Davit and Swim Platform Projects

Our dinghy is extreme. It is a 12 foot Achilles sport inflatable with a 30 hp motor. It can plane with a full load of 5 persons or can pull a water skier. This allows us quite a lot of flexibility when choosing our anchorages. Weighing in at about 200 lbs, it can be a sea-anchor when being towed. I originally installed a pair of Edson davits when I bought the dinghy, but they proved to be too small to hoist the dinghy. After searching for years for a suitable set that would fit my boat, I finally decided to have a custom set built. The davits are made of 314 stainless. Each piece attaches to both the aft combing and the transom. The davits are very solidly made. I have no doubt that they could lift well over 1000 lbs each. The limiting factor would be the deck. Each davit weighs about 40 lbs.

Click on photos for a larger image. Click on the icon below to view a drawing of the davits.

Between the davits is a crossbrace that provides lateral support and could be used to mount solar panels or antennas. The crossbrace weighs about another 40 lbs.

The crossbrace bolts to the inside of the davits using a flat mounting flange.I originally planed to polish them and leave them unpainted, but the alloy showed signs of corrosion after they got wet. I decided to paint them instead. It would have been easier if I had made this decision before spending hours with a polishing wheel.

Below the davits is a small swim platform. I spent one weekend building the swim platform from teak stock. It is 38" wide and about 16" deep. The platform would interfere with hoisting a dinghy, so it hinges up out of the way. I ripped 1" square teak and screwed the whole thing together using stainless fasteners.