Hunter 42 Owner Modifications and Upgrades

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How I Carry The Dink

posted 09-12-2008 by Terry Cox

I lay our inflatable dink on its side resting on the middle transom step with lines securing it to the toe rail with carabiners. Makes it very easy to launch and stow. Did it the same way on our H28. Rides easy without the tow drag. Davits are nice but this system costs less than $30 and works just as well IMHO. I did not want to drill new holes into the hull for an eyelet. The last hole in the toe rail was a a good place to attach a shackle for the carabiners to clip into. It also makes it very easy to launch or stow from the main deck. I just unclip and let it drop into the water and step into it from the lower transom step. When Im ready to stow I secure the two port side lines and use the boat hook to raise the starboard side into position. By securing the two rear lines to the boat I can install the outboard onto the dink from the lower step. Windage has not been a problem mostly because the dodger acts as a shield. Our dink is about nine feet long and even when the boat is heeled over to 40 degrees it does not interfere with the water flow past the boat. Of course when the dink is resting on the middle transom step, rear boat access is inconvenient. We always board the boat using our boarding step that I made from PVC, which clips into the toe rail on either side of the boat depending on dock side.