bogranjac1
Senior Member
Rolling Chocks - I based my design on those very pics on google and read a lot of articles about how the lobstermen of the PNW employed them on their boats.
Thought I would make some and just see for myself if they worked, better than the opinions of others that never had them.
I went to Bunnings and bought a sheet of marine ply 25mm thick, then
off to the fiberglass supplier for some matt and resin. Cost around $ 200 including all sundry extras like acetone /sandpaper pads /rollers /etc.
1. I needed to make a template of the hull curve where I intended fitting the chocks. Just go to nearest white goods distributor and get a cardboard box from a fridge or whatever. Straighten it out and brace it with a rod and start cutting till it matches your hull curve.
2. Lay the finished template over the sheet of ply and get a circular saw and start cutting - it should follow the inside curve as long as the blade is not a giant.
3. Just trim any dags off with a hand held surform on the inside curve and round the outside edges nice and smooth. Get your hole saw and put a whole lotta holes along the outside edge - this is important - this is where you keep your bottles of beer LOL nah not really !!!
These holes are most important to release some pressure on the chocks - kindda like baffles and gives the boat a real nice easy ride. I put mine in after the initial seatrial and found they just finished off the ride perfectly.
4,5,6 There they are fitted. I just tacked them on with some rapid hardening glue first.
I was worried about what would happen to my hull if I happened to hit some submerged object so I just used ONLY 2 layers of fiberglass matt to attach them. I figured that making them sacrificial would be best in the event of some unintended contact.
I put them high up on the side of the hull, to act as hydrofoils and give a bit of lift also - maybe ?? They are parallel with the water line at the leading and following edge and at 90 degrees to hull.
In summary rolling chocks are a poor man's heaven when motoring and
along with employing flopper stoppers when anchored the combined effect is Bliss.
Thought I would make some and just see for myself if they worked, better than the opinions of others that never had them.
I went to Bunnings and bought a sheet of marine ply 25mm thick, then
off to the fiberglass supplier for some matt and resin. Cost around $ 200 including all sundry extras like acetone /sandpaper pads /rollers /etc.
1. I needed to make a template of the hull curve where I intended fitting the chocks. Just go to nearest white goods distributor and get a cardboard box from a fridge or whatever. Straighten it out and brace it with a rod and start cutting till it matches your hull curve.
2. Lay the finished template over the sheet of ply and get a circular saw and start cutting - it should follow the inside curve as long as the blade is not a giant.
3. Just trim any dags off with a hand held surform on the inside curve and round the outside edges nice and smooth. Get your hole saw and put a whole lotta holes along the outside edge - this is important - this is where you keep your bottles of beer LOL nah not really !!!
These holes are most important to release some pressure on the chocks - kindda like baffles and gives the boat a real nice easy ride. I put mine in after the initial seatrial and found they just finished off the ride perfectly.
4,5,6 There they are fitted. I just tacked them on with some rapid hardening glue first.
I was worried about what would happen to my hull if I happened to hit some submerged object so I just used ONLY 2 layers of fiberglass matt to attach them. I figured that making them sacrificial would be best in the event of some unintended contact.
I put them high up on the side of the hull, to act as hydrofoils and give a bit of lift also - maybe ?? They are parallel with the water line at the leading and following edge and at 90 degrees to hull.
In summary rolling chocks are a poor man's heaven when motoring and
along with employing flopper stoppers when anchored the combined effect is Bliss.