Ranger Tugs and Cutwater Boats have just come up with another good idea – a patent-pending Dinghy Lift. The new Dinghy Lift solves a problem that many people have when cruising on an outboard-powered boat: Where to put the dink?
The new Dinghy Lift, created by the engineers at Fluid Motion, the parent company for Ranger and Cutwater, so far is in production and available on Ranger 27s, powered by a single 300-hp Yamaha outboard, and on Cutwater 32s, powered by two 300-Yamaha outboards. You can see it in action in the video below.
The Dinghy Lift is made from powder-coated anodized aluminum and fitted with Weaver Snap Davit heads. The lift is integrated into the swim platform with a handrail, and operated by a winch in the cockpit.
The dinghy is lifted on a hinged mechanism that raises up to clear the outboard. It’s then stowed inverted above the outboard while running. In the slip, the outboard can be raised to clear the prop from the water while the dinghy is stowed.
The ability to use a dinghy makes cruising that much easier, whether on the Great Loop, the San Juans, or gunkholing in the Chesapeake. The Ranger 27 has already become a popular pocket cruiser that’s affordable, easy to own and easy to operate. It’s beam of 8’6” means it can be trailered from one cruising destination to another without special permits.
The Cutwater 32 is a larger boat, of course, with more room for a family. It too can be trailered, and it too comes cruise-ready, with all the navigation and safety equipment you need for a weekend away or a longer vacation on the water.
The Cutwater 32 Command Bridge won an innovation award at the Miami show in February; it has what the company calls a Clear-Path Swim Platform that provides 20 square feet of level, non-skid, unobstructed deck space with no outboard well, rigging tubes or hoses to trip over. The platform continues aft, parallel to the outboards, for easy boarding and access to the motors. It also provides unrestricted access to the Dinghy Lift. With the dinghy stowed, you can still tie up the boat stern-to a dock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHyJkjYaVp0
