Click for JetForums Click for Furuno Click for Westport Click for Glendinning Click for Mulder

Hydraulic Swim Platform for Dingy

Discussion in 'Post Yacht' started by Soulstice, Jan 7, 2020.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Soulstice

    Soulstice Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2013
    Messages:
    149
    Location:
    Portsmouth, Ri
    Has Anyone installed a hydraulic swim platform on their Post? After this last season, my wife and daughter loved taking the dingy out and exploring. I did not like the process of getting it on and off the boat and would like to find an easier way to handle this. I do not want to install a hydraulic davit, I just don't like the looks on the bow.

    I was originally thinking about the Hurley H30+ system but they have told me that it won't work on the 50' Post with a swim platform due to the height of the platform off of the water and the clearance with the transom to lift the dingy up and swing it onto the chocks. This led me to think about a hydraulic swim platform. I know this option is probably going to cost similar to a davit but for us it would make more sense. The new hardbottom dingy and motor will probably weigh close to 400lbs and this should make it simple for launching and retrieval.

    Has anyone on here installed a hydraulic swim platform and if so what do you think? Am I missing any issues that would preclude this on the Post. From my experience the 50 tends to like to run with a little more weight in the back like when the front tank is empty but I am not sure if this would be too much hanging off the rear.
  2. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2013
    Messages:
    818
    Location:
    Chesapeake Bay, USA
    There are potential issues with stern mounting: backwash when coming down off plane, crossing stern lines at the dock, obscuring the name and hailing port, balance (depends on dinghy/motor/etc. weight, access across the swim platform when at places with floating docks, etc. Not insurmountable, but things to consider in advance.

    We have not noticed load balance being an issue that trim tabs haven't solved.

    The hydraulic systems I'm aware of are TnT platforms and Freedom Lift. Both seem viable, assuming your wallet can stand it. For us, we'd slightly prefer the Freedom Lift... but it's out of our $$$ range so far... so I haven't done much research on those systems...

    -Chris
  3. Maxwell

    Maxwell Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2010
    Messages:
    194
    Location:
    Door County, WI
    Not a Post but I did install a freedom lift on our Tiara Open. Originally I wanted to remove the factory platform and install a submersible. However the cockpit deck/existing platform is intentionally lower to allow fisherman to make it easier land their catch, which would have made the platform unsafely low to put a tender on it. There are some 2 stage lifts out there to get it higher, however they didn’t seem rigid enough for the way we use the boat. When installing the freedom lift I had my yard over engineer the back plating and high tension cables that tie to the stringers. It wasn’t a cheap date (roughly $30k) but it’s probably the best addition we’ve done to this boat. The mfg says the lift is good up to 800+ lbs, however I would suggest the smallest lightest weight dinghy that will meet your needs. We opted for the Walker Bay Generation 11LTE at 597 lbs wet. At rest, the boat does sit a little lower in the water however under way even in some rather heavy weather we don’t feel it on the big boat.

    Max
  4. Maxwell

    Maxwell Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2010
    Messages:
    194
    Location:
    Door County, WI
    Chris is correct about cross tying etc. in my home slip, I had to have some cleats moved on the dock to accommodate the added distance from the pier behind the boat when sterning in. I also had to get used to docking stern to with the lift on as the axis the boat spins on changed due to the added length. Overall something to be aware of but not a big issue. I believe our platform is 36” deep and we can still easily walk across the platform/board from our floating dock with the dinghy on and the arms slid in as far as they go.

    Max
  5. motoryachtlover

    motoryachtlover Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 29, 2007
    Messages:
    645
    Location:
    smithfield, VA
    Solstice I realize you have probably ruled putting the davit and dinghy on the bow but I am suggesting to rethink that. I have been through the dinghy dance on 3 different boats. The first 2 boats I had dinghy on the transom which was a little bit of a problem, but they were suspended from davits which put a lot of stress on the transom so not the same as what you are proposing to do. That being said I am very satisfied with the dinghy on the bow. I feel it is safer up there and we primarily back into slips so the dinghy being on the bow makes it pretty easy to offload. We have a hydraulic 1000lb davit that cost 25 installed and love it. With it on the bow you can clean and flush the dinghy easily, put y0ur cover on etc. I love riding around in the dinghy so we use ours a lot and want the biggest dinghy I can put on the bow which is a 13’ AB. In other words if you have a family or quests you might find you want a larger dinghy in the future. As someone else pointed out you don’t have the cross tying stern lines issue when it is on the bow and the transom is freed up for line handling if need be. Capt J whose opinion I respect said he didn’t think swamping the dinghy on the transom platform is an issue but it still makes me think. Good luck on what you choose and if you need elaboration I will try to provide it.
  6. Quality Time

    Quality Time Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2013
    Messages:
    47
    Location:
    Upper Chesapeake Bay
    We have a GHS lift on a 48' Sea Ray and love it. Max weight is 800 lbs but our dinghy weighs around 400, the big boat doesn't even know it's back there.

    I can't imagine owning a boat without a lift after having one and that is one of the reasons we haven't switched to a 50 or 53 Post. Don't see too many sportfish with lifts.

    The point about crossing stern lines is a valid issue so I have to leave mine very loose to accommodate for extreme high and low tides.
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2020
  7. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2010
    Messages:
    2,261
    Location:
    Beaufort, NC
    IMO, the combined weight of the dinghy and platform is going to have an affect on how that boat rides. You have the transom door which is going to limit the height of any platform and, in my experience (heavy seas, coming off plane, etc) you are going to have a back wash problem. I wouldn't experiment unless I see the results on a similar Post. Plus the other negatives already suggested, plus soot. Reconsider the bow davit. There is a reason that SF have made the bow a popular location for that dinghy.

    Purely personal, but to me hanging a dinghy off the aft of a Post will eliminate that battle wagon profile, and will be out of place. Picture my Avatar with all that stuff hanging off my transom. But, that's just one man's opinion

    Good luck on whatever you decide.
  8. Quality Time

    Quality Time Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2013
    Messages:
    47
    Location:
    Upper Chesapeake Bay
    Another benefit to the hydraulic platform is having the ability to launch the dinghy from either side or straight off the transom depending on the slip configuration. With a bow davit, you may need to launch the dinghy before entering the slip.

    Although, I agree that a transom lift will detract from the look of a true sportfish.
  9. Soulstice

    Soulstice Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2013
    Messages:
    149
    Location:
    Portsmouth, Ri
    I agree with that Beau. To me I don't really care for the look of either option as I prefer the boat to be clean without a davit or swim platform. The swim platform I have now is tolerable and my wife loves it so there it is. The hydraulic platforms seem so massive that I am having a hard time visualize how they won't kill the aesthetic. The previous owner either strapped the dingy to the H20 mount on the swim platform for short rides between islands or on the bow for the longer trips. I tried it on the back last season and it was a disaster as it easily gets swamped. The front was no problem as I brought it 1,200nm home in a mix of weather and seas. All the points you bring up are great and I think I will have to reevaluate the bow davit as the thought of the look combined with the performance tradeoffs don't make the hydraulic platform seem like the right path, it is just too **** big to hang off the transom.

    We have had a bunch of boats over the years and this is the first dingy for us. Last year was the experiment to see if we would use it and how my girls like it. Now I have to find the best way to make it usable without breaking my back. Seems like the bow davit is the way.
  10. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2010
    Messages:
    2,261
    Location:
    Beaufort, NC
    What kind of rig are you considering? For years when the kids traveled with us, we kept an 11 foot Zodiac upside down up front (with tie downs) and a 6Hp Yamaha in a stern dock box which doubled as a nice seat and extra storage space for lines - now we use transient docks and uber.
  11. Quality Time

    Quality Time Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2013
    Messages:
    47
    Location:
    Upper Chesapeake Bay
    The nice thing about a Freedom lift style (no platform) is that you can remove the arms when not in use so nothing is visible above the waterline.
  12. Maxwell

    Maxwell Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 16, 2010
    Messages:
    194
    Location:
    Door County, WI
    This is true and we do so often at one of our slips as I have a jet dock at that marina that I can put the dinghy on when we're not traveling. The Freedom Lift was the best solution for us on our boat and we wouldn't live without it. We've run it in fairly heavy seas from every direction at one time or another and haven't had any issues as its high enough to stay dry. However if I had an actual sport fish instead of an express, I'd likely opt for the bow davit. It allows the big boat to be tied up better in most slips without springing fore and aft off of the stern cleat and near me at least its a lot easier to find 45' transient slippage than it is 50'+ that the added length requires.

    Max
  13. Soulstice

    Soulstice Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2013
    Messages:
    149
    Location:
    Portsmouth, Ri
    I have a 11' Achilles soft bottom with a 9.9 Tohatsu now but am thinking about a 11'5" hard bottom with a 20 hp outboard. We spend a lot of time in little coves and anchorages exploring areas. When we go to the bigger ports, we will get slips but this would give us the flexibility to moor. The boat currently has a St.Croix manual crane but I found myself just keeping the dingy in the cockpit while we cruise and humping the motor onto it while in the water. One season was enough of that. I was afraid the weight of the dingy with motor would cause the St.Croix to bend the bow rail, and doing it in two steps with a three year old running around wasn't appealing. So now to explore working smarter not harder. My wife does not care for the bow davits but the marquipt extra low models look pretty nice.
  14. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2010
    Messages:
    2,261
    Location:
    Beaufort, NC
    Ya know, we found the whole experience is all about relaxing and enjoying friends and family, and being fortunate to own any boat at all. So what ever you do, it will be great! Enjoy the journey.
  15. Boatingnut

    Boatingnut New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2018
    Messages:
    7
    Location:
    Michigan
    Be cautious and sure what your boat transom is set up to Handle. Both TnT and FreedomLift folks have told me that just because their lifts can handle 800 lbs or more, doesn't mean that the boat can. I say this as a general statement, not about Post. Do your homework. It is one of the best upgrades you can do to a boat!
  16. BigChief

    BigChief Member

    Joined:
    Sep 3, 2018
    Messages:
    81
    Location:
    CT
    A friend of mine just bought one for his 45 Sea Ray it has a 1500 pound capacity and the make is sealift I'm going to help him install it in the spring. 30k installation is another six if you want them to do it
  17. Beau

    Beau Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2010
    Messages:
    2,261
    Location:
    Beaufort, NC
    excellent point re the transom capacity.