wrap your head around this one

[forstaysl]

hello- I know the boat involved in this little dilema isn't wood (but it's a not-too-bad-looking glass sailboat, and it will have wood spars). But wood boat people are very good problem solvers, and much more creative than the general public, and I thought someone might have a fun thinking up a way to get a sailboat that's on her side, in a hole she dug for herself, onto a trailer. The boat was deposited there by hurricane Katriana, and the oppertunity for a "free" boat has proved irrisistable. However, we're a bit stuck when it comes to how to move her. She's about 2500 lbs, with a full but shallow keel, and in sand. We don't have the budget for a big lift (4WD forklift or gradall/jobhandler) though we might have access to a skid steerer. The other equitment we have to work with is a 4WD Ford 150, and possibly a camp full of volunteers. I can't figure out how to get a picture in the message, or make the attachment bigger, so you'll have to bear with a small one... sorry.

There's also a slight chance to get her into the water, as it's not too far away, but again, that might involve heavy machinery, and a fairly complicated bracing system. My suggestion that involved a few old telephone poles and a skid steerer was not too welcomed by my husband. But then, he's never seen how they do this kind of thing in Maine.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!

[George Roberts]

dig a hole under it. Fill it with water. Extend the hole to the Gulf.

[MiddleAgesMan]

You need several hydraulic jacks and lots of blocking. You also need something to spread out the stress from the jacks so they don't punch a hole in the hull as you bring it upright.

Once upright (and supported by blocking) you keep jacking (and re-blocking) until it's high enough to roll a trailer under her.

Fabricate a wood cradle to keep her upright while you're moving her, take her to where ever you plan to work on her then either reverse the process (part of it anyway) or leave her on the trailer.

[Ian McColgin]

Are you moving her across dirt to water or what? If she's just a hundred yards or so this can't be too tough. If she's gotta go down a road, it's another deal.

After Hurricane Bob I moved a boat about this size about 200' to water and then another 100' out to water that on high tide was deep enough to float her away. It was soft sand, mud and eel grass so we couldn't use any rollers.

First we rolled her such that the keel was pointed away from the water. Did this with parbuckles and levers. We eased her down on a sheet of plywood set athwarships such that about 4' stuck to seaward of the point of contact and 4' to shore. A few holes in the plywood and some seriously stressed lines around the boat and we had a sort of sled upturned at each end. This was to protect the hull from unnecessary scuffing.

I took some anchors - total of four with pairs in series - well out and rigged to maximum advantage. We set up straps around the boat to attach to the tackel and with some crew levering against the keel, both lifting it and pushing, and others hauling on the tackel, down she went. Took four of us a hard day to get her near wet. On the next high we had the hull trying to float but the keel dragging and all in soft mud so we had to move plywood such that the levers could bear on boards on the plywood and we kept levering and easing. Took another two tides to get her floating.

G'luck

[Dave Wright]

Have you thought about using air maybe? Commercial air bag jacks are kind of expensive, but you might be able to come up with some sort of claptrap using inner tubes to get it raised up the first foot or so. Be careful.

[Ken Hutchins]

Our sponsor has a book titled 'Moving Heavy Things'

[Ian McColgin]

Anyway, more specifics - like pix or description of route to water including ground composition.

Should be a fairly easy drag and skid but the lack of information makes even my brilliant remarks perhaps not too relevant.

Let me tell you a story. After a fall northeaster last year a guy had his 12 ton sloop up on the beach in Hyannis Port. He was impossible to work with so I did not help but eventually a guy took over the project and incrementally moved her to deep water.

Method in that case was to winch-drag her stern to the water (think beach shelving) and then prop her upright. Then he set her up on five poppetts - two on each side and one under the stem. He'd then tighten the stem poppet till she bounced back. Then reposition all poppetts and do it again. And again. And again. About 2" gain each evolution. Once going, took one person about a week to move 100'. Trescool.

[paladin]

Mr. David Wright had the right idea.....
Use inner tubes...big truck inner tubes, and a low pressure port on a scuba tank......dig a series of holes under the boat...slip a big inner tube under her and inflate each tube a bit at a time....
I picked up a cessna 401 that went gear down in the snow during a whiteout in Alaska this way, enough to lower and check the gear, replace the props and fly it away......using other lift methods I might add, but the inner tubes started it..

[Bob (oh, THAT Bob)]

dig a hole under it. Fill it with water. Extend the hole to the Gulf.

Not as stupid as it sounds, if you have access to more digging equipment then dragging or lifting equipment. I have not done this in real life, just in my mind. Your best guess as to whether it will work. Follow:

Secure the boat from sliding with straps around the boat, securely anchored to the ground on the deck side, a decent distance from the boat, because you will be disrupting the ground near the boat, and you need those anchors to hold very securely, personal safety depends on it. Dig a hole on the keel side deep enough to float the boat and still allow clearance for a trailer. If the ground is very porous, line with tarps. Dig a ramp on the bow end of the hole, at no more than a 10 percent grade. If the ground is soft, place 2" thick planks on the ramp at the width and projected location of the trailer tires. Fill the hole with water. (If you have a strong water jet, this could also be an opportunity to flush out dirt underneath the keel that was difficult to get to with a shovel.) Gradually release on the straps to let the boat into the water. Back the trailer down the ramp and into the water with a 4WD truck, and have another 4WD truck with a long tow strap or winch at the ready on top, off the ramp, in case traction on the ramp is a problem and you need help. Secure the boat to the trailer and yank her out.

This will take a tremendous amount of hand digging, or a small skid loader and/or power shovel might do it, but this might cost the same as a big power winch.

Just my two cents.

P.S.- If it doesn't work, the boat is buried even further and you can't just slide it on a board as noted by Ian above. If water is nearby, try his method first. Then Paladin's.

P.P.S. - Know anybody with a BIG heliochopper? Blimpmobile? LedZeppelinerigable?

[Paul Fitzgerald]

A couple of anchors, some old carpet, cables and a winch should do it if its not far from the water.

Otherwise, do you know anyone with a skyhook?

[adampet]

You might think about building a cradle for her. Excavate enough to put a couple of 6 x 6s under the keel. Make the sides of the cradle on the high side and use the winches, truck etc to pull her upright and complete the cradle on the other side. With it on a cradle you can add longitudinals and then rollers underneath to bring it to level ground. From there, winch onto a flat bed or what have you.

we move things the old fashioned way, with ramps and rollers!

Adam

[paladin]

I could probably come along with a couple of pounds of chemicals and move it......how good are you with jigsaw puzzles?

[skuthorp]

Now that's not nice Palladin, just because it's FG!

[forstaysl]

Thanks guys! I do like the idea of digging a hole to the water, but i don't think the guy who owns the property would enjoy it. The yard is all sand, and the road it runs along actually goes down to a boat ramp with some docks. Would the boat be damaged by dragging it (with rollers, plywood, etc) on her side? The only reason I can't just stand it up and back the trailer under is because of the hole it's in. Though a crazy idea would be to dig the hole a little bigger, turn the trailer sideways, and strap the whole mess together before turning it all right side up. Something with jackstands and getting her upright might work. The property is right next door to a former marina. But all that's left is the steel frame of a building, and their big forklift, the type for lifting little power boats into storage. No one's been able to contact anyone associated with the marina, though...

[davidagage]

I wonder if you can use a couple pole (or pump) jacks on the sheer to upright her....the poles are just a couple 2X4s nailed togetherhttp://www.badgerladder.com/DBimages/small/57.jpg

[Paul Pless]

I'd get her upright on blocks and stands then onto her trailer. Its not that hard to move big heavy things if you do it slowly. I've seen people move entire houses with no more than a few hydraulic jacks.

[Mrleft8]

Get a couple dozen folks together and completely dig her free. Get some straps around her, and some cross bracing to help keep her shape, and hook her up to a tow truck winch. When she's vertical put some jackstands around her to keep her there while you rig up a makeshift travelift out of 6x6 beams. With a couple of chain falls and some plywood you should be able to lift her up a foot or so and scoot her down to waters edge at dead low tide. Wait for the tide to come in.

[Tom Hunter]

Jacks, (you might get by with just one) timber some cradling and you should be good to go.

The big issue is making sure she does not slip sideways as you lift the port side up to level. That and making sure that you set things up so that she cannot fall as you lift her.

My point is that lifting a 2500 lb boat is not hard, but lifting her safetly requires a bit of thought. If you don't want to think, look at Paladin's suggestion, he is full of good ideas today.