sling locations

[gbroughman]

Hello I am new to the forum and just bought a 49 Alaskan Trawler. It is a wood boat that was built in 1974 and has been in the Tampa bay area for a while. It has been pulled over the last 40 years by travel lifts but now yards (even previously pullers) no longer wood boats of any kind. I am curious if there is any documentation available as to the sling locations and lifting instructions for my specific boat that I can use to start a discussion with a yard?

 

[psneeld]

Good luck...none of the marinas near me will pull recreational wood boats either.

Wonder if it is an insurance ban for the marinas.

 

[READY2GO]

If you go down to key West. 3D boat yard will. They pulled several while we were there last October. Super nice people as well. They charged $8 a foot to haul and block, and 50 cents a foot for lay days. Don't know how anyone could do any better than that is south Florida.

 

[siestakey]

Snead in Palmetto last year would pull wood recreational boat not to far from the skyway bridge

 

[Ted]

sling locations
Look at the ss rub strip on the shearline or gun'l
most of the ss screws should have convex heads, they should have flatheads
where the slings are placed.
Ted

 

[Ski in NC]

Locate bulkheads and try to get straps at that location. More straps the better, understand that only one can be under a bulkhead. Keel shape matters, usually aft engine room bulkhead is positioned where it a good place for straps on keel too.

Do you have and photos of boat out of the water? Those help.

Some yards will haul if you offer to sign a waiver for hull damage.

 

[Forkliftt]

Good info here- we were recently hauled and are currently on the hard. I had the owner of the boat yard show me the best areas for a strap once we were blocked based on the bulkheads, placement of the mains and where the keel played out aft (twins). I had already had 4 brass tags engraved at a feed store (sling) and have attached these with SS screws beneath the rub rail.


1983 Present 42 Sundeck
Twin Lehman 135's

 

[Marin]

Alaskans were made by American Marine, the same company that created the Grand Banks line of boats. I suggest you contact Bob Lowe of the Grand Banks Owners forum Grand Banks Owner's Resources. That forum is also for Alaskan owners. You need to join in order to post but it's free.

For many years Bob owned Oak Harbor Boatworks on Whidbey Island in Washington State. He and his wife bought and totally restored an Alaskan 45. Bob has probably pulled every model of Alaskan out of the water during his career and would know where the best sling points are.

A boatyard that works on wood boat including the Alaskans in our harbor is Seaview North. They have 35 and 150 ton Travelifts (no railway) and are very experienced at lifting and blocking wood boats including the big Alaska limit seiners in our harbor, most of which have wood hulls.

Obviously they can't help you in terms of hauling your boat but they might be willing to provide some information.

But I'd try to contact Bob Lowe first.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

GBs used bronze screws on their rub rails with SS screws where the slings should go.

But over time many owners and yards replace the screws and don't follow that pattern.

 

[Marin]

Our 1973 glass GB is pretty much stock and has no differentiation in the rub rail screws denoting sling points. That's not to say screws haven't been changed over the years.

The first time we had the boat hauled the yard that did it was very familiar with GBs so we took a side photo with the boat in the slings and taped it to the inside of the boat's owner's manual to use as a reference. Now when we have the boat hauled we mark the sling points with blue tape around the handrails beforehand. The Travelift operators seem to like the idea and it does the trick.

Newer GBs have little "Sling" labels affixed to the cap rail in appropriate points but our blue tape method has made us too lazy to get the labels made.

 

[Pgitug]

I am the second person to recommend Sneads Boat Yard located just SW of the Skyway bridge up the Manatee River.
You may get them to "Pull" your boat out of the water on their newly reconditioned cradle on tracks if you do not want it put in a sling.

 

[FF]

Most boatyards are afraid of a walk away wood boat owner.

One that will see the amount of work ($$$$$) needed and just leave.

They also fear being sued for not having enough straps if the hull crushes while being pulled.

A stout deposit $2K to $5K will usually get a yard to work with you.

Slings must not be across the prop shaft(S), otherwise its no big deal.

Be sure the yard uses enough 4 is best and slings are lashed between so none will slip forward and off.

 

[psneeld]

Also what h the blocking....yards that don't do a lot of wood boats tend to use too few keel blocks.

Anyone remember the rule of thumb? 4 feet sounds familiar but as I have said it has been years since many yards in my area stopped.

 

[Art]

A BIG nail in the coffin of wood pleasure boats. A once active and proud industry!

 

[dwhatty]

So far, no problem in Maine with yards hauling, storing and working on wood boats. In fact, many Maine yards welcome them and their workers have the knowledge and skills to do whatever is required.

 

[Art]

So far, no problem in Maine with yards hauling, storing and working on wood boats. In fact, many Maine yards welcome them and their workers have the knowledge and skills to do whatever is required.

David - Maine is a different cut o' cloth! Being from LI and NY, NY, having then lived there for some years I well understand and greatly appreciate that!


In SF area - Next to no mariners want to haul or dock woodies.

 

[markpierce]

In SF area - Next to no mariners want to haul or dock woodies.

Bird-class sloop being rebuilt at KKMI yard in Pt. Richmond (SF Bay) which will be hauled to water:

 

[Nomad Willy]

So far, no problem in Maine with yards hauling, storing and working on wood boats. In fact, many Maine yards welcome them and their workers have the knowledge and skills to do whatever is required.

David,
I see this as an insurance issue. No yard wants to get sued for a crushed wood boat. But It's hard to imagine that the yards in Maine have local insurance providers. I would think the insurance providers would be scattered all over the US.

That says (to me) that the boatyards in Maine are taking all the risks.

There are lots of wood boats in the yard where I go in WA.

 

[Art]

Yards I know in Marin and in Delta are scared S-less for their rail crib or travel lift having wood boat hull flex too much due to bad fasteners and/or rot. Majority of wood boats are past their prime years of firmness-condition. Several years ago I noticed a 50' +/- wood Pacemaker rot in place at one yard in San Rafael because owner sued hauler for tweaking the hull. After a few years of taking up yard space; the yard finally had to dismantle it with chain saws. There are some woodies still floating at docks... basically grandfathered in I guess. One marina that has plethora of live-a-boards has numerous woodies that look like they will eventually sink in place. I'm sure most if not all are non-navigable and there is no yard that would haul other than for disposal purposes. Yards I know currently refuse to take on additional wood boats for any docking. I've heard horror stories where owners simply disappeared leaving the yards with costly removals.

 

[eyschulman]

Old woodies are being bought for cheap live aboard with little or no maintenance given. When the boat goes too far over the hill attempts are made to abandon or sell even cheaper to next owner. In our area we also see many old woodies in wet slips still being cared for by ageing owners. Some will be looked after by family after owner dies others not so. Some of these boats are nice enough that they will be saved many are not and will fall into the cheap live aboard rot cycle. A while back one of these boats pulled into a marina I was at and gave a cash advance payment for a few weeks and then the boat was completely abandoned at considerable expense to the family owned marina. I can definitely appreciate why yards are wary of older wood boats that may be rotting. It takes a great deal of $ and effort to keep some of these boats and too many of the owners who bought cheap are not in a position to deal with the problems which may only become apparent to them after boat is hauled. I suspect the prevalence of the problem differs by locality.

 

[Art]

Little over a year ago a fellow who'd heard of my background experience in repairing wood boats contacted me regarding a 42' GB woody he purchased. I'd looked at the same boat a few months earlier in thought of purchase and restoration. After careful survey on my own I'd decided against taking on that task due to the many needs apparent. It was an estate boat; had been neglected. The son of deceased was even willing to virtually give it to me just to see "dad's" boat restored. I offered a meeting with purchaser who called to give him guidance, but never again heard from him. He sounded as though he had starry eyes, not much wood boat background. Hope he did not pay too much and that the GB remains floating... or maybe even repaired.


Anyway... looking carefully at that wooden GB made me clearly recall my years working in boat yards in 1960's/70's on what were then older wood boats from the 20's 30's 40's 50's. Wood does not last unless meticulous care is consistently provided with some scheduled major refits... like all bottom fasteners replaced. Wood boats are nice in many ways; and, in too many ways, once they get older or not maintained, they can be not so nice!

 

[FF]

Canada has a great affinity for wood boats , and your buck is bigger than a Loonie!

 

[Bob Cofer]

Guess my woody GB-32 and my pal Dave's are relics that must be destroyed....who knew!

 

[Art]

Guess my woody GB-32 and my pal Dave's are relics that must be destroyed....who knew!View attachment 37573

Not if you keep em up! And, can find dock space, insurance, haul-out.... etc.

It all falls under the ongoing force of "Creative Destruction"

"Creative destruction is a process through which something new brings about the demise of whatever existed before it."

i.e. - FRP is replacing wood for pleasure boats.

 

[Bob Cofer]

Insured through Markel with no problems, no problem getting her hauled and no problems with the marine. Who would have guessed the PNW was such a great place.

 

[Marin]

We know or have known a number of people with wood boats. Some are GBs some are "showroom" Chris Crafts from the 30s and 50s, some are other makes like Richardson. All of them have had no problems getting insurance (Anchor Marine, for example, the insurance broker we have used since we bought our fiberglass boat insures wood boats- contact Pau Hana of this forum if interested) and a lot if not all of the boatyards around here know how to haul and deal with wood boats.

So if one has an affinity for wood boats, or finds one they feel is the boat for them, there is no problem with insurance, service, or getting the boat hauled and worked on in this area. The same is true in BC and I'm sure SE Alaska as well.

 

[Art]

We know or have known a number of people with wood boats. Some are GBs some are "showroom" Chris Crafts from the 30s and 50s, some are other makes like Richardson. All of them have had no problems getting insurance (Anchor Marine, for example, the insurance broker we have used since we bought our fiberglass boat insures wood boats- contact Pau Hana of this forum if interested) and a lot if not all of the boatyards around here know how to haul and deal with wood boats.

So if one has an affinity for wood boats, or finds one they feel is the boat for them, there is no problem with insurance, service, or getting the boat hauled and worked on in this area. The same is true in BC and I'm sure SE Alaska as well.

I'm quite sure wood boats do fine in most New England states too (TF member in the legal field living in Maine should be able to enlighten on that)

SF, CA area most docking mariners and boat repair yards are becoming more and more adverse to allowing wood boats. At least that is true of the ones I'm familiar with.

Would be good to hear from others in TF regarding their areas conditions regarding wood boats.

 

[Bob Cofer]

Marin is spot on and is just around the harbor from us. As for California just another reason to stay away.

 

[Art]

Marin is spot on and is just around the harbor from us. As for California just another reason to stay away.

Thank You! Our little 313 person, no postal delivery town in a protected rural valley of a few thousand, not far from Sir Francis Drake Bay and north of SF by 45 minutes, needs no more inhabitants!

 

[gbroughman]

Thank you for all the feedback. The boat was pulled at a slipway in Tarpon Springs last month before I bought her and they agreed to continue in the future although I think Sneads would be closer to Saint Petersburg. I will look into that next year. What I need, that a slip way will not allow, is a place to do the water line to the cap rails myself in a yard. I am currently in the water at a do-it-yourself yard working on the cosmetic and window repairs. I will keep you all posted on the progress with pictures.