How do you lift a boat off the trailer for hull work?

[Todd in NY]

Just wondering how you properly (safely) lift a boat off its trailer to do any kind of work on the bottom of the hull. Whether it's doing an acid wash, applying a barrier coat, bottom paint, or just to wax the bottom. My trailer has carpeted bunks that the boat sits on, so that's a pretty large area that needs the same treatment the rest of the hull gets. Thanks!

[UNREEL]

The marina near me uses a floor jack with a combination of wood 2x6's , 4x4's to lift one side off the bunks and then the other. The smaller the boat the easier and safer it is. I've done it in my driveway with a 24ft.

[Xxx]

I have these tri-pod stands that you set under your boat they have plywood pieces attached that swivel in all directions you put them across from each other, 2 in the back and 2 in the front and they have a heavy duty threaded rod with a T type handle that you turn. You do this the same amount of turns till the boat is off the trailer then pull the trailer out and continue to turn each handle in the up direction till you have your desired height, they fight each other so they never will slip. I saw boats dry docked with these stands. I got them with the boat I purchased. If you need to borrow them let me know and I'll bring them along when I come up, they are handy. I used them to replace the clips and washers on my rollers on the trailer. Pap

[skipper19]

I've often wondered the same thing. Jacking the boat off the trailer never seems that hard to do but how to get the trailer out from under it with Jack stands and stuff under the boat and axles and cross members to come through them. I assume you have to keep the supporting stands of the bow on the outside of the trailer and hold the boat up with a heavy board or timber in the bow area high enough to clear fenders and wide enough to clear the trailer width. Once out with the trailer I think I would further support the outer chine areas under the sides of the hull. Sounds like a big process, and this again is just a guess for this process, and I have never done it. Yet....

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[skipper19]

Pap knows how! There ya go!

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[Xxx]

Yea the front is a pita to say the least what I do is use the back ones as they are away from the running gear of the trailer. I have a 4x4 with a piece of conveyer belt nailed to it, I also nailed 2, 4' pieces of 2x6 in the middle of the 9' 4x4 and I have two floor jacks I use in the front, Jack her up just off the trailer yank the trailer out then put the stands under. It sounds like a lot but it's quite easy, I have each stand in place and jus slide them under and take the weight off the 4x4. I have a little loader bucket tractor with a ball mounted to the bucket, that I move my boats around in the driveway, and I just slip the trailer back under, you can do this with your tow vehicle also.

[Todd in NY]

I used some Star brite hull cleaner a few days ago to clean off what might have been 2 years of marina growth from the PO, and the part of the hull I cleaned looks much better. But I want to clean the entire bottom and wanted to know how to lift the boat safely and without damaging the hull. Here are some before and after pics...

[Todd in NY]

Thanks for the info Pap! So let's just say I want to lift the rear half of the boat off the bunks, one side at a time for cleaning, kinda like Unreel mentioned. How would you recommend I do that?

I'm saying to lift the right side for cleaning, then set it down and lift the left side for cleaning. Without pulling the trailer out from under the boat.

[Xxx]

I think if your boat is like mine there is a long flat area from midship to the transome, place a 4ft piece of 2x6 the reason I say that is the wider the better is for better weight distribution then Jack high enough to get the job done, might have to move this setup around till finished, good luck and be safe

[Todd in NY]

Thanks, I'll try to get it done before I use my boat again.

[lost a lure]

Lower the front of the trailer all the way. Block under transom. Raise front of trailer. Block under keel. Move trailer forward. Jack up bow of boat and block again. Repeat until trailer is out. Block boat with jack stands to be safe.

[Todd in NY]

The marina near me uses a floor jack with a combination of wood 2x6's , 4x4's to lift one side off the bunks and then the other. The smaller the boat the easier and safer it is. I've done it in my driveway with a 24ft.

 

Thanks Unreel, this is kind of what I need to do just to finish cleaning the rest of the hull.

[Todd in NY]

Lower the front of the trailer all the way. Block under transom. Raise front of trailer. Block under keel. Move trailer forward. Jack up bow of boat and block again. Repeat until trailer is out. Block boat with jack stands to be safe.

 

When you say to raise the front of the trailer, I assume you're not talking about using the trailer jack...? Thanks!

[LongLine]

Lower the tongue of your trailer as low as it will go. Cut some heavy timbers 2-3 ft long (min 4x4), place horizontally and make two stands at the rear of your boat.  Bevel the top one on each pile to match your bottom.  Then get a hydraulic jack to lift the front of your trailer.  (DO NOT use the wheel winch)  You should be able to get 6-8" clearance between boat & trailer.

[Todd in NY]

Lower the tongue of your trailer as low as it will go. Cut some heavy timbers 2-3 ft long (min 4x4), place horizontally and make two stands at the rear of your boat.  Bevel the top one on each pile to match your bottom.  Then get a hydraulic jack to lift the front of your trailer.  (DO NOT use the wheel winch)  You should be able to get 6-8" clearance between boat & trailer.

Ok, got it, thanks!

[Jeremy Goodison]

Lost a lure x2

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[lost a lure]

Try to raise it with the trailer jack. If its to heavy use a floor jack and blocking

[Todd in NY]

Ok, thanks.

[LongLine]

DON'T use the trailer jack.  i.e with the wheel on it!  You won't know that's it's not strong enough until it breaks.  With the rear end blocked up, the full weight of the boat will be on it.  (I found out the hard way!)  Those wheel jacks are only rated for a few hundred pounds & your boat looks like it weighs about 4200.

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[lost a lure]

My jack has the solid base. I wouldn't try the wheel type either

Edited July 31, 2016 by lost a lure

[TileMan Dan]

DON'T use the trailer jack. i.e with the wheel on it! You won't know that's it's not strong enough until it breaks. With the rear end blocked up, the full weight of the boat will be on it. (I found out the hard way!) Those wheel jacks are only rated for a few hundred pounds & your boat looks like it weighs about 4200.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

Exactly!! Been there did that!

[LongLine]

L-A-L - It's the gearing that will break.  They generally rack & gear type lifting devices.  The crank turns the gear. Teeth will break off the gear.  Wheel is actually stronger than gear.

 

A 2 1/2 Ton hydraulic jack is cheaper than a good trailer jack.

 

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[G-Daddy]

When I rebuilt the trailer on my 17 footer I lowered the front and blocked. The I used a chain and come along to raise the front from a rafter in my garage. For the Sportcraft I took the trailer home after docking at Wiley's for the season and loaded when we took her home.

[Thun]

Just to give you an idea..

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-O0wv_5MkQ

[Todd in NY]

Just to help you guys sleep better at night, I won't risk using my trailer jack. I have a heavy duty floor jack, bottle jacks, and I might even buy some Brownell boat stands since I will be lifting it at least once a year. Thanks for all the feedback!!!