?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

[newbie125]

I am picking up a free 26' cruiser this Saturday. It has no trailer, and I don't have the money right now to buy one. I have someone letting me borrow a trailer to get it home. I don't want to spend $700 on stands when I will be buying a trailer in the next couple of months. I wanted to put the boat on some foam blocks to get it off the trailer but can't find them anywhere. What else do you all suggest I do to prop the boat up for about two months. It's 26' and weights in around 5500 pounds. I thought about cinder blocks and wood, but I'm not real sure how it's done that way. Thanks in advance for you ideas.

 

[d_saum]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

Congrats on the freebie!!!! Any pics? As far as blocking it up, I used to have my boat hauled for me and they used cinder blocks with a flat piece of wood to protect the hull. They would do the rear corners at the transom, and one towards the front in the middle. They basically built the columns with 2 cinder blocks facing one way, then 2 more perpendicular, with the wood on top. Im sure if you google it, you'll see all sorts of examples.

First one I clicked on:

http://www.auroramarine.com/aurora/dealers/06_tips_tricks/Pro_boat_raise.html

 

[newbie125]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

No pics yet. I will post some this weekend. So just cinder bloocks and wood is ok for supporting that size boat for a couple of months?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

on that size boat, i recommend using 6x6 or 8X8 solid lumber, even crossties. concrete block are known to break when stack the way shown. they have uneven surfaces, the reason they are so strong in construction is they have the layer of motar between them. use 2 16 inch piece for one layer then 2 pieces turn cross the previous layer.

 

[erikgreen]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

Ditto on the no cinder blocks (or solid concrete, for the reason TD mentioned). Use wood blocks or similar. I've also used car jackstands with a wood block on top for a pad, they work and look nice and are adjustable.

I recommend a three point block on the aft corners and under the keel forward, with two additional blocks under the middle at the sides if you leave it that way for more than a day or so..

I also recommend you attach the stands together with chain, to keep them under the boat if it wobbles due to wind or any other reason.

Erik

 

[newbie125]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

Do you guys have any pics of what you are talking about as far as placement. I looked for some in google and couldn't find any.

 

[d_saum]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

ah... yeah, what they said. They're the experts! Oh and I love the Chain tip! Im not an expert... but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

[CATransplant]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

If you have a good large marina with storage near you, you might want to consider having them take the boat off the trailer for you and block it up. It'll cost some money, but they'll do it right. You can also store it there until you get your trailer, and then they can load it on the trailer for you, to boot. In fact, a good marina can set up the new trailer for you, not the easiest job on a large boat.

Myself, I'd be concerned about dealing with a boat that size in my backyard. It wouldn't take much to have an accident when transferring it from the trailer and blocking it up, and then again when you have the new trailer and are ready to load it. 5500 lb. and 26 feet is a lot of accident waiting to happen.

I know you're strapped for cash, but...

 

[jollymon]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

I keep my boat blocked in my yard all winter long. It is 27', 8200lbs dry weight.

I use concrete blocks and wood.

2x2 pieces of plywood under each pier to keep them from sinking in the dirt. Piers are made from 2 cinder blocks, side by side, alternating directions, then 2x6 and 1x6 on the top layer to protect the boat. One pier in each stern corner, one under the keel at the stern and on under the keel at the bow.

The boat does not move at all, I am up and down one the boat all winter long. I do have a pro that takes it off the trailer, and picks it up in the spring. In the fall he uses a roller trailer and in the spring he picks it up with a hydraulic trailer to pick it up.


Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[The Great Escape II]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

Here a pics of a boat that was blocked "correctly" at our marina. It's very unusual when you see it done right.

 

[John Taylor]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

I'll jump in a day late . . . I wouldn't use cinder blocks. I have worked on cars since the fifties and one thing for sure, they will collapse. Maybe not the first or the fiftieth time, but they will let you down. Now for a mystery . . . how do you get your boat trailer out around all those faancy stands and blocks? My trailer is wider than my boat and my axle would have to magically float through the center stands or blocks.

 

[newbie125]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

Thanks for the help guys! One more question for jollymon. How many cinder blocks do you use per tower? Could I use 6X6 lumber in place of the cinder blocks?

 

[skipperjon]

Re: ?? Blocking up a 26' 5500 pound boat??

Recently I had to do some work on my trailer and had to take off the boat (28' Larson 280 Cabrio). I bought 4- 8"x8"x8' timbers from Home Depot, two on each side, lenghtwise. The 8x8s were placed on top of 3 4"x4"x8' which were crosswise, used metal straps to tie them all together. I hired a mobile 20 ton crane to take the boat of and then put it back on. While it was in the air, the crane operator told me the boat weight was 10,380 lbs. Quite a bit more than I thought it was. Don't believe what the manufacturer says it weighs. I don't think that foam blocks or cinder blocks will be strong enough.
JC