Got her off the trailer and onto a cradle structure to do the bottom and keel work this weekend. Turns out you need 32" of clearance between the keel pocket and the ground to get to the shackle
The keel is in pretty nasty condition, and where the shackle attaches there was some damage. Looks like they add a steel plate in the iron casting for reinforcement, and I've lost some iron in that area. There's a closeup pic below, and some general pics of the setup are on our website at http://www.home.bellsouth.net/personalp ... P-sailtalk
under photo albums, C26 cradle
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JB Weld ! Just kidding, I'm just now reading on a new alloy rod that allows cast iron to steel welding. I have a family member that could weld bubble gum to marshmellows, so I'll defer to him !
If that plate extends a fair amount into the keel ( and I would imagine it would have to to be of much worth), it may not be an issue, we will see.
BTW the move off the trailer was easier than I expected, took a day, and that was all by myself with pretty much just a 6 ton bottle jack, and lots of blocks and 4x4 cribbing.
You raised that off the trailer by yourself? I would at least want someone off to the side with a cell phone and 9 1 dailed and their finger on the last 1.
I did have the local police station (about 2 blocks from my house) on speed dial, and the local patrol guy came by my house every so often (gotta love the small town thing).
I wish I had pics, but the redhead took the camera on a family trip, and I didn't realize it until too late. Will take some of the reverse process though. Maybe a can re-create the process.
It really went easier than I would have thought. I jacked the stern up, added that rear cradle to keep it upright, and blocked under the stern end of the keel pocket. Then jacked up the bow raising the trailer bunks as I went, and placing blocks under the front of the keel in a sequence of a block, then a block with 2x4's, then 4x4's on top, then 2 blocks, etc. A little at at time was the key
Added the front cradle, and also jammed a few 2x4's into the ground and wedged them against the toe rail along the sides.
After that it was just a matter of pulling the trailer up till a cross member bumped a block, jacking up an inch, added blocks behind the cross member, taking down the old ones in front of the member, removing the jack, pulling up the trailer, and repeating till the trailer came clear completely. Made sure it always had the old blocks underneath until the new one in place, didn't dare trust the jack alone. And with those cradles it wasn't going anywhere !
Oh, and to get to my shackle I required 32" of clearance. I had guessed at 30, and wound up digging a small trench for the last few inches because that was easier than jacking up any more.
I would be very interested in seeing pictures. I want to remove mine from the trailer while I work on it but was not sure how I would go about doing it. The storage unit I am using to do all of my painting is 12 x 40. I was hoping the beams on the ceiling were a bit beefier and I would just winch it on both ends using the beams. Then block it but I am certain if I used those beams it would bring the whole thing down in a pile of crap with me in that pile someplace.
Boy that picture looks real familiar....... Mine is almost restored and ready to reinstall now though, I can only imagine what it weighs on a 26. Getting mine back where it belongs will be a much greater challenge than getting out with gravity help out.
I decided to forgo worrying about the weight lost to flaked off rust and just cleaned it up and fared it back out. It is primed and awaiting he first coat of bottom paint then a final faring out of the smaller irregularities and a final coat of bottom paint.
Banshi, I'm thinking about dropping mine, too. With all the work I've done over the last year and a half, I'm thinking why stop short here. But also I could fair the part that actually gets water flowing past it, and just blast the rest of it
Ronc98, check the thread "How Much Does the Chrysler 26's Swing Keel Weigh?" - we were trying to guesstimate it in there
If I remember correctly (just seen it underwater) mine look pretty much like that and i do not thing it's damaged. I tough they removed some iron to get space around the shakle. Either this or both keel are damaged;P
Mine is almost restored and ready to reinstall now though, I can only imagine what it weighs on a 26. Getting mine back where it belongs will be a much greater challenge than getting out with gravity help out.