Davit cradle lift for small boats

#There are examples of lift devices attachable to the transom and/or the swing platform of large boats to launch or lift and carry the small boats next to the transom of the larger boats.

#Such lift devices include arms or cradles mounted to a rear surface or platform of a boat. Some cradles are hinged to permit the cradles to be rotated upwardly sometimes more than 90°, to raise a small boat mounted in the cradle up and out of the water for easy transport with a larger boat.

#However, such previous small boat lifts are cumbersome, large or difficult to use and may render the rear portion or swim platform of the larger boat somewhat unusable for its intended purpose.

#The various features, advantages and other uses of the present davit cradle lift for small boats will become more apparent by referring to the following detailed description and drawing in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a davit cradle lift for small boats shown in a downward deployed position for loading and unloading a small boat from the cradle lift;

#FIG. 2A is an enlarged perspective view showing one mount of the cradle lift of FIG. 1 on a swim platform of a boat;

#FIG. 1 depicts a swim platform 10 in the form of a generally horizontally extending ledge located adjacent to a transom of a boat. The swim platform 10 has a horizontally extending surface 12 and a vertically extending outer ledge 14.

#A davit cradle lift 20 is positioned rearward of the swim platform 12. The davit lift 20 includes a mounting assembly 22 formed of two pairs of brackets 24, show in FIGS. 1-5. Each bracket 24 has first and second perpendicularly oriented legs 26 and 28. The first and second legs 26 and 28 are fixed to the swim platform 12 by fastening means, such as fasteners in the form of screws, bolts, etc. Although the legs 26 and 28 of the bracket 24 are shown laying over the horizontal surface 12 and the vertical surface 14 of the swim platform 10, it is possible to form the first bracket 24 with just a single leg portion 28 fixed to the vertical extending portion of the swim platform 10.

#A second bracket 30 is fixed to the vertically extending second leg 28 of the first bracket 24 by suitable fasteners 32, shown in detail in FIG. 2, which extend through aligned apertures in the second bracket 30 and the second leg 28 of the first bracket 24 into vertically extending surface 14 of the swim platform 10.