Size of outboard carried on deck

[meridian]

I've got a dink on Weaver davits on my swim platform with a 4 HP outboard I lift up and carry on the aft rail. I have an opportunbity to get a 10' AB hard bottom with a Mercury 2-stroke 15 HP. The engine weighs 80 lbs. Anyone store one these on deck and if so how? My other option is to replace the Weavers with davits that will lift up the dink and motor.

[Despacio]

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I have a large dinghy, a Caribe 12 foot runabout, with a 2010 Yamaha 2 stroke 15. I have a seat, steering and controls, a very nice dinghy. There is no center console, it's a bar that goes across.

After a lot of thought and trying everything, I just put it on it's side on the swim step, with the outboard on it. I use the mast and boom to lift it into place. I bolted a couple of large heavy eyes to the transom and tie the dinghy up tight using the lift eyes bolted to the dinghy. Under way, I tie the lower lift points to these same heavy eyes. I can cover the dinghy on it's side. I even flush the outboard after hoisting up the dinghy on it's side.

If I deflate it and use the lower lift eyes, it takes all of the load off the tubes, but there seems to be no problem as I have been doing this for the last seven years and the dinghy is holding up very well.

There has never been any problems with this set up, although I have never seen anyone doing the same thing.

I put some padding on the swim step. The outboard pulls up to the transom, ALMOST at a 90 degree angle, but it works for a 2 stroke.

Weaver davits are much harder to deal with than just putting it up on the swim step. And taking the engine off turns out to be completely unnecessary.

Also with the dinghy tilted on it's side tied up against the transom, the boat is still legal length in the slip, it's only crime is that the outboard sticks out a couple of feet.

Attached are photos showing how it sits.

[jleonard]

In all my years of boating I never saw anyone carrying their dinghy tilted up behind the tramsom WITH the outboard attached sideways.
However, during my summer trip in Canada, I saw MANY Canadians carrying their dinks that way. I talked with a few of them and they never have a problem starting the outboards, or have had any other ill effects from carrying the outboard sideways.
So I say go for it. Seems like a decent method to me.

[hetek]

On my A27FC I carry a Mercury 5 hp (2 stroke) on my stern rail mount. C-Davits on the swim platform for the 9' inflatable.

I have seen rotating engine mounts for dinghy transoms. It swivels when the boat is tilted on it's side in order to keep the engine vertical. Don't think it would work well with an inflatable because of the air tubes extending behind the transom but might be OK on a rigid hull.

Not sure of the weight or HP rating though.

[Nepidae]

I am doing something similar although I'm using a product called a Sling Davit (http://www.harbormenmarine.com/) which works very well.

It is a web net that connects to the swim platform, no holes to drill or eyebolts to attach, floats behind the boat when you launch and then you 'drive' back over the net and then pull the dingy up into a 45 or 180 degree position. Used it most of last season with no issues at all, even rode well on a trip to and from Annapolis with very confused seas and swells about 1-2 feet.

We horsed the motor on & off the dingy this past year but my thought this coming year is to put the motor on and 'hold' the dingy in a 45 degree position. We have a 4 stroke 6hp Mercury (which I am thinking of putting up for sale, new this season with less than 10 hours) and replace it with a 9.9 hp.

Not associated with the company but wholeheartedly support the product, BTW, so does the company.

[Despacio]

I looked at that, but am fairly certain that, for me, just putting it on the swim step and lifting one side with the mast/boom isn't pretty much the same thing, without any extra stuff.

I looked at everything.

The key to my system is a lot of purchase and a self tailing winch. And a 2 stroke outboard.

I just can't seem to get the photos oriented correctly. They are right side up on my computer.