quicker would be appreciated.

I did find that a second line from the stern of the dinghy did help to keep it in one place, but I really did need two hands to the lift the outboard to the rail and a third to hold the dinghy steady....

Maybe I could try and lift the motor off the dinghy from the boat? The freeboard isn't so high...

I tie the dinghy painter to the rear starboard cleat and then pass it back down to the dinghy, through the hand line loop at the dinghy's stern and back up to be attached to the rear port cleat. Attaching it tightly keeps the dinghy hard across the boat's stern. I then have a short line attached to the motor with a snap shackle on the end. I attach this to the dinghy painter so that if you lose your balance you don't lose the engine.

A couple of days ago it was my young daughter who tied the painter on but not tightly enough. The result was when I took the weight of the engine the dinghy slipped away from the boat resulting in a momentary ducking of the engine. Luckily I had the safety line attached.

 

[Daydream believer]

Just make sure that throughout the manouver you have a safety line attached to the outboard otherwise it will be welly boots & mudlarking at low tide looking for the b..y thing

 

[jordanbasset]

Not sure what your boat is but ours had a sugar scoop. Secured the stern of the dinghy with two lines so the tubes were firmly against the sugar scoop. Easy one man job job then to just drop the outboard onto it.

 

[Neil]

I have a rudder that projects from the stern which complicates matters. I wasn't sure about lowering the motor to the dinghy air floor; damaging the air floor and getting the motor to lie the correct side up? The safety rope on the engine is an excellent idea and I can use it to pull the engine up from the dinghy (transom?). If I measure the length correctly, I could lower the engine on the rope from the rail into the water to half way up the leg and then lift it on to the transom from there?

p.s anybody with a Suzuki DF2.5: how do you get it to tilt up - the manual says to just lift it by the handle, but mine doesn't move.......

 

[LadyInBed]

*<I wasn't sure about lowering the motor to the dinghy air floor; damaging the air floor and getting the motor to lie the correct side up?*>
Use a mat?
Ah! The joy of a 2 stroke

 

[Seajet]

Neil,

it's all a matter of practice, but in a perfect world there are ways to make it easier.

I secure the dinghy alongside with lines fore & aft as you describe.

Pelican hooks on the pushpit end of the guardrails are a real boon, and also very handy for man overboard, people in & out of dinghy, alongside pontoons, etc.

I have a large carbine hook on the bottom of my mainsheet, which combined with a strong topping lift allows the boom to be used as a derrick for man overboard recovery, lifting items like engines aboard, etc.

There are lifting slings available for outboards - I'm thinking of one myself so happen to know they're £26.95 from Force 4 - which combined with the boom as a derrick would make life a lot easier.

Just thoughts...

 

[mjcoon]

I found that getting in and out of the dinghy and particularly, getting the only-13-kg Suzuki 2.5 off and on the dinghy from the boat was a somewhat precarious exercise. No doubt practice will improve matters, but any tips to get me there quicker would be appreciated.

You haven't described your stern, which as other people have said makes a lot of difference!

In the past, on flotilla/charter, we have used the fold-down boarding/swimming ladder as a crane to lower the outboard when we were just two-up. A bit of a fiddle but it did reduce the nervous balancing act...

Mike.

 

[Neil]

Neil,

There are lifting slings available for outboards - I'm thinking of one myself so happen to know they're £26.95 from Force 4 - which combined with the boom as a derrick would make life a lot easier.

Just thoughts...

That looks like it might be a worthwhile investment; anybody actually used one?

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Yes and they are brilliant. Tried other ways and the outboard kicks up one end when I you undo the clamps. With the sling it just stays vertical. Attach a line to the boat, get out of the dinghy and haul it up.

 

[bigwow]

That looks like it might be a worthwhile investment; anybody actually used one?

Yes, Salty John of this parish sells them http://www.saltyjohn.co.uk/index.htm

 

[Fantasie 19]

I secure the dinghy alongside with lines fore & aft as you describe.

I have a large carbine hook on the bottom of my mainsheet, which combined with a strong topping lift allows the boom to be used as a derrick for man overboard recovery, lifting items like engines aboard, etc.

+1.. moi aussi... if it's a calm day and it's not rocking and rolling about I lift mine into the boat from the tender with a line through the carrying handle...

 

[johnalison]

p.s anybody with a Suzuki DF2.5: how do you get it to tilt up - the manual says to just lift it by the handle, but mine doesn't move.......

The engine shaft is held between a couple of rubber thingies and needs a good pull to get it to tilt. A good yank from ahead will do it and then if you pull it right up a small s/s lug on the port side slips down into a groove and prevents the motor from returning. This can be a bit chancy and it sometimes needs a little wiggle to get it to slot in. It is easy enough to lift this part before returning the motor to upright, when a good shove is needed to get it past the rubbers again.

 

[Greenheart]

As described, surely the boom with a dedicated tackle ready to attach to the end for lifting duties, is by far the best solution? And not only for the outboard - anything heavy and awkward could be lifted out of the tender from the yacht's deck without sweat, peril or damage.

 

[Tranona]

Problem with that, it is usually in the wrong place for where you want to place the dinghy for boarding and then where you are locating the outboard - usually on the pushpit. The dedicated hoist at the stern is the best way, with the dinghy bow tied forward and stern line aft, lying alongside the cockpit. You can then board easily and lift the outboard directly up to the mount on the pushpit. With two people it is easier if one lifts the outboard while the other is still in the dinghy. Single handed better to just row and avoid the problem altogether.

 

[Greenheart]

...better to just row and avoid the problem altogether.

Echo that.

 

[Tam Lin]

As described, surely the boom with a dedicated tackle ready to attach to the end for lifting duties, is by far the best solution? And not only for the outboard - anything heavy and awkward could be lifted out of the tender from the yacht's deck without sweat, peril or damage.

That's how I do it too.

 

[Tam Lin]

Or do what I used to do, have an old Seagull and leave it on the tender!

 

[Seajet]

So if singlehanding that automatically means any dinghy trip will be a short one in benign conditions ? I must have been getting it wrong !