Yacht Legs

[Niord]

Any body know any thing about Yacht Legs?
Yacht Legs Company
They look strong and well engineered but expensive
I am considering fitting a pair to a 38 ft long keel yacht.
Useful I hope in Brittany.

 

[tugboat]

I have a set that came with my boat. I have them rigged in the yard as backup to the yard's pit props. They are very well made, but quite heavy and even when taken apart they take up a lot of locker space. The materials used look to be very durable. The foot plate at the bottom of each leg has a rubber button underneath to prevent slippage (which shows forethought) but if I knew the bottom I wanted to dry out on was a bit soft I think I would try to enlarge the footprint somewhat. I haven't used mine afloat yet, so can't give you experienced comment.

 

[jeanne]

My mate Jimmy has had a set for twenty years, and they are still going.
He has had to replace the fitting that bolts to the boat, as it had corroded ( perhaps galvanic corrosion, on a ferro cement hull). They have a height adjustment which is useful on uneven ground, and there is certain amount of spring in them. This is great if there is any swell as you settle down, but legs are not normally used if there is any chance of a swell, as there is no spring built into your keel.
On the other hand, when he bought his legs twenty years ago, for several hundred pounds, I had a set made in pine by a local shipwright, for fifty quid, and they are still OK, too!

 

[MedMan]

They are a superb product designed by an engineer and built to a very high specification. I have had a pair for 20 years and other than a bit of surface pitting there is not a mark on them. There is not a lot of opportunity for drying out down here in the Med but I use them when out on the hard whenever the yard uses only pit-props.

 

[PaulR]

had yacht legs on our freedom 35-great bit of kit- well made and once used once found completely happy about drying out on them - also used in winter layup - no hesitation in recommending them (mind you freedom had long keel and only drew 3'6")

 

[Niord]

Thanks for replies. They sound a well built bit of kit .....
But I see from the price list that they have a maximum weight of boat of 9 tons- in cruising trim my 39ft boat weighs about 12 ton ( at a guess) (9 tons quoted in the brochure)
I have emailed yacht legs co. to see if they do an uprated version. I guess that the attatchment point is the weakest area - the legs should only act in compression and they look very strong.
Anybody used them on a heavy long keel yacht?
Thanks

 

[Guest]

They mention up to 25 tons here: http://www.yachtlegs.co.uk/adjustable.asp

 

[tugboat]

Their ad in the back of PBO also says 'for vessels up to 25 tons'

 

[Niord]

Too true - I must learn to read ALL the sales brochure. I will contact tem and see