Howdy!

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:25 pm

Hello All!

I'm Mark and I've been lurking on your board for a couple weeks--finally got around to signing on.

I've got to say this is a fantastic find for me! Just bought my first sailboat and it's a 1975 C-22 fixer-upper. This board has all kinds of helpful info and a great bunch of folks that're on it to boot!

Here's a link to some pics (hope this works!) http://s1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc4 ... 2/?start=0

About me: Retired from the USAF in 2003 after 25-years. Tough job, but I loved it! Moved back "home" to Michigan to start my second career. Love the water, lusted after the sailboats while out kayaking on Lake Michigan...I'm sure you all know the rest of that story.

So here I am...know nothing except what I've read about sailing. Been on a sailboat once and now I own one that I'm refurbishing.

Look forward to some great conversations with you all!

Mark

John Stahl · Post by **John Stahl** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 9:55 pm

Welcome Mark

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Love your lift. How did you attach the come longs?

One thing that would worry me is you have no diagonal bracing on the sides of your lift. I am a worry wart and would be worried of it falling like dominos.
Sweet job on the trailer. did you do the paint job yourself?

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:31 pm

Thanks John!

The come-alongs are attached to cargo tie-down d-rings that are through bolted towards the top of the four corner 6X6s.

Yeah, I was concerned about the possibility of racking as well. If you look closly in at least one of the pics, you'll see some 4X4s laying on the ground I planned to use for diagonal support (ended up being the keel jig instead). But, after bolting the 2X12s on the bottom and midway up...well, it's rock solid. Each joint has three 1/2-inch bolt in it, that's a lot of tearout to happen for racking to occur.

But! I still shared your concern about "what if the wind got the thing swinging?" So...if I had to leave the boat suspended on the straps for any length of time, I mounted four 2X10s across the front and rear legs about three feet off the ground, then set the boat down on top of them. That keeps the weight low on the scaffold AND immobile.

Great feedback, John. I appreciate the concern!!! Yep, I'm at least as paranoid about this stuff as you. All the hardware/come-alongs/straps/etc are way over-rated for the loads too.

Yep, painted the trailer myself after a little welding work.

Cheers!

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:40 pm

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Sat Nov 27, 2010 10:56 pm

Thanks Alan!

That's a great idea, I'll start my log right away!

I'm so stoked about getting it in the water and learning how to sail it this next season. For now, it's to dream about while I wait for the earth to wobble back around and warm us back up. Meantime, more reading and work in the garage on the pieces I held back from storage!

Cheers!

John Stahl · Post by **John Stahl** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 4:20 am

Mark if you put a roof over that lift you would have a nice winter storage barn for your boat.

Add sides on to your lift and a heater and work on your boat all winter long.
Great dual use shed if you ask me.

2nd generation · Post by **2nd generation** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:24 am

Welcome Mark,

Looks like your boat is in great condition. I am just down the shore from you in the St Joe area. You will love sailing on Lake Michigan.

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 9:15 am

Nice to meet you, Mike!

REALLY looking forward to getting on the water. I really enjoy the refurbishment process, so that's good consolation this winter.

Since you're so close by, may ask to stop by someday to check your set-up out and get some advice. I work in Zeeland (Gentex), so even closer to your location.

Side note: My youngest graduated from Fruitport HS up here a couple years ago and she (we) were big in the marching band stuff (guess who was the main builder of props for the band!) Loved watching Stevensville compete out at Ford Field for State comp!

Cheers!

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:11 am

Welcome aboard Mark!

Thats a great set up you have going there! Pretty cool if you ask me!

Glad to have you around and glad to see another C22 getting the care she needs!!!

Very nice!

Scott

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:19 am

Mark, welcome aboard. You must have been peeking at my drafts of what I wanted to do to lift my C-22. I based my design on a homemade cradle that was featured in Good Old Boat a few years ago. Only difference between yours and my plan is that I have 2x8's crossed and inlet into the 6x6 uprights because I was worried about the racking too.

Love the work you did on the trailer!

sharps4590 · Post by **sharps4590** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:24 am

Welcome Mark! I think you came to the right place. Less than a year ago I couldn't speak but a few words of sailing, now I can understand the language and even get my boats to reasonably go where I want them to! Due largely to a lot of help from the guys on this board. You're gonna have a ball next year...

From another USAF vet.

Vic

Bhacurly · Post by **Bhacurly** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 11:28 am

Ditto the Welcome Mark!

Think Alan is right on. Actual time spent working on the boat vs sailing I mean. It took me 2 years to get mine in the water, but that wasn't working on her every day, seemed like forever, but the log would help see what the spent really is. We've logged over 500 hrs in the last 2 yrs on the water now, not bad for seasonal sailing in the Spokane area, and I know I didn't spend that many hrs working on it for sure!

Like your lift system! Looks solid to me anyway. I hadn't thought of using come-alongs to lift a boat like that, but in my shop I think I could make that work down the road.

Thanks for sharing!

Billy

hp18carr · Post by **hp18carr** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 1:07 pm

Mark

Your lifting system looks interesting; I've got a c26 I need to get off the trailer. I had something similar in mind, but I was going to concrete the uprights about three feet into the ground. A free standing system like yours would be nice... but could it be trusted with the full weight of a c26? nice to see another USAF man on the forum, only did ten years myself. Started out working on the T-38, then moved over to the U2.

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26' 1980
Pandora (for now)

Beady · Post by **Beady** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 2:14 pm

The lift is really cool. Keep the pictures coming.

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 5:24 pm

Welcome aboard Mark I know you are going to enjoy being on the water.

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Sun Nov 28, 2010 7:00 pm

Once again, thanks for all the kind welcomes!

Terrence-

First, the legal disclaimer: I'm an electrical engineer, not mechanical but I gotta say this lift is rock stable. It's 10 feet wide and 12 feet long. My boat is a 22, so you see the overhang.

Were I to do a 26, I would use 16 foot 2X12s for the four side boards and use one more set of legs. Spread those four sets of legs aprox 5 feet apart. Can't imagine that set-up not handling the load with lots of capacity to spare.

I used a tow strap fore and aft with come-alongs to do the lifting, then drew some heavy tie-down straps up tight for a safety net and to spread the load--just in case of equipment failure. Like I said in an earlier post, I'm safety paranoid.

Good luck!

hp18carr · Post by **hp18carr** » Mon Nov 29, 2010 5:12 am

Mark

Thanks for the insight on your lift, there are a number of projects still to go before I'll need too lift my c26 off the trailer, but when that day comes I'll give your system a try. I was dreading having to dig all those holes.

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26' 1980
Pandora (for now)

2nd generation · Post by **2nd generation** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 6:14 am

Mark,

Stop by anytime. I will help however I can.

Mike