Improvements overlooked by most guests – Part 1
Continuing on from where I left off yesterday, I plan to write a series of posts listing the top boat improvements that we’ve made to One Love, beginning with ones that our guests seldom take note of. Here is number one on the list:
- Super-reinforced Davits
It’s an interesting combination of circumstances that charter boats around here operate under. Before they will book them, many charter brokers often insist that boats have large tenders with engines big enough to plane easily, and pull guests on water toys. Unfortunately, the boats themselves seldom have davits designed to carry these large, heavy tenders. Additionally, as charter boats frequently make multiple stops per day, even if the davits were strong enough, the vast majority of charter boat operators would likely still opt to tow their tenders as opposed to raising them onto their boat’s davits. Not to pass judgement or imply that that strategy is wrong, at least on this boat, we do not fall into the tow-the-tender category.
Probably overlooked by just about every guest, the project to reinforce the davits on One Love is the number one improvement that I feel we’ve made to the boat. It was a costly and time consuming project but the end result is that we now feel completely comfortable carrying our go-fast tender out of the water, in any sea condition. While it does take a bit of time and energy for us to raise the tender onto the davits, I believe the benefits of increased security, and reduction in bottom fouling, more than pay for that effort, and the money invested.
The biggest compliment to you, and Michael, is that your charterers do not notice.
They see the result and are prepared to pay the price.
How and why is your concern, not theirs.
20 bookings at this stage of your second season says all that matters.
Remember the swans. Everyone admires their calm, elegant progress across the water. No one sees, or cares, that they are paddling hard under the surface. 🙂 🙂
WELL DONE
Mike
Nice!
Hi Mike: This will be a most useful series in your blog and I look forward to it. Couldn’t agree more – having davits that are both safe and a secure location for the tender under passage adds huge peace-of-mind. While on our sabbatical with our Leopard 40, we never ever towed the tender – no matter how short the passage, as sea and weather conditions could deteriorate rapidly and unpredictably putting the tender and ultimately our own safety at risk.
I am sure Micheal would agree that this is money very well spent. That too, in knowing that the original davits on many of the Leopard cats did need replacing due to delamination and also extreme davit failures. In choosing to reinforce your deck attachments, you have provided many of use with the insight as to how inherently weak the standard L46 davit to deck fitting actually is.
Here’s wishing both you and Rebecca a very safe and prosperous festive season!!
Alan and Christina
Thanks guys. Happy holidays to you two as well!