dinghy outboard questions

[Oh Sea Dee]

We are now ready to purchase an outboard motor for our 10' RIB. We would appreciate some adivce. Our 1998 boat has round, angled toward the center, davits. If you have similiar davits, do you store and sail with the motor on the RIB? What size motor are you using? Will a 5hp get a dinghy up on a plane with two adults? I'd like to go with the smallest hp possible, due to weight and handling concerns.

[Ed Ellis]

It is not likely that a 5 hp will plane off your rib with one adult, much less two. I 'd get an 8 hp or better yet, a 9.9. It is definitely not a good idea to store your rib with the engine on. the davits on the PDQ are lightweight and are not designed for that kind of load.

[doubledutch]

I have an 8 hp motor on my 9 ft dingy and it is usually left on the davits. The 32 has a very robust davit system that seems well up to the job however you may find things a bit snug with your 10 foot dingy.

[Ed Ellis]

Humm. Makes me wonder is the same davit system is on all of the 32s. When shopping for PDQs, the starboard arm of the davit on one the 32s I looked at was bent downward a few degrees, apparently from overload. That particular boat did not appear to have a robust system.

[Oh Sea Dee]

Thanks for your advice. I also contacted PDQ and asked the same questions. I got a response from Chris Calver at engineering@pdqyachts.com He stated that the "... 32-sailboat davits are reated at 150lbs each. Note that this is for a static load."
This and the above info leads me ask, how do you move the 80lbs (+-) motor around on your boat and where do you store it since it is not advisable to sail with it on the RIB?

[doubledutch]

Based on my Apex A9 weight of 115 lb. and the 80 lb 8 hp outboard I figure my heavy end at close to 150 lb however when underway I tie the dingy in tight so the weight is no longer fully on the end of the davit. I have not noted any deflection of the davits and given that the boat has been set up this way since 1999 it would seem up to the job.

Keeping in mind that the majority of catamarans spend some part of their lives in the charter business it seems reasonable to consider that davits should be able to carry a dingy with motor. I sailed PDQ's in the BVI's before buying our boat and their dingys with motors all lived on the davits.

[Leadfree01]

We have had both the 32 PDQ sailboat and MV34. We cruise to the Bahamas with the 9'3" Caribe and 8 hp 2 cycle attached all the time. We also tie it down tight when making major crossings. The dinghy planes with both of us aboard. Remember, a 4 cycle is heavier.
Sharon of Lead Free Too