E29 Drawings? Measurements for making a cradle.

[toddster]

Does anybody know a source of scale drawings for the E29? It's time to haul her out and get her home for a refit. I need to build a cradle onto my trailer, but since I've never seen the boat out of the water, there's no way to get measurements directly.

Also, I gather from reading here (and the one drawing in the on-line manual) that the lowest part of the keel is the aft part, and is hollow, while the lead ballast is in the forward part. Is the hollow part of the keel strong enough to support the boat? It seems like putting a load-bearing wedge up front might be a good idea. But again, without being able to take measurements off the boat, it's a little hard to make plans.

thanks for any info

 

[bigd14]

Hi Toddster. From what I can tell the E29 and e27 keel are very similar- with a hollow keel sump in the aft portion. I would NOT put any weight on this portion of the keel, the laminate seems too weak to support it without crushing. It is very easy to tell where the sump begins by tapping on the keel when its out of the water. I made some marks with a sharpie and tape and wrote in big letters DO NOT BLOCK so the yard knew not to put any weight on it. And of course told the travelift operator. Good Luck.

Doug

 

[toddster]

Thanks. Any idea on the width of the keel at the bottom? I'm planning to make a little "socket" for it by bolting 4x4's to the trailer, but I may have to do that on the spot after the boat is dropped on to the trailer.

Next problem: locating a travel lift. The boat is in St. Helens. I think I've seen one at Rocky Point, or somewhere back up Multnomah Channel. Anybody know of one closer? Or other recommendations?

 

[Loren Beach]

Finding a Lift

Thanks. Any idea on the width of the keel at the bottom? I'm planning to make a little "socket" for it by bolting 4x4's to the trailer, but I may have to do that on the spot after the boat is dropped on to the trailer.

Next problem: locating a travel lift. The boat is in St. Helens. I think I've seen one at Rocky Point, or somewhere back up Multnomah Channel. Anybody know of one closer? Or other recommendations?

I used the one at Rocky Pt a couple years ago. Nice folks to deal with, although the yard management has changed since then. Best is just to go talk to them about costs if some additional "hang time" in the slings is needed while a trailer is adjusted.

Next and further away is the yard at the top of Mult channel - no experience with them at all - but they do have a Travelift.
Next, but quite a bit further away, in North Portland Harbor, would be Jerry at http://danishmarineco.com/
Super nice guy to deal with.

Best,
Loren

 

[bigd14]

What Loren said!

The one at the top end of Multnomah Channel is Multnomah Yacht Harbor. http://www.myharbor.com/ they have a price list. I have never worked with them.
Rocky Point Marina did change hands a few years back. Not sure of the new owner, but the old one was great to work with.
Danish Marine is also great. I had them launch my boat recently.

The keel is tapered to a V shape at the bottom (see photo). But its probably 5-6 inches or so wide above the taper? When I put the boat on a trailer in the yard, we used a 2x10 piece of lumber with a smaller piece wedged under the front of it. As the boat compressed the lumber, it bent to conform to the curve of the forward part of the keel. I've included a picture but its hard to see.

Again, I am assuming that the E-29 keel is similar!

 

[toddster]

Thanks, that's very helpful. I think I could make some very simple supports that just drop into the welded pockets on my trailer, if I had accurate measurements. The need to make everything adjustable complicates matters.

 

[AleksT]

A couple of thoughts/ random ideas: What about getting some used jack stands with the adjustable pads and fit the adjustable part into the sockets of your trailer?
For the keel get the 4x4 you were talking about and some square bend u bolts that will fit over them so when the boat is down you can slide them into place and tighten them down.

 

[PDX]

Does anybody know a source of scale drawings for the E29? It's time to haul her out and get her home for a refit. I need to build a cradle onto my trailer, but since I've never seen the boat out of the water, there's no way to get measurements directly.

Also, I gather from reading here (and the one drawing in the on-line manual) that the lowest part of the keel is the aft part, and is hollow, while the lead ballast is in the forward part. Is the hollow part of the keel strong enough to support the boat? It seems like putting a load-bearing wedge up front might be a good idea. But again, without being able to take measurements off the boat, it's a little hard to make plans.

thanks for any info

This might be an apples to oranges comparison, but my boat (1968 E-30) has been on a trailer for about three years now, w/o cradle, and does not appear to be any the worse for wear. You may not need a cradle. The keel base, which is parallel to the water surface, is resting on the trailer bed. The keel is like yours in having lead in the front and being hollow in the rear, although I don't know whether the shape is the same. Also, the trailer supports/pads immediately aft of the keel are both directly supporting the cockpit bulkheads (my boat does not have offset bulkheads or quarterberths). This is probably taking a lot of the strain off of the keel.

 

[Randy Rutledge]

Toddster

This is a shot of my E29 on the trailer, If I remember I will measure the trailer pad placememt and heights this weekend and post them. So you can get things close before the pull out.

 

[Loren Beach]

Trailer comments

A friend of mine routinely trailers his custom 29 footer up the Puget Sound and back. He has set up a good road trailer for it. (The boat is a custom converted S2 26 that was lengthened for more comfort while still keep its trailer-legal beam.)
Anyhow, here is what Bill had to say after I showed him this thread. PM me if you want his email addy as he is not registered here.

"Hi, Loren--
I assume you sent this to me for comment, so I will.
The easiest way to fit the boat to the trailer is to find a nice, understanding, patient, travel-lift operator and have them hold the boat over the trailer while one adjusts the bunks, etc. If the trailer is simply a flat bed and one is going to have to build the frame, this will take longer (and cost more for that initial haul-out), but an outfit like Danish on Hayden Island would be glad to do it, not charge too much, and allows owners to work on their boats in the yard.

In the case of the Ericson, I agree....NO WEIGHT on the hollow section of the keel!

As you have probably seen when our boat is parked in the RCYC lot, 90% of the weight rests on the SOLID part of the keel, and about 10% is split between the two upright bunks. The bunks are pressure-treated 2x6's that are attached to swiveling plates at the top of the uprights so that the 2x6's can "form fit" to the hull. The 2x6's are covered with waste carpet to keep them from abrading the bottom paint. When installed the 2x6's were straight, but the bulge of the hull and weight of the boat quickly formed the necessary curve in the 2x6's.

By the way, we have noticed that a significant about of weight is actually carried by the winch stand at the bow. Grey Riesling is nose heavy: If left to dry out on a tidal grid she would fall on her nose if no bow support is provided. Don't know if the Ericson would be that way or not, but I'm guessing that it would. Sooooo a substantial support (winch stand or other) should be provided. This is especially important if the trailer must make a sudden stop!

--Bill "

 

[Randy Rutledge]

Trailer Dimensions

Todster,

Here is a dimensional drawing of my trailer and pictures. The 3 red or the 4 blue pads will support the boat. If trailering a short distance and the cradle is well built the four blue pads will be fine. These dimensions will give the boat a bow down attitude and keep weight off the hollow at the back of the keel. If you want more detal call me at 770-710-9863.

 

[toddster]

These replies are all very helpful. The project got put on hold while life happened for a while.
I recently found another picture of a set up similar to what I have:
http://img.nauticexpo.com/images_ne/annonces-b/ericson-29-90554_1.jpg

To emulate that, I suppose I could simply put some boat stands (which I've acquired from CL) on the trailer, set the boat on there, then assemble a wooden cradle around the keel. I suppose the stands might do the job on their own, assuming they were chained securely to the trailer, but I just have a nagging feeling that something isn't going to quite fit. Also since my trailer is a bit short (though the load capacity is OK) the bow will overhang the flatbed of the truck, and won't have any support. I may be over-thinking this all too much.