by UCanoe_2 » Fri Jan 04, 2013 8:13 pm
Thanks to everyone for your helpful responses! The story of the broken mast is a long one that is best reserved for a future “Repair and Improvement” thread…
Green Lake, I considered a ground launch but there would be some difficulties involved. There is snow on the ground that would make the process uncomfortable and more difficult. It’s too cold outside for epoxy work, and the boat would have to go back on the trailer anyway to get into the warm garage. There will be a short period of mild weather this weekend, so I’d best move her inside before it snows again. (I should not complain about winter to you guys who live in the North!)
The flopping centerboard is now supported with a rachet strap so the boat can move on and off the trailer.
Remember also that the mast is gone, so the usual leverage for careening is missing. I briefly had creative thoughts about some kind of operation involving the tractor and front end loader, but should listen to the little voice telling me that is not a good idea….
It sounds like a disc sander or random orbital sander would be preferred tools for opening the crack, and the angle grinder might be too aggressive. The RO sander would also be useful for finishing work, and most of them have good dust collection which is a huge advantage.
Jay, the crack is on the port side of the CB trunk about 2" above the bottom of the boat, just below the top of the DS I floor boards. It is about 8" long.
Your point about maintaining the hull shape is a good one. The garage door will not shut with the trailer in place. The boat has to come off in order to have a heated work area. Possibly there is a way to remove the trailer tongue and allow the door to close?
I thought I could support the boat on the floor with cradles made from scrap lumber and Styrofoam. The hull shape we want to maintain is the in-the-water or as-designed shape, which could be different from the on-the-trailer shape. Maybe it would be a good idea to put something inside the CB trunk to keep it from distorting, say some plywood wrapped in polyethylene?
Supporting the boat on straps is worth considering. They might allow the boat to be rotated so I could work with the repair in a horizontal position. However, there are obstacles to overcome. The interior of the garage is finished which rules out hanging the straps from bolts passing through a joist. I would be limited to using screw eyes, which might not support a 600 lb. boat safely. There are also garage door tracks that would get in the way.
Thanks for your ideas, and please critique some more.
"George Washington as a boy was ignorant of the commonest accomplishments of youth. He could not even lie."
-- Mark Twain