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chine blocks for travel lift

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keith colonna
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chine blocks for travel lift

Post by keith colonna » Thu Dec 04, 2014 6:39 pm

My 42" 1955 CC Corvette suffers along the chine where the 4 straps of the travel lift exert pressure when she's hauled out. Some have advised making a block of 2x8 about 3 feet longto fit between the strap and press against the outer hull along the chine. My friends in Seattle report that their local travel lifts don't use such things. Has anyone actually seen and used such blocks?
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joanroy
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by joanroy » Fri Dec 05, 2014 6:26 am

The hauling and launching is a big problem with the old wooden cruisers. I have to deal with it twice a year and my boat weighs about 10 tons. Your probably even heavier. Of course back in the day our boats were on custom cradles and the yards used a railway. I chose to trailer haul, but you may not have that option. If I had to strap haul, I'd probably fabricate a pair of external stringer like blocks conforming to the hull shape that would go between the strap lifting points so the weight would be more evenly distributed. Make like an L shaped deal that wound catch the bottom, chine, and side all at once. The big question is weather or not your yard would be willing to deal with it.

boat_art
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by boat_art » Fri Dec 05, 2014 7:45 am

Most travel lofts can be rigged with 4 straps...ask if they can do it.
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keith colonna
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by keith colonna » Fri Dec 05, 2014 9:48 pm

Thanks JoanRoy, BoatArt,
Thanks for your replies...these are the options I have considered. Yes, as mentioned in my original post "My 42" 1955 CC Corvette suffers along the chine where the 4 straps of the travel lift exert pressure when she's hauled out"....This is what we have always done.
What would be great is to hear from someone who has designed and proven the "hauling chine blocks" of which I had inquired.
I am convinced these would help. All input is appreciated.

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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by jfrprops » Sat Dec 06, 2014 9:01 am

Keith, I am not as sure about the benefit of that concept as you are. It would seem to me that those long blocks would need to fit the hull shape like a glove to spread the force evenly....anything that did not fit snug would likely just concentrate the force in a way not much different/better than the width of the strap itself. Clearly 4 or at minimum 3 straps makes a huge difference...that an getting them to set the boat down asap, well/properly blocked, and without driving it around through every pothole in the boatyard....I used railway for 15 years...it closed and now I use travel lift...but it is one of those ancient and easy rail models.....can't drive it all the hell around the yard. Jim Evans always preaches yard practices....and he is surely right, guys in the yards today don't have experience in properly blocking our boats....especially at the chine....they think they are dealing with Tupperware and sometimes let the chine hit the stands before the keel hits the blocks....the death of a wooden craft. Finding folks with that experience is rare these days...had I been asked to name a knowledgeable local person in that regard...I would name YOU!....says a lot that you are seeking the broad input from this great site....good luck with that project.

John in Va.
1980 Fairchild Scout 30
19?? custom Argentine Runabout 16'
1954 Whirlwind deluxe dual ckpt 16'
1921 Old Town Charles River 17' (founding Captain, James River Batteau Festival)

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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by evansjw44 » Sat Dec 06, 2014 10:41 am

Years ago when more boat were wood my yard had blocks on the end of a pole. The blocks were slipped between the straps and the hull with one block under the bottom and one above the chine. The object was to keep the straps from exerting force on the chine itself. Some boats were known to have the straps pop the chines loose.

I would try to get the yard to at least use three straps and try to keep the tension even on them. That's hard to do with no instruments and only observation.

But remember, these boats were designed to take a lot of punishment in the forward chine area. That said, if your looking for decay in an old CC hull, start at the transom cheeks, the go look at the chines.
Jim Evans

joanroy
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by joanroy » Sat Dec 06, 2014 12:46 pm

Keith, I don't think what your looking for is out there, and if it is it would be a one off designed to fit whatever boat it was being used on. You may have to be the guy to come up with the design. Tell ya how I'd do it? When she's on the hard rip a couple of 1 foot wide by 8 foot long strips of 1/4 inch plywood. Figure out where your yards lifting strap lifting points are and mark. Hold the plywood against the bottom proud of the chine and a foot or so beyond the lifting points. Scribe the hull shape onto the plywood edge using the edge off the chine as a guide. Cut the shape and transfer the plywood pattern onto a 2x12. Use a bevel gauge to find the angle of your chine off the bottom. Set the angle on a jig saw or band saw and cut the patterned angled curve along the appropriate length 2x12. Temporarily fasten or clamp the 2x12 angled edge up. Take a long clear 1x4 bend against the edge of the 2x flush with the bottom and fasten as you go. Add two more laminations in the same manner fastening to the first. This creates a strong back for the 2x12 and conforms to your hull shape. Not guaranteeing it'll work, but thats the way I'd build it if my boat.

keith colonna
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by keith colonna » Sat Jan 17, 2015 10:04 pm

hanging in slings missing padding  on chine blocks at launch.jpg
I've constructed the custom "hull specific" hauling chine blocks for my 42" express cruiser hull. Attached are photo showing the contours and the blocks applied during the relaunch.
Note the lines used to retrieve the blocks from the water. They fitted through holes drilled in the blocks so no hardware was needed which might have scratched the hull.
One improvement to the design will be to round off the outside corners. The straps on the travel lift tend to pull the corners up as the straps are tightened which pulls the blocks up.
The really hard part will be putting them in place when the boat is hauled out of the water.

joanroy
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by joanroy » Sun Jan 18, 2015 5:45 am

Keith, nice job on the chine blocks. Your chines will be much happier when you haul. That's a beautiful cruiser. What do you use for paint on your hull sides?

keith colonna
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by keith colonna » Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:28 am

Joanroy,
I have used Interlux Brightside one part poly for the last two repaints. It's a durable finish and much better than the Petite EZpoxy I used before. Interlux told me their fillers are the highest quality...not just chaulk like the competition. So after a reasonable sanding and deglossing, I primed with Interlux. Then the next coat was straight gloss standard white. Then the two following coats were mixed with Interlux flattening agent in this proportion....1 part gloss....2 parts flattener. Hard to believe, but the flattener is described as being just as durable as tinted paint...it is in fact paint with pigment I guess. Two coats are needed since it is more translucent and will leave glossy holidays if not double coated. The resulting low semi-gloss finish looks very authentic, rich and helps hide the many irregularities in this old boat's hull sides. BTW, I back coated the rub rails with POR 15 paint and the original copper lined port light recesses too. Those I then painted with hull paint...they look original with the silver trim and last many years with the POR undercoat.

joanroy
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by joanroy » Thu Jan 22, 2015 3:27 pm

Thanks Keith,

I've been using Brightside and I'm generally happy with it , but is too much shine for an old boat. I thought about using their flattening agent but was afraid it would make the paint less durable. Obviously that's not the case. Your hull looks great. Next time I repaint I will go with the flat. Port holes are a problem. Paint pops every year. I'll look into the POR, but my copper liners are pretty hard so replacing is probably the better solution.

jfrprops
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by jfrprops » Thu Jan 22, 2015 3:51 pm

that POR is good stuff.....I used it on hand rail ends in salt environment and even though I painted over chrome....it has held up great...sure it is the wrong "color"....but it has keep them is good shape...

John in Va.
1980 Fairchild Scout 30
19?? custom Argentine Runabout 16'
1954 Whirlwind deluxe dual ckpt 16'
1921 Old Town Charles River 17' (founding Captain, James River Batteau Festival)

keith colonna
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by keith colonna » Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:56 pm

Joanroy,
You say your copper port hole liners "are pretty hard...and the paint pops each year". I had the same chronic problem. I may have posted this under another topic. But after all possible techniques to resolve this....I sanded to a reasonable condition and still had a pitted copper surface. I painted with the POR 15, then top coated with alkyd primer and then finish coat. It has lasted now for perhaps 5 years with no sign of failure I painted the liners white and then the edging with silver finish to replicate the chromed copper look as best a possible.
Thanks
Keith C.

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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by jahearne » Mon May 25, 2015 12:42 am

keith colonna wrote:
hanging in slings missing padding on chine blocks at launch.jpg
I've constructed the custom "hull specific" hauling chine blocks for my 42" express cruiser hull. Attached are photo showing the contours and the blocks applied during the relaunch.
Note the lines used to retrieve the blocks from the water. They fitted through holes drilled in the blocks so no hardware was needed which might have scratched the hull.
One improvement to the design will be to round off the outside corners. The straps on the travel lift tend to pull the corners up as the straps are tightened which pulls the blocks up.
The really hard part will be putting them in place when the boat is hauled out of the water.
Broom handles. The broom handles with the threaded end. You know how they screw into a broom brush. If you can get one to screw into your chine blocks, that might be a method to set the blocks in place during a haul out and hold them in place while the staps are set. Once they're set in place, unscrew them and haul the boat out.
John & Wendy

CRUSADER68
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by CRUSADER68 » Sun Nov 29, 2015 1:19 pm

I just got a 30 Foot 1963 Connie and we use chock blocks
I can see that in the past where she was pulled without using them

It really spreads out the stress and saves on your chines
Easy to make if your yard does not have such

Feet free to have me send you a video when we pulled my boat
Too big to post here
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Dick Burkhard
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by Dick Burkhard » Sun Nov 29, 2015 3:49 pm

I wish I had the benefit of this collective knowledge last summer when I needed a short haul on our yacht club summer cruise.
I limped into the high end marina on one of my twin engines as I picked up of all things a Rubbermaid garbage can lid impaled on my port prop. While the dock master assured me he had considerable experience with hauling wood cruisers such as mine, a 1955 37' Chris Craft Commander, I heard a snap as it was lifted. Short story I just spent 6K of my boat money I was planning to use for refinishing for a complete Port side chine replacement, custom made of course by a very skilled wood boat restorer on the upper Chesapeake Bay.
With this new knowledge, if I ever need a a short haul in a foreign marina, I will be prepared.
Thanks for all of the advice I receive from your posts to keep my onl girl afloat.
Dick Burkhard
Wilmington, DE
and
North East, MD
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tkhersom
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Re: chine blocks for travel lift

Post by tkhersom » Sun Nov 29, 2015 5:30 pm

Another method I have heard of (but not seen) is to build a cradle for your boat that supports the whole boat and can be lifted by the travel lift and then set on the ground, thus supporting your cruiser the whole time it is "On the Hard". I suspect the cradle would have to be weighted so it will sink while hauling or launching the boat. It would also make bottom painting very difficult. I guess there is no perfect answer. :?

AB is hauled with a hydraulic trailer than blocked and supported with stands. The keel seems to be taking it the hardest. Am very anxious to get her floating again in the spring since we missed this past season.
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