Anti fouling under shore supports

[rwoofer]

I will be hoisting the boat this winter and putting it in a borrowed transportable cradle, so that I can do the anti-fouling myself. How does everyone prepare and paint under the pads holding the boat up (and I don't mean just before it goes in the water again)?

Since the cradle has 6 legs, I was thinking that I could probably loosen one leg at a time without the boat falling over - has anyone tried this?

On a similar subject how do people remove and treat the rust on the bottom of the keel (cause the boat is resting on it)?

Thanks

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[ruff_n_tumble]

My experience is that it means walking along under a moving boat hoist on its way to the slipway daubing on as much antifouling as you can on the bare patches. Which are bare again after a couple of weeks on the water.

<hr width=100% size=1>Steve Marsh
Hunter 27 OOD "Ruff-n-Tumble"
Gosport

 

[Joe_Cole]

Usually you can lower the pads one at a time to do the antifouling. Just check that the configuration on your cradle is OK. (On some cradles releasing one pad also releases the pad on the opposite side of the boat. I would be wary with that!)

Under the keel usually has to be done as ruff-n'-tumble says.

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[claymore]

I have a cradle with a support on each corner plus smaller supports that fit up under the hull. I've unwound the corner supports one at a time - just enough to get the brush in behind. Seemed OK although the bottom of the keel is done when the boat is sat in slings waiting to be re-launched. Could you not use a car jack to support the front of the keel whilst you tackle the rust then jack up the rear end and do the rest?

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>regards
Claymore<font color=purple>
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http://www.whoi.edu/services/facilities/CLAYMORE/

 

[longjohnsilver]

Be very careful! I was on my boat a few years back and heard a loud bang, someone had taken away a support and his boat fell over, luckily not on top of him! The boat was damaged jus days before planned launch date. He lost most of the season.

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[Robin]

We always used to drop two supports at a time after adding a couple of extra wooden props/wedges close by but the yard manager saw me do it once and anytime he sees me can in hand I get the 'don't you dare' stare and an offer to hold us in the slings overnight before launching. At least that allows us to do all 4 pads together (I do drop the extra props whilst doing each main coat) and there is time to do the bottom of the keel properly.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[Joe_Cole]

<Could you not use a car jack to support the front of the keel whilst you tackle the rust then jack up the rear end and do the rest? >

I wouldn't want to do that on a boat the size of his. Surely if you lift the keel you'll lift the boat of the props and gravity would take over? It may be possible if you have plenty of assistance on hand to raise the props, but it sounds a bit risky. Or have I missed something?


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[rwoofer]

I like the idea of using a couple of extra props, whilst I take one support down at a time.

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[Robin]

If you do, then put a wedge under the bottom to stop it slipping away and another betwixt prop and hull. If you put a polybag over the cradle pad when you wind it back into place it will help prevent the soft paint from sticking or wrinkling.

<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>

 

[FullCircle]

I have a 4 post adjustable cradle. I made a removeable cross brace which bolts between 2 of the posts (either front or rear). In the centre of this is another adjustable post, which I adjust up to centreline of boat, so it is kissing the underside of the hull.
I then gently ease the adjustable post on one side and allow the hull to 'setle' onto the centreline post. In fact my cradle is so well balanced that the hull doesnt move and the centre post just sits there without any further load on it. But if the hull did settle it would be onto the centre post.
Do not do this on a very windy day, and don't let anyway on the boat whilst the 5th leg is doing its work. I only use this for removing and applying antifouling, and revert to the 4 post arrangement ASAP.

Total cost was about 20 quid for a second hand acrow and a couple of 2"x2"x1/4" braces. And you need a welder mate. Alternatively, I used APB Engineering of Burnham On Crouch for my overall cradle, built to order. Reasonable and cheap.(No connection)

Jim

<hr width=100% size=1>Jeanneau 35 - only 13,272 lbs displacement, not even 6 tons,what a lightweight!!!

 

[FullCircle]

Oh silly me.

In the bottom of the cradle I have the boat sitting on 3 pieces of railway sleeper. I use the fifth leg as above post to gently 'jack' the hull so the end pieces of sleeper are loose. I remove one end piece and then hammer a wooden wedge under the keel to take the weight on the other 2 pieces of sleeper. Thus I can get to 1/3rd of the underside of my keel at a time, with a limited clearance of the depth of the sleeper, about 5". Its enough to fair it off and get the roller full of antifouling underneath.
Repeat process removing different bits of sleeper!

<hr width=100% size=1>Jeanneau 35 - only 13,272 lbs displacement, not even 6 tons,what a lightweight!!!

 

[wagenaar]

Since you indicate that the cradle has 6 legs and normally 4 are sufficient, it should not be a problem to loosen one leg at the time and paint underneath it. Using basis mechanics it should even be possible to loosen two at the time, but that depends how the legs are positioned around the hull.

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[snowleopard]

if your boat is propped up with shores and wedges, you can do as one owner of my acquaintance did-

knock out one shore at a time and paint underneath before replacing it and moving on to the next. the wet paint acted as a lubricant and as he walked away feeling pleased with himself, all the wedges down one side popped out and the boat fell over.

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[ruff_n_tumble]

But in the large scheme of things does it really matter - how many knots is that little area worth?

<hr width=100% size=1>Steve Marsh
Hunter 27 OOD "Ruff-n-Tumble"
Gosport

 

[tcm]

Re: At last!

I hated this thread. The tiny areas of antifoul missed are not worth chasing - if they are (eg for racers ) get the boat lifted and shifted properly. I would never ever attempt to move supports myself

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[EASLOOP]

Its quite simple really. Get the wife to hold the boat up then knock out the required shores. Paint liberally, across wife's fingers if needs be, then replace the shores. If the boat does fall over at least it will fall on the wife and not yourself.

Not recommended for boats under 4 ton displacement.

John

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[mirabriani]

Snowleopard thankyou
My first LOL of the day
(lay in)

Regards Briani


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[macd]

Have you thought of taking the rust out for a slap-up dinner? That's a helluva treat.

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