Dinghys and Davits

A dinghy and davit system extends the usefulness of a cruising sailboat or trawler by providing a practical way to carry, launch and retrieve a small tender. The projects below cover dinghy selection, restoration and construction, along with installing and modifying davits, lifting hardware and mounting systems. They also explore the practical considerations of carrying a dinghy aboard a larger boat, including weight, storage, access, launching and how the davit structure integrates with the boat.

Repair and Reinforcing a Lightweight Dinghy

A lightweight dinghy still needs enough structural strength to withstand the concentrated loads created when it is lifted and carried from davits. In this project, I modify my 78-pound composite dinghy by repairing a damaged transom, reinforcing the watertight compartments and bulkheads with fiberglass, and installing new stainless-steel lifting points with Coosa Board backing plates. The modifications allow the dinghy to be lifted securely and positioned tightly beneath the davits while maintaining the advantages of its lightweight composite construction.

Building an Ultra-Light Dinghy for Cruising

A dinghy carried on davits needs to be light enough to lift easily but strong enough for regular cruising use. In this project, I rebuild a vintage 9-foot Dyer dinghy from a bare fiberglass hull using Coosa Board, PVC foam board, fiberglass and epoxy, reducing the finished weight to just 78 pounds. I add watertight flotation compartments, seat benches, rub-rail and keel reinforcement, and restore the bronze fittings while keeping the structure lightweight and waterproof. The result is a compact cruising dinghy specifically suited for lifting, carrying and storing on a sailboat or trawler davit system.

Building a Dinghy Davit System for a Pocket Trawler

A practical dinghy davit system for a pocket trawler has to integrate the davits, mounting structure and dinghy into a compact stern arrangement. In this project, I restore and install a pair of Bremer Model 300 aluminum davits on my Albin 27, fabricating and aligning the mounting system to securely transfer the dinghy loads into the boat. The project demonstrates how an older set of marine davits can be adapted to create a functional lifting and storage system for a lightweight cruising dinghy.

Lessons from Building DIY Composite Dinghy Davits

Not every DIY boat-building project works, and sometimes failure provides the most useful lesson. In this project, I design and fabricate custom dinghy davits from Coosa Board, epoxy and fiberglass, then load-test the completed structure. When the davits fail under load, I examine what went wrong, attempt reinforcement and ultimately abandon the design in favor of aluminum davits. The project demonstrates the limitations of composite materials in highly loaded cantilevered structures and why material selection and load paths are critical when designing a DIY dinghy davit system.

Reinforcing a Dinghy Davit System

A dinghy davit system must transfer the weight and movement of the dinghy into the boat’s structure without concentrating excessive loads at the mounting points. In this project, I reinforce the davit installation using structural support struts and backing plates to spread those loads across a larger area of the boat. The additional bracing reduces movement in the davits while the backing plates strengthen the mounting points, creating a more rigid and secure system for carrying a dinghy on a pocket trawler.

Don’t Go It Alone. Join the Werkers

Get access to all my tips and tricks, behind-the-scenes-content, and technical Library.

Join the Werkers on Patreon