Beaching Legs

[sideshowbob]

Am looking to make some timber beaching legs this winter so I dont need to regularly haul the boat out of the water but beach her on a shingle/mud beach berth.

Draft of the boat is 3'6" and I know the length will be approx 5' in total for each leg. I am assuming a 4" x 4".

What timber should I use, bearing in mind we will probably carry the legs when cruising for occasional use as well?

Anyone any experience of making their own and any tips.

Thanks in advance

 

[vyv_cox]

There is a page about legs on my website. It mostly concentrates on Yacht Legs but the principle is the same. 4 x 4 should be ample but you need to consider how they will be attached without being a total PITA.

 

[duncan99210]

I've got legs which fit my Hurley 18 which look remarkably similar to the wooden legs in Vic's website. They are shaped so that the top of the leg fits under the toe rail which helps to get them vertical. The hull is single skin and has a pad glassed to the inside with a stainless tube running through the hull and the pad: a long captive bolt runs through the top of the leg through the hull fitting and is secured with a nut on the inside of the hull. It's a two person job to fit the legs: one to hold the leg in position on the outside, one to fit the nut and tighten it inside. You also need to fit ropes to keep the leg vertical as it takes the ground.
My legs are about 4 x 4, they have pads on the bottom about 10 x 5 (offcuts from a patio deck plank) and eye bolts toward the bottom to take the bracing lines. One leg has a couple of wedges on it to act as a ladder for access to the boat. No idea what the wood is but I suspect some hardwood, as its very dense. Sailing with the legs needs to be given some thought due to their size and weight. I stowed the in the quarter berth but found they really needed securing as they tended to tumble about alarmingly when tacking.
If the OP is interested I can take some pictures when I next visit the boat.

 

[vyv_cox]

I've got legs which fit my Hurley 18 which look remarkably similar to the wooden legs in Vic's website. They are shaped so that the top of the leg fits under the toe rail which helps to get them vertical. The hull is single skin and has a pad glassed to the inside with a stainless tube running through the hull and the pad: a long captive bolt runs through the top of the leg through the hull fitting and is secured with a nut on the inside of the hull. It's a two person job to fit the legs: one to hold the leg in position on the outside, one to fit the nut and tighten it inside. You also need to fit ropes to keep the leg vertical as it takes the ground.
My legs are about 4 x 4, they have pads on the bottom about 10 x 5 (offcuts from a patio deck plank) and eye bolts toward the bottom to take the bracing lines. One leg has a couple of wedges on it to act as a ladder for access to the boat. No idea what the wood is but I suspect some hardwood, as its very dense. Sailing with the legs needs to be given some thought due to their size and weight. I stowed the in the quarter berth but found they really needed securing as they tended to tumble about alarmingly when tacking.
If the OP is interested I can take some pictures when I next visit the boat.

It's the socket style attachment that is one of the clever parts about the Yacht Legs design. It's easy for one person to attach them and they would not be too difficult to make provided you have some metalworking skills.

 

[sideshowbob]

Thanks for the responses.
It was timber legs I want to make, the boat is 90 years old and I think that type fits the boat better. I understand the reinforcement required inside the hull and also the downside of cruising with them as I have had them previously on another boat. My plan was to have a recessed bronze plate in the the hull and have both blanking bolts (with seals) and longer bolts in the legs themselves.

 

[dur]

I used 4 x 4 treated softwood fencepost. Supposed to be temporary but still used all season on drying mooring 8 years later. Single bolt with iroko block inside bearing on the beamshelf. Forward lines has carabiner - fixed length. Aft line goes around the gallows upright onto the sheet winch. the foot is not elegant but is effective but I don't tend to carry the legs on the boat - they stay in the dink. I forgot to put the nuts on the bolts one time but they stayed on until I spotted it the following weekend. Have several times forgotten to put the plugs in when the legs are off. A lot of water can come through a 1/2" hole if a wave slaps the side!

 

[sideshowbob]

Thanks.
Looks like quite a bit of splay on those?
Are the slightly shorter than the keel at that point?

 

[dur]

I think I aimed to have the legs 2" shorter but somehow ended up with only about 1" shorter.
Never given me a problem where I am but sure a bit more would be safer if you are going to unknown territory.
Seems to me that if you are leaning onto a leg (and maybe even if it is in a slight dip) you still want the leg about upright so that is why I went for some splay but I only put a batten against the side and did what looked about right! When it was where I wanted I used a bit of cardboard to make a template for the side. Something like that anyway...

 

[duncan99210]

Some pictures to illustrate Lady J's legs.

Port leg showing lip to engage with toe rail, exterior plate on captive bolt and climbing wedges.

Interior shot showing glasses in reinforcing pad and nut on captive bolt holding leg.

 

[sideshowbob]

Thanks. Tidy job.