Phoenix rising...

[Ed Harrow]

Phoenix is a settled in, Our Lady of St Phoenix II has shown its mettle by standing up to one gust of over 70mph the other night. Some snow did find its way in at two different places, but I guess I can't really complain.

As she sits Phoenix is about 4" closer to the ground than she was before. All the supports we built to support her (in addition to the 10 stands) are, of course, too tall.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g65/wlgtoo/Phoenix/Support%20and%20Shelter/DSC_0138.jpg

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g65/wlgtoo/Phoenix/Support%20and%20Shelter/DSC_0134.jpg

When we raised her the first time the ballast was in place, and, with the ballast cradle in place, we lifted on the four corners of the ballast cradle, along with the stands. When we dropped the ballast she spent a long time suspended on the stands only. I'd like to get her up that 4" and have a few concerns re doing it via just the stands. I do have the two RR jacks

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g65/wlgtoo/WBF/DSC_0495.jpg

They are more than up to the lifting task, but I don't have any good lifting points, at least not horizontal ones.

Suggestions?

[Captain Blight]

Maybe some long flat steel wedges, driven a tap at a time under each poppet? Very incremental, cheap enough, and though it would take quite a while to get to that magic 4" mark, you would indeed get there.

Oh, yeah, I just was flipping through a back issue of WBM and found the sidebar you wrote on removing bungs and fasteners. Very informative, though I hope and pray I never have to use that information!!

[Ed Harrow]

Blight, I'm thinking along those lines, but using the wedges between the 'keel' (doubled up 2x10s) and the blocking that supports it forward and aft. Doubled up, greased, and tapped in with a partner on the other side, after first, I think, raising the poppets a bit.

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

You could build a temporary V shaped pattern to fit the hull, and flat of the bottom, and block it one side, and jack the other, about 1 inch at a time, then shift the pattern to the stern or bow and repeat. Always having a couple of people around to tighten and block while you're doing it is wise.

[Thad]

Sounds like fun to me Ed. Rocking her up does work.

[nedL]

That sounds like it should work, or I've got a couple of jacks (1 big hydraulic & 1 screw type house jack, + some others) that shoud be up to the job if you'd like. :)

[boattruck]

Ed, I'm guessing the question is; can I lift my boat, without her ballest, with just the stands? If thats is what you would like, or need to do, it can be done if you have your stands chained together and you have enough of them, maybe a total of 6 a side. That and a set or two of large wedges in the spot where the ballest will eventually be, an hour work for two levelheaded fellows will have her up 5 or 6 inches...Steady and even all the way around gets her. Cheers, BT

[Thad]

I'd go with the big hydraulic and keep adjusting the screws.

[Dale Genther]

I our marina we raise up power boats, and sometimes smaller displacement sail boats by the jack stands (well chained together) quite often. Phoenix with her ballast removed probably has about the lb/sq.ft. weight on the stands as a power boat

[Ed Harrow]

Thank you all - I have a plan, but I reckon there won't be anything to see unless, of course, it goes terribly wrong, LOL.

[J. Dillon]

Nice to see progress again Ed.BY:D

JD