Re: catalina27-talk: cradleDave, You're absolutely correct if the yard is using a travel lift that sets the boat on the cradle. I wasn't thinking of travel lifts, I was living in my world.
Here in Louisville, there are no travel lifts. Everything comes out of the water using the boat ramp at the yard either on a cradle or trailer. The yard backs the cradles down into the water using a cradle carrier or transport. You cannot get to the pads and jack screws until the boat is out of the water. I measure mine after the boat is launched and check the dimensions before hauling to make sure they are in the ballpark. After the boat comes out, I make any necessary adjustments. Power boats out number sail boats 5 to 1 or greater around here and the ramp works just great for them. John Emmerich -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of David Shugarts Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 2:54 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: catalina27-talk: cradle I hate to quibble, but this: After the boat is on the cradle, check the jacks to make sure they are not too tight or too loose. is not really a good procedure. You should slack the jacks off to get the pads out of the way. Lower the boat in the slings until she sits with her keel on the dunnage (or blocking, as Tom Monrow calls it). Settle with the issue of how she sits bow-high or -low, etc. Then you turn the jackscrews and bring the pads up to the boat snugly. From year to year, the boat may hang differently in the slings, etc., so you never assume she will just sit into the cradle the way she did the previous season. Putting her in that way can put stresses on the hull. At our boat club, we haul about 40 boats in one long grueling day. Each boat comes out of the water at a different heel angle, depending on the way she sat just as the slings took the strain. We often have to adjust the poppets fore-aft and thwartships to get a good set. ItÂ’s only an approximation, but mine sits well with a piece of 2 x 4 (i.e., the 1-3/4 part) under the very front of the keel. --Dave Shugarts On 6/27/07 2:26 PM, "The Emmerichs" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: A few more comments: I would add two more pads centered between the front and rear pads. You can then lower diagonally opposite pads (left front and right rear) to paint bottom. Some folks are paranoid and still put in a temporary jack stand but I never have. The keel carries almost all the weight, the pads are there to keep it from falling over. I think the dimensions given in another post are right on. The trailer I had built is the same dimensions as the cradle the boat was on when I bought it. Mine sits with the keel flat on the trailer. I raise the tongue of the trailer so the cockpit drains back to the scuppers. I would think your yard would do the same thing for you. The front of the cradle would have to be raised about 3 inches. After the boat is on the cradle, check the jacks to make sure they are not too tight or too loose. John Emmerich 5874 Fortitude -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 12:21 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: catalina27-talk: cradle Don't have pix, but here's a couple comments ... The fin keel is not square to or parallel with the waterline. It has a slope of a few degrees fore to aft. So the blocking under your keel needs to have the appropriate slope, or you need to set the boat down on the blocking and adjust the pads to the boat. If you do the that, the boat will sit leaning slightly forward, bow lower than stern, which is OK from a support point of view. But, you'll need to cover it well cause water will run inappropriately from cockpit lockers, companionway hatch, etc., and put a good bit of water inside your boat over time. (I'd rather not admit how I learned this.) Tom Monroe 6219 Different Drummer (sooooo happy that my boat's in the water this summer rather than sitting on the cradle in the parking lot collecting the water discussed above) "Phillip HDz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent by: [email protected] 06/26/2007 08:56 PM Please respond to [email protected] To [email protected] cc Subject catalina27-talk: cradle Hi list has anyone ever had thier boat on a cradle. got pics. like to know where the best places to have the boat sitting on the uprights. Thanks Phillip Day Crystal Raven 2549 East Sooke Canada _________________________________________________________________ New Windows Live Hotmail is here. Upgrade for free and get a better look. www.newhotmail.ca?icid=WLHMENCA150
