R29 cradle/stanchions

gmeans

Active member
Joined
Jan 24, 2012
Messages
32
Fluid Motion Model
C-288 C
Hull Identification Number
USFMLT2903D2
Non-Fluid Motion Model
1952 PennYan Cartopper
Vessel Name
Docky's Dream
Here in the snow belt(Erie Pa) folks put their boats on stanchions or cradles for the winter. Having just received my R29 last month I am beginning research on that subject. Would appreciate any advice Re: one versus the other, bottom "plans" in the case of cradle needing to be hand built, etc, etc. Thanks in advance. Gary on Docky's Dream
 
Just about anything will work and if it is at a marina likely they will simply put it up on jack stands with blocking under the keel... Millions of boats spend every winter like that...
If you want to gild the lily have a cradle made with bunks for the boat to rest on - like a road trailer...
Or find a used bunk trailer for it...

The bigger issue is how you cover the boat... Done poorly the tons of ice and water that collects can cause damage...
Make some sawhorse style supports for a center ridge pole to tent the cover over... And have enough rafters to keep the cover from collapsing in and leaving pockets for water to collect...
Most folks tie the cover down with straps running under the hull... I have found gallon milk jugs filled with water used as weights along the bottom skirt of the cover and a just a couple of hull straps, to work really well... This works best if you have a cover made with grommets for the jugs every 2 feet around the perimeter... A custom cover will also have a door in a strategic spot so you can get inside the boat when you really, really need a 'SAD' break during the winter...

I suspect the most bang for the buck is having a custom cover made instead of making an expensive cradle and simply using jack stands to support it...

A secondary gilding the lily job would be to have a solar cell run a fan inside the boat and under the cockpit... I have cobbled this up a few times over the years and the boat seems more 'fresh' when opened in the spring...
As always - ymmv, sar, bni
 
Of course, there is another option... to paraphrase an old saying: Go south, young man, go south. 😉
 
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