Blocking 22’ dory - sage advice required!

T

Tesky

New member
Hi, I am a new Cdory owner (first not ever) and I live in Haida Gwaii. I am a total newbie. My wife thinks I am obsessed now- which is true! I am trying to update the bottom paint on Kerri On while it is still on the trailer. I have read all the posts I could find and my plan is to lower the tongue of the trailer to the floor, block the stern and then raise the tongue of the trailer right up, and the block about 2’ of the keel (where it flattens out) with rectangle 12”x12”xblocks. With luck, I will have 2-3 inches of space along the whole bottom to paint. I have two concerns/questions:
1- when or at what stage should I disconnect or loosen the winch on the trailer from the boat? After the stern has been raised but just before blocking the keel, or before raising the tongue to block the stern?
2- can you just place blocks right under the keel? Do I need find a certain spot to block it? I don’t want to have the blocks dent the keel or somehow crush it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Dan
 
Perhaps Little Joe's Mike will reply, as he just did this with his. OTOH, I just repainted the bottom of my 25, but kept the trailer under it. I ended up jacking the boat up a few inches off the trailer. I did this by using bottle jacks on the frame of the trailer, against the hull of the boat. (Otherwise, if jacking from the ground, you also have to clear the additional clearance of the axle springs unloading. Once I got the boat up off the trailer bunks, I was able to block it up using 4x4's between the frame and hull, in both the stern and bow ends. (I have A/B bunks, which means there is a space for a sling to go thru. I used that space for the stern blocks.) I used a heavy square tube across the main frame on the front that the bow keel rested on, but one could also block up from the trailer frame in that location. Doing it this way, I still had the safety of the trailer between me and the boat when I was under it. Colby

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I have found the 22 hull to be incredible rigid. I once jacked up the entire one side of the boat with a bottle jack and a 2x4 when doing a get coat repair. I didn't even realize I did that as I was just trying to get it off the front rollers where the damage was. I went up enough so I could do the repair and then looked back and it wasn't on any of the rollers in the back on that side either! There was literally no flexing, creaking, or indentations in the hull or gelcoat indicating the whole side of the boat was lifted from the one little spot. I was like wait a sec....that just happened? I thought for sure it would settle back onto the rear rollers, but it didn't. Good idea? Nope and now that I know that is even possible, I am way more careful and block where I can as I go up. And in case you are wondering, I certainly didn't leave it like that for the repair. I think a couple of 12x12 blocks, or 4x4 cross beams set on the trailer like in the picture in the back and something sturdy up front would probably be enough, and I'm not sure I'd even lower the tongue jack at all, unless you must. Be very sure that it is stable as you don't want to get hurt doing this - I couldn't help myself but to include that. The winch cable probably doesn't matter, but you could give it a little play to be on the safe side. It shouldn't be that hard and I hope it comes out great :-)
 
Nice!!! Thanks for the input guys, this is super helpful. I’ll take a shot at it this morning and send some pics back! There are no gaps in my bunker boards and they roll but I think I may be able to use a block as noted above and then just take the boards off completely as the lags are actually rusting off anyways, paint then replace. Again, appreciate the feedback!
 
If you are only carrying the aft weight of the C Dory 22 on the Keel, I would be concerned. I would put back up stands on both corners of the transom with minimal weight on them, but to keep the boat from tipping one way or the other.

Always be certain that is no way that the boat will potentially crush any part of your body--including fingers/hands or arms.

Even when jacking up the trailer, for work, I use wooden cribbing blocks as a back up. I also have some heavy duty automotive jack stands, I use, with cribbing blocks.

I have seen concrete blocks fail. So I would not advise using those. There are special jacks which will push against the frame of the trailer to raise one side of the boat also.

Be safe.
 
Hi guys, great advice. I ended up lowering the tongue to the floor, blocked both corners of the transom with 8"x8" blocks with a 14" 2x4 as the contact piece between the bunks. I then built a crate type keel stand out of 8"x 8" blocks and included shims against the side so that the keel sat on the blocks but had additional support on the edges. Raised the tongue as high as possible with a floor jack on blocks and then slid in the keel support. Jack stands near the bow would have been great if I could have got my hands on them. Finally, once the boat was up a couple of inches, I just took off the bunker board bolts, pulled out the bunker boards and put in a couple of safety blocks along the frame of the trailer and the hull. I am now on my second coat and have a ton of room to work with- I don't even need to climb under the boat because there is about 8" along the trailer without the boards to roll with a broom handle. I wish I could include some pictures but will work on setting up an album so that I can share and contribute. Again, thanks for the advice!!!! I still have all my limbs!

Dan
 
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