Blocking boat for off trailer storage

[Drummer1]

I have an '04 SV211. Unfortunately a trailer bunk has broken and I need to work on the trailer to repair and then prevent further issues. The boat is stored indoors on a concrete floor but I can't suspend it from the lift eyes and I don't want to chance damaging the hull and transporting it somewhere to have it removed via crane. So that leaves me with blocking it up and removing the trailer. I'm fairly confident with my plan but was looking for some input from someone who may have done it.
I will lift the back and block up the transom an inch or so off the trailer (26" from floor to bottom of hull). Then using an engine puller I'll lift the front of the boat via the lifting ring and start to pull the trailer forward. I'll throw a couple of additional resting points (blocking) several feet forward of the stern and then after moving the trailer about 8' forward I will have to stop because the tires and fenders will hit the engine puller. At this point I am planning to set a couple more blocks along the same area where the boat rests on the bunks. So that would be six resting points on the back third/half of the boat beneath the heaviest areas.
This is where it gets tricky. I don't know if I can get away with putting some support under the keel near the front temporarily while I move the trailer a little farther forward, then support/move/support/move until the axles and cross members are clear? Or is that a bad idea? There shouldn't be too much weight on the keel support as it will be the front half only and the very front of the bow sits in a support when on the trailer anyway.

The boat is only about 4400 lbs as it sits, I'm hoping to use 6 ton jack stands with 18" 4x4's on top as apposed to using cinder blocks and wood although I may just build some heavy duty wood stacks as well.

I'm probably over thinking some of this but the boat is my baby and the last thing I want is for it to end up on the ground or sustaining damage from a boneheaded move.

Any advice or re-assurance would be appreciated.
Thank you

[bturner]

I haven't done this in 10s of years when I was younger and "smarter" but when I did the pucker factor was off the charts. Good, bad or in between this was how I did mine. Took all morning to walk the trailer out and we added more fail safe blocking in case it started to move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRvTDlQ0tys

[Drummer1]

Cool, thanks for sharing. I know it's done all the time but like you said..."pucker factor". I'm probably going to overkill the heck out of it. No issues with the keel blocks or cinder blocks? Any gel coat spider webbing or anything like that after the fact? The keel blocks are my big concern because in my case there is never any substantial weight on the keel as the boat always rests on the bunks which run just inside of the chines. I think I'm ready, just have to prep everything up.

[bturner]

We were building decks back then as a side thing. I took a bunch of 6x6 and 4x4 scraps, cut them into 2' lengths and set them on a pair of cinder blocks in a crisscross pattern. The keel is much stronger than you think and is the basis for the boats structure strength so blocking from the keel shouldn't be a problem. Boatyards do this all the time. We didn't have any issues with ours that I can recall. I know people do this all the time but it still gives me chills thinking about.

[ihaveansv211]

How did it go?!

[Drummer1]

Picked up a used gantry crane on Craigs List for cheap. Will lift the front end with that so it should be a lot less tedious. Unfortunately the overhead door of the barn can't close with the crane in place so I'll still have to block up the boat but at least I'll be able to pull the trailer in one shot and not have to deal with all the cross members and axles. Taking it off tomorrow, will post an update when finished.

[Drummer1]

Everything went really smooth. Lowered the trailer tongue to nearly the ground and blocked up the rear with cinder and wood (placed carpet on top to prevent any scuffing). Then raised the trailer which lifted the transom off the back of the trailer by about 1.5". Centered up Gantry and hooked to bow lifting ring. I used a shackle and some thin rubber to protect the chrome on the ring. lifted the front with the chain fall, pulled the trailer forward about 5' and then placed a couple of 6 ton jacks with 24" long 4x4's centered on top in the rear along the bunk line about even with the transmission. Moved the trailer another 5' forward then placed another set of cinder blocks with 24" 4x4's on top. Finally pulled the trailer all the way out. I had cut a "V" lengthwise into a 3' 4x4 and placed it about 4-5' back from the bow under the keel with another set of 6 ton jacks supporting it. I didn't need to pull the trailer out in stages but I felt if something went awry and there was a failure at least the trailer would still be partially under the boat.

Unfortunately I couldn't just leave the crane in place because of the position of the boat to the overhead door. I had to move it back about 3' but I let out some chain and left it hooked to the ring slightly taut, again, just in case. The placement of the blocks and jacks allowed for very little weight to be on the keel support, probably no more than is usually on the v-post in the front of the trailer. So now it's trailer repair time. Planning on fixing the bunk but doing a little reinforcement and touch up while I'm at it. Putting it back should be a lot quicker baring any unforeseen scary stuff. Planning, taking our time, double checking everything = great outcome.

[bturner]

What no pictures???? What a gyp.....

[Drummer1]

Lol. The barn I store it in isn't mine and I don't want to put pictures out of someone else's possessions. But here's one I can post. Solid as a rock. I read where some people don't recommend cinder blocks due to possible failures and I took that into consideration but they offer a very practical way of getting stable height. But it's also why I used the heavy jack stands and nailed together some 4x4 boxes to put them on so the supports wouldn't be extended as far (more stable). I believe the way I have it set up, there could be a cinder block failure and the boat will still be solidly supported.

[bturner]

Looks great and stable!

[aerojust]

I am going to be blocking my 2000 SN TSC1 up this winter to rebuild my trailer. The major question I have is blocking the keel. It has a 2" flat ridge behind the tracking fins and the Hull has the V in front of the fins. It makes more sense to my from a structural standpoint to block behind the fins on the flat surface than in front where all the weight will be on the edge of the hull. This position should also be forward enough from the engine to not be forward heavy. I have also through about notching a block to match the V hull shape to distribute some of the weight.

Thoughts on this??

Also plan on blocking the front in the forward most position of the trailer bunks once the trailer is out from under her.

[Drummer1]

My picture is no longer showing so here it is again. I'm not sure about that flat spot. I didn't want to put supports anywhere in that area because of the penetrations through the hull and my concern was placing a weird stress on it where there could be a leak caused. But as you can see from my questions, I didn't really know what I was doing. However, my method seemed to work perfectly and and I may have over-killed it a little but hey, I like my boat. My trailer is now good to go and I enjoyed a season on the water without issues. I did cut a v into the 4x4 that's toward the front of the boat and spread it out over two jacks just for giggles. A huge majority of the distribution is towards the rear half of the boat and is primarily around the perimeter. Now that I've done it, it wasn't painful at all. My advice is to just use logic and really take your time when doing it. I will advise, before fully releasing anything and relying on your supports, stop one last time and go over everything in you r head/plan just to make sure you didn't miss something. I believe your boat is decently lighter than mine so hopefully you won't have any issues.

[aerojust]

Thank you - Your pictures are worth 1000 words. Thanks for reposting them here! Like the idea of the jack stands and grooved 2x4 up front. The SN is likely lighter, but the Center of Gravity must be more forward with engine location. I am an engineer by trade so not concerned about supporting the boat beyond making sure I am supporting her in a location that can hold the weight.

[Drummer1]

By the way, those rear jack stands were simply put there as a fail-safe because 1) I had them so why not and 2) Because I read so many people stating that cinder blocks were not a good idea...(even though they're tasked with holding up huge boats...and buildings) but again, it didn't hurt so why not?
Also, here's another pic from the rear. Because of the slight hull angle at the stern I had wedges to allow a nice flat sit on the rear blocks. Why take chances right? Good luck!

[Stevemo14]

The cinder blocks will be of not issue the way you set them up. Issues occur when you stack them with the flat sides up. Id you have the openings vertical you will not have any issues. I know someone that tried to jack up the front of his camper with a bottle jack and some cinder blocks. He did not have any wood to put across the tops of the blocks so he used the flat side of the block. Low and behold the block crumbled, the camper fell, and damage ensued.