Hey All,
Need some input from those with some know-how/experience.
THE SITUATION: I have a boat. It’s 17′ long, weighs approx 650#. It’s in my garage (standard 2 car size, boat only on half – other half full of stuff).
THE MISSION (Should I decide to accept it): I need to hoist the boat up to get the trailer out from under it and do some bottom work. Method of lifting will be two 6″ straps under the boat (cross ways) with each end of each strap having a block and tackle – that’s 4 block and tackles total.
THE QUESTION: Would U bolts (big ones) attached to spreaders between the 2×4 rafters(or are they called trusses?) be sufficient to lift the weight? Each attachment point would only be subject to approx 162.5# (650/4). Alternatively, I was thinking of building a frame of 4×4’s that measures 8.5′ wide by 13′ long and use the ends as gantrys on which to attach the blocks.
I think I’d prefer the rafter/truss method (less work, less cost, no big wood frame to contend with), but really would prefer not to have to sweep my garage roof up off the floor this weekend! Can’t imagine all those roof beams would be good for the boat either…
So, what are your thoughts? Would appreciate any input – otherwise, I’ll have to sit around watching football this weekend – and that would really suck….Seriously, thanks in advance for your thoughts!
War Eagle! (For my fellow Auburn fans!)
Ethan
Replies
Ethan,
Boss Hog might disagree here, but in my youth, we used to pull motors by running a length of Pipe resting on the bottom chord of the trusses and then dropping a strap through the drywall. We always ran it over several trusses (about 10 feet) to distribute the load and tied it down. I would guess for this light load a 6' 4X4 nailed off to the trusses above where you want to lift that would do the trick very nicely. I would be hesitant to run any sort of an eye hook into the truss in case you do get it off center and there isn't enough meat left to hold really well. You don't want to find that out the hard way. If you can get into the attic, this trick would be safer.
Steve
Thanks Steve - I in fact do have attic access to the ceiling above the lifting area. Hadn't thought of spanning more than 2 rafters with 4x4/pipe - thanks for the thought!
If this boat has bow and stern eyes, that's what is typically used to hoist 'em. A three point affair, so bow would see double projected weight. Those points are the strongest part of most small boats, save the keel. What is this critter?
A cherry picker can be rigged to lift the bow. A short sling, to eye and around nose on either side. Rest it on something like drums or blocks once trailer's out. If you've got three cherry pickers, it's in the bag!
Lifted many a boat in prior life.
Gut tells me rafter loading would be ok for short time, but I'm not the one too ask on that front. Easy to say "sure" when it's not my garage!
It's a Boston Whaler 5.2 - ever hear of it? Most people are surprised to learn that BW made sailboats for a period in the 70-80's. Great boat - but this one was bought cheaply as a "project boat" and I need to get to work!
I like the cherry picker idea, but it's not feasible here because I plan to flip the boat in its slings and lower it bottom up onto a rolling cradle - that way I can work on it outside and roll it into the garage between sessions.
Thanks for the thoughts Peter!
Tricky part is support. It's easy to forget that the hull "girder" is designed to be supported its entire length by water. That's why most trailers have long runners to support the hull across a longer length.
Long runners, obviously, interfere with "bottom work." But then, so does football <g>.
So, the "trick" of it is getting the straps at just the right spots so the hull does not want to sag in the middle. That presumes that the lifting point above is suitable--I had some neighbors lower the carport into their car once.
Given the choice, I like to use four "falls" rigged together to make a continuous fall--that allows you to raise & lower from either end, something that can become very needful after the fact . . .
Sure, a sailboat of that size should be no problem. I used to lift a Sunfish that way (300-400 lb, maybe) using a pretty wimpy block and tackle.
For the larger boat I'd suggest two things:
1) Span the ceiling joists as has been suggested, so you bear on more than one at each end, and/or make ties (a 1x6, securely nailed, maybe glued) from the attach point of the joist up to the rafter above so that some of the weight is transferred to the rafter.
2) Get yourself a cheap manual trailer winch, and attach it somewhere so you can use a pulley system to lift the boat with the winch. For the Whaler you probably would want to still use block&tackle to gain some mechanical advantage, but the winch will make it MUCH easier. (For the Sunfish I just used B&T, but it was really a chore to lift the thing.)
Be sure to add security chains when the thing is lifted, so there's no risk of something coming untied or slipping.
(A buddy of mine has a Boston Whaler sailboat -- got it about the time I traded the Sunfish up for a Luger Leeward.)
get 4 200 pound guys and each one hang from where you want to hang your boat straps. If its no problem then go for it.
since you are from auburn, I would not try it.
Roll Tide.
Q: How do you get a Tide fan off your porch?
A: Just pay for the dang pizza!
Q: What do Auburn and the moon have in common?
A: They both control the Tide...
All in good fun, Dan....should be a good Aub-AL game this year!
I've got a little Rolly Tasker, Hong Kong class...I get it off the trailer onto 4 hay bales...then I get my son an three of his buddies to flip it...costs 4 sammiches, then they hammer me for the reflip<G> Don't worry, we can fix that later!
Can you remove the keel? Is it a drop keel like a dagger board or a swing keel? If it's weighted, it might be as much as 200 pounds. If you could get that out, you'd have no worries at all except that if you intend to roll it over, at some point the weight will be taken on only two lifts.
My boat is 16', and 600 pounds if the flotation was dry. My swing keel weighs 200# and can be removed from below by taking out 4 screws.
Ron