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Bottom Paint on an 18' Sportsman

Posted: Wed Oct 23, 2019 2:34 pm
by Moosemeat
I am at my wits end trying to figure out how to raise to rear of the boat enough to finish a bottom paint job. Everthing's done but where the two stringers planks are.
I have considered renting an engine lift and hoisting it about five inches; just enough to use a mini roller. I would use the stern lifting ring, as I believe these are designed to take the weight.
Any ideas?

Re: Bottom Paint on an 18' Sportsman

Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:15 am
by mbigpops
Well there are several options - you could try and find some used boat stands to buy or maybe borrow from someone and place them in an already painted area under the transom. You could also build the wooden lifting setup that most use to flip their boats and get two chain hoists and lift the boat up that way. Another option that I just used for a short lift was a bottle jack and 4 by 4 under the keel at the transom but you may not get enough height with that.

Mark

Re: Bottom Paint on an 18' Sportsman

Posted: Thu Oct 24, 2019 6:26 am
by Bilge Rat
The challenge is finding an engine lift that can lift high enough to be of use in this case. Also, they tend to be a bit unstable when the load is up at it's maximum height and the lift is extended all the way. In the past, I have used a gantry with chain falls for this purpose but now that I have a forklift, life is so much sweeter.

You can use boatyard type boat stands that have the heavy acme adjustable screws to slowly and evenly lift the boat from the trailer for the painting. You will need to pad the stands where they contact the new paint to prevent damage. Block the trailer wheels to prevent it scooting away during this maneuver. You can sometimes find used ones on Craigslist for a reasonable cost.

This picture was taken during my Lyman restoration however the engine is not in the boat so lifting was fairly easy.

Re: Bottom Paint on an 18' Sportsman

Posted: Fri Oct 25, 2019 5:21 am
by tkhersom
One very simple solution can be to crank the trailer down as low as possible in the front, block the stern, and crank the trailer nose up as high as possible. This may get you enough clearance to paint where the bunks are.

Be aware this can add a lot of stress to the boat since it is being supported aft and bow only. If your boat is in good condition it should be able to handle it for a short period of time and being 18' I would not expect any problems, however that is your decision to make.