From other members of the news group thoughts and
experience am I missing something or is this something
that can be carried out providing there is care with
a reasonable degree of ease and safety.

The plan is to block of the foot of the keel and
secure ropes from the top of the mast out to the
sides at about 45 degrees to hold the boat upright
so the support pads on the wintering cradle can be
lowered to allow unhindered access to apply the
4 plus coats of epoxy coating to the under sides.

Or has anyone any other suggestions of a better
way to support the boat whilst it is epoxied.

The boat weight is around 10 ton with a 50 foot
plus mast and a moderate keel that is level bottom.

All thoughts very much appreciated I have not seen
or done or attempted any thing like this before.

I've done this when I beach my boat for bottom scrubbing or when I'm on a
"Grid". (If I'm on a Grid, there is usually a set of pilings to lean
against on one side but it is still a good idea to run a halyard off that
side to make sure she has a list in the direction of the piling as the tide
goes out.)

You should be ok on the hard, however it might depend on how your boat is
built. If it is an older wooden boat, you may need the support of stands to
help keep her shape. The frame and keel structure relies on support
distributed over the entire under water surface, not just the keel. The keel
should support only about 50% while the side supports the remainder.. (this
is a general rule of thumb for steel ships in dry dock.)

If your boat is fiberglass and has a fin or attached keel, you also should
be using a cradle of boat stands. Even then you need support of the stem and
stern.

There should be no problem using the mast and rigging to keep the boat
upright, as long as she is landed and maintained in a vertical conditions. I
wouldn't recommend moving a lot of fuel or weight around if your just
holding her with halyards.

--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

If your boat is fiberglass and has a fin or attached keel, you also should
be using a cradle of boat stands. Even then you need support of the stem and
stern.

snip

Yes, the boat is fiberglass with attached keel.

beryl g

If your boat is fiberglass and has a fin or attached keel, you also should
be using a cradle of boat stands. Even then you need support of the stem and
stern.

snip

Yes, the boat is fiberglass with attached keel.

beryl g

"Steve" wrote in message ...
I've done this when I beach my boat for bottom scrubbing or when I'm on a
"Grid". (If I'm on a Grid, there is usually a set of pilings to lean
against on one side but it is still a good idea to run a halyard off that
side to make sure she has a list in the direction of the piling as the tide
goes out.)

You should be ok on the hard, however it might depend on how your boat is
built. If it is an older wooden boat, you may need the support of stands to
help keep her shape. The frame and keel structure relies on support
distributed over the entire under water surface, not just the keel. The keel
should support only about 50% while the side supports the remainder.. (this
is a general rule of thumb for steel ships in dry dock.)

If your boat is fiberglass and has a fin or attached keel, you also should
be using a cradle of boat stands. Even then you need support of the stem and
stern.

There should be no problem using the mast and rigging to keep the boat
upright, as long as she is landed and maintained in a vertical conditions. I
wouldn't recommend moving a lot of fuel or weight around if your just
holding her with halyards.

Wouldn´t it be simpler to get additional supports and put them
alongside the original ones and take these off, painting the area
underneath and replace them when the epoxy paint has polymerized. A
bit of waxed paper on the top panel would prevent adhesion.
john

"Steve" wrote in message ...
I've done this when I beach my boat for bottom scrubbing or when I'm on a
"Grid". (If I'm on a Grid, there is usually a set of pilings to lean
against on one side but it is still a good idea to run a halyard off that
side to make sure she has a list in the direction of the piling as the tide
goes out.)

You should be ok on the hard, however it might depend on how your boat is
built. If it is an older wooden boat, you may need the support of stands to
help keep her shape. The frame and keel structure relies on support
distributed over the entire under water surface, not just the keel. The keel
should support only about 50% while the side supports the remainder.. (this
is a general rule of thumb for steel ships in dry dock.)

If your boat is fiberglass and has a fin or attached keel, you also should
be using a cradle of boat stands. Even then you need support of the stem and
stern.

There should be no problem using the mast and rigging to keep the boat
upright, as long as she is landed and maintained in a vertical conditions. I
wouldn't recommend moving a lot of fuel or weight around if your just
holding her with halyards.

Wouldn´t it be simpler to get additional supports and put them
alongside the original ones and take these off, painting the area
underneath and replace them when the epoxy paint has polymerized. A
bit of waxed paper on the top panel would prevent adhesion.
john

beryl george wrote:

The plan is to block of the foot of the keel and
secure ropes from the top of the mast out to the
sides at about 45 degrees to hold the boat upright
so the support pads on the wintering cradle can be
lowered to allow unhindered access to apply the
4 plus coats of epoxy coating to the under sides.

To what do you propose to tie the other ends of the ropes?

Or has anyone any other suggestions of a better
way to support the boat whilst it is epoxied.

Wouldn't it be simpler just to run ropes from the bottom
corners of the cradle frame to strong points on deck?

To what do you propose to tie the other ends of the ropes?

snip

To the cradles of surrounding boats.

Or has anyone any other suggestions of a better
way to support the boat whilst it is epoxied.


Wouldn't it be simpler just to run ropes from the bottom
corners of the cradle frame to strong points on deck?


Would not rope stretch be a possible potential problem with
such a heavy boat.

beryl george wrote:

To what do you propose to tie the other ends of the ropes?

To the cradles of surrounding boats.

I would not be happy to have you as a neighbor in this instance. Aside from
the fact that I am just being a grump, this is very poor practice. In the
second (or third, or whatever) place, you must somehow assure your
neighbors, the yard, and the insurance companies that this is a good idea.

Which it definitely is not.

--
Good luck and good sailing.
s/v Kerry Deare of Barnegat
http://kerrydeare.home.comcast.net/

beryl george wrote:

Wouldn't it be simpler just to run ropes from the bottom
corners of the cradle frame to strong points on deck?

Would not rope stretch be a possible potential problem with
such a heavy boat.

Not really, but you could use chain instead if it worries you.

Just roughly: Suppose your mast ropes are at 45 degrees, the
deck is 10ft above ground, the mast is 50ft tall, then the
mast ropes will be 85ft long.

Suppose a lateral force is applied (by wind, say) which is enough
to tilt the boat by 5 degrees against the tension of the mast
rope. That would cause the mast rope to stretch by 3.5 feet, or
about 4% of its length.

If your half-beam is 7ft, and the cradle bottom half-beam is
the same, I calculate the cradle rope would need to stretch from
10ft to 10.6 ft, or 6% of its length, in order to permit the
same 5 degree angle of heel.

Now if you were using the same type of rope for cradle-to-deck
as for elsewhere-to-mast, and if both ropes may be presumed to
be operating within their linear stretch/tension range, then it
takes 1.5 times as much force to stretch it by 6% as by 4%. The
lever arm advantage follows from the stretch distance ratios,
3.5:0.6, or about 5.8:1. This means that a heeling moment which
exerts 1 unit of tension on the mast rope would exert 5.8 units on
a cradle rope. Divide this by the force ratio of 1.5 to get a
number a little less than 4. I reckon that means you're as OK
if you use 4 cradle ropes each side as you would be if using one
mast rope of the same calibre and stretchiness each side.

Better still if you use heavier and/or less stretchy rope.