yacht leg company legs

ortogo

Member
Joined
24 Mar 2012
Messages
31
Visit site
I've just purchased a boat that comes with a set of aluminium legs made by the Yacht Leg Company (pre-set legs), these look to be exactly the same as the illustrations on the companies web site. In the past i have owned a couple of boats with sets of beaching legs, but these were just legs made from approx 4"x4" timbers bolted ridgedly to the side of the boats with a couple of long bolts, and they worked fine. The aluminium legs with the new boat are attached at the top of the leg to a socket bolted to the boats side with a foam cover "roller" affair lower down, there are ropes attached to the bottoms of the legs to prevent movement for and aft. The leg seems to be able to move "away" from the side of the boat is this correct? just hoping someone can put my mind at rest as to there effectiveness before I put the boat on my drying mooring
 
The lines which prevent fore and aft movement of the bottoms of the legs also hold the bottom of the legs from moving out/away from the boat. You will see, in a plan view, that the forward-leading lines 'pull in' to a degree, as they are led to cleats at the bow, and this is apparently sufficient. I've seen those same lines crossed under the bow and secured on opposite cleats for a firmer 'pull in', but am unclear whether this is necessary. The normal arrangement seems sufficient in practice.
 
I have had these legs on my centre board/longish keel Sadler 34 for 20 plus years.
The foam pads gently touch the hull and sometimes not quite! The fore and aft lines stop the legs going too far out although I do not see a problem if they do move out. The load, such as it is, is taken by the attachment point. I have always been very happy with the set up although drying out the first time is not for those of a nervous disposition!
What sort of boat, keel/keel type do you have, incidentally?
 
I have had these legs on my centre board/longish keel Sadler 34 for 20 plus years.
The foam pads gently touch the hull and sometimes not quite! The fore and aft lines stop the legs going too far out although I do not see a problem if they do move out. The load, such as it is, is taken by the attachment point. I have always been very happy with the set up although drying out the first time is not for those of a nervous disposition!
What sort of boat, keel/keel type do you have, incidentally?

the boat is a seaward 23 with twin engines, the props/rudders do nor appear to be very much shallower than the skeg/keel so i wouldn't like to see it lean over to far, as you say i suspect the first drying out will be the worst and then it will all appear quite normal and i'll hopefully wonder why i worried. The legs are a factory fitted option so i presume they are in the optimum position and will work perfectly
 
Congrats, lovely boats, those Seawards.

Not got much experience of those legs, used them a couple of times. They do look a bit dodgy and I don't trust them all that much but there's loads of boats around with them and you don't hear of any problems.

They're often adjustable in length with a pin through, worth checking they're set at the correct length before you use them.
 
Yacht legs - Great piece of kit used them for 10years home port drying harbour, fin keel H22. It’s the keel that takes the weight, legs just there to provide stability - assuming a relatively hard surface. Just make sure guy ropes are adjusted so leg is plumb upright and guy ropes are tight. I usually checked bottom out first when using them cruising, rather than going in blind drying out.
Leg should be adjusted for length of the leg to be level with the keel or 3" short in my case ( set up on the hard when I first fitted the leg sockets ) - made a note of the letters and numbers of pins, then stowed them shortened ready for use.

I agree it can be a bit nerve racking first time but you soon get to feel comfortable about it.
 
Top