My boat lives in wet moorage (PNW) all year round, but I'm considering moving it to indoor "rack" storage for the winter since we're now snow-birds, living far from home. Has anyone stored their Tomcat on a "rack" system indoors? I'm guessing the twin hulls could be a problem for accommodating the forklift and storage rack?
Indoor "rack" storage for Tomcat
- Thread starter nwboater
- Start date
Down our way, they build special cradles which hold the catamaran. This cradle is picked up by the Fork Lift and then the Boat lined onto the cradle. The boat and cradle are picked up. That way the fork lift does not try and pick up the boat in the tunnel or cross wise. (Both of these can easily cause major damage to our c Dorys.)
That’s a good suggestion, Bob. But I decided to bite the bullet and arranged to move FastCat from her current open slip to a cozy boathouse when my contract renews in April. Sure, it’s more money but worth it for the peace of mind knowing that my boat will be indoors and out of any freezing weather while I’m sitting by the pool in Palm Desert next winter 
)
)Richard,
I'm glad you found a solution. Dr. Bob's advice about a cradle is 100% the way to go.
During a momentary lapse of judgement on my part this fall, I requested a forklift pick my boat up sideways. My logic at the time was that the port and starboard hull transom would be supported by one fork and the strong solid fiberglass area near the port and starboard bow would be supported by the other fork. I have supported boat this way when doing bottom paint but the lifting force was gradual and even. The forklift did not lift as evenly as I thought it would and the fork that I anticipated being near the bow was position too near the center. Way to much force applied near center of one hull.
Result was an over 2 foot long crack in bottom of hull. Crack was through lower layers of fiberglass into balsa core but not through upper layer of glass above the core. I had to cut out damage and perform a fiberglass layup repair. Bottom of the hull is not a fun place to do this kind of work. Took me about 3 weeks. Hopefully my mistake can prevent someone else from doing the same.
-Jeff-
I'm glad you found a solution. Dr. Bob's advice about a cradle is 100% the way to go.
During a momentary lapse of judgement on my part this fall, I requested a forklift pick my boat up sideways. My logic at the time was that the port and starboard hull transom would be supported by one fork and the strong solid fiberglass area near the port and starboard bow would be supported by the other fork. I have supported boat this way when doing bottom paint but the lifting force was gradual and even. The forklift did not lift as evenly as I thought it would and the fork that I anticipated being near the bow was position too near the center. Way to much force applied near center of one hull.
Result was an over 2 foot long crack in bottom of hull. Crack was through lower layers of fiberglass into balsa core but not through upper layer of glass above the core. I had to cut out damage and perform a fiberglass layup repair. Bottom of the hull is not a fun place to do this kind of work. Took me about 3 weeks. Hopefully my mistake can prevent someone else from doing the same.
-Jeff-
Jeff,
I appreciate your candidness in describing your unfortunate haul out...thank you! Soon after posting here, I got a call back from my marina to tell me they had an immediate vacancy for a 34 foot boathouse. Needless to say I grabbed it; and only $100+/month over what I've been paying for open moorage. Best of all, because I'm unable to move the boat until springtime, the dockmaster offered to move it into the boathouse for me -- that's what I call a "full service marina")
I appreciate your candidness in describing your unfortunate haul out...thank you! Soon after posting here, I got a call back from my marina to tell me they had an immediate vacancy for a 34 foot boathouse. Needless to say I grabbed it; and only $100+/month over what I've been paying for open moorage. Best of all, because I'm unable to move the boat until springtime, the dockmaster offered to move it into the boathouse for me -- that's what I call a "full service marina"
)