Association Forum - Raising boat off its bunks for bottom painting

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Raising boat off its bunks for bottom painting

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/06/2008 : 02:25:13

I read about how this could be done but have never seen pictures, even on other web sites. Hope some of you will find this helpful. I'm thinking the principle can be applied for any trailerable sailboat hence the reason I'm posting this to the general area.

1. Trailer jack to the lowest position

2. Construct some type of aft support. For my project I used 4X4, glued and bolted together. Once I'm done I can easily untie the ropes turn floor beams inwards and store it flat besides my house. Since I'm going to use this every year to apply a new coat of VC-17 I thought I would take a little time to design this right. Not shown in this picture is that I also have 2 triangles at each end to stop the boat from rocking and used towels to cushion. This picture shws the aft support much more aft that it really is when supporting. I just pulled it back a little for the picture.

3. Raise the trailer jack to the highest position. The boat will rest on the aft support and start raising. Right in front of the front roller, I placed 2 beams of 4X4 then stacked pieces of 2X6 as a bow support. Notice that I am raising the bow with a hydraulic jack (not shown in the picture is that I am also using a single 2X6 between the jack and bow when raising).

4. You can rock the boat from side to side now slightly. To avoid this place a few pieces of 2X6 at the mid section right over a vertical trailer support beam. To do so you will have to raise the bow slightly with the hydraulic jack, place the side 2X6 and lower slowly. I will be able to move these side blocks to the other vertical trailer support as I progress with painting. I now have about 4" of clearance and things are safe. This is enough to get a paint roller under the bunks.

5. Using my hydraulic jack I proped up the front and back and added extra planks all around. I now have the boat at 7" clearance from the bunks which is enough for my sander.

However for my ablative removal job I need at least 6" in clearance so my sander can fit. If you notice my aft design permits me to raise it using my hydraulic jack. I will place 2 more 2X6 pieces under the each horizontal floor support corner. Will also add 2 more 2X6 to the bow. This will raise the boat another 4" for a total of 8", plenty for my purposes.

Saftey wise I like this because the boat is supported on both sides and front and back (4 support points). Even if one of the support points would fail the boat will still be supported. I'm making it a rule that I never put my hand in between the bunks and boat EVER.

Steve Blackburn, Calgary, AB
C250WB - 1999 - Hull 396

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 10/05/2008 21:54:45

SEAN
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2008 : 08:50:14

looks good steve ,

on my boat ,
I jack the trailer up , block the boat then lower the trailer .
always a stressful day .

I bought two sailboat stands for the back . and add a 2x6 piece of plywood to the top of the stands . it adds more surface holding the boat up .
the front I stack up cinder blocks and use a double 2 x 12 with a notch for the nose to sit in .

Edited by - SEAN on 04/06/2008 11:07:19

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2008 : 09:26:36

On our boat we skip the areas under the pads.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2008 : 10:01:31

IMHO: I've used the 'tilt the trailer' method on my previous boat but I don't think I'd recommend it with a C25 due to the extra mass involved and the severe load that will be put on the bow support.

Hydraulic bottle jacks are cheap these days. Lay a 4x12 (or similar ) across the rear trailer frame, put 2 jacks on it just inboard of your bunks, arrange some blocking and use some wood 'pads' and scrap carpet to distribute the load where you're going to lift the hull. Do the same in front of the keel and Bob's your uncle. Move from jack to jack and lift the boat evenly. Ditto for lowering it.

Safety Notes: NEVER trust hydraulics with your life or limb. Put some extra blocking, a car jackstand (etc) under the boat to hold it up if the hydraulics fail. Never use a jack 'steel on steel'... put some wood or other material between the contact points to reduce the chance of slippage. Lower the boat to a 'minimum lift' point when you're not working on it.

Edited by - on

SEAN
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2008 : 11:30:03

its definitely a advanced project ,
not to take lightly .

Its like the cat in a tree , good idea till your up there .

and then the wind starts blowin-O !

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2008 : 13:43:35

Right. Especialy since I'm going to be underneath sanding away soon.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2008 : 18:48:14

"underneath sanding away soon."

Gonna be sanding? Unbolt the bunks if you can. You'll be glad you did.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2008 : 19:02:31

I didn't even think of that! By removing the bunks I won't even need to raise it further. Thanks!

Can anyone tell me if this height will be good enough for removing my keel?

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 04/06/2008 : 21:01:08

I used a conceptually similar system for my previous boat with cinder blocks and 4x4 plus 2x10's. Now I have a roller trailer and just paint the bottom, run lines from the stern cleats to a utility pole, and pull the trailer forward until the area under the rollers is exposed. I leave the winch line attached with enough slack for the boat to move about 18", and I do it very slowly and keep the trailer attached the the Jeep..

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 04/07/2008 : 21:22:12

Unfortunately removing the bunks is not possible due to heavily rusted bolts. A lag bolt (round head) and nut is used to hold the bunks down. Even soaking in WD40 and using a vice grip on the bolt I couldn't move the nut. So I guess I'm going to raise it another 4" and do it that way. Too bad I really like the idea of removing the bunks but doing so looks like more work than just raising it.

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 04/07/2008 21:22:34

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2008 : 09:20:53

>"vice grip on the bolt I couldn't move the nut."

Yup, just another boat project. Do you have an angle grinder? Provided you can get the disk 'on' them, you can grind them off pretty quickly, often faster than you can fight a rusted nut off the threads (provided it even turns). The angle grinder or sawzall is often my 'first approach' when I see a bolt is damaged to the point where it is going to be discarded anyway. Big bolts get the cutting torch.

>"... soaking in WD40"

IMHO: WD-40 is pretty useless when it comes to freeing rusted parts. Kroil or PB-Blaster works much better.

Edited by - on

Nautiduck
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3704 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2008 : 12:05:45

I have also used a Dremel with a cutting disk to remove bolts on the trailer. Once your boat is launched you should probably go ahead and replace those bolts with stainless steel ones.

I think this is an area where the trailer manufacturers are penny wise and pound foolish. They use galvanized bolts but the very act of putting nuts on them takes the galvanized finish off the threads and then they rust! I've replaced most of my trailer hardware with stainless.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2008 : 13:24:27

I was thining of rebuilding my bunks and keel guides. Will put in SS bolt once I'm into that project. But for now I have to stop adding new projects or else I will never get this boat in the water this season! Lifing it another 4-6 inches is what I'll do for now.

BTW: Got my MarineTex (the big 13 oz box) yesterday then see that it must be at least 55ºF (13ºC). The curing process creates it's own heat, but it fights against the ambient temperature which tries to cool it down. If MarineTex doesn't have enough heat during it's 18 hour curring process it won't produce good results. At night, the temperature falls to near freezing (not good at all). I'm going to tape a wooden box with a heating lamps (the type you use for chickens). Unfortuneatly the repair areas are at 5 different places, so I'll have to mix new MarineTex every time and move the box. Just wanted to let you know so you can all have a good laugh and enjoy your nice American temperatures.

Edit: I wonder if a chicken heat lamp would be too much? I just remembered when I was younger that my sister had this toy stove that used a 100W bulb. She was cooking cakes in there! What I am about to do is no different, it will be a small stove. So what I'm going to do is to put a thermostat in there that will turn the lamp on/off according to the temperature I set. I love Canada but wish we had southern US temperatures.

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 04/08/2008 13:33:09

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2008 : 13:52:34

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Steve Blackburn
 
Edit: I wonder if a chicken heat lamp would be too much? I just remembered when I was younger that my sister had this toy stove that used a 100W bulb.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I spent a winter just a bit north of where you are (north bank of Yukon river in central Alaska) Let's just say it was brisk. I worked on a project that built a house for the local missionary priest. Great house. He would be gone for several days at a time to smaller vilages so he wouldn't be there to keep the fire going in his woodburner. Since that was the only heat source, we had to come up with a way to keep things (like canned food, etc) from freezing in the -60F winter days. We insulated a single room very well and had a 150 watt light bulb hanging in the center. That did the trick. I think the chick-heating lamps might be a bit of overkill. What's the combustion point for Marine-Tex?

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

1608 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2008 : 13:57:07

Warm temps projected for Sunday. Start first thing in the morning and you'll be okay.
If you drapped a tarp over the boat from the combing to the ground, essentially making a tent, you could place a heater under the boat and you'd be able to maintain a good ambient temperature.

I repaired a fiberglass boat with Marine Tex about ten years ago in the middle of the winter and it still looks great.

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 04/08/2008 : 14:19:52

John, I have no idea what the combustion point is, but they do say to keep heating lamps about 1-2 feet away. I agree with you that chicken lamps seem like overkill, so 100W would suffice.

Mike, I thought about the tarp tent idea (like when setting brick in the winter) but I'll need a heater (possibly propane) and thought the idea of the heater box to be simpler. Much better of course is that if it does go above 13 this Sunday (all day) then I could just patch everything up in one shot. I think the heat is possibly more important in the first few hours when it sets, but I may be wrong.

I think I'll try the "wait til Sunday" idea first. Afterall I'm not in that much of a hurry, I hear we still have 3 feet of ice on the lake and on top of that I have some sanding to do.

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 04/08/2008 14:23:32

Prospector
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
3159 Posts

Response Posted - 10/06/2008 : 11:52:54

Steve, when working on cars I often found that a rusted bolt would come free with heat applied to the nut. Try to get a propane soldering torch on the nut and heat it cherry hot. Then see if it will crack free with a quich hard yank.

If this doesn't work, you may have to fashion a "Handle extension" from a piece of pipe fit over your ratchet handle. Reheat the bolt, and try again.

3 caveats. 1. - don't light th eboat on fire. 2. - don't shake the trailer so hard as to have the boat fall. 3. - it may be faster/cheaper to just cut and replace the bolt.

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.