"Jessica B" wrote in message
...
snip
I've seen boats that have these elbow-shaped tubes on the back that
have like a cradle/pulley system for dinghies. I guess you have to tie
them off so they don't bang around, but at least you aren't towing
them.



They're called davits. And, they are not really called for on a smaller
sailboat. They are quite heavy and bulky for one (not to mention ugly) and
they cause the stern to squat which isn't a good thing.

The stainless steel tubing I constructed and installed is lightweight and
strong. It has the added advantage of being quick-pinned to the fastener
points so it can be raised up along the backstay if one so desires. My
little, 50-pound, fiberglass dinghy is easy enough to lift up and lay,
upside-down atop the carrier with gunwale right up against the backstay
where it can be safely lashed down.

The extra sixty pounds or so near the transom has little noticable effect on
the trim of the hull. These fools who advocate putting the dinghy
upside-down on deck don't understand how in-the-way the thing always is.
They just saw photos in magazines or heard tell of stowing the dinghy on
deck and it becomes a case of monkey-see, monkey-do. It's the same thing
with the rows of plastic fuel jugs along the twoXsix along the lifelines.
Monkey-see, monkey-do. Nothing uglifies a cruising boat as ugly blue or red
plastic jerry cans jury-rigged to the lifelines. Makes me want to puke every
time I see it.


Wilbur Hubbard