Custom made jet-ski chocks

[Brunan]

Hi!

After seeing a great amount of custom made chocks on the board I decided to do a couple of my own. I went for an stainless steel version that's possible to easy remove. They are built to fit an Sea Doo Spark. I think they turned out great!

Here some pictures:

 

[BruceK]

It must be such a boon having a hydraulic swim platform :encouragement: Nice job

 

[Portofino]

They don,t look custom to the Spark .I see air gaps and poor fit to the contours of its hull .
Thinking the mothership bouncing around and concentrating loads on the spark on the small areas of contact .
If it’s just sat in your yard at home or on a launch trolley at a club fine - but out bouncing about in a sea hmm !

You can make a card board template of the Spark hull profile at the relevant section .
How ever you then need a suitable material like teak thick enough that it’s easily formed to match the underside of the Spark .
Then fit these to the SS carrying supports .

That way as much weight is spread evenly.

 

[MrB]

They don,t look custom to the Spark .I see air gaps and poor fit to the contours of its hull .
Thinking the mothership bouncing around and concentrating loads on the spark on the small areas of contact .
If it’s just sat in your yard at home or on a launch trolley at a club fine - but out bouncing about in a sea hmm !

You can make a card board template of the Spark hull profile at the relevant section .
How ever you then need a suitable material like teak thick enough that it’s easily formed to match the underside of the Spark .
Then fit these to the SS carrying supports .

That way as much weight is spread evenly.

+1. I agree with Porto 100%.

 

[petem]

Well done for having a go and with the refinements suggested above will be very functional. Cosmetically, could the welds be ground back a bit?

 

[BruceK]

You guys are a tough audience.

 

[Andrew M]

Good idea from the op to try and make bespoke chocks, I'm eventually (1yr 1/2 after starting the project !!) getting around to doing the same for our dinghy but I've gone wood rather than SS, although I do like the idea of SS as well.
Brunan, if you do decide to try and shape the chocks to the hull more,... I did it using a simple contour gauge to get the hull form and transferring that to make a (in my case mdf) template as suggested above and have just got around to making the 1st cut of the front chock and ended with this:


A bit more shaping and work on the sides to do, I'm thinking of doing a cut away in the sides down to the base so the SS plate that will go on the base to fix it to the platform will all be within the overall width, but can't decide if that will look odd or not ? Also currently thinking of using quick release pins with receivers rebated into the platform to hold both chocks in place, they're going on a HiLo.

 

[jfm]

Good idea from the op to try and make bespoke chocks, I'm eventually (1yr 1/2 after starting the project !!) getting around to doing the same for our dinghy but I've gone wood rather than SS, although I do like the idea of SS as well.
Brunan, if you do decide to try and shape the chocks to the hull more,... I did it using a simple contour gauge to get the hull form and transferring that to make a (in my case mdf) template as suggested above and have just got around to making the 1st cut of the front chock and ended with this:
View attachment 71909

A bit more shaping and work on the sides to do, I'm thinking of doing a cut away in the sides down to the base so the SS plate that will go on the base to fix it to the platform will all be within the overall width, but can't decide if that will look odd or not ? Also currently thinking of using quick release pins with receivers rebated into the platform to hold both chocks in place, they're going on a HiLo.

andrew m, if made like yours with a Hilo platform, the two little ears will break off as the dinghy/jet ski knocks them when being recovered or launched in waves. Obviously because of grain direction. On mine I drilled big 25mm holes and pushed in big dowels with polyurethane glue. That worked. I'll post pics later.

Separately, you have got the keel of the dinghy well above the mothership deck. I guess that was suited to your installation. Many folks inc me try to get it low, like just 50mm twixt dinghy keel and deck. Depends on the particular factors for each boat of course. Nice job anyway- l like chocks in teak. :encouragement:

We have had threads before on how to attach to Hilo platform with total flushness when removed ( so no toe stubbers ).

 

[Andrew M]

andrew m, if made like yours with a Hilo platform, the two little ears will break off as the dinghy/jet ski knocks them when being recovered or launched in waves. Obviously because of grain direction. On mine I drilled big 25mm holes and pushed in big dowels with polyurethane glue. That worked. I'll post pics later.

Brilliant, brilliant, thanks, any ideas/critiques are very much appreciated, I did wonder last night if those "ears" were going to be strong enough. I've got plenty of offcuts so could always turn some dowels of this wood but with opposing grain. I've looked back so many times over the chock threads trying to pick up on all the details/tips from previous projects. Almost anything can still be incorporated.
Andy

 

[Andrew M]

"Separately, you have got the keel of the dinghy well above the mothership deck. I guess that was suited to your installation. Many folks inc me try to get it low, like just 50mm twixt dinghy keel and deck."

Am open to suggestions on this but I've currently got the front chock raised as shown with the rear low as you said, lowest point on rear is about 35mm. Reasoning was to give some "fall" back towards the drain plug in the transom, but I can take more height out of the front if need be, there's at least 50mm until I get to the longest screws in there.

 

[Portofino]

Another little but important detail is the inclination when @ rest.
It needs to be gently slopping backwards to the drain plug in the transom.
There’s an inevitability of water getting into the jet ski .
Ideally store it with the rear drain plug out .

You will set off one day with it out —— only once then remember every time
They used to have suction bilge pumps connect to a the exhaust via a none return valve waaay back in the 90 ,s when I used to race them for Seadoo .So you can run without the drain cock fitted its just when you stop they start to sink .
Anyways keep the inside dry don,t allow water to accumulate, either rain or sea .
Carry a spare bunge as well especially if you trust AN Other to refit it prior to launch .