How to draw a straight waterline: solution

kingfisher

kingfisher

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Borrow a leveller with rotating laser head! I borrowed this thing from a mate
21Z5MHfLy4L._SS500_.jpg

First align it with the natural water line (where the grime formes a line on the antifoul.
Then raise the head 5/10 cms. tape off and paint.

It gave me an incredible visual straight line, even where the boat curves. The taping is very easy with the laser providing guidance.
 
Or.....crane the boat into a huge vat of antifoul, load up boat a bit to give a boot top then lift out and shake dry. remember to close seacocks first though. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
That raises the question of what is level ? . On the hard mine seems to sit at a different angle to when it was on the water so I'm having problems deciding which level to use , and I haven't got the old line to follow now
 
Or set up two horizontal pieces of wood about 10 ft long set horizontally at the waterline at the bow and stern.fix two pieces of string taught to the top edge of the wood (2 port 2 stbd)

One person sights through the strings the other marks a series of dots with a pencil.

This method can be used provided the boat is level side to side,she doesnt need to be level fore and aft as she will with your mates lazer level.If the boat is level the laser will be a lot less hassle.
 
Aside from surrounding boats making that impossible for me, the boatyard deliberately set the boat slightly stern down, so that any rain was quickly drained from the cockpit.
 
It only matters that the boat it level side to side, not fore and aft. Put the stand about halfway along the boat and swing the laser to the bow and then the stern. Adjust the angle of the tripod head so the laser hits the waterline at stem and stern. Then it just swings along the the hull.

Laserlining.jpg
 
easier said than done Phil , it's a crane job to pop her in and that's after dropping her back onto the trailer that Miss Ellie is sitting on which will be going out on long term loan to Cuchilo as soon as Ellie is launched , so I need to do it where Trevera sits
 
My boat is sitting lopsided in its cradle, Ive repainted and have my fingers crossed that when she goes back in, the waterlines are level!
 
Lakie - What Laser?

Hi ya Lakie, Im after a laser level for the missus, she's the one that does all the building work etc and about time I bought her another little pressie (last week it was a set of Bricklayers Trowels from Travis Perkins). The one in your photo looks perfect. Make, price, specification please

Oh yes, I have a book called "Hindsight" just have to remember where I put it!
 
By far the simplest way is go out in your dinghy early in the morning when the water is often flat calm. Use an indelible or wax pencil and mark the ACTUAL waterline on the hull.

Ideally do this before you lift out for the winter so the marks aren't washed off. Apply your tape to the marks at A/F time. Perfect system used by many in our boatyard.
 
Call me old fashioned, but the water level used for centuries is ideal for the job. First level the boat, then using a single man level which has a largish reservoir set up on the datum, go round with the clear site tube end and mark off on the hull. Or use a 2 man version (Screwfix used to sell them,or use clear tube) with one person altering his/her end on the datum line the other marking off on the hull. Easy and cheap.
 
Re: Lakie - What Laser?

That would indeed be a rather special gift for your good lady as it also incorporates a tape measure and has a rubber sucker on the side to help with single-handed operations.(?)

However it was free if we ordered something or other so I can't shed any light on the source. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
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