[Cruiser2B]

Boat Leveling

Looking for a good way to ensure my boat is level when setting it in yard for long term refit. I will be using my trailer as a cradle during the refit. I will be pulling the axles out from under the trailer and lowering it to the ground.
Where is a good place to take front to back and side to side leveling, I was thinking the cockpit seats and deck bridge area. Would like to here how others do it.

Thank you

 

[smurphny]

The thing that matters is drainage from the side decks into the scuppers. I usually try to do an actual water test to make sure there is no puddling anywhere. Get a hose and flood the decks and make sure everything runs out. It's impossible to tell by eye because it really is a matter of 1/4 inches. Your Alberg is very much like mine and the water will accumulate on the aft deck next to the hatch if the level is off even a little.

 

[SVTatia]

The cockpit seats, because of the hinge may not be a good place to level. To me the cabin sole in the centerline would be better. Having said, try to get reference marks and use those to position the new builds, rather than a level. I used a level when I was building from a bare hull, now restoring an old boat, I use existing furniture to level new.

 

[Cruiser2B]

Thanks you all for suggestions, I am wanting it level because I plan to redo parts of the interior and would like it level when she sits in the water. She sat on her water line fairly even from what i could tell. I will probably give water level a try and see where flat interior surfaces fall.

Thank you

 

[smurphny]

You know what might work really well is if you could borrow/rent a construction transit/level. By sighting in and jacking to the same dimension from your actual waterline (not necessarily the painted line), it would assure that the boat was sitting the same as it does in the water. Gunwale to gunwale, you can reset the transit to get a bow or stern shot.

 

[captflood]

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS One can use a cheap Lazer level along your waterline and if you get pooling in some places, use cotton string to drain it away (Capilory action) I have used this method on houses, boats, and trailers (HOPE THIS HELPS) AS ALWAYS GO SAFE

 

[smurphny]

GREETINGS EARTHLINGS One can use a cheap Lazer level along your waterline and if you get pooling in some places, use cotton string to drain it away (Capilory action) I have used this method on houses, boats, and trailers (HOPE THIS HELPS) AS ALWAYS GO SAFE

Like the cotton string idea!

 

[SVAuspicious]

Remember that heel and trim will change with tank contents. Can you get lines for the boat? If so you should be able to develop reference points and level those.

 

[bill cartwright]

I would start with the waterline of the boat as it is generally correct as the boat sits in the water. I would then make a water level out of a cheap clear 50 foot hose an fill it with water minus 5 foot. have some one hold it on the water line an you lift the bitter end up the waterline an it will balance out. OR you can use a 3 foot level on the waterline on the sides for fore aft an at the transom waterline for left right. Generally when the boat has sit in the water for a while there will be a definate waterline mark on the bottom paint. Cheap an easy for sure.

 

[TakeFive]

I bought a laser level from Radio Shack for $5. It has a tripod mount on the bottom, so I mounted it on my camera tripod (which also has its own level). I set the thing up about 30' from the side of the boat, set it at the height of the boot stripe, and swiveled it from bow to stern to verify that the boat's attitude was level.

Once that was done, I went inside the boat and found a spot where my cabin sole was also level (thus parallel to the boot stripe), so now whenever the sling lift hauls me out, I have him drop the boat to 1" above the blocks, then I climb aboard (open transom with swim ladder makes this very easy), put the level down on the cabin sole, and have him do a final adjust of the attitude. Then I hop out and have him lower the final 1" so I can block the boat. (It's a DIY operation at my boat club.) It's a lot easier than using the laser level, but doing it that first time was necessary so I could find the right spot to set my level inside the cabin.

 

[smurphny]

Have noticed that the boat will settle over time. If you block and then wait for a couple of months, it may well be out of level and require a reset of the blocks under the keel and jackstands.