Need some ideas for a swing keel cradle...

Perithead · #1 (**permalink**) 12-12-2008

Yesterday, I removed the trailer out from under my South Coast 22 project sailboat with the help of a floor jack and a bunch of blocks. Now I need to remove the swing keel so that I can refinish it.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of how I should "catch" the keel when I drop it out of the boat. I want to build a cradle to hold the keel pretty much. I have access to plenty of 2x4's to use. I would like the cradle to be able to be moved pretty easily, I think. Maybe I could just drag it wherever it needs to go (not far, just around the house). The bottom of the hull is about 2.5 feet off the ground.

I have googled it and found a few things but nothing that really helped, so I figured I would pick everyone's brains and see if they had any excellent ideas.

Thanks Everyone,
Trip

Cope44 · #2 (**permalink**) 12-12-2008

Can you weld? An easy way would be to weld a plate with uprights to a floor jack. Jack up jack, remove keel bolt, lower jack. I dont like the idea of a 500+ LB. plate falling any where.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
Cope

geraldartman · #3 (**permalink**) 12-12-2008

In the catalina 22 stuff there I remember reading about a cradle for removing the swing for reburb and pivot repairs. I forget exactly where but do not think in was in the subscription stuff.

Perithead · #4 (**permalink**) 12-12-2008

I cannot weld, but we do have a welder here at the house. It is a skill that I would like to learn, I will throw the idea at my step-dad and see what he thinks.

Ill check out the Cat 22 stuff.

I will definately let averyone know how it turns out, I am documenting the whole restoration of the boat and will be posting it online. I have one video on Youtube and on my website which is in my signature, go to sailing videos and its down the page a bit.

rayncyn51 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-12-2008

You might try using a stacked wooded crib and bottle jacks, like a house mover does. Mke a cradle with casters to hold the keel, crib it up under the keel, drop the keel into the cradle, then jack down the crib until the cradle casters hit the floor. Reverse the steps to put it back.

GaryHLucas · #6 (**permalink**) 12-13-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perithead

Yesterday, I removed the trailer out from under my South Coast 22 project sailboat with the help of a floor jack and a bunch of blocks. Now I need to remove the swing keel so that I can refinish it.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas of how I should "catch" the keel when I drop it out of the boat. I want to build a cradle to hold the keel pretty much. I have access to plenty of 2x4's to use. I would like the cradle to be able to be moved pretty easily, I think. Maybe I could just drag it wherever it needs to go (not far, just around the house). The bottom of the hull is about 2.5 feet off the ground.

I have googled it and found a few things but nothing that really helped, so I figured I would pick everyone's brains and see if they had any excellent ideas.

Thanks Everyone,
Trip

I built a simple U shaped bracket with a pin on the bottom that fit into to the hole that holds the saddle on a floor jack. Piece of cake to remove and reinstall the swing keel on my Catalina 22, by myself! I also used the floor jack to load it it in the back of my van (put jack near the middle and raise one end, back under it. lower onto a piece of pipe roller, jack up the other end and push it the rest of the way in.) Put in in the shed the same way. Flipped it many times in the shed while working on it. (Used a nylon strap over the jack wraped around the keel to flip it)