Davit on Bow anybody done it?

[garyd]

I'm thinking about placing a 1000# davit on the bow for a flats boat. I think I have enough power to compensate for the weight. Has anybody done this and how did it turn out?

thanks in advance

HAve FUn Boating garyd

[Paul45c]

I'm thinking about placing a 1000# davit on the bow for a flats boat. I think I have enough power to compensate for the weight. Has anybody done this and how did it turn out?

thanks in advance

HAve FUn Boating garyd

Not sure about your question exactly, Gary...are you asking if anyone's done a foredeck davit, or done with with your size convertible for a boat of that weight?

Loads of 45's and 46's have davits (mine included), but I can't honestly say I've seen one ever with that substantial a boat up there. Biggest/heaviest I've seen is a 13' Whaler on anything up to maybe 50'. Personally, I wouldn't want anything heavier than a RIB with a max hp o/b on it. There are times when you'd really like to get your bow up in the air, and that's GOT to affect trim.

[bigbill]

I have been told that the older 46c would run faster with a 13 whaler on the bow, guess it helped get that rear end up a little. bigbill . p.s . all i ever put up there was cold beers and purdy girls, didnt notice a change in speed, but i wasn't in a hurry anyhow

[egaito]

I'm thinking about placing a 1000# davit on the bow for a flats boat. I think I have enough power to compensate for the weight. Has anybody done this and how did it turn out?

thanks in advance

HAve FUn Boating garyd

How heavy and how long is the flats boat? They're built pretty light, aren't they?

Beyond the potential for handling issues, I wonder just how much weight the foredeck can handle. Some extra chocks can help spread the load. Yea it's a Hatt, but everything has its limits....

[bobk]

I don't know your rig, but you need to think about what the impact of a big flats boat will be on your ability to handle lines. I rejected an otherwise nice Atlantic 44 because a dink was mounted on the bow. You had to reach under it to get to the mooring cleats etc.

Bob

[garyd]

I was thinking of about a 1000# davit. The dink/flats boat would run north and south. I think you can get up to 14'6" without it being too overkill. Some of the newer flats boats are rather light.

Is there a preferred Vendor? Has anyone made one themselves? I have all the equipment and engineering to make one. The @$10,000.oo price tag for the Davit seems lofty. The hydraulic pump and ram are the expensive parts.

I've never seen one so I'm in the dark, just starting to collect my thoughts. I suppose the shaft/post runs down into the bilge and is attached to a stringer. With the load spread using some plates with a fair number of attaching points.

have fun boating garyd

[Paul45c]

Gary, the link below will show you some ideas we were hashing around, including pics of how the foot of my davit is secured inside the hull.

http://www.samsmarine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4388

You're running a 41, right? IMHO, a 14'6" flats boat would be enormous on that foredeck. And I think you might be surprised by the weight of a lot of the flats boats. Plus they tend to put some pretty big power on those things, so the motor alone will weigh you down. My dad had a '71 42c that had a 13' Whaler and a 50hp Merc (I know, it was overpowered!). The boat rode noticeably bow-down at rest; given that, it's hard to imagine you getting away with anything less than 75-90 hp for a true flats boat.

[Liquid Asset]

Gary,

I have had an Idea for a Davit in my head for about 6 months now. The problem is I dont have the resources to build it without paying $$$$$. So I have not done anything. I have a Pipewelders davit on the bow of our 50 and think that a Modification is in order adn I also think the $10k is out of line.

You are just up the road from me. We could design one of these and make a couple for each of us.

[thoward]

I have a 13' Whaler with a 25 Merc 2 stroke on the 60' Hatt. The weight of the boat is around 400lbs but add in 100lb motor, 70lb fuel, 30lb battery, 30lb controls/wiring, 20lb anchors/rode, 20lb lifting brace and you can see it all adds up quick. That is close to 700lbs so I dare say a 14+ footer will be pushing the 1000lb mark. Just food for thought....

[garyd]

I've removed @ 1000# of stuff out of the boat so I'm thinking I can add about the same back again. I can simulate this easily enough by having 5 200# guys stand about where the CG of the dink and davit would be located.

The attached flats boat can plane in 6" water travel in 3" so they say.