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[Rosenante]

Hi,
Yes davits. Looking at photos of model boats in magazines which would be faithful to the original, boats of an earlier era have davits facing inwards. They tend to be spaced apart less  than the attached lifeboat length and angled towards eachother. Not at right angles to the keel line.

The only way I can figure how they worked is by swinging the davits one direction allowing one end to be forced outside a davit then the whole boat moved forward while swinging both davits in the opposite direction. Ending up with with the boat out side both. Controlling falls and blocks accepted.

Can that be right? Seems to me with a drilled team in calm water maybe. But in a distress situation on a wallowing vessel?  It would take a good few fit men to control a swinging lifeboat at such times. Or the Australian Woman's hockey team.

Model Boats Magazine Aug,'10 page 25, top right photo is an example.
Ditto MB Commemorative 1950 -2010 page 50 top photo.
                                                       page 65 bottom right.

Got to be something I'm not seeing.

Anyone???  .Bas.

[John W E]

Hi Bas

this is from a old book    MANUAL of SEAMANSHIP VOL,11 1951  
aye
john

[dodgy geezer]

...The only way I can figure how they worked is by swinging the davits one direction allowing one end to be forced outside a davit then the whole boat moved forward while swinging both davits in the opposite direction. Ending up with with the boat out side both. Controlling falls and blocks accepted.

Can that be right? ...

Sounds right to me. I guess you swung one end at a time. I wonder if it was possible to load the boat up while it was on the deck side of the davits and then swing it out - if so that would be a distinct advantage when loading panicking passengers....

[Rosenante]

 Thanks Bluebird.
 

Yes having been drilled and with hands on, everything would function okay.
 Being a team with others to blame for mishaps I'm sure it would be a help too.
Glad to see all those old repositries retained. Never dump an old manual or books. I have an American druggists book going back at least into the 18**.  Pages brown and brittle.  Recipes for hundreds of things.

Dodgy  Geezer.  If we are going down, I'm with you. Loading as you say and the weight involved may assist. Who knows huh? The mind boggles at the potential chaos.

Catch you later.... Bas.

[Colin Bishop]

I wonder if it was possible to load the boat up while it was on the deck side of the davits and then swing it out - if so that would be a distinct advantage when loading panicking passengers....

Lifeboat falls are designed to lower a boat, not raise it off the deck fully loaded even with the multiple purchases. Once the boat has been swung out it would be pulled against the side of ship and people would enter it, either from the boat deck itself or possibly from a lower deck. People can be surprisingly agile when their lives are at stake...

During wartime in dangerous waters ships would commonly have their boats swung out ready for lowering if the sea conditions permitted.

Colin

[Rosenante]

Thanks Colin Bishop,
 Why is bleedin' obvious now that you say it. I'd still be sitting there waiting for a push out.

I noticed a line across between davit heads with several lines hanging down. Access for late comers to slide down do you think?
I'm sure in Hollywood they do.

The wartime practice makes sense too.

............Bas

[Colin Bishop]

noticed a line across between davit heads with several lines hanging down. Access for late comers to slide down do you think?

Spot on! I think they may have been knotted too to make it easier to climb down - I expect someone will know!

Colin

[pugwash]

Bas if you look at photographs of Warships from the 50/60s before they started using RIBs as ships boats the ropes hanging down from the wire across the
davit heads were used on the whaler as safety lines - one for each crewmen as the boat was lowered. They were supposed to keep a grip as the boat went down the
ships side - just in case the was a fault in the Robinsons Disengaging gear and the boat was slipped early or only one end was slipped.  Those ropes have
saved a lot of lives over the years. I have never had to climb down them as  you had a wooden runged rope ladder if you had to enter the boat after it was in the water.
The whaler was always used as an emergency boat for Man overboard or when doing plane guard at night (in those days they only used the helicopters during the day.)
Ive had to goi down the in whaler several times - as the most junior signalman on my first ship I always got lumbered  as the boats radio operator (until someone more
junior arrived onboard)  Brings back a few frightening memories when it was really rough.
Geoff