Cantilevered Davits - Engineering Problem

Personally I would be wary of Black as a painted finish on steel or anodising on Aluminium or even bare Carbon. Mainly because it as a colour has a 95% absorbtion rate of heat from the sun. This can make the surface too hot to touch comfortably. Even in the UK it is possible to burn oneself from touching a black surface on a hot sunny day. It would be an irony to 'burn' oneself simply using the davits, without AdHoc's fire scenario.

Whatever material these davits are made of, consider the end finish too. It is surprising how little 'off white' a colour or finish has to be to become hot on a sunny day. White and silver are the most reflective. My gut instinct is to paint (maybe gel) a carbon or glass laminate simply for UV protection and retention of mechanical properties. Preferably a light colour, though light greys can be shaded to aesthetically match against most topsides reasonably well.

 

Well, reality has set in!

It will cost a fortune in time and materials are running short for doing these in composite.

Aluminum it is.