Total time: about 5 - 6 hours to build the supports, less than an hour to
R&R the cb, and 100 hours planning and worrying.
Man, ain't it the truth.? I needed an arrangement that would SAFELY give me
access to the entire hull BWL, but permit me to work without being directly
underneath the boat.? The eventual design even took into account the strength
of the roof trusses from which I hoisted my 15.? I'm sure there were folks who
wondered if I'd EVER quit thinking it through and just get started.? But as I
told one person, "Plan A has to be perfect, because once that boat is up in the
air,?Plan B is 'pick up the pieces' -- assuming I don't have a boat on top of
me."
-----Original Message-----
From: Don Haas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats <[email protected]>
Sent: Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:42 am
Subject: M_Boats: New Centerboard For My M15
Finally. The job is done.
The original cb in my '83 M15 was for the last few seasons was nearly
unusable.
So, last November I purchased a new "skinny" cb from Bob. After six-months
of weather related delays, other honey-do projects and procrastination and
trying to figure out how I was going to get the boat off the trailer without
injuring myself or more importantly, the boat.
I read and reviewed all the post and pictures of similar projects and tried
to come up with a method that was safe, yet not too expensive.
So, if you are interested the following describes the process I went
through.
The boat sits on a Trailrite trailer and the open area between the axel and
the rear cross frame is about 33 inches. The cb slot in the keel is also
about the same length. Is seemed that the trailer would only need to be
pulled forward
18" or so to provide enough clearance to drop the board considering the
distance off the ground and angle of the drop.
1. Jacked the trailer/boat up high enough to stack 2, 2x6 under each tire,
chocked the wheels and put a jack stand under the tongue to level the
trailer.
2. Build temporary bunk boards from 2x6s, covered with carpet. Jacked the
boat off the trailer using a bottle jack at each end of the keel. For the
aft, I cut a shallow notch in a 2x4 to match the "V" on the bottom of the
keel. Used a 2x6 to cushion the front jack.
3. Placed the temp bunk board on top of the trailer bunks and lowered the
boat. This raised the keel about 2" off the trailer.
I did it this way because I wanted to have the boat supported in case I
needed to pry the old cb out of the slot. It actually came down fairly
easy. Last year I modified a hack saw blade to fit a recip saw,
smoothed off one side of the blade and with the smooth side next to the
trunk made a pass up each side of the cb. In some places the blade wouldn't
fit until I made several passes with the saw.
4. The bow support was built with a 4x6 beam, a little over 7 feet long,
on each side I place a deck pier block and 4x4 cut to length to snug the
cross beam against the
bottom of the boat. The deck block was the kind with slots and space for a
4x4 in the middle. This assembly rested on a large concrete paving block.
I also pounded in wedges around the 4x4s to keep it from wobbling. Then
screwed 2x6s to the cross beam at an angle to, hopefully, keep the boat from
rolling to either side. The boat was jacked up an inch or so and carpet was
inserted to cover the contact points. This assembly was located 19 inches
in front of the forward bunk supports. I also strapped the support to the
boat through the bow pulpit..
5. The stern support was simply a modified saw horse. I added several
extra cross
pieces to keep the legs spreading side-to-side or outwards. I called this
contraption Sawkenstein. I think it weight 30 pounds when I got done. My
working theory was if one board is good, two will be better. The
Sawkenstein fit just aft of the keel. Then, in-line with the previously
stated working theory, I added a vertical 4x4 to reinforce the top bar of
Sawkenstein. Cut wedges to fit the boats profile and cushioned it with
carpet. Also tied the rear support to the boat so it wouldn't try to squirt
out since the stern slopes up from the keel.
6. Jacked the boat up enough to remove the temporary bunk boards, then
lowered it onto the support structure. Shoved on the side of the boat and
it was very solid. Pulled the trailer forward off the 2x6s and the boat
stayed up in the air. So far so good.
Ok almost done...
7. Attached a fish line to the old cb rope, untied the knot and lowered
the cb. Hmmm. It needed about 1/2" more to clear the trailer. So a friend
who was helping suggested dropping the board from the front. Punched the
pin the rest of the way out, the board dropped down, slid it forward a bit
and it was out.
Installing the new board was almost as easy. Fished the new rope, raised
the back end and secured it then lifter the front and taped the pin home.
Raised and lowered it a couple
of times just to see what it is like to have a cb you don't need to pound on
to get it to drop. Wonderful.
8. Rolled the trailer back under the boat, jacked the trailer high enough
to remove the bow support and Sawkenstein, lower the boat/trailer and we are
done.
Total time: about 5 - 6 hours to build the supports, less than an hour to
R&R the cb, and 100 hours planning and worrying.
Don
M15-248
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