Port Solent - Boats fallen in the wind

Sorry but I have supervised the chocking and shoring of everything from ferries to warships. All you are telling us is that you haven't had a problem... yet. Hope you never do. You should never ever leave a vessel propped the way I have seen many propped in this yard. Apart from damage to the vessels themselves, you could easily kill someone. It's not good enough to say "It's OK till the wind blows" It's also no good relying on the wind direction either!
 
Are you sure the ground extensions are in the cradles? When those are in there's as much horizontal steel as there is holding the boat up - I'd have thought it would be extremely difficult to tip one over. But sometimes the yard workers don't put them in.
 
In my YC we have approx. 120 boats ashore at the moment and all of them are in cradles and most with the masts up. We haven't had any problems with boats falling over because the cradles have to support the boat (be fit for purpose) or they just don't come out of the water.
The only chocks used are "in addition" to the cradle and no boat is just chocked because in any type of a blow you can see them ~ the chocks ~ loosening.
We couldn't use lines from the mast head because we pack'em in tight but we do point their bows towards the prevailing winds.

IMHO anyone that just chocks a fin keel boat is asking for trouble!

Peter.
 
Chocks shaking loose as the boat vibrates seems to be a major contributory cause. Many years ago (at Chichester, not PS) I checked my old long-keeler (mast unstepped) during a F9-10 (much like last weekend) to find that two of the three shores on the windward side had shed their chocks and were no longer supporting the boat. The third was working loose as I watched. You have never seen a man and a mallet work so fast!
 
Our club yard also lays boats up with masts raised but all boats except twin keelers must be in proper cradles, most of which were purpose made by our club engineer and come in several sizes to match LOA and draught. In our case we have a tall rig (mast is 50ft above the coachroof) and a deep (6'10"/2.08m) keel which means there are only two cradles out of probably 150 or more that we can use. In addition all boats are also supported by heavy props/wedges, 2 on each side and two more fore and aft, the yard check all boats and additional shores regularly and especially before forecast bad winds. Shores and cradle pads are carefully placed on parts of the hull supprted by internal bulkheads.

As far as removing masts is concerned, we have a gantry sutable for smaller boats and masts and a 'cherry picker' hydraulic lifter that can handle medium ones. Big masts however like ours can only be lifted by a (very expensive) contracted crane and when it is needed we usually arrange it as an all day job doing multiple lifts. That said IMO the mast is much safer left UP, far less risk of damage to mast, the rigging, aerials or instruments. When we had ours lifted for re-rigging it was a big job involving several yard staff and indeed all of them when carrying the mast after lowering. Raising the mast was quite traumatic because the wind which was supposed to be light gusted up to a good F4/5 just as the mast was suspended overhead ready to fit and it took 4 of us plus the crane man over 2 hours to get it properly in place and rigging safely re-attached ready for lift in next morning. In the past with boats up to 26ft I have routinely taken the mast down, using tabernacle and tackles and an 'A' frame system, but that will not work on bigger sizes or especially with keel stepped masts as we had on one previous boat.

Oh and to laugh or make an unfunny joke of the Bavaria that was damaged is pretty sick in my view Mr Seanick.
 
Sounds like Robin has an enviable club!
I agree with him, unstepping a mast like mine is not something I'd entrust to some boatyards. I will only take it down of absolute need, like to put the boat indoors! Her ladyship is currently mast-up at (what was) Moody's, where I have every confidence, because they have excellent cradles and staff who know their stuff. I hope we can get such service when Premier have built flats all over it. Lot to be said for being in the water!
Pit props are probably ok for a long keel boat if done expertly and braced etc etc, then checked regularly. The best cradle is no good if it doesn't fit right, props tightened the right amount etc. Is this know-how written down anywhere?
ps the history graph on bramblemet said 1900kts yesterday!
 
" Is this know-how written down anywhere?"

Yes, it's in our Boatyard Operating Procedures and Risk Assessment files, but a lot of it is handed-down knowledge. As the boatyard boss says - "Never walk away from the boat until you are perfectly happy with how it is sitting".

A deep fin yacht is usually given 2 bow props and a stern prop in addition to the cradle it is sitting in. If ever wedges are used then they are screwed to the prop so they can't vibrate loose.

And we always recommend that booms, dodgers and sprayhoods are taken off.

And as an added feature, cradle pads are covered in polythene to protect the gelcoat. (NB Never use carpet offcuts on the pads unless you want to see some nice osmotic blisters come the spring)
 
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