davit

n. apparatus (on a ship) for raising and lowering small boats

A davit (dāv'ĭt, dā'vĭt) is a structure, usually made of steel, which launches lifeboats held in between the two davit arms over the side of a ship.The development of the davit from its original "goose neck form" to the current devices advanced greatly when A.P. Schat patented a number of systems in 1926 that allowed the lifeboat to glide over obstructions on a ships hull known as the "Schat Skate". This was followed by a self-braking winch system that allowed the lifeboat to be lowered evenly and then the modern davit was invented.
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Noun
1. a crane-like device (usually one of a pair) for suspending or lowering equipment (as a lifeboat)
(hypernym) crane
(part-holonym) ship

n. davit, apparatus

n. davit, apparatus (on a ship) for raising and lowering small boats