[Public-List] Cradles

[Gordon Laco via Public-List]

Hello again – 

My wooden Folkboat had an old fashioned timber cradle that had her standing on her ballast, with four posts coming up and only touching her at the rubbing strakes.  Her entire bottom was available to be dealt with, be it scraping, sanding or painting.  I rarely see those cradles anymore except at a few particular clubs in our area, I expect that’s because they take up so much room when in storage during the sailing season.

When the old one was condemned, I resolved to build a new one in the same pattern… but naturally failed to start building it until the night before haul out.  That was back in 1982.  I recruited a pal, loaded way too much weight on the roof of my ’72 Toyota Corolla in the form of 6x6 and 4x4 timbers, and started work in the dark.  I had a plan in mind, but of course hadn’t written anything down.  We laid the base timbers out on the ground and started drilling for the threaded rod that would hold it all together.  I realized, much to my surprise, that a regular length drill bit won’t go right through a 6” section nor a 4” section timber.  So we had to drill from opposite ends BY HAND twelve times… and each time made a direct hit on the opposing hole.  We banged the threaded rod through each, hack sawed off and snugged up nuts on washers.  

Imagine my surprise the next morning when the crane lowered the boat into it, and she fit…

Cheers – Gord #426 Surprise

On 2017-02-02, 8:13 AM, "Public-List on behalf of Andrew Johns via Public-List" <public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org on behalf of public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:

    With my 4 post cradle, I am able to lower one pad at a time to sand and
    paint the bottom.
    
    On Wed, Feb 1, 2017 at 11:38 AM, Greg Dawson via Public-List <
    public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
    
    >
    > Thanks for your input all of you who have commented on the subject of
    > cradles. I can't join in right now as I am in the middle of a job.
    >
    > The reason for 6 post was purely to strip and repaint the lower hull. I
    > have a 4 post and stands which works so a four post cradle would do.
    >
    > Greg.
    > Sent from AOL Mobile Mail
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