Weaver Leaver?

[mlanger]

I'm about ready to pull the trigger on a Weaver Leaver setup. This is a device that sits between my dinghy's outboard motor and the dingy transom. When I crank up the dinghy on its Weaver davits, the motor pivots to remain vertical. My motor is a Suzuki 6hp and weighs about 50 pounds. Installing/uninstalling it is a huge obstacle for me and prevents me from using the dinghy as much as I'd like to.

To do this, I'd have to remove the rails around the swim platform -- or at least half of them. I'm not terribly bothered by that because I don't really use the swim platform for anything other than coming in with the dinghy.

I can't see any other affordable option with the propane locker where it is.

My questions:

(1) Do any of you have experience with the Weaver Leaver on an R-29 or R-31? If so, what can you tell me -- pro and con?

(2) Do any of you have experience with an affordable (under $5K, preferably under $3K) solution for stowing the dinghy with the motor attached on an R-29 or R-31, keeping in mind that the propane locker cannot be moved.

I'll be making my decision within two weeks, which will give me enough time to get the device shipped to the boat in Maryland and have it installed before I return to the boat at September month-end.

Maria

 

[MsChief]

Hello. I have installed Weaver davits to carry my dinghy on the back of my Cutwater 26 swim platform, and I have the Weaver winch and winch "removal kit" installed in the roof over the rear cabin door. A lot less expensive than the leaver system and takes up almost no room. The winch easily slides out of it's mount (aka the removal kit) by sliding it towards the bow after removing the line to the dinghy to remove and stow the winch. The mount for the winch is through-bolted to the fiberglass roof overhang. Easy to operate to raise or lower the dinghy to the water. We have D-ring on the "outside" side of the dinghy where we attach the rope from the winch. This may be an option for you if your dinghy engine is on a swing mount and stays attached to the dinghy -- you just use the winch to hoist the whole thing up or down as one unit.

My dinghy is the Achilles rigid aluminum hull with upper tubes and the Weaver winch has no trouble lifting it out of the water. About $450 for both the winch and the mounting bracket. We can't operate the rear door when the winch is in the holder (won't swing all the way open) so we slide it off the mount when not in use and stow it inside the boat.

Good luck!
Laura
Ms Chief C-26

 

[mlanger]

The setup you describe came with my boat. I have been using it with my dinghy since I got the boat last September. That's why I want the Weaver Leaver -- to use my existing system without having to remove the motor.

 

[Cutter 30124]

Captain Maria:
I know this post is a year or so old, but did you ever move forward with the Weaver Leaver system? I've been in touch with the factory and thinking about a similar setup for my Cutwater 30cb. Just wondering how it worked out for you. Thanks!
John

 

[DoubleD]

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