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Block and stands placement 50-80 footers

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Bamboo, May 23, 2014.

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  1. Bamboo, May 23, 2014
    #1
    Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2008
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    Location:
    Palm Beach, FL
    The Sea Deuce is a 1988 65 foot sportfish. I've had her hauled out in NY, Florida and NC many times over the last decade. Some of the yards check to see where the stringers are when placing blocks and stands while others do not. If they do they tend to put the stands close to or directly in line with them. I noticed while I worked at Viking some boats flexed if the stands were not in line. I insist on five sets of blocks and at least five stands per side and ask them to be placed close to the midship stringers. If the yard is gravel I want additional support. The largest gap is the fore and aft stringers of the engine room. What are your experiences and advice for the placement and number of blocks and stands on vessels in the 50-80 foot range? Have you had issues with too few or miss placed stands or blocks?
  2. Capt Ralph, May 23, 2014
    #2
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
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    The more the better.
    ProBoatBuilder had a good article long ago that could be of some help.
    Not sure of placing a stand under each frame and/or stringer but ANY help the hull can get while out of it's environment (water) is good.
    One of the 'spose better yards in Jax crushed a part of my keel ('78, 58' Bert MY) Fall 2012 with un-even keel blocks and I had to fix it myself. Discovered it three days (Monday) later some how it was my fault. There was never a point they had (the yard), Never a conservation, Never an ear, but when I tried to ask about them fixing it was just NO & when you going back in?.
    Demand all you can before and during any haul. When the crew walks away, it's yours and your screwed if it's wrong.

    As I'm typing this I realize that some of my post and responses are negative. I'm sorry about that.
    Just seems a bunch of negative crap seems to happen around me.
    I have learned a lot the hard way.
    I hope to make my comments helpful and responses not negative, but been there and learned something the hard way. Listen up... CYA
  3. Bamboo, May 24, 2014
    #3
    Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

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    Location:
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    How many sets of blocks were under your boat? How were they "uneven"? How many stands on the sides and did they have a stand centerline aft?
  4. Capt Ralph, May 24, 2014
    #4
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    12,753
    Location:
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    Four blocks under the keel. The last (aft) block damaged the last of the keel. No support on center after that. Four stands down each side on the chine. Starting from near the transom forward till the chine / strake could not offer a good surface.

    Typical blocking by all the yards in the area.
  5. Bamboo, May 25, 2014
    #5
    Bamboo

    Bamboo Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Palm Beach, FL
    When did it happen- right away when they removed the straps? Sometime later? Did a block crack? Did the stands settle and the boat moved? I once had a block crack; a requested visit by the yard mgr and a short talk and the boat was lifted and reblocked, no charge.

    No one else here can add to how they've been taught/seen/prefer to support dry dock vessels of the size in question? A few sites I googled said stands should be placed every 8-10 feet and plywood should be underneath them so they don't settle. Blocks should crisscrossed.
    I am of the opinion that older vessels need more support than newer ones as well.
  6. Capt Ralph, May 25, 2014
    #6
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Location:
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    We discovered it while preparing the bottom for paint 3 days after blocking.
    Blocks were on concrete.
    The yard did lift my boat the next day and set up a new after block. I finished my repair, painted and splashed.

    Still looking for that magazine article. No Joy.
    Starting to wonder if it was in a different publication.