Davits may not sound familiar to the average person. But not for sailors, as davits are a must for some boats and optional for others.
It is a lifting device
On land, cranes are usually thought of as equipment for lifting heavy objects or materials. On the water or at sea, the trend is more towards davits. It is a marine term and roughly refers to the lifting device usually installed at the stern (rear part of the boat) or on the sides in some cases.
Thus, davits play the role of a crane and are mainly used for hoisting, unberthing and lowering. In the case of pleasure boats, its use is rather concentrated on raising or launching dinghies, jet skis, dinghies or even a lifeboat.
But not only that, as this tool also helps to avoid clutter on deck during navigation. It is simple, it allows you to keep the dinghy suspended on the davit.
Different models
Designed to lift weights, davits are available in different models to best meet the needs of users. This is why you can find telescopic, hydraulic, articulated, electric, built-in or removable davits.
And the list is long, but to make a long story short, you should know that these equipments can be divided into two main categories:
- Those adapted to the transhipment of objects of limited weight;
- Those suitable for handling very heavy equipment.
In the first case, manual davits equipped with rope hoists and pulleys are used. For very heavy equipment, you should look at hydraulic or electric models.
How to choose a davit?
With the different models of davits available on the market, it is not always easy to make the right choice. But it doesn’t have to be, as you can make it easier with a little bit of discernment.
To do this, you need to start with calculations to check the weight of the davit and its load (tender or other). The aim is to ensure that the combination of these elements does not affect the stability of your boat. Then, don’t forget to measure the space that the davit should occupy, not forgetting the space for the dinghy to avoid clutter.
By doing this, you increase your chances of choosing the right davit for your boat. It should be noted that in the majority of cases, classic davits fit easily on a boat from 9 metres in length (about 30 feet). And if you need even more space, think about telescopic davits or folding davits.
MC: davits
