Cat on floating dock...

I was trying to think of a way to make my 'new' H18 (1980) more convenient for use since i do not have water front access.

I was thinking about making a floating dock that i could slide my boat onto. I guess similar in concept to the EZ docks that people use for wave runners. This would allow me to leave the rigging up and not have to trailer it in and out all the time, making use much more casual and much more likely, especially b/c i will often be single handing it.

the basic idea is welding together an aluminum frame with rollers (floating on plastic drums). Since the boat is 400lbs i would have a boat winch up front to pull the boat up. Once the boat was on the floating dock i would then strap the hulls to the rigid frame, which would eliminate the stresses that leaving it in the water would cause.

I checked with the municipality and there are no reasons i can't do it. All i would have to do is provide my own mooring, which was expected anyway.

Any thoughts about the idea would definitely be appreciated. Has it been done? Any reason its a bad idea?

Jim

That's not really true. Because it's a floating dock, the H-18 is still going to be subject to wave action as the dock moves around. Because of the rig tension and rotating mast, it's going to put additional stress on your standing rigging. Plus, it will wear out the mast bearing sooner.

You can minimize it by tying off the mast to minimize rotational motion.

But you're going to have to replace the rigging more often. And you should plan on dropping the mast from time to time just to check the upper end of the rigging.

Now if you're in or near Tornado Alley, and are not in a position to be able to drop the mast on short notice, don't do it. Outflow/inflow from big storms do a lot of damage to "secured" cats every year in this neck of the woods.

Brian C

I like the whole concept - convenience is why I store my boat mast-up at my sailing spot. As a result, I get out every week, where if I had to transport and rig it, I would be lucky to get out monthly. So I say go for it! Work the bugs out.

I totally agree that just sitting there in the chop would annihilate the rigging in no time.

My suggestion; adding to Brian's excellent suggestion to lock-out mast rotation, is to bungie-tension the rig by attaching five or six STRONG bungies to the furler-can area (where the bridle meets the fore-stay,) then attach the other end to the dolphin striker. (You may be able to use the main sheet and a piece of line instead of bungies. Tension is tension)

In concept, this would put constant tension on every wire at ALL times, ideally eliminating the sharp impact of the rig's mass as it flops from wire to wire. I would still replace standing rigging yearly and inspect the high load areas regularly.

Big air / storms; that's a problem. However, there is an amount of air that will flop everything over into the water, which may be an improvement over a land based, mast up, condition, flopping into other boats or a structure. That is; as long as everything stays a float!) You can see I am straining to see the bright side on that one!

Peace,

_________________
Dan Peake
2003 H17SE
2005 FX1

Thanks for the replies so far.

The boat would be moored in barnegat bay in NJ. Brian what you said about the mast rotating is something i did not think about. And i will have to give that some thought. Dan your ideas definitely seem to have some merit if this is the route i go that might have to be taken into consideration.

Since i am new to the whole cat world (and sailing for that matter), i think making the process as easy as possible is very important. But i guess it would also be prudent to see how hard it is for me to get it in and out of the water and on to the trailer for i go building anything. But like i said i think i might be doing this a lot by myself

We leave boats with the mast up for the whole season.

Bungee from the end of the rotation bar to the dolphin striker, or tie off with a line to one shroud chain plate, to keep the mast "relatively" still.

Run a line from the bridle/forestay intersection to the dolphin striker, cinch up tight and tie it off, thus taking any slack out of the rig.

_________________
Sheet In...Max Out
www.fleet297.org
sailflatlands at gmail dot com

You can mitigate alot of the dock bouncing around with a set of flopper stoppers. these are the devices keelboats use to minimize rolling when at anchore Davis makes them as well as Magna

On the water?

Brian C

Hi Jim,

If I may offer a suggestion ... Go see Bob Bergstad's set-up at his marina "Trixie's" in Barnget NJ. His operation is located across the street from "Berkley" Park. He has a bunch of cats stored on floating docks ... last year there were 3-4 H18's stored that way.

Just remember the H18 "nose/bow" is VERY tender!!! It is easy to put a hole in the bow when you "hit" something. Unlike the H16 which rides up and over something , the H18 drives straight forward!!! resulting in damaged/holed bows.

Go see Bob .... he is a GREAT GUY .... just look for the salt&pepper beard ... that's Bob.

Harry

_________________
HarryMurphey
H-18 mag/ #9458
Fleet 54 Div 11

I'll definitely have to get in touch with him. It would be great to see some set up and hear what his thoughts are.

As far as the weak noses go maybe I'll fab up some nose caps for hulls to sort of idiot proof the process