weight on davitts for bav 36

ratbag

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howdy,
i've been offered a 10 foot dinghy(rib) with centre console 15 hp engine, i'm wondering if it would be too heavy for my bavaria 36 if i fitted davitts
i'm trying to get my kids into sailing & this might get them interested
thanks
 
Davits on a boat that size and type are not ideal. A rigged RIB is very heavy and will need substantial davits and tackle to lift the weight, so you need to consider how you will mount them. You will also find that the weight and windage will not do any favours to the handling of the boat. Have a look around any marina and see how many 36 footers like yours use davits and that should answer your question.
 
I agree about the heavy RIB and engine, but I'm not sure what boat length has to do with fitting davits??? We had them on our 27 footer and they we're great for the inflatable and are fitting them to our 34 for the Walker Bay, I never thought there was a minimum length boat for them. Getting a RIB may help the children but we've had lots of good advice on the forum about how to get them interested in sailing and now very happily sail with three children aged 12 years to 12 months. Bav 36 should be a great family boat with lots to do and get involved in.
 
I agree about the heavy RIB and engine, but I'm not sure what boat length has to do with fitting davits???

Not so much just length than style of boat. Maurice Griffiths designed in davits on boats as small as 28' - but to hang a lightweight 7' pram, and he designed very full stern sections to support the weight.

The constraint is as much beam - even on a Bav 37 like mine the beam is less than 10' at the transom and even narrower on the waterline, so any decent size dinghy will take up the whole width. Worse if it is a centre console RIB with a 15hp which will weigh at least 250kgs and be wider than the stern of the boat. (Think I am right in saying your 27' was a cat, where the same comstraints do not necessarily apply).

Of course, some boats less than 36' do have davits and carry dinghies on them, but they tend to be wider and fuller at the stern and of a type where the weight and windage are not a big issue, but for most sailing orientated boats they are an issue and a "conventional" inflatable, deflated when not in use (or towed) is a better compromise.
 
Our cat was 11' at the stern, the davits and inflatable weighed about 50kg all in so no big deal weight wise. I agree about a RIB and 15hp set up though, a huge weight on the stern which will need heavy davits as well, the width is likely to be more than the stern sections of a 36 footer.
 
And all that weight on the stern is gonna totally unbalance the boat... The 36 sails well.. But not if she is draggin her arse around....

Tow the thing... Or get some kayaks on the foredeck...
 
Horses for courses. We have a rib on davits across the back of a 30footer,and it sticks out at the sides a bit, which is embarrasing sometimes, but we are 'mature' and appreciate the stability of a rib and handyness of launching. Perhaps the OP's proposed rib is a bit big/heavy for the current needs of his family. - If he just wants to give the children an opportunity to whizz, it can possibly be done on a smaller (faster!) lighter boat (still on davits if he wants).
 
As others have said, it's too much weight and you also have to think about mounting the davits, some strengthening would be needed as the load at deck or transom would be too high.

When local sailing (and at anchor) we hoist our 2.9m, 52 kgs, dinghy up complete with 27kg engine on lines to the gantry but, in anything more than a light chop, take the engine off.
 
thanks for all the replies guys
obviously a non runner , just the price was right & i need a new dinghy,i was just being a bit optomistic :)
 
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