Just hangin' around?

[Silly Seville]

I have a nagging question that doesn't seem to have a definitive answer. I have searched the net looking for "professional" opinions, and they vary widely, so I would like to put this question to you fine people of much wisdom. How healthy is it to hang a boat by its bow or transom eyes? I found a 23' cruiser in FL for sale that is actually hanging above the water by an eye bolt in its foredeck, and what appears to be its ski hook on the transom! What gives? What is keeping the bolts from tearing right through the 'glass? I've read that "some" boats were designed to be lifted by their cleats for short movements to/from docks, trailers etc., but I can't imagine the stress this places on the hull and other structural components when it's left like this for long term storage. Someone please enlighten me as to whether this is an accepted practice, and would you hang your 4000 pound baby like this!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Just hangin' around?

bad idea

Perhaps OK for a temporary lift IF the eyes are backed up and made for it, but storing it that way will warp the hull. A non-profit I was with once was given a 20' center console that had hung that way for a few years; the hull was worthless.

 

[QC]

Re: Just hangin' around?

It was very common in much older boats to have "lifting" rings. Most were through bolted to a plate that went under the stringers. I don't recall seeing them on a cruiser like that and the one on the fore deck looks very much like one, so I am going to assume it was installed expressly for this purpose. If done properly, once up there the stress is stressed and I don't think there is any continued damage as time goes on . . .

Oh, I'm thinking 6500 lbs easy . . .

 

[Sharp Shooter]

Re: Just hangin' around?

I've never owned a boat like that, but I wouldn't store it like that. I'll even go so far as to say that even with the manufacturers blessing I still wouldn't do it.

 

[DaNinja]

Re: Just hangin' around?

A friend of mine lifts some boats from the bow and two stern hooks. He then moves it to stands to do his paint or glass work.

The picture of the stern of that boat didn't look right. It should have been hooked to the port and starboard eyes.

 

[RoyR]

Re: Just hangin' around?

I'm actually amazed those hooks haven't pulled out...wow!

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Just hangin' around?

That boat really looks to have special modificaton to be lifted from the points shown. I can sort of imagine the single transom point (if I squint) but the bow pick point if it's anything like how mine is built would require a serious spreader bar/backing plate and a bunch of faith in the hull/deck connection. Scary.
Mine has labels for sling pick points, but not on a dare would I hang a boat from two eyes like that.

 

[ziggy]

Re: Just hangin' around?

my old boat has what i beleive to be lifting eyes on it. 3 points.

back two. note there angled at about 30*. with that angle. they would seem to be a little inappropriately angled for ski tow eyes. they do work for that too though as i have used them for a ski tow harness.

ft. eye on the deck.

while i've never lifted my boat from these points. best i understand from talking with my oem. they are in fact lifting rings and designed to lift the boat by. oem says they lift their boats by these all the time when they were being built.

i can't see to see if they've got backing plates, but surely they must have...

 

[sasto]

Re: Just hangin' around?

I've seen a few boats hanging out like that, chuckle at every one of them.

I agree with most.

I've seen no harm in it... I would think a quick inspection would answer your fears. I think you will find the lifting eyes supported from a bulkhead, stringer, or transom and not relying on a backing plate and the deck to hull joint. I hope!

Good Luck.

 

[DuckHunterJon]

Re: Just hangin' around?

I wouldn't store my 160 lb duck boat from like that, let alone a 4000 lb cruiser. I'm sure it's been reinforced, but without knowing it was engineered for that exact use, I wouldn't go near it.

 

[boatfish]

Re: Just hangin' around?

its fine, just inspect around the eyes for any cracks and movement. Common for repair and manufacturers to use these but i wouldn't constantly hang it from there.

 

[superbenk]

Re: Just hangin' around?

The eye on the top of the bow of my boat is bolted with a rod all the way down to the bow eye in the front of the hull (that I hook the winch too). There is a heavy metal block joining the front bow eye to the deck eye. The hooks in the back aren't something I would want to lift the boat with, though. They are just U-bolts through the transom with backing plates.

What concerns me more in that picture is how close the boat sits to the breaker wall. How is it not being smashed against the concrete wall every time the wind blows hard?

 

[nlain]

Re: Just hangin' around?

The stern connection is a spreader bar with cables/straps to the stern eyes, if you look closely you can see the bar and straps.

 

[1fishbone]

Re: Just hangin' around?

A lot of boats have them...factory installed or aftermarket.
Now, it's special order, but a lot of older boats were built for it and lifted that way.

I've seen and worked on pleasure yachts that would use that boat as a tender!

Messing with spreaders and lifting straps is risky.

Jimmie Dean (the sausage guy) had a hoist for his Mercedes.
(car strapped to platform)
Strapped it down on the deck right next to his helicopter.

Racing/pleasure boats sail/power are lifted similar to that way, for trans-Atlantic crossing, (some rich people also take their toys with them on vacation) the cradle is strapped to the boat and cradle/boat is lifted into the ship.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Just hangin' around?

Seems like some heavy straps under the hull would be a lot more secure, especially for extended periods of time. If one of those eye-bolts failed, say in a strong wind storm or other, then he could kiss his pretty boat good-bye!

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: Just hangin' around?

nlain, you are right...

Here is the same pic, only better. I can now see the single point in the center is a block and tackle style pulley that lifts a cable that goes to the outside cleats, then down to the transom eyes. Broker says the owner had the bow eye installed, it's not a factory option. (Couldn't provide details of its installation) Seller is looking for any offers. Broker is listing for 1/2 of what this girl is worth, and with a (supposedly) new 4.3 bobtail in 2008! Does that smell fishy to you, or just a desperate owner trying to unload in a tough economy? I'm still waiting to hear back from broker with more details!

 

[Greg Mrozinski]

Re: Just hangin' around?

It's somehwat unconventional...but probably okay.

Take it for a test ride and see how it runs. If it checks out then go for it. Plus you will be able to see how the bow lift eye is installed and configured. You could always have it professionally suveyed as well. Sounds like it might be a good deal.

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: Just hangin' around?

Rats! Finally heard back from broker...SOLD! I tried prying more info about the boat from him anyway, but he wouldn't divulge. Only thing he would say was, "We are a yacht broker and normally do not deal with vessels of this size, but we were making special accommodations for this particular client" whatever that means. Anyway, thanks for the input guys, I think I will avoid lifted boats altogether and stick with searching for trailered ones.

 

[1fishbone]

Re: Just hangin' around?

Rats! Finally heard back from broker...SOLD! I tried prying more info about the boat from him anyway, but he wouldn't divulge. Only thing he would say was, "We are a yacht broker and normally do not deal with vessels of this size, but we were making special accommodations for this particular client" whatever that means. Anyway, thanks for the input guys, I think I will avoid lifted boats altogether and stick with searching for trailered ones.

It means they saw a fast way to make a quick buck!

ALL boats need to be looked over carefully...even 'trailer queens'

 

[seabob4]

Re: Just hangin' around?

Just for info purposes. Lift rings are installed with a threaded rod going into the base of the rings, secured with jam nuts. The rod extends through a stout bracket through bolted to either the stringers (aft) or a special backing plate at the bow eye that accepts the rod, then backed up by jam nuts.

The bottom of the boat supports the weight, not the deck. They won't pull out...