O'Day 40 Blocking / Cradle Plan

[DonEvans]

So went to the marina today to find they dont have any availble stands to rent this season and got thinking it would be better to have a cradle anyways.....and here is my excuse to build one...looking for advise, PLANS, design, etc...and maybe a blocking plan for an ODay 40 to build the cradle to ensure the pads are under the correct supports.

 

[shemandr]

I built one for my Mark 25 keelboat. When I assembled it at the yard one of the workers asked me how wide it was. Turns out he correctly saw that it was too wide for their hydraulic trailer which they used to pack boats closer together than you could with the Travel Lift. I had to go back home and re-size the timbers. Your O'Day 40 might be too big for the trailer or maybe your yard doesn't use one but I'd check on that.
Most yards around the North Fork are trying to get rid of cradles. I guess they don't want liability for a structure they don't control or maybe their insurance is pressuring them to get rid of them. So the yard jacked up the storage fees for the cradles. So I'd check that.
When I built mine I used poppets - 2 of them. There was some welding involved and the purchase price of the poppets. The bow sat on a piece of plywood shaped to fit the hull. All in all I enjoyed doing it and I kept it for a couple of years. But if you add up the costs of materials, the welding and summer storage, I don't think I saved much money over buying 4 or 5 boat stands.
Are there so many boats that didn't get in the water this year that there is a shortage of stands?