Ideas for boat maintenance area

Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,669
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
I'm on my club's committee to upgrade our boat maintenance area and I need ideas for what would be great to have. Currently we have an area with power and water. Once we remove some trees and overhanging branches we will have enough room for at least 3 boats placed side-by-side. I only know what I want but would love input on what would be good for others to have to be able to maintain their boats.
I need a lift to get my H260 off its trailer and onto jackstands. Which means we need a lift and jackstands. We have boats that are up to 34' long in our club so they are substantially heavier than mine. What lift that is somewhat movable would y'all recommend?
We've also talked about the best surface for the work area. Right now it's just hard-packed gravel and sand. I can't help but think concrete or asphalt would be best but I don't know. What do y'all think?
Honestly, I don't know what other questions to ask. So please chime in with any ideas you may have. Thanks!
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I'm not sure the nature of your club, but having an area (and the ability!) where you could lift you boats and work on them would be a huge extravagance for most clubs. The cost of a mobile lift, the area to use it in, the the insurance required to allow members to work on boats there would be prohibitive to most. What is driving the need to be able to lift boats? What are you thinking about doing there?

We have a self-service crane to launch boats; if you time it right you can leave it in the air long enough for VC-17 to dry. Or a power wash. But not much else.
 
kito

kito

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Sep 13, 2012
2,011
1979 Hunter Cherubini 30 Clemmons
That's what I was thinking too Jackdaw. It must be a pretty upscale boat club to even consider a boat lift. Heck, on Lake Norman in NC, there is only one boat lift on the entire lake!
 
Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,669
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Thanks for the quick response. Great thoughts and great questions. Our club has approximately 130 members. Some dingy racers and some cruisers. We recently sold some property at a profit and now are faced with having to spend the money within 3 years or pay capital gains tax. The maintenance area project is #3 on the list. We have money but not unlimited money.
Right now members contract with the local guy of their choice if a boat needs to be taken to the maintenance area. Several members have large trailers for keelboats that can be either used for the project of pulled out from under the boat. We have a 110' concrete ramp so depth is not a problem for deeper-keeled boats. We don't need a crane to get the boats out of the water as long as the appropriate trailer is available. Crazy Dave has told me that trying to use one of those for moving my boat just 200 yards or so would be dangerous since I don't have a keel.
No one on the board of stewards has mentioned liability issues. Thanks for mentioning that. As far as I know our club has liability insurance but I don't know the extent of what is covered. I'll have to check more into that. Dang I hope that doesn't kill the lift idea.
Thanks again for your response. I will share all responses with the other guy on the committee so we can continue on appropriately.
 
Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,669
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
kito said:
That's what I was thinking too Jackdaw. It must be a pretty upscale boat club to even consider a boat lift. Heck, on Lake Norman in NC, there is only one boat lift on the entire lake!
Click to expand
I don't think we're talking about a travelift. Just something to help lift the boat off the trailer onto jackstands. The word a-frame has come up from time-to-time.
 
kito

kito

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Sep 13, 2012
2,011
1979 Hunter Cherubini 30 Clemmons
Kermit said:
I don't think we're talking about a travelift. Just something to help lift the boat off the trailer onto jackstands. The word a-frame has come up from time-to-time.
Click to expand
Oh...ok. You would have to have a ramp setup for a travel lift anyway.
 
Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,669
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
kito said:
Oh...ok. You would have to have a ramp setup for a travel lift anyway.
Click to expand
I'm pretty sure I've left out additional information that will help with y'all's answers. Thanks for your patience and your help!
 
Jackdaw

Jackdaw

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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Yes A-frames. The trick is you mention two competing priorities; the ability to use it on big boats, and the ability to MOVE it. These things get heavy.

Here is an A-frame holding up BlueJ at our local yard. They use it for bottom work. Probably good for 10,000 lbs. They NEVER move the thing, they bring boats in one at a time.

 
kito

kito

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Sep 13, 2012
2,011
1979 Hunter Cherubini 30 Clemmons
How about a hydraulic trailer? You can float your boat onto the hydraulic trailer and then setup up your jackstands anywhere. The guy that moved my sailboat to my backyard for renovation said he paid $45k for his used one ;) You could rent it out and do some boat moving on the side to help pay for it. I didn't think backing them into the water was a good idea but he says he's been doing it a long time.
 
Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
I would suggest paying for a site plan for a commercial operation with the required utilities and an office that could be bid out to interested small businesses. You provided the site under lease, they equip it, co-insure the club, bond for environmental damages, and offer discount to membership, take on commercial business within reason. If you find someone willing and capable to do the deal the club builds out the site and the vendor provides the lift and equipment as part of their business plan. You continue to control and regulate the installation. If you can't find an interested party you build out what minimum you need and keep looking.
 
Ken Cross

Ken Cross

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Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
Paved work surface so you can control the bottom paint to keep it out of the environment.

Compressed air.

Pressure washer.

A tent frame with a mast slot that could be used to tent off a boat for grinding/sanding to keep the dust out of the bright work next door.

Mast raising system

Ken
 
Parsons

Parsons

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Jul 12, 2011
1,165
Leopard 40 Jupiter, Florida
What do your members say is their plan for do-it-yourself, or even contracted work at the club? On the hard, I would guess the most common things are all below the waterline: (1) bottom prep & paint; (2) rudder and prop pulling; (3) through-hull maintenance. It's more of a pain to go topsides than to do that work in a slip. I think Ken's ideas are pretty good, and +1 to having a gin pole for mast raising without paying the local contractor.

Sorry if I've asked before, but where is Lake Murray? Do you winter in the water or on the hard? If you have the land and ability, I'd go for some out of water storage space, rather than maintenance space, to save everyone money.
 
Davidasailor26

Davidasailor26

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May 17, 2004
5,641
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Ken Cross said:
Paved work surface so you can control the bottom paint to keep it out of the environment.

Compressed air.

Pressure washer.
Click to expand
Good ideas, but you may need to do some research into environmental regulations. I know of marinas in two different areas that were required to install drainage systems at significant expense to keep the pressure wash runoff out of the ground.
 
Kermit

Kermit

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Jul 31, 2010
5,669
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Parsons said:
What do your members say is their plan for do-it-yourself, or even contracted work at the club? On the hard, I would guess the most common things are all below the waterline: (1) bottom prep & paint; (2) rudder and prop pulling; (3) through-hull maintenance. It's more of a pain to go topsides than to do that work in a slip. I think Ken's ideas are pretty good, and +1 to having a gin pole for mast raising without paying the local contractor.

Sorry if I've asked before, but where is Lake Murray? Do you winter in the water or on the hard? If you have the land and ability, I'd go for some out of water storage space, rather than maintenance space, to save everyone money.
Click to expand
Basically the plan is to make it easier for members to do work that needs to be done on the hard. Lake Murray is in South Carolina. The lake never freezes. (We have blistering hot summers, though.) No one pulls their boat for storage just because it's winter.
We have an effective mast-raising system that is so good, another member and I had to pull the mast down into place once it was above the step. Not a heavy mast but I was impressed nevertheless.
I doubt the board of stewards would go for having a private firm permanently based on our property. They might but I'd be surprised.
Thanks!
 
JamesG161

JamesG161

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Feb 14, 2014
7,757
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
Kermit said:
So please chime in with any ideas you may have.
Click to expand
ESSENTIALS FIRST...
Cold beer on tap
Music player for Sailing ditties
Outdoor Grill
Picnic tables
Roofed area for "out of rain" party
Bulletin Board for Posting "Brags"
Port-A-Potty
Jim...
 
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Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
Kermit said:
I doubt the board of stewards would go for having a private firm permanently based on our property. They might but I'd be surprised.
Click to expand
Having an operator alleviates the Board of Stewards from having to police their sloppy, haphazard members, and / or field calls from persnickety membership to "do something" about same. It also provides structure and oversight to the use of the maintenance area, including proper management of hazardous materials, waste, and activity. I know it is South Carolina, but at some point if you are using paint and solvents, operating machinery, you are going to get a visit from an inspector. That is when someone needs to produce the "Management Plan". Yuck, rather go sailing... Would also generate revenue for the club.
 
RobertLangdirect

RobertLangdirect

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Apr 22, 2009
342
Pearson P-31 Quantico
Wow. Maybe we can consider having the club bid out the service?

Boat haulers give us a price per foot or a variance per foot and weight, and for one year or two, He gets all the business based on the competitive schedule. His mobile trailer can back in, lift, haul out and place on boat stands. (With hydraulic trailer you do not need travel lift to pick the boat,)

The lift is on his insurance. At end of contract, renegotiate via competitive bid.

Just a thought.
 
RobertLangdirect

RobertLangdirect

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Apr 22, 2009
342
Pearson P-31 Quantico
kito said:
Oh...ok. You would have to have a ramp setup for a travel lift anyway.
Click to expand
Ramp is easy to build with pilings. But having a travel lift is the issue for most "clubs" as the club is not a marina, that is, member ran and not a full time job with volunteer labor.

That said, last year a A-1 working lift sold for pennies at an auction. Why no working MARINA on Lake Murray bought it, I do not know. There is NO LIFT on the lake, that is Lake Murray.
 
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