I just bought a 1995 Catalina wing keel, tall rig, with cradle. After Spring launch I have to either move the cradle to my home port 5 miles away or decide to scrap it out/sell it. My preference it to dump it. Benefits are not paying extra for summer storage and not paying to have it moved. I think yards prefer not to deal with them too. When storing on jacks you can move them around as long as you have some spares available. This is another benefit if you have some hull work to perform in the off season. What are the benefits to keeping the cradle? Always glad for the advice of my fellow sailor
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Cradles....
It will fit on a 6'X12' U-haul trailer but getting it on and off might take some engineering thought. I would like to find a factory cradle for my Cat 30 w/Fin keel. It would save me some money in the long run. Anyone in the NE have one they need to get rid of??
It will fit on a 6'X12' U-haul trailer but getting it on and off might take some engineering thought. I would like to find a factory cradle for my Cat 30 w/Fin keel. It would save me some money in the long run. Anyone in the NE have one they need to get rid of??
I prefer a cradle
In my neck of the woods there is no charge for storing the cradle through the summer as long as I pay for winter storage at the marina. The yard does not seem to mind dealing with it either With respect to advantages, the cradle seems much more foolproof to use. One year I had to go with jacks on my H31, the boat was no where near as stable. When I have to work on it while it is on the hard, I much prefer the cradle. Incidently, I have moved my cradle twice since I've owned it. Once across three states. I used a U-haul car carrier to move it with. It worked great and was real cheap to rent.
In my neck of the woods there is no charge for storing the cradle through the summer as long as I pay for winter storage at the marina. The yard does not seem to mind dealing with it either With respect to advantages, the cradle seems much more foolproof to use. One year I had to go with jacks on my H31, the boat was no where near as stable. When I have to work on it while it is on the hard, I much prefer the cradle. Incidently, I have moved my cradle twice since I've owned it. Once across three states. I used a U-haul car carrier to move it with. It worked great and was real cheap to rent.
Five miles?
Five miles is not very far to move it. I also found that mine fit right in the back of a box truck, similar to a u-haul truck. It was easy to move, but had to be loaded and unloaded with the yard's fork truck. Some yard's preffer jack stands and some will only allow cradles. Check with the yard. I preffer the cradle, the platform sems to be more stable.
Five miles is not very far to move it. I also found that mine fit right in the back of a box truck, similar to a u-haul truck. It was easy to move, but had to be loaded and unloaded with the yard's fork truck. Some yard's preffer jack stands and some will only allow cradles. Check with the yard. I preffer the cradle, the platform sems to be more stable.
Cradle - Why NOT
You are very fortunate to have a cradle. When wyou pull out in the fall until you recommission in the spring, a cradle is much more stable than jack stands. If you are working on the boat, you physically will be more secure. If you store with the mast up, the boat is more secure in the Windy City. Jack stands are only secure as the care taken into aligning and chaining them together. At the yard I store my boat, summer storage is included in the cost of winter storage. The yard prefers to work with cradles to move boats around. IMO keep the cradle - you are lucky to have one.
You are very fortunate to have a cradle. When wyou pull out in the fall until you recommission in the spring, a cradle is much more stable than jack stands. If you are working on the boat, you physically will be more secure. If you store with the mast up, the boat is more secure in the Windy City. Jack stands are only secure as the care taken into aligning and chaining them together. At the yard I store my boat, summer storage is included in the cost of winter storage. The yard prefers to work with cradles to move boats around. IMO keep the cradle - you are lucky to have one.
High winds
In high winds you are much better off with a cradle. My boat was damaged in November when another boat nearby fell off its jack stands during 65 knot wind gusts.
In high winds you are much better off with a cradle. My boat was damaged in November when another boat nearby fell off its jack stands during 65 knot wind gusts.
keep the cradle
I would advise to keep the cradle for all the aforementioned reasons, but if you don't, don't scrap it, put it up for sale on the Catalina Owners Website and some owner who only has jackstands will probably buy it.
I would advise to keep the cradle for all the aforementioned reasons, but if you don't, don't scrap it, put it up for sale on the Catalina Owners Website and some owner who only has jackstands will probably buy it.
Another justification
If you ever need to move the boat to another body of water, the cradle can be fastened to a flatbed and you are in business. If and when you sell the boat, it is definitely a plus.
If you ever need to move the boat to another body of water, the cradle can be fastened to a flatbed and you are in business. If and when you sell the boat, it is definitely a plus.
Keep the cradle
You don't have to educate it and it doesn't need to go for a walk nor does it require food . This seems like a nobrainer.You'll be safer working on your boat while it's on a cradle than stands.Now all you need is a trailer to mount the cradle and you are all set for anything that comes your way. Keep it up, Ctskip
You don't have to educate it and it doesn't need to go for a walk nor does it require food . This seems like a nobrainer.You'll be safer working on your boat while it's on a cradle than stands.Now all you need is a trailer to mount the cradle and you are all set for anything that comes your way. Keep it up, Ctskip
$
Many yards do charge for cradle storage, but they also charge for using thier jack stands. If you buy your own jack stands you will need to have a means to store them at home in the summer. I plan to move my boat 500 miles and will be taking my cradle with me - not on the boat, but by a small truck. I don't think you save much $ with jack stands.
Many yards do charge for cradle storage, but they also charge for using thier jack stands. If you buy your own jack stands you will need to have a means to store them at home in the summer. I plan to move my boat 500 miles and will be taking my cradle with me - not on the boat, but by a small truck. I don't think you save much $ with jack stands.
stick with the cradle
My boat's on a cradle, and a while ago we had a minor flood that softened the ground up enough to tilt the boat, if it was on jacks it would have gone over, as it is all I have to do is let it dry out, grab my floor jack and level it back out, with the jackstands, it's a lot harder to adjust the boat after setting it down. had someone run into the cradle with a truck, as it was the truck took damage, and the cradle has a scratch, my boat's fine. Also, I can move the cradle and boat around with no major trouble, don't LIKE to, but I can load the boat and cradle on a flatbed trailer alone, it's a LOT of work, but doable, normally grab a couple friends when I want to do that. either way it's loaded the same way, crib it up to trailer height, put some roller bars on the trailer then come-along the trailer under the boat removing cribbing as the trailer gets there, balance the boat and fasten it down, less then half a day and my boat's ready to move. it's a 28ft pearson triton, weight estimates run 6500 to 8400 pounds. Easiest way though is to grab my buddies who set up mobile homes and have them grab the toys they use to set mobile homes on basements, 45 minutes and it's on the trailer ready to go. Can't do that with jacks. Ken.
My boat's on a cradle, and a while ago we had a minor flood that softened the ground up enough to tilt the boat, if it was on jacks it would have gone over, as it is all I have to do is let it dry out, grab my floor jack and level it back out, with the jackstands, it's a lot harder to adjust the boat after setting it down. had someone run into the cradle with a truck, as it was the truck took damage, and the cradle has a scratch, my boat's fine. Also, I can move the cradle and boat around with no major trouble, don't LIKE to, but I can load the boat and cradle on a flatbed trailer alone, it's a LOT of work, but doable, normally grab a couple friends when I want to do that. either way it's loaded the same way, crib it up to trailer height, put some roller bars on the trailer then come-along the trailer under the boat removing cribbing as the trailer gets there, balance the boat and fasten it down, less then half a day and my boat's ready to move. it's a 28ft pearson triton, weight estimates run 6500 to 8400 pounds. Easiest way though is to grab my buddies who set up mobile homes and have them grab the toys they use to set mobile homes on basements, 45 minutes and it's on the trailer ready to go. Can't do that with jacks. Ken.
Keep it
If your yard is charging for summer strorage for your cradle I'd find another yard to winter over in. I have been in no less than four boat yards over the years and NONE have charged for summer storage. I asked a couple of my buddies if their yard charged for summer storage and they said "no". Maybe the yards in the Chicago area has the boaters by the short hairs but Gary Ind. and some Michigan yards are not that far away for winter lay up. Think about it anyway... Good Luck Mike S/B Pittepat, Lake Huron
If your yard is charging for summer strorage for your cradle I'd find another yard to winter over in. I have been in no less than four boat yards over the years and NONE have charged for summer storage. I asked a couple of my buddies if their yard charged for summer storage and they said "no". Maybe the yards in the Chicago area has the boaters by the short hairs but Gary Ind. and some Michigan yards are not that far away for winter lay up. Think about it anyway... Good Luck Mike S/B Pittepat, Lake Huron
I guess I should keep it
Thanks guys. It's about 13.5 to 1 in favor of keeping the cradle. I knew I would get some good responses, especially the picture that is worth a thousand words from Rick.
Thanks guys. It's about 13.5 to 1 in favor of keeping the cradle. I knew I would get some good responses, especially the picture that is worth a thousand words from Rick.
Depends on the cradle......
My boat came with a new steel cradle built especially for it. I wouldn't trade it for anything. That said, if I were dealing with an old wood shipping cradle that so many around me have, I think I'd be checking into jackstands. They're easier to take home and store...and...you know where they are in the fall when you need them. There's one yard in our area that charges for cradle storage, but most do not. That's a yard that was taken over by Skipper Bud's....they've nearly ruined the business.
My boat came with a new steel cradle built especially for it. I wouldn't trade it for anything. That said, if I were dealing with an old wood shipping cradle that so many around me have, I think I'd be checking into jackstands. They're easier to take home and store...and...you know where they are in the fall when you need them. There's one yard in our area that charges for cradle storage, but most do not. That's a yard that was taken over by Skipper Bud's....they've nearly ruined the business.
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