How to Put a Lift Crane on a Boat

Anchor davits are smaller, but serve the same purpose

The anchor davit keeps you from having to stoop over--and risk becoming a "man overboard" incident--to recover the anchor. If used with your boat's winch, recovering the anchor loses it drudgery: you touch a button, the anchor is raised to deck level, you touch another button and the process is complete. Since the anchor davit is relatively lightweight, and lifts a "light" weight, proper location means deck reinforcement fails to become an issue.

Things You'll Need

• Drill
• Marine epoxy resin
• Masking tape
• Marine adhesive sealant
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Locate the davit on your bow, near your winch as far forward as possible. It should not interfere unnecessarily with vision from the cockpit/wheelhouse.

2. Prepare the deck as you would for any hardware mounting: drill oversize holes with a drill where the mounting screws, which come with the davit, will penetrate the deck. Fill the holes with marine epoxy resin to seal the edges of the deck core--the foam "sandwich" surrounded by resin and fiberglass. After the resin has completely cured, set the base of the davit in place and drill through the mounting holes in the base, into the resin. Lay masking tape around the edge of the base.

3. Lay marine adhesive sealant in the masked area on deck; don't worry if you get it on the masking tape. Lay the same adhesive sealant on the bottom of the crane's base: the epoxy resin seals the deck; the adhesive sealant seals the joint between deck and hardware.

4. Set the base of the davit in place and thread the screws through the base and into the epoxy resin plugs in the deck. Tighten the screws with your screwdriver until sealant squeezes out from under the davit's base. Stop, and allow the sealant to set for 12 hours.

5. Tighten the screws in the base as tight as they will go. Set the davit into the base and rig the anchor line through its block. After 24 hours, remove the masking tape and any sealant that oozed onto it, for a neatly finished, sealed and bedded piece of deck hardware.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint the davit to match your deck. Paint the base of the davit safety yellow.

• The anchor davit can also serve to lift a dinghy or rigid hull inflatable tender from the water, if the tender or dinghy is equipped with lifting spreaders.

• Working with epoxy resins and adhesive sealants is a project for the open air; work in a space with plenty of ventilation.

References

• BoatUS: "Bedding Deck Hardware"; Don Casey

Resources

• BoatUS: "Anchor Windlasses"; Don Casey