Windage and davits...It seems to me that storing a RIB on the netting of a tri...

[Pipeline]

Or...leaving it hanging on davits exactly behind the 'iako (cross beam or arm) to minimize windage, would be about the same airflow either way, except for the small amount from the davits. Am I wrong here? Thx in advance for your opinion.

[tamicatana]

You're less likely to catch a wave aft

[Oliver L.]

When we're doing overnighters, we pull it up a bit higher, and just recently added straps to angle it towards the boat. Windage is absolutely no issue since the cabin and bimini are still higher, but I want to avoid at all cost any significant amount of water from waves in the dinghy. That would probably overburden the davits, and if they shear off, your boat is open to the elements...

At least on our cat the trampoline is not a good spot since we quite regularly get it washed when things get rough - and a floating dinghy would just add to our worries.

Oliver

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by Pipeline

Or...leaving it hanging on davits exactly behind the 'iako (cross beam or arm) to minimize windage, would be about the same airflow either way, except for the small amount from the davits. Am I wrong here? Thx in advance for your opinion.

Just changing to a RIB. I have raised my davits by 20 inches and reinforced them in order to get better clearance at the stern. The new RIB weighs significantly less than the previous aluminium inserted floor rubber Honwave

[Pipeline]

Originally Posted by tamicatana

You're less likely to catch a wave aft

Well, with a trimaran, The aft 'iako is pretty high off the water, but in rough weather, I would secure the dinghy to the netting. I am also considering a small boat manual crane by Atkins & Hoyle...the 1900 model, where you load the RIB on the boat etc., then dismantle the crane, and you are on your way.

[Roy M]

I use my skyhook (main halyard) to do the same. It will easily handle 400 or more pounds. And you don't have to put anything away afterwards. Just build a good lifting bridle, adjusted so that, with the engine, tanks, etc., the boat is level. Bring the bow up to the aft wing deck, pulling the painter, lift the bow and rest it on the trailing edge of the wing deck. Hoist the halyard. The boat will slide forward onto the deck by itself. When I install my next RIB, I will be installing a conventional keel roller into the deck to make this even easier. This is a borrowed dink with a 20 HP motor I used to check out the layout on my boat. Note that it hardly affects the list or trim. It was a 12 footer, with electric start, a lot of weight. Launching is just as simple, especially if you have a roller. Lift the bow, push aft, ease the stern into the water, hop in and take off. It makes a RIB a super-valuable addition to a cruising multihull. I used my previous one to regularly rescue kids needing help when their dinks capsized in cold, rough weather. The whole operation took about one minute to deploy the boat.

Here's a picture of a lifting bridle I built for a neighbor, to show the balance. The center of gravity is way aft, because of the weight of the engine, etc. So, you make the after legs shorter. I would use one of the super strong new synthetics for this, such as Amsteel or Dyneema.