Dinghy Chock Systems for RIB boats stored on top deck-gctid812434

[Simonsen]

This past weekend I was tasked with unloading and loading my tender (13' Center Console RIB with 50hp Honda) myself. Which isn't really such a big deal..just kinda remove all the straps and connect the lifting harness and lift up and over..no big drama really. Well, when it came time to load there was more drama. I have stand off chocks on mine that are about 8" off the deck or so (there are four of them with 3'x'3' support pads). The port rear pad kept folding down so the tender wasn't sitting flush with the pad...It's in a bad spot to get to. I had to get a ladder on the swimstep to get up to it. Then I'd go back up and lift and repeat and the pad kept doing it! I'm sure there's a bolt that will add/subtract the movement of the support pad but it just got me thinking there's got to be a better system than what I have. I need to get a new lifting harness made too so I think it's time to spend some time on this system. I was something where I can simply lift the boat up and into the water and then when reversing it comes up and sits right down where it should. I don't want to spend a lot of time re positioning etc. So, I'm wondering what everyone is using for their chock systems on their 45/47/49/52/57's?

The one thing I do like about the chocks that I have is there is a low footprint when the tender is off . During our summer trip we tow the tender most of the time so that area up on the upper deck is used for chairs/table etc.

Thanks all,

Derek

[Guest]

We have a 13'3" hard bottom inflatable with a 40 HP Mercury. We have been lifting it for a number of years having the same type of chocks that you do. We have placed it across the boat and lift it on the port side and use a block and tackle on the end of the davit to pull it in toward the boat. It is so easy that my wife can and has done it by herself. You want the lifting harness to be as low as possible so the dinghy clears the chocks. We have tightened the chocks so they don't move when the dinghy is off of them.

We had a stainless extension made for the davit so that it brings the dinghy in far enough. The total cost was negligible, not even half a boat unit.

[smitty477]

We made a cradle out of Alaskan cedar epoxied white that carries a 12.5 zodiac or a couple of versions of jet skis (kawasaki 12-f).

here is a sketch of the cradle and some pics...

[smitty477]

To gain height for the lift on the jet ski we cut the cable weight in half and courted sunk the lift hook to gain about 10" total.

[Simonsen]

"smitty477" post=812448 wrote:
To gain height for the lift on the jet ski we cut the cable weight in half and courted sunk the lift hook to gain about 10" total.

Yes Ron...that's exactly what I'm looking for I think This might be a dumb question but was the cradle bolted down to the floor or did it just float so you could pick up and move when the toys are off? I don't particularly need height per say as I can raise the motor up. I just need it to sit right down into something like this! Thank you

Derek

[smitty477]

"This might be a dumb question but was the cradle bolted down to the floor or did it just float so you could pick up and move when the toys are off? I don't particularly need height per say as I can raise the motor up. I just need it to sit right down into something like this! Thank you"

Hello Derek,

If you look closely at the pics the entire cradle sits on 1" starboard that holds the wood off the deck and allows water to drain- they are large to spread the weight around and not overload the overhang. At each outer corner there is a 1/4" SS bolt that goes into a 'well' hole where an expandable well nut goes. I think they were the same ones they use to mount the fly-bridge seats when there is no access to the backside. When I placed the cradle down I caulked it in with 4200 at each pad as well as each bolt. The cradle was on the boat for over 8 years with no issues and serviced 2 RIBS and 2 Jet skis during that time with the cutouts we used. I used 2 SS ratchet straps fwd and two to the stern to hold the dinghy/ski in place.

If you need another view of the Zodiac YL-380 on deck I may have them somewhere around here.