Ballast keel cradle

[Ed Harrow]

I don't know which is going to kill me first, WS_FTP, or Phoenix when this whole thing falls in like a house of cards.

First, this is how to cut structural steel - Wheeeeee!

http://home.fiam.net/eeharrow/Cutting_ballast_cradle_stock.JPG

Here is the lay-up of the ballast cradle/jacking contraption.

http://home.fiam.net/eeharrow/ballast_cradle.JPG

Weight of boat ~ 16K pounds. Weight of ballast ~ 6200 pounds
I'll wedge between up rights and the ballast, and between the horizontals and the ballast as well, where required.

Comments?

PS: OK wiz-bang, cracker-jack html/FTP folks, how come the pictures here: http://home.fiam.net/eeharrow/ballast.htm and the pictures on this page are different sizes?

[ 10-19-2002, 11:54 AM: Message edited by: Ed Harrow ]

[Meerkat]

The pics are different in size because you're using FrontPage for composition there and it's automatically putting in sizing information for the images that's not being done here. On your page an image tag looks like: < img src="Cutting_ballast_cradle_stock.JPG" width="500" height="375" alt="Cutting ballast cradle stock.JPG" > and the image tag here is [ img ] path/to/pic.jpg [ / img ] (with some added spacing so the forum software doesn't see it as a tag).

You can use something like IrfanView to resize and save the pic in the smaller size before posting or adding it to your FrontPage page for that matter.

[Ed Harrow]

Meerkat, I was finally kinda guessing it was something along those lines, but by the time I thought of that I didn't want to deal with FrontPage and FTP again today!

[Art Read]

Ed... My father used to own a steel fabricating business. Structural roof and flooring joist systems. I feel for you! I spent a quite a few school holidays earning extra cash unloading the flatbeds that brought our raw materials and then loading 'em up again with the finished product. God, what I wouldn't give for a few minutes access to the overhead, mobile crane we had there right about now! Anyway... your cradle looks PLENTY strong to my eye.

(By the way... I LOVE the picture of you manhandling and cutting heavy steel wearing boatshoes! Only a sailor/boatbuilder! I get some pretty funny looks walking into places like the keel foundry for instance, covered in red lead and sawdust and wearing what looks a lot like just the same shoes you've got there... ;) )

[ 10-19-2002, 01:19 PM: Message edited by: Art Read ]

[Dave Fleming]

Ever since my friend set my web pages up in M$ Front Page I have hated it. So hard to remember all the steps needed to do just one page. I am fiddling around with Dreamweaver version 4.1.xx, and so far I am liking it. But I am NO computer whizbang so put those comments in the for what its worth dept..

Back to Ballast Keel Cradle cum Sled.

I don't like to see steel or AL. ends that will not be finished without a ***snipe*** on them. That stuff is razor sharp and the keel is going to be on the cradle for some time ( lets be reasonable here ) so for the sake of safety at least think about sniping and hitting those sharp corners with a 4 inch grinder easing off the sharpness, ya folla?
I hope Gary comes bye and makes some observations from the eyes of a true professional too.

[Art Read]

Dave's got a good point. Again! Didn't take me "brushing" past my rough sawed WOODEN cradle before I took a beltsander to the sharp corners!

[True Love]

FASHION STATEMENT...

Ed, very impressed w/your boat shoes - way cool. Totally need to ditch the socks, though. I never wear socks w/my topsiders -even in the dead of winter in IL - it's a southern thing, but also something that would get you kicked outta the junior league. While I'm aware you're not a woman, I should think you'd like to maintain your manly status, so ditch the socks. A man (or woman, for that matter) of class will always sacrifice a minor member (ie: toe) for the sake of fashion.

Otherwise, carry on, dear heart!

[Dave Fleming]

Wigwam Wool socks all the way! Only time I don't wear them is when I put on the fancy schamancy tassel loafers SWIMPAL make me wear. Then it is my CASHMERE socks, ya folla?

PS:ED wear what the hell you please. Or so says I.
:D :D :D :D

[NormMessinger]

Well, now. How you gonna fasten the pieces togeather? Also, I see some fore and aft triangulation but not cross wise yet. Mightn't you need some?

--Norm

[Dave Fleming]

Norm,our respected colleague is in the learning bye doing stage, as I see it from one coast to another.
So far, the basics have been satisfied.
The finessing has yet to be done. But, I am hoping we will see some signs of 'elegant' work upon completion. ;)

[NormMessinger]

Well, it doesn't look too bad so far. Hell fer stout, I'd say. And if the pieces are adequately welded my desire for cross bracing is probably miss placed. Ed, to a weldor, penetration is everything.

--Norm

[True Love]

Ed, Dave raises an excellent point, cashmere socks would definately be appropriate with your topsiders.

Do wish you well on building the keel support. Will you have the luxury of using a tractor to move the keel (ala Margo and Dave) or will you be using a come-along?

[brian.cunningham]

If your doing a duplicate at the stern, are you going to link them together to keep them from spreading apart?

Is there a "saddle" of some sort to keep the keel from getting messed up. Lead or Iron keel?

Look good.

[Ed Harrow]

Originally posted by brian.cunningham:
If your doing a duplicate at the stern, are you going to link them together to keep them from spreading apart?Brian, I don't quite understand your question. Duplicate what at the stern?

TL, as far as moving the thing, there are a number of possibilities - 4WD in low range, Mike "The Hook's" truck, or a bit of heavy equipment that lives not too far away. Given the terrain I confess that I don't really like the idea of using my little come-along to move this beast.

[ 10-21-2002, 06:02 PM: Message edited by: Ed Harrow ]

[Alan D. Hyde]

Dave's right about the Wigwam socks.

Hard to beat 'em in cold weather.

Alan

[brian.cunningham]

Originally posted by Ed Harrow:
[QB]Brian, I don't quite understand your question. Duplicate what at the stern?the cradle
In other words how are you going to support the stern end of the ballast?
and they need to be connected some how, so they don't spread apart

[Concordia..41]

We're co-mingling threads left and right, but I think we're all so glad to see Finbar back we're giddy.

True Love & Ed - the John Deere was just ballast for the ballast. They pulled it out with the come-along. Dave was really leery of the control factor pulling with the tractor (or anything else). That and you really don't know how everything's going to work. A few inches at a time was about all my heart could handle. It was one of those moments when you could get rich if you could bottle the adrenalin.

http://www.sailingwithsarah.com/Pic/davepulling1.jpg

Brian - our frame now looks really puny compared to Ed's, but the ballast is braced with wedges and the ballast ain't goin' no where! Gravity keeps it in place and the uprights keep it from toppling over. That's the challenge.

http://www.sailingwithsarah.com/Pic/pulling4.jpg

[ 10-21-2002, 09:42 PM: Message edited by: Concordia..41 ]

[Ed Harrow]

Brian, did you look at the picture in "Status Check"? The cradle does extend to the aftermost end of the ballast, tho there is considerable deadwood aft of that, and the joint is not obvious.

The general consensus here and from my external sources is that the triangulation is ample. I should point out that there is one party who suggests that triangulation, like at the aftmost station, be added to the middle one. He also advocates for tying the stations together over the ballast.