Association Forum - Suggestions for blocking C250?

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

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Suggestions for blocking C250?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

Member Avatar

2272 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/24/2010 : 18:33:19

We're hauling our boat on Tuesday, and since I'm a newbie I'm a little more nervous than I should be. We're using a boat club that does a fair amount of this, but they're not a fully staffed boat yard. They told me I need to bring my own helpers. I went by today to see them blocking a power boat, and the guy who runs the lift stays up in the driver's seat while the owner and his helpers set the blocks and stands. So a lot of this does rely on my (nonexistent) expertise.

Fortunately, I'm buying my stands from a member who said he would be there to help me. So one of us knows what he's doing (hopefully, since I've never met the guy). Since I'm not sure how much he knows about sailboats in general, and Catalina wing keels specifically, I would appreciate having any tips you can provide on how to properly support the keel.

I have a couple of 4"x6"x8' ties in my back yard. I cut one of them down to 3-32" long blocks. I was planning to set the three of them perpendicular to the keel, and shim as necessary fore or aft depending on how level the ground and keel are. I assume that you do NOT want to use blocks parallel to the keel on the sides, as that could torque the wings excessively. Do these three blocks sound sufficient to support the keel, or should I cut the second tie to provide a 2-high stack? Would applying the keel pressure to the middle of my 32" long blocks risk breaking them in half? (The yard appears to have a pretty stable base of white gravel.)

Alternatively I could cut the second tie into 3 or 4 more blocks and make a stack with the bottom layer parallel to the keel, and the top layer perpendicular. But that would raise the keel 8" high, and I would prefer to keep the boat as low as possible. Below is a shot I snapped last winter prior to purchasing this boat. I think the keel was on a single 6x6 or 8x8 block, but the picture is too dark to tell for sure. (I tried digital enhancement to no avail.) You can see that the 3rd generation rudder has plenty of clearance, so 4" blocks should be high enough if they provide enough support.

FYI, I had shot the below pic to warn the previous owner that his tarp had filled up with water/ice and was stressing his pulpit and lifelines. I plan to do a better job with tarps than he did. I will tent over the boom and also run a line (or possibly rigid plastic conduit) from the gooseneck forward to the pulpit to support a second tented tarp. The yard is 12 minutes away from my house so I can go down to knock snow off the boat if needed. And I will NOT hang jugs of water from the tarp! They become nice battering rams against the hull.

Any suggestions on this plan, or other suggestions that I have not thought of yet?

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

Edited by - TakeFive on 10/25/2010 05:51:23

bear
Admiral

Members Avatar

USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2010 : 19:46:29

Rick, I drop the mast and form a tent over the whole boat useing clothes line rope to form support lines from the mast down to the lifeliness or stanchions. I think your plan would work but you've got to allow water to run off. MY BIGGEST fear with that setup was freezing in places where it shouldn't be area's around hatches outside settee's. First year I tried this the wind 60 mph plus just tore everything off. Water that had frozen in drains began thawing and dripping down onto front mattress. "Brandy" now comes home and is parked in the back yard. I use a snow rake now to pull snow off tarp. Two years ago my son and I plowed thru chest deep snow to get the snow off the tarps while boat was still in the lake parking lot.
It now comes home for the winter season. This set up allows you to work under the tarp or down in the cabin, actually gets quite warm if sun is out. Hope this helps some.

Edited by - on

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1309 Posts

Response Posted - 11/11/2010 : 15:56:25

Boat wrapped up for the 2010/2011 winter...
1) The 6 m x 9 m (20 ft by 30 ft) tarp is held open, bow and stern, with a stick in the tarp grommets, for continuous air circulation. This will be the tarp's 3rd season.
2) The trailer's frame is elevated on concrete blocks with wheels free spinning.
3) The hitch is covered over with a 6 gallon pail held in place with a bungee.
4) Tires, sun side only, are covered with a tarp

Edited by - zeil on 11/11/2010 18:31:43

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 11/11/2010 : 16:16:43

Hey! What's up with all this blocking and tarping stuff!

Throw those lines off, lets go!

Edited by - Tom Potter on 11/11/2010 16:36:03

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

Canada
1309 Posts

Response Posted - 11/11/2010 : 19:50:15

Tom: I know, I know, sigh... what can I say... we're not sure yet what's up this winter. Would love to go and travel the 2300 km (1430 miles) one way trip to San Diego, to be in a slip next to Sea-world for a couple of months until warmer weather arrives. What are you plans with that nice looking boat??