Carver Owners Forum

My 2000 Carver 396 has this tilt up davit.



When I purchased the boat last summer it had a 8' rib with an 8hp merc. It was in terrible shape so I found a 11' Rendova with with a 25hp Honda. I picked it up and I have been really happy with it. One issue.... I didn't even think about weight. It is exceptionally heavy. It is difficult to say exactly what it weighs because Rendova information is difficult to find but my estimation is about 700-750lbs wet weight.

This isn't mine, but it is the same tender....
https://boats-from-usa.com/sites/default/files/boats/not-specified/127921/not-specified-1454671.jpg

The davit had an old 1500lb winch on it so I replaced it with a champion 3000lb winch from amazon and replaced the 3x4 stainless backer plate with a 9x19 1/2 aluminum plate to take some stress off the back wall of the boat.

After only 9 months the clutch failed Dropping my tender 3 feet and then dropping the winch into the salt water. I am going to replace the winch but I am not sure what to buy. Does anyone have any a suggestion on what I should buy and what size?

I called Warn and they told me I need to buy a hoist not a winch but that seems wrong. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Russ

I am not sure how you are securing the dinghy up on the back of the boat. Are you using the winch to pull it up/down and hold it in place while underway? If that is what you are doing I am not sure it was designed to sustain the weight of your dinghy while underway. It should be secured by another means.

I am of the opinion that you should lift the dinghy up/down with the winch and then secure the dingy with a line, cut to the proper length, with strong stainless clasps attached to your boat and the dinghy. This will allow you to remove the winch and only use that for raising and lowering the dinghy.

This is the same reason why most place a harness on their anchor chain after they set their anchor. It relieves the stress on the windless.

I am also not sure where on your boat you attached to winch to you boat for lifting. The lower the bracket is on the aft of you boat the more stress on the means of attachment. If it is low, I would move and place a stainless ring as high as you can, like the aft of your hardtop, so it will reduce the stress on the method of lift. This is where I normally see rings for lifting dinghy’s. The higher the attachment on your boat, the less tension on you winch or line to secure it.

Your hardtop is strong enough to secure your dinghy.

Again, use a strong line to secure the dinghy and not the winch.

Just my thoughts.

Greg

Thanks Greg,

I found a little better picture and included it below. The winch is mounted on the davit and the cable attaches to 3/8" stainless ubolt on the back wall of of the boat. I have beefed up that ubolt with the large aluminum backer plate I mentioned above. The winch does hold the dinghy up while under way. Generally I have just put a ratchet strap around the davit connected font and rear to keep it from swinging. I also have a stainless steel safety cable connected between the davit and the eye on the back of the boat. It doesn't carry the weight though....

I could let the slack off the winch and put pressure on that stainless cable, but it will have slack that may let the davit bounce...

RussL;

I see what you are saying. If your means of attachment works for you that’s great.

I guess I am just saying that you should remove the weight off of the winch while storing it and underway. It will be easier on the clutch. A new winch similar to what you have will more than likely work.

As for your ratchet strap. I have always thought that they were strong until my previous dinghy was hit by a rouge wave and snapped two ratchet straps that I used as secondary attachment like string after the weaver yoke pad separated from the dinghy. I prefer to use dock line as a secondary lanyard to secure my dinghy now.

I do like your Davit system, it appears to lift your dinghy up and out of the water. Not too many options for a 396 with a factory swim platform. My 44 CMY has the same issue.

Greg