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Dinghy
Black_Diamond
Member Posts: 5,439 ✭✭✭✭✭
So it appears my original Mercury 270 dinghy blew the diaphragms between the tube sections, so I have '1' tube to inflate per se now. Not too happy about that and I do not think that can be fixed either..correct me if I am wrong!
So anyone using a RIB for a 342 or similar size? I'm liking the hard bottom and the AB brand has AL bottom that is even lighter for the same size dinghy (8' 4"). How about different davit system? If I go new I'm not keen on glue, the pads on mine are half peeled off already.
Past owner of a 2003 342FV
PC BYC, Holland, MI
PC BYC, Holland, MI
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Can you re-glue over glue (ref my pic)? I can do the gluing at home so the humidity will be as low as possible.
PC BYC, Holland, MI
PC BYC, Holland, MI
My last dinghy was an Achilles Hypalon boat that was 10' and awesome with our Johnson 8hp 2 stroke. Stable and quick. The OB was easy to manage and light compared to the newer 4stroke motors that are tanks.
The repairs are exactly as stated above, ZERO humidity and it's not really possible to do in your home because of the bad a$$ fumes. Really. I used an A/Cd storage room at work and people still complained.
1 tubes inflated. clean area with solvent.
2 positioned pads and outlined with magic marker.
3 use duct tape and applied along the outside lines. Two layers thick. Lightly sanded "scuffed" pvc. Duct tape protects pvc outside the lines while scuffing. At the West marine logo.... used a belt sander and gently took my time to ground down the edges so the pad would more evenly lay properly. Clean again with solvent.
@BD pull old pad off with heat gun. Dont get to hot. Tape around lines. Use a sander to sand the old glue down smooth. Some of the pvc should at least be showing again. Go slow and be gentle. Very time consuming. Solvent area clean. The old glue will not reactivate.
4 apply a layer of glue to pvc and pad. Every 10-15 min apply another thin layer. Repeat with three layers. Do this with the tube inflated.
5 apply pads to pvc and press firmly. Pull tape as you apply pad to keep glue with in the lines. Continue pressing firmly for at least 5 min per pad.
6 deflate the tubes to flat and use the end of hammer and pressure press using the heat gun to warm the pad. Not hot just warmer than you can touch. Work the hammer by pressing the edges of the pad very firmly to the pvc around the pads. This helps ensure water doesnt over time work back in between the pad and pvc and come loose down the road....
7 use a little thinner to clean the edges up and remove any exposed magic marker. This gives a final professional appearance.
8 walk away and do not touch or move the dinghy for a week. No humidity and keep warm and dry.
9 now ready to mount to your boat and play!
LG
Follow these steps and your pads won't come off anytime soon.
PC BYC, Holland, MI
Well I sprung for a new dinghy today, went with an AB brand (hypalon tubes and AL bottom) RIB, will get the davits set up a week from Friday, probably have to get new attachments for the swim platform to have it balanced right. I'll post pics once all complete. Will be a nice improvement over my 270 Airdeck on capacity and a drier ride too I think.
Anyone interested in the 270 with its internal flaw (does not leak externally) I'm willing to part with it cheap.
PC BYC, Holland, MI
Hanging it on the stern of a 342 or bigger would have been ideal. Good luck and have a great season. MnK
PC BYC, Holland, MI
Post some pics when you get it rigged.
BD, I'm with you! 28lbs for the 3.3hp. I'd love to have a 9.9hp, but then I'd have to get the weaver davits including the one to keep the motor mounted on the dinghy. I've still given it a lot of thought, since the kids would love to do the watersports behind it.
Dream 'Inn III -- 2008 400 Express
So about to pull the trigger on the trick davit system for the dinghy www.trickdavit.com
Less drag laying flat and I can leave the motor on too. Crossing my fingers it is easy to pull up in 1-2' Lake Michigan chop. The new dinghy is just wide enough it is really a bugger to pull up with the Weaver davits and it bounces around too much for my comfort.
Anyone ever used the Trick Davit? Fine crafted in the Michigan UP! lol
PC BYC, Holland, MI
Certainly less drag and bounce than the Weaver system but you lose the swim platform. Do you dock stern or bow in?
I bow in for docking. I can easily store the dinghy on its trailer at the marina. Not too worried about taking up platform space as I can drop it in the water at the beach, etc. the current Weaver set up with the standoffs takes up a lot of room too.
PC BYC, Holland, MI
are you guys mounting the pads in the proper location? My weaver system sets the dingy in such a way that I lose zero platform space. The pads should go just above the dingy rub rail and just touching it. This pushes the dingy out and away from the platform when up.
Yup, the davits are set up correct on height, I should have moved the mounts wider than the indents on the platform. I bounces side to side too much now (longer/wider dinghy). If I go to the roll on I keep the motor on the dinghy and can upsize. I got an 8hp 2 stroke I can swing a great deal on.
PC BYC, Holland, MI
two options on the davits. 1) move them out further but that requires new pads. 2) buy the motor and purchase the weaver swivel bracket and hoist. The hoist will help support the side to side motion if you block the motor fin to the platform while in the upright position.
LG
LG: I thought about that, but swinging up the dingy is already really difficult and takes 2 people if it is wavy on the water..adding another 60lb would make it almost impossible without additional equipment and more $$$. For less money I can do the roll on type davit. What do you use on yours?
PC BYC, Holland, MI
have pics some place on the forum. I use a rope to pull the dinghy up. The motor mounts on the weaver motor mount. Easy and very clean. I took the davits out of the chalks and moved them further apart with my 10 ft hard bottom west marine inflatable. Filled the old holes with 5200.