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Brand new member, and brand new Whaler owner - haven't even picked it up yet. It's a 1979 13' that we'll be using as our tender .We live on a 52' trawler.

I know they all came with lifting / ski pulling eyes, and I know people lift them all the time, but what hardware do I need for that? We'll be lifting with a crane, so a single lifting point. On our current dinghy (an 11' inflatable), we have a bridle of stainless cable, consisting of three lengths of cable that come together at a large SS ring. Two of the cables go to the stern lifting eyes, one to the bow eye, and the crane lifts from the central ring. We made the cable lengths such that the weight is pretty much evenly distributed fore and aft.

I'm sure we COULD do the same thing with the 13' BW, but is that the best way to do it? I've heard / read about using something called a strongback that's a straight, solid piece maybe several feet long, in place of a central ring, used to make the lifting force be more vertical on each of the lifting eyes. Is that necessary? Is it better?

Finally, what about using nylon webbing instead of SS cable? Way easier to store, and no chance of corrosion (except for the hooks and ring, which are easy to get completely clean of salt water.)

I've searched the forums, and I found one member's posting of the dimensions for a 3-point bridle, and even that was just his best guess. I also found the factory manual page that said that either approach is OK. So maybe what I'm really looking for is input from people who have used one or more of these methods. Thanks!

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My new to me 1969 13' Whaler spent it's previous life as a tender to a 65' schooner. It came to me with a stainless cable lifting bridle so that must have worked for many years.

Con

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Con, that's great info, thanks! I don't suppose you could measure the cables and post that, could you? Of course, mine might need to be a little different, as my center of gravity is probably a little different from yours, but it would give me a starting point. Or maybe you don't need yours, and would like to sell it? Feel free to email me if you like - my address is in my profile.

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Close enough?

https://annapolis.craigslist.org/bpo/...03491.html

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Brian I would be happy to measure the bridle but I'm a 1000 miles away from it until January.

I do not want to sell it so maybe the one above is a good deal.

Con

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Con, thanks for posting that, but I was interested in yours only because you know it works with a 13' Whaler, and I thought you might not want it. The one in the CL ad sounds like it's sort of a general purpose one, used for a lot of different boats. I've made one before from parts at West Marine, which is maybe what I'll do this time. I'll keep looking for the right cable lengths, or just make a prototype with some good strong rope to get the lengths, then make it out of SS cable.
Thanks again!

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Brian in answer to your other question (not using cable) I have used 3/8" diameter Dynema rope to hoist dinghies out of the water on two of my larger boats. As this rope worked I'm sure the correct tensile strength webbing could work.

The advantage od Dyneema rope is, that it is stronger than stainless cable, it stores real easy and with a couple of bowlines knots it is easy to adjust to balance the 13' BW and more economical.

I no longer have the cabin cruiser and sailboat and left the hoisting bridle on board so I can't give you dimensions, but as stated there is no crimping and heavy cutting to be done just re-knotting. I used triangular set up but only two pieces of rope.

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I like that idea! The stainless cable takes a lot of space, and is hard, so it tends to scrape gelcoat and other things. I will definitely look into it. Thanks!

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JRP, thanks, but rather than buy one that's close, and would have to be slightly modified, I'd rather just make one with stuff from The Blue Store (West Marine). The last one I made, for our inflatable, was easy to make and works perfectly, it's just not right for the BW.

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I believe that BW recommended that the apex of the bridle be two feet ABOVE the gunn'l. Most used the strong back as this would tend to leave more room for hoisting.
Either contact BW in regards to the strong back or Pompanett in Ft. Lauderdale

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Good info about the apex height but strong backs are great for hoisting but not for a small pleasure craft yacht as they are heavy , hard and not easily stored, and would damage the mother-ship.

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I've found one that's only 3' long (Davit Master "balance bar"), which would save me at least a foot, maybe two, of necessary lifting, which I may need. With the Dyneema or Sceptre rope (instead of stainless cable), I think I can find a safe place to store that. But you're right about a full-length, or even half-length, strongback - it would be difficult to store!

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Many store them in the BW ready to lift in case of needing in a hurry. When using the BW the strong back is left hooked up to the lifting arm and tied off.