Installing a Clinometer .... what's level

[Scott B]

I'm looking to install a clinometer this spring, but what do I use as an accurate level point. My boat has deisel and holding tanks on opposite sides and rarely is sitting perfectly level with full deisel and empty holding.

I was thinking of installing it above the companionway, taking some measurements and using that as a level line, but is that accurate enough?

 

[Roger Long]

is that accurate enough?

For what? You don't need an inclinometer except for the wow factor when sailing with guests. I would align it with the most visible reference point which is probably the companionway slide.

If your boat is like mine and many others, once you start measuring carefully, you'll find that there are about half a dozen "level" references you could use.

I took mine off as soon as the kids stopped being impressed by it.

 

[Scott B]

More curiousity than anything. These Hunters tend to sail faster when flatter. I can guess at the angle but more from interest sake what angle I'm at. As a DIY woodworker/carpenter/renovator I'm anal about "level".

 

[Bob Poff]

Level

You could lay a carpenters level across the cockpit.
Or maybe a 2x4 with the level on top.

Then move stuff, or people to trim the boat level.

Then attach the clinometer with it showing 0 degrees.

 

[jacksam]

Installing a Clinometer
Scott here is a picture of my clinometer. I leveled with the companionway slide. I made the rash judgement that that was level for my boat
Jack

 

[Bob V]

Scott, we have similar experience and probably tools.

Take your laser level (or water level) to the marina and set it up on the dock. Make sure that your boat is loaded normally with everything except the "moveable ballast". With that setup you can make a couple of tick marks across the companionway or where ever works best for you. Be certain to stand on the center line of the boat while you make these reference marks and don't have one pocket full of change and the other side empty or it will skew your results. It would also help if you remove the docklines which add weight to only one side and be certain that it is a windless day.

Of course, like has been said before "It really doesn't matter". I judge amount of heel by the expression on the admiral's face and at excessive degrees of heel the audio alarm kicks in.

I had a nice set of insturments (clock and barometer) on my last boat that had a built-in inclinometer with a bubble in a curved tube. They are Weam's & Plath brand and really look great. They do not however match the finish in my present boat so they are now in my home and I assure you they are mounted PERFECTLY level. If I ever get a reading other than 0 degrees on them I am going to pay attention since I live on a pile of sand in an earthquake zone with my floor at 10 ft msl.

 

[Calif. Ted]

I'd think if you used a "water level" with an end on each side of the boat and drew a line between them it would be as anal, I mean level, as you could get.

 

[Dick McKee]

I like KISS, keep it simple ..... No production boat, or for that matter no custom one off boat, is absolutely square and symetrical. Try measuring from the center of your mast 90 degrees to one toe rail and then the other. You'll probably be suprised. I use a small level and set the clinometer to true level. It accomplishes 2 things. You read the boats true angle from level, and as you add things to the boat you can tell where to put them to keep the boat truely level.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I fully concur

with Roger.

 

[Scott B]

Bob, I guess I could assume the Stainless track for the sliding cover should be close and put the bubble level across to use as a reference. Might also help me balance the boat a little better once I install the new set of batteries.


Jacksam.... I don't know if you're levelling with me ...... no pic


Bob V, I usually use the sound of people and the dog sliding off the cockpit seats that we're getting a little far over. I'm pennyless trying to pay for this thing, so loose change in mty pocket is not a factor and we have four way tie-off, however, lines are different lengths, I could calculate the weight of each line etc.....


Dick, good ideas, I don't doubt the boat is not symetrical and given the experience with the riggers that put up the mast, I have a suspicion that it's not vertical either. Some good ideas on checking it though. thanks.

 

[Capt. Kermie]

I used a couple of regular carpenters levels to install mine exactly in the center of the companionway sliding hatch where I could see it at all times from all positions. The manufacturer recommends heeling no further than 20-25 degrees, beyond that is inefficient and only slows the boat down so I tend to want to follow that advice. Yes there is a bit of WoW factor involved in knowing your heeling angle in high winds but it is not something that is impressive or wears off but moreso to understand the limits of your boat and yourself. There are a few different designs, some that only read up to 30 degrees and others that read up to 50 degrees or higher. I believe mine reads up to 50 degrees. I have yet to become un-interested in the the accurate knowledge of heeling angle and I monitor it all the time.

What Dick said is very relavent too, especially if you have two gas tanks, one port and one starboard. When loading for a long weekend cruise it helps to know where to position provisions to keep the boat level and when to switch gas tanks to keep them equal. I hate cruising a listing boat.

 

[tsmwebb]

I was thinking of installing it above the companionway, taking some measurements and using that as a level line, but is that accurate enough?

There's a "chicken or egg" issue here. All this stuff wrt water levels and lasers assumes the boat is level in the yard or water when you install the meter... But why would that be? How do you define it? While the posters who note that boats are not four square are right, boats are generally built as close to upright as they will ever be. I'd just take a reading off the bridge deck or some other flat surface near the centerline and declare it zero degrees. Unless you're using a really big clinometer you'll be w/in the instrument error anyway.

In short, yes, I think that would be accurate enough.

--Tom.

 

[Scott B]

Tom, I could use the water level to check the "level" the boat and check it against measurements assumed as zero.

This discussion has also given me some more good ideas to check the verticalness of the mast.

 

[tsmwebb]

Tom, I could use the water level to check the "level" the boat and check it against measurements assumed as zero.

Certainly. But, what on the boat would you assume was zero? If you're enjoying the challenge of the thing that's cool; I don't want to discourage you from your fun. But, you can go round and round on this. You're probably making more of a deal with this than the builder did when he set-up the frames for the molds... Remember you're attempting to align an instrument that probably can't be relied on to notice 2.5 degrees of error anyway. FWIW, the "human factor" will be people looking at the nearest built in horizontal line to the clinometer and if they see it isn't parallel they'll think the instrument is out of whack...

--Tom.

 

[Mike B]

I'm with Roger just square it off with the edge of the companionway. No need to balance the boat or any of that sort of thing. The boat was built sitting on land using a level frame wasn't it? So if the companionway is square so will be the edge of the clinometer. From that point on it will be as accurate as you need it to be. As for the use of it, I don't have one and only worry about my angle of heel when motor sailing. Every engine mfg has their own specs on how far your can heel without causing oil pick up issues. I don't like to push my luck starving critical parts of oil. If I'm just sailing I worry about the feel of the helm and speed of the boat. If I'm trucking at hull speed and the helm has a nice feel it doesn't matter to me how hard I'm heeled over.
Mike

 

[Dick McKee]

Soctt...I usually don't wade into discussions like this, but what the heck here goes. Actually your mast is probably not vetical fore and aft. Our 470 is raked 3 degrees aft. I square a mast from side to side by using the main halyard. Pull it tight to one point on the beam and to the same point on the other beam. Once you have adjusted your rigging to where that is even, measure each of your aft stays and get them even. This procedure will "square" your mast to the boat weather its "level" or not.

 

[garylinger]

The "clinometer" is its own level....at 0 degrees it is level. Just install it when/while the boat is at its natural/normal state of loading/floating. Afterall, you are wanting to measure its degree of heel, not what the levelness of the rest of the universe is.

 

[letterman]

Remember, if it is not level your boat will tip over and sink! No, the real story is you have a boat that was destined for the Southern Hemisphere. See, the magnetic fluctuation "pulls" diffewrently in either hemisphere. Sorry to say I have the same thing. My boat was destined for Sau Paulo Brazil and got shipped to Cleveland by mistake. Course, you could take it to the Naval Degauzing station near Norfolk and have that done to it. Then, it would sit up straight...

 

[Calif. Ted]

So, it might be more accurate to use a plumb bob on the centerline to establish vertical then mount your inclinometer so you can adjust it to each days load of goods and people as determined by the plumb bob.

 

[Bill Roosa]

other WOW stuff

I have had inclinometers and they are handy to see small changes in heel after going for a cool beverage..... use it as a reference for changes and not so much the absolute heel angle.
One of the more obscure uses I found for it was its ability to instantaniously tell me how far that squall line wind gust tipped the boat. You usually don't have the presence of mind to compare the boat to the horizon when suddenly going beyond 50 degrees of heel. Especially when she is continuing to increase heel. Now I know that when the inclinometer pegs out at 50 degrees I have to change from standing on the cockpit sole to standing on the locker sides. :dance: I can also expect the immediate appearance of the
Admiral in the companionway with the 'moon-pie' eyes. Pretty handy.