................... Figure 4: Stainless Steel Outfitters Standard Davit the opportunity to use the Tohatsu 5 hp propane engine during the Women's Day seminars last year and I was quite impressed. Stowing on Davits Talking with John Bamford of Stainless Outfitters in Barrie, ON was like listening to a historian of the Canadian boat building industry. John started in 1975 and was instrumental is supplying pulpits, stern rails, stanchions and other stainless-steel fittings for most of the Ontario and Quebec boat builders. John has the original specifications for most of the boats built and is often called on to fabricate replacement fittings for boats, like this stern fitting for a Valiant 40. The original (back) is showing saltwater corrosion. John and his company have designed, built and installed davit systems on many types of boats. One concern that led Stainless Outfitters to reduce their custom davit business was the suitability of the boats - more specifically, the swim platforms that customers wanted davits built for. Many swim platforms do not have the structural integrity to support a davit system and boat. As cruisers settled on 10- and 11-foot boats with 20 to 40 hp engines, the weight of the boat, equipment and dinghy fuel climbed beyond what the swim platform was designed to canadianyachting.ca 9http://co2inflatables.com http://www.canadianyachting.ca