How to Scare your neighbors

[pclarksurf]

Seriously wish I could have captured the eyes wide open stares that I got from folks driving by this weekend

Wanted to post a brief note for those using or wanting to use boat stands as a means to remove the trailer or significantly raise the boat from the trailer. I used 5 total boat stands: 2 for the stern, 2 on either side of the leading edge of the keel pocket and one on the bow. Despite the look -- the stability was great, allowed me to get in the cockpit and work and best of all was the timing. I was able to completely remove the trailer by myself in about an hour ( and I took my time to be cautious), and reinsertion of the trailer was even less time. (probably because I had figured out the routine).

For those without a lift (me included), I use a 4x6x8 across two boat stands and use them as a jack to clear the bunk boards-- trailer slides out from there with a small mid trailer lift when the trailer tires reach the stands. I swap the beam for the Keel Support and then add the bow support.

I made some caps for the boat stand that would give me a better grab on the beam and would not allow for any slipping by the beam relative to the stand tops.

I have the added challenge due to HOA restrictions that I cannot leave her this way for more than a weekend-- Everytime I need access I have to have a relatively quick way of getting the trailer gone... my work done... and put everything back in the storage yard a block away.

 

[kclancy]

I think your system of putting the boat up on the stands from the trailer would make a very informative video. I'm still trying the get my mind around how folks are doing this. =)

 

[pclarksurf]

interesting idea-- I might just do that in short sequences and stitch them together next time I have to pull her off. I too have had to go from an all day event down to the current routine by trial and error. The visual learners our there (myself included) like to see everything live and in concert.

 

[Gene Neill]

I'm genuinely impressed. I don't suppose you have any more pics taken during the trailer-removal process?

Mostly I'm curious about this part:

For those without a lift (me included), I use a 4x6x8 across two boat stands and use them as a jack to clear the bunk boards-- trailer slides out from there with a small mid trailer lift when the trailer tires reach the stands.

 

[flynhi4u]

I did basically the same thing using home made stands. I used a 4x6x12 with a long ram bottle jack to raise the bow off the trailer after I lowered the trailer tongue all the way to the ground with a floor jack to get the stern as high as possible. Once the stern was in the air I put the jacks under the stern then raised the trailer tongue back up, slid the 4x6 under the bow, blocked up on one side clear of the trailer wheels, then jacked up the other side till it was above the trailer, slide the trailer out, then insert the other stands. I am down to 20 mins to remove or putting the boat back on the trailer.

Sam

 

[pclarksurf]

As usual I always forget to take a break and take photos- seem to have the beginnings and endings of everything.... but-- I think you can see the drill from a series that I took the day before as part of a test before the real thing:

Step 1 of course is lowering the tongue jack to get the stern high. I have a new 1500 pound double wheel jack by RAM

Step 2 with the nose dropped to the jack lower limit-- I place the stern pads: the 12"x12" jack pad is overhanging the stern by about 2" -- puts the bulk of the pad dead center on the joint. You can see that the bow is just clear and I have staged the 4x6x8 under the bow.

And Jump back to the front: front stands are straddling the trailer-- here I have them placed a bit too inboard for the test run-- I centered the beam and pulled the stands to the edge of the beam during the lift.

And here begins the dilemma for everyone without a hoist:

the trailer substrate is essentially an aft facing T -- the front bunk support at the top and the 8' tongue extension (and of course mine is rusted shut so I can't get it out of the way yet...soon, but not yet). The forward most bow stand in this picture was an abject fail-- you can't (without a really bad angle that I did not want to replicate) get that stand in line with the bow and get out of the way of the tongue extension.

The fix was to lose it-- skip the bow stand at this juncture, and continue to raise the beam until the bunkboards would clear by passing under. From here I could just pull the unweighted trailer up until the wheel wells met the stands (and yes I think a 12' beam would be more than strong enough and the whole thing would roll out in one motion-- but alas I have 8 footers handy and well... I've spent enough money this season already ).

So imagine the trailer now with the wheels snug up to the front stands-- now I can bring back the v shaped bow stand (the T is no longer an impediment as it has passed nicely by to the right of this picture). Grab the weight on the bow (now a three point stance bow+2 stern stands), pull the beam and relocate the stands sans the beam to the front of the keel pocket (trailer axle has also cleared and given me the room to place the stands). Trailer now moves the rest of the way forward.

Here is a better look at the perspective of where the wheel well has to come forward to catch up with the stands:

And a close up from Port to emphasize why the center stand did me no favors with the trailer tongue still in the way-- no clearance on the center line and the jack nut was barely clearing:

And one last angle that really shows that it's only a few inches from here before the trailer can get better than 1/2 way out under the beam-- I did for the sake of overkill put the V shaped stand back in everytime I could for extra support-- I moved it back in when the frame cross beam cleared and until the axle got close-- then moved it out and back in again when the trailer was clear. With an extra hand I might have skipped all that, but I'm also massaging the trailer on a slope single handed and was suspended in the 3 point stance a bit longer. Adding the bow suport back gave me more time to not rush it.

and in the foreground here is a look at the 15"x12" piece of ply I added with blocks on the bottom and braces on the top to keep the beam in constant contact with the jack stand. I also used a level as I jacked each side up and only allowed myself to get a 1/2 bubble out of level before switching sides.

 

[Gene Neill]

I think a 12' beam would be more than strong enough and the whole thing would roll out in one motion

That part right there is what I always wondered about, and @flynhi4u confirms having done it. Awesome.

Thanks for taking the time to post all those pics and essplain the process so simply even I could understand it. I have no need for the knowledge right at this moment, but life is long and the day will come.

My own efforts in the past, using concrete blocks in lieu of boat jacks, were extremely laborious and terrifyingly unsafe. Let's just say, the blocks didn't want to hold still. At all. I was only trying to replace the bunk boards, so the trailer didn't have to come out from under the boat, but I still gave up in fear for life and limb. I had to take the whole rig to a trailer place, where I got pretty savagely prison raped. As in, $700 bucks, and I provided the boards and the hardware!

 

[Rusty Keel]

great step by step. I'm gong to try this this winter to clean and polish my hull as well as do some trailer work. Got any tips on where to get jacks/stands for a reasonable price?

 

[SFS]

great step by step. I'm gong to try this this winter to clean and polish my hull as well as do some trailer work. Got any tips on where to get jacks/stands for a reasonable price?

Keep an eye out on Craigslist.

 

[flynhi4u]

Your stands are nicer than mine. If you use a 12' 4x6 make sure you keep the long side vertical as that is its strength axis. If you use a pressure treated one it will probably bow a bit depending on how heavy your bow is.
I have removed our boat from the trailer 3 times this way. I do it by myself and haven't had any issues yet. Level concrete is a big plus!

Sam

 

[pclarksurf]

@Gene Neill -- my pleasure. Part of my motivation was seeing a few threads on wobbly car jacks and cinder blocks and someone's going to have a really really bad day for no reason. I love the fact that each one those stands is rated at 20,000 pounds! Ridiculous perhaps, but that's a safety factor I can learn to love.

My prison time may be coming I have to take the trailer to the professionals to break the tongue extension free-- pray for me......

 

[flynhi4u]

Have you tried soaking the tongue with PB Blaster or other product then chaining the trailer to a tree and using your tow vehicle to pull the extension out? Just make sure you pull the pins on the extension first and wrap the chain around a strong part of the trailer. If you can get some penetrating oil in there and it does it's job it should come free. If that fails the torch may be required to heat it up and help it slide out.

Sam

 

[pclarksurf]

make sure you keep the long side vertical as that is its strength axis.
Sam

Completely agree-- the longer you stretch that chord the vertical axis of the beam will certainly be needed. On 8' I didn't get any deflection on the point load but on 12' center I wouldn't take the chance.

 

[flynhi4u]

You can also use a one pound flat hammer to hit the four sides of the tongue to help break the rust bond. You want to hit as flat as you can, on all four sides, all the way down the part that is frozen.

Sam

 

[pclarksurf]

@Rusty Keel

No advertisement here but I purchased the silver (galvanized) stands from here: http://www.scaffoldmart.com/marinemart/boat-stands

Good transaction, shipping hurts a bit-- but that was my problem not theirs. My Brownel stands I picked up used from craigslist-- @SFS is spot on. I picked up 4 for 40 bucks a piece. The specs are here:
http://boatstands.com/?gclid=CJekla6C-c8CFYUxaQodFr0LQw

Also some excellent videos found above that will give you good advice and tutorials.

 

[Gene Neill]

They'll be all over Craigslist for $25 apiece ... just as soon as you don't need them anymore.

 

[flynhi4u]

I will take 6 at 25 when you see them Gene. Thanks in advance

Sam

 

[Gene Neill]

LOL, I'll keep an eye out! I seriously did see a dozen of them on CL down in Tampa for that price, a year or so ago. Rusty, but serviceable. Probably could have bought them all for $20 each. The guy just wanted them gone.

 

[flynhi4u]

Another reason sailing in Indiana sucks. Beside the fact the wind doesn't blow until we have to pull out the last day of September we hardly ever see boat jack stands for sale on CL.
BTW, the has blown pretty much non stop since Oct 1st, ugh...

Sam

 

[ShotgunSlim]

Other helpful tips from a guy who has done this before: dig a hole under the trailer tongue jack if you can to get the rear of the trailer just a few more inches higher. Use a pair of 55 gallon metal drums filled with water to place the beam for the stern of your boat. I used 6x6x12' beams and had no bending or warping issues. I made 2 cinder block towers and used another 6x6x12' beam to block up the bow of the boat so I could slide the trailer out and lastly, you can always remove the wheels from your trailer and roll it out from under the boat on the hubs if you need just another couple of inches. I did all the above back when I barrier coated my boat in the backyard on fairly level ground.