Hi Darrel -
I replied to your PM, maybe your email address isn't working correctly? Anyway, my response may be useful to others, so here it is:
I still have the orange loaner - waiting for mine to be built. Wonder if I'll ever get it? I got another note today from Tony that the last molding run failed again, no schedule for another (but should be soon).
To mount the brackets, I put the Pudgy in the water, and lined up the brackets to mark & drill the mounting holes. I chose to put the brackets in as far as I could - to avoid a gap between pudgy and swim step so the dog's feet wouldn’t get caught in between, and so the brackets wouldn't stick out past the swim step.
Turns out the bracket needs room underneath the sliding mechanism, so I had to chisel away under the bracket so the slider would function.
I think I would do it the same if I had a choice again - although I do have a problem with the swim step motor mount I added for fishing. Turns out I can't pull the dinghy up when the motor mount is installed - it hits. I don't know if I had installed the weaver brackets farther out if I could have given myself enough room for the dinghy to clear. Guess I could eyeball it next time I use the pudgy (and take off the motor mount).
I think you have to buy the Weaver Davits from Weaver. They slide into the molded holes in the pudgy - and are pretty slick. 10 seconds to put on the Pudgy - or to remove. They are a pain on the Pudgy - the front one sticks out quite far and makes a heck of a time to dock without spearing someone or something.
The fender was temporary. I also purchased the rod standoffs from Weaver - mounted the base on the swim step, removed the grab lines from the Pudgy and put in large D rings to provide a spot to clip the standoffs. Also pretty slick, though I doubt I would trust them to hold when trailer the boat without some back-up.
I couldn't lift the Pudgy by myself on the davits, so I rigged a 4 way pulley & line to the railing above the porthole (that's above the head) and attached it to the pudgy. It works pretty neat through the rear doorway and takes only 25 pound of pull to lift the pudgy. I put away between when not in use. I may now use the new Garhauer lift now that I have it.
Mac