Keel blocking location, where??

[US1Fountain]

Bringing my boat home this weekend on a loaned trailer. It'll be resting on keel blocks and stabilized with 6 stands. I'm told to lift it off the trailer at the 'sling' locations, but can't find if the keel blocks should be located at those same spots. The rear most sling location is approx. 4 ft forward of the transom. I'm thinking it should also be blocked at the transom???? I've read where the normal guideline is to be blocked every 10', but haven't read anything about blocking at the sling locations. Looking for advise as time is running out.
Thanks

 

[Sean Stinson]

What kind of boat is it ....3 point it is probably the best way to do it!!!!!

 

[Sean Stinson]

3 Point system is as follows......stand on each outer chine at the transom and a block on the keel somewhere towards the front where ther is a bulkhead you find a bulkhead by banging on the hull and where it feels solid thats your spot make sure you put it far enough forward so if you go in the cabin you wont make it unstable!!! about the same area as the front sling

 

[US1Fountain]

a 290 Baja.

I'm planning on keel blocks at 3 locations as of now, both sling locations and 1 at transom to support the boats full weight.

Plus the 6 stands along the chines for stabilty.

Thanks

 

[fund razor]

3 location and 3 point are two different animals. I think that Sean is recommending 3 point as an even way to distribute the weight.

At my yacht club, we block up a lot of smaller cruisers using 3 point. Two jack stands near the stern at the edge of the chines and one railroad tie on the keel at about what you can the sling point, far enough forward to make the tipping point rearward of it.

 

[Sean Stinson]

you dont need that many.....4 stands at the sling locations and blocks along the keel at the transom, at the engine room bulkhead and the bulkhead where v-berth starts you could still 3 point it and it would be fine unless you're in an earthquake area or extremely high wind area!!!!!

 

[US1Fountain]

Thanks guys. I think I'll go with Seans recommendation above. Sounds like the safest.
The reason of 6 stands was to always have 2/side, so when I need to reposition one to get to the spot where the stands support pad is, I could simply place the 3rd stand next to it and then remove that stand. So basically 4 stands, with 2 extras as floaters. I don't think I'd be very comfortable with a near 10k over my head while I'm underneath doing bottom work with just 1 keel block and 2 stands (3 point). I just wasn't sure about the placement of the keel blocking.

 

[Sydwayz]

Trim it out and just set it down on the ground. I recommend the rope and a tree method.

When it's time to do the other side, just lay it over the other way.

 

[Geronimo36]

When I worked at the marina I used to block 42' Fountains with 3 keel blocks instead of two and 4 jack-stands. If it was triple engines I used 4 blocks with the 4th being at the engine room bulkhead. Usually one keel block at the transom, second near the windshield (bulkhead) and a third near the v-berth (half way from windshield to bow). Two jack-stands on the corners of the stern under the outside chine and the second set up near the windshied adjacent to the keel block. By doing this it didn't interfere with the sling locations and the boat had a lot of support.

Set the boat down on the keel blocks and take a little weight off the slings, install the jack-stands in place, then lower the boat the rest of the way.

always put plywood under the jackstands and keel blocks..... believe me...I was inside a boat once when it fell over....ran up the high side as it was falling and jumped out of the boat... :willy_nilly:



If you want to move jack-stands just have an extra one lying around and when you need to move one take the extra one and temporarily put it in place and lower the one you want to move.

PS, I don't miss being a "yard ni&&er"

 

[Geronimo36]

Trim it out and just set it down on the ground. I recommend the rope and a tree method.

When it's time to do the other side, just lay it over the other way.

That's "sorta" how I blueprinted the bottom on my Scarab!!!

 

[US1Fountain]

always put plywood under the jackstands and keel blocks....

It's going to be on a concrete floor. I assume the plywood is for when on grass, so not applicable here?

 

[Audiofn]

If you are on concrete you will be fine. make sure you tie your stands together with a chain preferably so that if they do try and kick out to the side they will not go far.

 

[Geronimo36]

It's going to be on a concrete floor. I assume the plywood is for when on grass, so not applicable here?

Should be good so long as you don't care about marking up the floor. the plywood may also give the metal jackstand legs some "grip" on the concrete. We used to cut 8" 3/4 ply squares for the jack stands

the plywood is a must for all soft surfaces, including pavement.

when the boat that I was on fell over they had just put the boat down on a cradle. The forklift operator was in a rush and forgot to put plywood and a 2X6 under the foot of the cradle and I was also in a rush so I didn't double check his work and the 4" foot went right thru the pavement.

The jump over the high-side of the boat was every bit of 8 ft and it f'ing scared the chit out of me!!! I was winterizing an engine when it happened and something just didn't feel right and when I looked at the boat next to me I realized it was going over....:willy_nilly::willy_nilly:

the chain is a good suggestion as well, especially on concrete since it can slide out. It's not so critical on a v-bottom but it's a must for jackstands on sailboats!

 

[US1Fountain]

Got it done. It's a little nerve wrecking seeing it in the air with just the 4 hyd jacks.

 

[Sean Stinson]

Got it done. It's a little nerve wrecking seeing it in the air with just the 4 hyd jacks.

Those are yard arm jacks, if thats what you are using you are golden!! Dont worry about anything I have used those many, many times....actually you could use the 3 point system with 2 of those jacks on the back and a block towards the front you are fine dont be nervous!!!!! I thought you were using the stands that spin the pad out adjust height!!!!!

Dont trip potato chip its all good in the hood!!!!!!:sifone::sifone:

 

[Ratickle]

I'll tell you about nerve wracking......


I took the boat off of the stands and lowered it on a trailer I had built for it. Did it by using the stands and two hydraulic jacks.....

I'd hve to remove the stands every time there was a cross brace in the way on the trailer. Then, when I got it all the way forward, lower it onto the trailer by lowering the stands .

Somtimes I was between the boat and trailer. Knew I would be cut in half if it slipped off a stand......:ack2:

 

[Sean Stinson]

Re-looking at the photo if you are using the orange jacks to sit the boat on....make sure, as audiofn states, that you chain the stands together under the boat to keep them from slipping out!!!!

 

[US1Fountain]

Yeah, those Yard Arms are the cats meow. Those were just to do the lifting and lowering. It's sitting a 3 sets of keel blocks and am using 6 of the screw stands for stability. I am going to get some chain tonight. Better safe than sorry. Right now it's solid as a rock, but I'll be pulling the motors, so I want it staying put while the motors are being tossed around.
Thanks for advise all!