How do I secure an inflatable dinghy on the foredeck without chafe?

[AbigailB]

I’m trying to figure out the best way to secure my inflatable dinghy on the foredeck of my sailboat for a coastal passage. I’ve got the proper deck patches and lines, but I’m worried about chafe from the lifelines during a bit of weather, even with the cover on.

[Anthony_T]

I’ve done a coastal hop with an inflatable on the foredeck too. Even with a cover and patches I still worried when the weather built. The lines would chafe and the dinghy would push and pull. I added a simple chafe guard—basically a strip of old fender taped between the dinghy and the deck patch—and kept it a touch loose. It didn’t fix everything, but it helped the rubber not bite into the patch as hard.

[AbigailMT]

I keep thinking maybe the real issue isn’t just the chafe from the lifelines. In a chop the whole setup shifts and the dinghy end bangs against the rail. Sometimes it feels like the problem is movement of the unit, not wear so much as pressure points. Might be worth checking if the patch is happy with that load or if the dinghy is just in the wrong spot for a passing swell.

[Justin_D]

One thing I did in a hurry was switch to a longer painter and let the dinghy ride a bit more slack when we were rolling. It gave the line some forgiveness, but we still woke up with a creak now and then and a rubbery smell.

[Brian_H]

I’m not sure this is the right direction, but maybe the bigger fix is how we’re handling weight and wind direction on deck. I keep staring at the foredeck and wondering if a different layout would stop the thing from rubbing, or if I’m chasing the wrong symptom.