Question for the group - I am running a 10’ RIB with an 8hp Evinrude. I use weaver snap davits for the dink, but have no secure way of storing the engine to the swim platform. I’ve looked at just about everything out there and have completely confused myself. (Not that it’s a difficult thing to do).
We have essentially the same setup. We have a motor mount on the transom that we store the motor on when underway. I attached a photo of the stern but it is not a great photo of the motor mount on the port side but it is the best photo I have of it.
Weaver has a swivel mount for the motor so every thing stays attached. Try searching for “Weaver” here on TF.
Do a search on the site on this topic. There was a transom mount that pivoted, mounted on the swim platform, to turn the outboard 90 degrees to the side some here have. It might work for you.
pricey hydraulic one. My solution was to buy a boat big enough to carry the dink on the boat deck using a crane. So we just bought a Symbol 45 - Any one want to buy my Cutwater 30 Command Bridge, send me a private message.
Assuming you have a four stroke motor. We have Weaver davits and an older two stroke 15hp Evinrude. Just leave it attached to the motor mount and check the clamps once in a while ... it rests comfortably on an angle when secured. Very happy with the whole rig for dropping, raising, stability getting on and off the dink. I was thinking about getting a new motor and four strokes are nice - but that mounting thing raised its head. So new navigation toys instead!
I have the Weaver Leaver setup on a 11' hard dinghy and a 9.9 Yamaha. A very good system that I've used for many years. Weaver is quality and the best stainless steel and welding you'll find.
Look at Adventure Marine. They have a swivel bracket system so the engine stays on the dinghy. I have this setup and get get my dinghy ready in about a minute!
We have an AB 9.5 AL hull with a 15 hp motor, on a Mainship 430 aft cabin trawler. We used the Seawise davit system as referred to above. No need to remove the motor. We have had it one season and love it. It is pricey, but each system is configured to the specific boat and dink. Stuart at Seawise is a pleasure to work with.
Seriously, I know these are boats but the prices on some of these davit systems are crazy.
Our boat came with a Seawise system already installed. Even at that, it cost a "pretty penny" to get our existing RIB "setup" to work with the system. It is an expensive system.
However, with that being said, it works great!!! Very quick and easy to use. We buddy boated all summer last year with our friends who own a KK52. We rafted to them most nights and always used our dinghy due to how easy it was to launch and retrieve. Their dinghy is stored up on the top deck and requires a "crane" to launch and retrieve and needs 2 people to make it work (fend off the dinghy etc.).
So, if the cost isn't "too much" for you, I like my Seawise. No association with the company, just a user of their product.
For the past few years I kept the dinghy engine laying on its side in either a rear cabin storage area (old boat) or on the teak deck (with padding) aft cockpit off to the side on my current boat. It was fine and not really in the way in either case. However, I will be keeping it attached to my dinghy moving forward now that the dinghy will lay flat on the fly bridge. Will save me a step having to carry and mount it and dismount after use.
swim platform. Very easy system to launch and retrieve.