Attachment points for hoisting off trailer

Dec 12, 2019
2
Catalina 22 On a trailer in Sacramento, CA
I just bought a 1978 Catalina 22 project boat. The trailer bunk boards are rotten. The aft end of the port side bunk has oil-canned the hull and caused a horizontal crack about 10 inches right at the water line. I need to lift the boat off the trailer to replace the bunks. I read a lot of posts about using straps to hoist the boat, but I saw one YouTube video where the bow eye bolt and the stern gudgeon were used to lift the boat and flip it upside down.
Does anyone on this forum have experience lifting using these attachment points? Are these attachment points strong enough to support the boat while I pull the trailer out from underneath?
 

greg_m

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May 23, 2017
692
Catalina Jaguar 22 Simons Town
Hi there... Myself and another resto thread lifted and flipped the boat using the bow eye and upper gudgeon. The thing is neither of us had the keel attached at the time.
 
Jan 19, 2010
1,169
Catalina 34 Casco Bay
The best advice is above...float it off.. However, if you are not able to do so the straps should be positioned directly under the aft cabin bulkhead ( where the hatchway is) and forward under the forward bulkhead. If no fwd bulkhead, about halfway between the mast step and the point where the cabin top meets the foredeck.
 
Sep 15, 2016
790
Catalina 22 Minnesota
@CloudDiver has a great resto thread on this as well : Restoration of 1981 C-22 swing keel #10580
Listen to Greg though and remove the keel if your going to do it without floating it. It may be the best way if you have to do hull repairs as well. If you're new to all this I would highly recommend the tech manual from the Catalina 22 association. There is nothing you can do to one of these boats that has not been documented somewhere in the hundreds of pages over the last 50 years of these manuals.
 
Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
Would you trust 3-4 small screws to support your 2000lbs boat and bet your life on it? I definitely would not use the gudgeon. The bow support might be up to the task. I have used automotive jacks to lift a boat on a trailer. How many supports per bunk? A picture would be helpful to determine the best course of action.
 
Sep 15, 2016
790
Catalina 22 Minnesota
Would you trust 3-4 small screws to support your 2000lbs boat and bet your life on it? I definitely would not use the gudgeon. The bow support might be up to the task. I have used automotive jacks to lift a boat on a trailer. How many supports per bunk? A picture would be helpful to determine the best course of action.
Been done many times on many boats just without the keel installed.

 
Sep 24, 2018
2,549
O'Day 25 Chicago
At 550lbs the keel is only 25% of the weight of the boat. I still wouldn't rely on the gudgeon and 1/4" of fiberglass to support ~1500lbs.

A picture of the boat (including crack) and trailer the best course of action. This crack may prevent safely lifting the boat using various techniques
 
Sep 15, 2016
790
Catalina 22 Minnesota
Ok I'll give this one more shot.
Here are the answers to your questions directly as there is a lot of speculation on this forum lately

Does anyone on this forum have experience lifting using these attachment points?
Yes many here have done this and have experience doing it just search the archives.

Are these attachment points strong enough to support the boat while I pull the trailer out from underneath?
Yes they are strong enough provided you have not modified anything and your bow eye is not rotten.

Your bow eye is reinforced in the hull with a wooden block that fits right in the V of the bow. Depending on age this may rot and if so needs replacing regardless. If you have an older boat and the bow reinforcement is not already done to link the forestay chainplate to the bow eye now is the time to make this repair.

The stern gudgeon is reinforced on the inside. your stern is made of about 1/4 inch glass, then 1/2 plywood, glassed in. there is then a brass plate glassed into there which the 4 bolts thread into. If removing a gudgeon use threaded rod or the plate will fall causing you to have to cut through the transom to reinstall as often the glass that held it in place has given way. If lifting the boat by these points I would recommend re-bedding these fittings once done.

Floating the boat is the easiest way but if you are wanting to do this all on land there are many ways to do this. Remove the keel, lift with blocks, use stands, use engine hoists, trees, etc... I believe the tech manual has at least 3 different way that this can be accomplished and Youtube has a number of examples as well. If your going to remove the boat on land save yourself the headache of doing it again a few years and drop your keel, replace the hanging hardware and the cable, inspect your turning ball etc... All of these are regular maintenance items and more easily done with the boat off the trailer.

These boats are only reinforced in a few areas so bunk placement and length is crucial to prevent the oil canning. Again this is referenced in the archives here as well as in the Tech Manual. Having good bunks is crucial to having a successful trailer sailer. The beauty of this boat is that you can hitch it up and just go if your rig is in order and you keep your boat deciently maintained. Many trailer thousands of miles each year with these boats and have no issues with oil canning. If you want local help reach out to Fleet 4 there in Sacramento. They will have a wealth of information and likely even the hands to help you fix whatever you need. C22 sailors are like a family.

I hope this all helps and I would recommend also asking your question on the FB group as most from this forum have migrated that way for a number of reasons.
 

ambler

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Dec 7, 2013
60
catalina 22 11619 Watauga Lake, TN
removing the keel would give you the opportunity to refinish it. My 1984 Cat22 had marble size nodules of rust on it. With a smooth, faired surface I picked 1 knot in top speed, and much better in to the wind performance. Stingy Sailor and others on this forum have excellent write up on refinishing and fairing the keel. Mine had spent all it's life in the water. If your boat spent most of it's life out of the water rust may not be a problem, but you still want to replace the cable, turning ball and hanger bolts
 

AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
...With a smooth, faired surface I picked 1 knot in top speed, and much better in to the wind performance...
An extra knot! I keep putting this task off "just until next year". Maybe I'd better buckle down and do it.
 
Jul 13, 2015
893
Catalina 22 #2552 2252 Kennewick, WA
dang nabbit @ambler : now I have to go get a silly knot meter to see what all that labor has produced (other than callouses) :)
 
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mll

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Oct 17, 2019
23
Catalina 22 Wheeler Lake
Use hydralic auto jacks to lift tailer a foot, lower down on cross braces, remove tailer, then remove keel for refurbishing.
 
Jun 4, 2019
17
Catalina, Newport Catalina 22, Newport 17 Landlocked in NE PA
For everyone saying to float it off... how will that help in repairing the crack at the water line?