Fitting the Standard Garhauer Davit for lifting a dinghy

[thataway]

We have had the Garhauer davit on most of our C Dorys, and always wanted to try mounting it on the side deck, to swing a dinghy up to the cabin top--as we age, it is getting more difficult to lift it each year. We know that several have done fancy additions and custom davits, but we wanted to try the standard and see how it works:

The first issue was the width of the side deck and can we get around the base. Here is our solution:



We wanted the base as close to the cabin as possible, but also wanted the base to be close to being level. I cut up a 5/16" HDPE cutting board, and made two circles the diameter of the base. The first I cut with a slight bevel, and the bottom configuration to fit over the non skid, then a dip into the white area along the cabin--this was accomplished by using a Demel Tool with a small router bit in a miniature drill press (Dremel) and cutting steps, then smoothing with a belt and disc sander (I found this worked better than just using a 4" disc sander free hand. The second disc, was kept full height at the outer edge, and sloped with stepped cuts, to about 1/16" on the inner surface. this brought the base to within a couple of degrees of level fore and aft and athwart ships. This base was thru bolted thru the side deck (yes, epoxy lined holes).

we seem to be comfortable moving around this base, and it does not seem to be a hinderance in going forward.

The upper support was bolted thru the small lip which overhangs all sides of the cabin. The bolts screw into captive nuts on the support. The davit slopes slightly inboard, and it could be made vertical, with a longer standoff (we just used one layer of the 5/16" cutting board) This upper support is easily removed, and I suppose that small plugs could be fitted to these holes if one wished.



With the davit arm installed in the "tilt up" position, there is over 24" between the top of the cabin and the hook on the block of the lifting lines. This allows plenty of room to hoist the inflatable, if one hooks into a bow eye, or stern eye. You can also make a lifting sling, if you wish, but it would have to be short. We plan on hoisting the bow up first--securing it, and then bringing the davit aft on the dinghy to hoist and slide the stern in position under the radar strut. The dinghy will face aft.



This last photo is with the line completely deployed, and you see it does reach to the C Dory's water line, which allows hooking into any part of the inflatable.

There is a Jam cleat which fits on the upper support leg, and we will affix it there. You can also use the cam cleat on the top aft--this is an improvement over some of the earlier models--you had to either have the cam cleat or the jam cleat, but not both.

Tomorrow I will put in the second "station" mount, in the aft starboard side of the cockpit. There it will lift the kicker off the bracket and into the dinghy, also it can be used to hoist batteries, the freezer, ice chests, etc aboard, rather than having to have us lift these items. What we have to do to accommodate our aging!

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Bob, it looks like a good solution. Nice work!

[thataway]

The other use for the Garhauer davit is to transfer the kicker to the dinghy, hoist materials aboard (such as the freezer, ice chest, batteries, or any heavy gear), at the dock or on the trailer. We want the davit out of the way, aft, but also so we can put items near the canter line. This model (1 3/4" pipe) is rated for 100 lbs--but in an emergency, I would use it to retrieve a man overboard. There is a 2" pipe model which is rated for 150 lbs, and would be more appropriate for an emergency person hoist…Either would work well for dive gear.

Davit mounted in the aft Starboard side of the cockpit.



Battery boxes will contain and cover the two batteries--no exposed terminals when finished. Currently the positive terminals are covered, and no power to the boat. ]

Some details of the davit:
Lower block:


Cam cleat, one way of securing the hoisting line:



The upper arm, line and upper leg stowed in the port cockpit combing:



The lower leg of the davit, will probably remain mounted for travel:



The question was asked about the total height of the radar arch, and light. It is just under 12 feet 6". I can easily rotate the light support, and bring the height down to just under 12 feet. Our RV is slightly over 12 feet, so I am used to driving a rig with a high profile. Most overpasses and bridges are 13' 6" clearance.

[anchorout]

Anything on a boat that performs double duty and stows in such a small area has my thumbs up approval. Great idea Bob.

[BrentB]

Great install

Let us know how well it is works this summer

[hardee]

Hi Bob, Really nice mod. I, too, like the double duty service. Good thinking to work with the head instead of teh back

Harvey
SleepyC

[journey on]

Great job, Bob. I like the fact that the mount can be used in several places. Garauher is the supplier for Catalina Yachts. not fancy but does the job.

Boris

[Salmon Fisher]

Very nice Bob!
Just checked the Garhauer site, lots of items.
Wondering if you could make a list of the items that you used for the project. Thanks!

[thataway]

The davit we used was the Lifting DavitLD6-1M W/34 - Stainless Steel
Tubing diameter is 1-3/4", height is 64" and arm length is 34". Comes with 5/16" X 60' line and single handed controls. Lifting capacity is 100 lbs. Includes upper support ring, and lower ball mount. We also ordered the one extra upper support ring and one lower ball mount.

The high density polyethylene cutting board came from Walmart, and I used #10 flat head machine screws--2" thru the deck, and 1" thru the floor board. I used standard fender washers under each nylon nut. The nylon nuts were cut down to get clearance under the floor boards. For this I used a multip speed Dremel tool, with the snap in metal cut off wheel. I just used the half of the "clamp around the rail" for the ring support and 1" SS hex head bolts. thru the fiberglass.

Probably the most difficult part of this is getting the contour for the first layer of the HDPE to match the deck, non skid and then the smooth glass right next to the cabin side. This took experimenting, and some sketch with measurements. I drew the circle, and then left a "handle" on the 1/3 which was opposite the thinner edge, and where the step cut was made to match the deck. The cutting of the contour was by passing this circle with a handle of HDPE back and forth under a Dremel tool in the miniature drill press which is part of the Dremel work station:


There is a stop you can adjust to the depth you want to create and we used a 1/4" straight router bit (1/8" shank diameter), then smoothed up the contour with a mounted belt sander.

The web site is at: http://garhauermarine.com/catalog_process.cfm?cid=41

Photograph from this site:

[anchorout]

Bob, I liked your idea so much that I ordered the davit from Garhauer three weeks ago. It still hasn't shipped. A week later I ordered trailer disk brake kits from the Trailer Warehouse. The brakes are in and installed. Calls to Garhauer got me "check in the mail" type answers. Is anyone else out there having this kind of problem with this company?

I can have one of these fabricated locally but I really like the looks of the Garhauer. If anyone knows of a company who has a like product IN STOCK, I would love to have contacts.

[jkidd]

Nice work Bob, This will more than likely be in my future plans.

[Captains Cat]

[anchorout]

Seems it was a miscommunication. The factory contact was telling me it would ship soon, and the next day it shows up with UPS. It looks as good as Bob's pictures. Great product!

[johnr]

Bob,

When your davit is mounted in the starboard aft position, how have you secured the base? Is it glued onto the floor or screwed into the floor?

Johnr

[thataway]

John, Our current 22 has the factory floorboards in the cockpit, and the area where I put the ball for the bottom support was in a non cored area.

In boats where it was cored, I put in epoxy plugs, and screwed into that. For a slanted C Dory hull '"floor" You have to be careful to not drill too far! , and you have to make a base to allow for any taper, or bevel--a shim type of block, as I used on the deck of the current 22.

Bob