cradle or jack stands for wooden boat on the hard

[CGrant]

I have a 75 year old carvel planked, cedar on oak, classic racing sloop. When she's out of the water, she sits on a cradle owned by the yard.

I am thinking of moving her to my home (1500 miles away) and am wondering if it is better for her to be on a cradle or if jack stands are ok to store her? She'd be on the hard for a year or two. Similar winter conditions (she'd be stored inside if I move her and she is currently stored inside on dirt floor. If she came here, she'd likely be over a concrete floor).

Appreciate the input!

[Thad]

It's much better to be stored over dirt. Concrete tends to suck moisture out of the boat. Not your question. For storage there is little difference between cradle and stands, or sticks for that matter. The important thing is placement of the poppets and how they are adjusted, including checking the adjustment from time to time. Stands have the advantage of being totally moveable. Cradles have the advantage of allowing the whole boat to move (with rollers) without outside machinery.

[ishmael]

What Thad said. When the marina where we kept our Chris dispensed with the dirt floor in their big boat shed, all the carvel planked wood boat owners had problems with open seams. So stupid, the new owner came in and had to make everything clean and nice. No matter that a system of cradles and skids and grease over a dirt floor had worked for sixty years to get the boats on and off the railway, WE NEED THIS CLEANED UP.

How big is this boat? As Thad said, a cradle makes it an easier move. Think twice, three times, about storing it over concrete.

[Ed Weldon]

Sometimes a discussion like this grabs my interest. I claim no expertise in the care and feeding of wooden boats; just a late life fascination with them. So please take my comments for what they are worth. Seems to me that rather than the concrete sucking moisture out of the wood hull it's more a matter of the moisture in the enormous mass of dirt under the boat favorably influencing the humidity in the air around the hull in storage. Especially if there is not much air movement. I can see the desirability of putting the boat under a roof if that's the best space available. If the site is a closed building artificial introduction of moisture into the air to keep the relative humidity up may be helpful. This will add significantly to the maintenance effort; but may be worth considering. If outdoors a bunch of old rugs might be spread out on the concrete and hosed down or kept wet by sprinklers on an automatic timer. Even planter boxes or a solid decorative fence could be put around the hull to better confine the humid microclimate around the hull. Like I said....for what it's worth....... Ed Weldon, Los Gatos, CA

[CGrant]

Thanks all. Ishmael - she's 26 feet. She'd be at a yard here if I were to move her, and it is all plastic so no one else would have an issue on dirt over concrete. Hmm, guess I'd better find a yard w/inside storage and a dirt floor.

[S/V Laura Ellen]

The Sarnia Yacht Club will not allow the use of jack stands on it's property. If there is a possibility of the boat needing to be moved once ashore then 6" risers under the base of the cradle will allow the hydraulic trailers to slip the cross beams under without any other assistance. The cradles can be made so they are collapsible for storage. See the Marine Cradle Shop (http://www.marinecradleshop.com/) for some examples.

[emichaels]

Works for this girl...............http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p12cbd1ca66cdbf663c824da9d4a6982b/ea182924.jpg

[TimH]

A cradle with formed bunks support the hull much better. At a marina I worked at that specialized in wooden boats they were dead against jackstands.

[RT MAN]

Works for this girl...............http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid225/p12cbd1ca66cdbf663c824da9d4a6982b/ea182924.jpg
What kind of boat is this

[StevenBauer]

I think Eric is busy bulding his new shop so I'll chime in here. She's a 21' Alden. :) Actually drawn by Fenwick Williams when he worked at Alden's. Plans are available from the WBStore.

http://www.woodenboatstore.com/images/400001.JPG


A trim, rugged, carvel-planked cruiser with simple accommodations for two and a choice of gaff or marconi rig.
LOA - 21' 2"
LWL - 18' 7"
Beam - 7' 0"
Draft - 3' 0"
Displ. - 4,635 lbs.
Sail Area :
Gaff - 280 sq. ft. Marconi - 282 sq. ft.
Construction: Carvel planked over steamed frames
Alternative construction: Cold-molded or strip
Lofting is required
Skill level: Advanced
Plans include 7 sheets

[Ben Fuller]

Issue with jack stands is that in frosty climates they can move relative to the boat because the ground moves. You have to keep an eye or a feel for them. Keel blocks can also move. Cradle advantage is that you don't need hydraulics to move things. A chain and a hitch will do or Johnson bars and pipes. If concrete is the only option consider adding moisture sources in winter. The radio controlled model lobsterboat racing pool....

[Flitch]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kootenayman/sets/72157603828504868/
Flitch

[Dan McCosh]

If the boat is going to be moved a significant distance anyway, a cradle would make this much simpler. Jackstands are perfectly good, but often are not set up correctly--a cradle is more difficult to screw up. The concrete floor thing is mainly a myth, particularly the notion that it somehow sucks moisture out of the hull. It does reflect heat outdoors, and that will dry the hull compared to dirt. Indoors, most concrete floored buildings are tighter, hence dryer. The humidity is the issue here. Concrete does insure that the support of the hull is stable, although that probably isn't at big issue with this size hull.

[Tanbark Spanker]

Racing boat with long overhangs? Remember, gravity is not your friend. You will want to support those ends, man.

Hey, nice wooden cradle for that Alden.