Jet Ski instead of Dinghy?

[cww]

I'm seriously considering putting a seadoo or something similar up where the dinghy normally goes. My boat has the factory electric davit. I've been shopping around for dinghies but it dawned on me that I can always just tow my whaler when I go to the islands, and that for anything other than traveling I'm much more likely to actually use a ski than I am a dinghy.

Couple questions, one is the newer pwc's are a little heavier than most dinghies. Most of them seem to run 800-850 pounds with fuel onboard. I can cut that number way down if I buy an older one, e.g. my old waverunner 3 was only around 400lbs with fuel. The newer ones have a lot more power and seat more people though. What exactly is the weight limit on the factory davit, and is that a real number? I have some friends with a bayliner 4588 and their davit broke lifting a rib that weighed less than the rating. I have other friends with a sea ray with a marquipt davit that lift probably 40-50% more than the rating and never had a problem. How sturdy are these? I plan to stay within the weight limit but it might be close. I'm guessing 750 or 800lb looking at it?

My other question is how worried should I be about handling a ski on the davit? Is the hard fiberglass vs. soft sides going to be a problem? I've never done it before, but I see lots of boats with them onboard so it can't be that bad, right? Anybody have experience doing this, is there anything I should be aware of?

 

[SKYCHENEY]

What davit do you have and what is it rated for?

 

[cww]

What davit do you and have and what is it rated for?

It's the same one I see on a lot of the 1980's hatts back when I was looking for one, it's a pretty beefy davit with an electric winch and an extendable boom. The pole goes through the floor down to the deck below on the starboard side. 99% sure it's from the factory. I'll go photograph it tomorrow.

 

[Pascal]

Personally I would not trade a dinghy for a key ski. Jet ski isn’t practical, harder to carry anything so in the Bahamas if you need to pick up some groceries or anything. Good luck

Raising a jet ski with the davit isn’t difficult. Haven’t done it on my hatt by did it many times on boats I run. On my hatt the tender is a 12’ classic cat boat, pretty wide. No big deal

If you re going to get a jet ski take a look at the Sea Doo Spark. Half the weight of a full size sea doo or wave runner, much more fun and nimble. They re plastic not fiberglass so while it seems cheap, they are pretty solid. Much cheaper too. We have a 5 year old spark on the 116 i run, it has held up pretty well to a lot of abuse. They have reverse/brake which is nice. We were going to get two new ones but dealer wanted 75% OVER MSRP!

 

[SKYCHENEY]

It's the same one I see on a lot of the 1980's hatts back when I was looking for one, it's a pretty beefy davit with an electric winch and an extendable boom. The pole goes through the floor down to the deck below on the starboard side. 99% sure it's from the factory. I'll go photograph it tomorrow.

They may have been a factory option, I'm not sure. But most were added later. Is it aluminum tube like a pipewelders or is it painted and more square like a Marquipt? There should be a rating plate on it somewhere.

 

[Bob Quinn]

Following this... I've been thinking I want to do the same, or find a way to have both.

Have a Seadoo RXP that has sat for the last 2 years because we had no way to bring it along on previous boat. There are several solutions out there for storing / lifting jet ski's on your swim platform, if you beef it up a little I would assume.

 

[finatic]

I have a 12' Nautica RIB with a 142HP jet ski engine up on the front deck of my 52C. No problem lifting the weight. Don't like it due to the cramped seating area. Also getting water in the oil, looks like coffee! So its obviously out of service until I can get it to a repair shop. I think it's raw water since I am not loosing any coolant.

 

[rjwilliams]

One issue is that many States in the US do not allow jet ski operation after dark. Even if your State does most jet ski's are not factory equipped with running lights.

 

[JuiceClark]

I have one of those 9.4 WaterTender with a 2.5 Mercury. It's too small...does a wheelie with me holding the outboard stick.

I wished I had kept my SkiHorse. Back in thee old days, they had jet ski type deals without the inboard jet. The shell of the thing weighed almost nothing and you hung an outboard on it. Without the engine and jet drive, the whole thing was open for storage. I had two of them, late 60s vintage, and would take them everywhere with new 20hp Suzukis on 'em. Of course, I put a cage on the prop for safety.

Another neato one was the HydroCycle Barracuda. I should find one out there and make a mold from it. And let's face it, being cool is worth a little hassle! http://www.antiqueboatamerica.com/Boat/38234

 

[Scarlett]

One problem I can see is if you are rolling at all while lifting the jet ski would bang off the side of the boat, I know our RIB does when I lift it, even with only a slight roll. Of course the RIB doesn’t do any damage when it hits, but a solid boat might. John

 

[SEVEN]

I think jet ski’s are more of a fun way to get back and forth but when it comes to an emergency I would not want to rely on it especially in rough seas.

 

[Nonchalant1]

They make jet dinghies... Do both! Pull a skier, tuber, or haul groceries, and no prop to get bent in shallow water.

 

[Pascal]

They make jet dinghies... Do both! Pull a skier, tuber, or haul groceries, and no prop to get bent in shallow water.

I have lost count of the number of times where I had to clear crap out a jet ski intake whether seaweed or lines. And the Same happens with jet ribs. Far more often I ve bent a dinghy prop

 

[cww]

This is the davit and the placard that's inside next to the winch motors. Pretty sure it's the same one that's on all the 1980's hatt's, at least the ones I've seen.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

That plaque is for the winch not the entire davit. It looks like an old Marquipt unit. And, no, not all 80's Hatts had the same davit system, but Marquipt was a popular unit at that time.

 

[JuiceClark]

The big power cat next to me in the yard has one of these tenders hanging off the back. It looks pretty nice, but $23k for that ?? Gimme' a break!

https://octenders.co.nz/the-oc400-tender/

For $23k, couldn't you just have a dozen coeds paddle out in an outrigger canoe to pick you up?

 

[Pascal]

It s 23k NZD which converts to 15/16k USD

Still expensive but it s carbon fiber...

 

[whoover]

Three years ago I saw a carbon fiber tender at FLIBS. About 14 feet, it may have been a jet drive and the prettiest candy Apple Red you have ever seen. It looked like an inflatable but it was hard. Show special, 100k! I'm sure they sold some, but not to anyone I know.

Walt Hoover

 

[cww]

I listened to all of you guys and decided not to try and use a jet ski as a tender. It would have been fun, but I imagine trying to use it to haul the dogs to shore or bring groceries back would be a big problem. It was a fun thought but wasn't going to be practical. I got an 11' Whaler instead, which I'm told were an optional extra when these boats were new and that they fit on the upper deck without sticking over the side. The marina is going to make me a cradle / chocks for it to sit in and as soon as that's done I will put it up there. It's really light, I was moving it around by hand on the trailer today. I think it will be a good tender.

My other whaler is 13' and sticks out over the side by at least a foot and a half. It looks dumb plus it's only a matter of time until I hit something with it sticking out from the side of the boat like that. This 11' one is the perfect size.

 

[Photolomy]

I almost got a jet ski as well, but some marinas don't allow them, and the dingy is much more useful, just not as much fun.