Boot Stripe and Trailers

[Sea Hunt]

Later this week I am going to look at a Cape Dory Typhoon Weekender. There are two advantages to this Ty. First, she is within a two-hour drive from home. Second, she has a galvanized aluminum trailer for transport thus saving the cost of hiring a boat mover.

I have two seemingly disparate questions concerning "boot stripe" and trailers.

First, from pictures I received, the entire hull was apparently painted white. There is no "bottom paint" color versus "hull" color. There is also no boot stripe. The current owner was unclear about what was used as "paint" although he has a receipt for work done. He advises this CD Ty has only been in the water 5-6 times during his 5-year ownership. I have researched the topic "boot stripe" on the board and have found a lot of interesting information about colors, etc. However, my question is how difficult is it to measure the stripe, size it, position it and paint a "boot stripe" where there is no "go buy" boot stripe already in place I assume this would have to be done by a boatyard.

I read a post by Oswego John about using laser sights to get a boot stripe level with the hull water line. Unfortunately, my only knowledge of laser sights is with target acquisition. There is also a post in the same thread by Tod Mills discussing using a clear plastic tube (presumably rigid) filled with water. Water and tubes I can work with. However, after reading Steve Laume’s description of use and Tod’s description of use several times I am still scratching my head in befuddlement.

Second question has to do with the trailer. It is a Horizon trailer. I did a Google search and found Horizon Boats but not Horizon trailers. The picture of the trailer shows it to have two boards (probably 2x4s) covered with carpet material running parallel along the trailer. They are NOT angled in toward the hull. The CD Ty is sitting on these boards (with, of course, the keel resting on the trailer bottom). I believe this is a "float on" type trailer. The "float on" trailers I have seen had curved boards that conform more closely to the shape of the hull. They were sort of "concave" AND on an angle so that more of the board meets the hull and the hull weight (that not in the keel) is distributed over a larger area of these boards more evenly. What damage, if any, is done to a hull that sits for 5 years on a trailer with what appears to be only 4"-5" of its starboard and port side hull resting on a 2x4 board That seems like a lot of weight (and thus pressure) pushing into the hull.

I wish I knew how to post pictures so I could show the photos.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, etc.

[bhartley]

Robert,

I have the top and bottom measurements marked every foot from stem to stern for an average Typhoon boot stripe. You mindlessly measure from the deck down. I used measurement from a board member and went and measured John Martin's Ty. Once marked, I struck the line with tape with some minor adjustments to the eye and voila.

No excuse on this one

Bly

P.S. Ariel (our Sea Sprite) sat cattywumpus on her trailer for 11 years under a tree while the board on the poppet on the trailer rotted out. The entire weight of the boat on one side was borne by 4 bolts. There are four dimples in the topsides that fade a little more every year. You fail to understand just how durably built these boats are... Buy the boat. Go sail!

[Oswego John]

Sea Hunt,

Robert, damn the torpedoes, BUY THE BOAT.
The longest journey starts with the first step. Keep going.

Without my searching for my original post on boot stripes, it's easier for me to repeat myself. The laser sight that I referred to isn't like a firearm sight. It is called a laser level. It is a simple instrument that emits either a red dot or a red line. (your option)

The laser level is usually mounted on an adjustable height tripod. It rotates 90° to the left or to the right. (It actually pivots 360°).

You level the boat athwartship on the trailer by placing a straight edge either across the seats or across the coaming boards.. Use a jack to elevate the low side of the trailer frame until a spirit level (bubble) sitting on the straight edge reads level.

The flat edge of the keel bottom, for all intents and purposes, is parallel with the waterline. While holding a spirit level against the bottom of the keel, have a helper either raise or lower the tongue jack until the keel reads level.

Tomorrow, I will shovel some snow away from the freeboard of some of my Tys and measure down from the rubrails at specific points in order to establish the top and bottom of the boot stripe.

After you get your Ty level in both planes, you can transpose the measurements to your hull. With your hull leveled off, elevate the laser level to the height where the red dot/line sits on the established mark that you transposed on your hull, whether it be top of boot stripe or bottom.

With the laser level perfectly horizontal, sitting about 10' to 12' abeam of either side of your hull, rotate the laser to one side and then to the other , marking the laser dot in 6" increments from bow to stern. Determine the width that you want the bootstripe to be and reset the laser level either up or down to establish the other complimentary edge. As the bow and fantail curl under, the boot stripe will actually be wider in these areas. When viewed from the side, they will appear to be the same as midship. When the mark is made at the bow, carry the mark around the cutwater to help establish the same elevation on the opposite side of the hull.

Prepare, mark, tape and paint

If the hull is leveled on the trailer after establishing boot stripe marks top and bottom on the midship hull, a water level can be used to mark off the bootstripe.

I bought my laser level fron Harbor Freight for about $20.00 I bought a water level kit (sans hose) a few years back from Ace Home Supply for about the same price.

Google Harbor Freight Tools.
Keyword: Laser Level (upper left window)
Item # 90980 4VGA

Harbor Freight 18517 South Dixie H'way, Miami, Fla

Now, go out and BUY THE BOAT.
O J
PS: BUY THE BOAT

[Sea Hunt]

OJ -

Please do NOT go out to shovel snow to be able to get measurements for the boot stripe. Two good reasons:

First, I should have explained in my initial post that this is VERY, VERY "iffy". The current owner does not appear at all motivated to sell. I think he is just "testing the water" to see if there is any interest and what the market price would be. I am doubtful he would agree to sell at a price I would agree to pay.

Second, IF I bought (and it is a very big IF), I do not think I would be doing anything with a boot stripe for many, many months. Depending on what "paint" is on the hull now, and assuming it is reasonably OK, I would leave everything as is, sail her for 8-10 months, make a list of things to be done and then haul her out and bring her to a boatyard for the work I am not qualified to do.

My question about the boot stripe was more in the line of "what is the cost for a boot stripe to be restored if it has been completely removed (painted over) and how difficult is it to restore the boot stripe "

I do now understand the use of a leveling laser. I was going to take my Aimpoint off one my carbines. Thanks for helping me avoid that.

[Steve Laume]

I understand the procedure for marking a boot stripe by painstakingly leveling the boat and then using a laser or more traditional level to strike the lines. There is also the taking a zillion measurements and connecting the dots with a spline to get a fair line method. Try walking around a boat yard and eye balling boot stripes. They are not all as fair as they could be. When in the water they are not always where the boat wants them to be.

Infinitely more fun and assuring foolproof accuracy is my proven float method. I have done this with several dinghies but could it be done with any boat you are willing to float and then re-haul to paint the boot stripe. We have a little pond I launch the boat in. A warm still day is the best. I suppose a cold still day would work if you wanted to make it more difficult and less fun by working off of a dock or out of another boat.

After floating the boat with all it's normal equipment aboard I assemble my rather costly and sophisticated marking tools. These consist of about a two foot square or larger piece of blue foam board and a number two or softer, pencil. A bathing suit is optional.

Slip into the water moving slowly so as not to make waves. Set your pencil on the foam and gently float it around the boat. For the upper line, all you need is a block of foam or wood the thickness of your strip. One more trip around and you are done. It always comes out perfectly fair and parallel to the water at exactly the right hight. Not only that but it is a lot more fun than most other methods.

Then all you need to do is haul the boat. Get some good green tape and a paint brush. The next time you launch you will have a perfect boot stripe.

It's making me want to paint something. I suppose I have to go out in the shop and make saw dust instead, Steve.

[bhartley]

I should add that we used this method because there was no way in the world to get the boat level on the trailer. Between the ground being lumpy and the trailer awaiting restoration.

With a totally white hull (freshly painted) this was the most efficient in our situation.

Bly

[Tod M]

With a small boat, I'm not so sure a boot stripe is all it is cracked up to be because they are <b>so sensitive</b> to how many people are aboard, whether there is the weight of an outboard, and what items are stowed where.

Busca has a boot stripe but unless I'm just daysailing, it spends much time submerged:

[img]http://www.htmills.com/images/GB0115-DockedLionsHd.jpg[/img]

Here's a lovely classic yacht that lacks a boot stripe:

[img]http://www.htmills.com/images/LF-QuietTune.jpg[/img]

And another:

[img]http://www.htmills.com/images/VineyardCeleste.jpg[/img]

Good Luck, no matter what route you take!

[Sea Hunt]

I have made arrangements to inspect this Ty tomorrow.

Tod, I guess my "tadpole" status shows in the question I posed. I thought the boot stripe was an integral part of painting the "bottom" part of the hull a different color from that portion of the hull that is above the water line.

The pictures you posted of "Quiet Time" and "Celeste" are kind of what I would think about doing. Those two sailboats, BTW, are gorgeous But I will still need to get a straight (level) water line on the hull at the proper height so that the boatyard knows where to put the different color "bottom" paint. Right

[boom2it]

The trailer I have for my Typhoon also has the boards that cradle the hull, but are adjustable to form along the curvature of the hull, (screw rods), maybe the trailer you are looking at just needs adjusting. I also have a newly painted boot stripe (green) on my Typhoon, but with the whole family on board, and outboard and cooler, its barely visible, I still like it though. Good luck and enjoy your Typhoon.....when you buy it

[Tod M]

I'd be inclined to go that route for two reasons:

First, you can load up the boat the way you expect it to be at a slip. That way the waterline will be based on your actual situation.

Second, by setting the foam thickness, you can pick the height that you want the bottom paint to start (normally a bit above the actual waterline).

The only thing is if you want to have a curved (vertical component) stripe you would need to manually adjust it. Sometimes things like waterlines look good if they are slightly higher at the ends of the boat.

A boot stripe is a second stripe above the bottom paint, usually with a gap between the bottom paint and the stripe.

Small boats are fun!

<img width=540 src=http://www.htmills.com/images/LF-HatchCoveHaven.jpg>

[ronkberg]

ROBERT, BUY THE TYPHOON AND GO SAILING !!!!!

I had the boatyard paint my Typhoon bottom last year and asked them to raise the water line over the stripe. I sailed last summer w/o a stripe and it made my boat sail faster.......yuk, yuk.

You already are giving vibes about backing out of this deal and I think we all want you to tuck your tadpole tail and write out a check. You will just LOVE sailing on a Typhoon and they hold their value well, so the CD-25D you desire can be purchased in a couple of years.

Buy it,

Ron

[Dean Abramson]

You don't need a bootstripe. Paint the bottom using the existing paint as a guide, then launch the rascal. At some point during the season, when it is floating, you can mark for a bootstripe; then paint one next year, or not. It may be that the bottom paint comes up plenty high, and you will decide to pass on a boot stripe.

The Guinness tab is growing...

Dean

[jbenagh]

Tod,

what kind of boat is that? My guess is a Herreshoff or Haven 12.5 -- either way, the most beautiful small boat ever designed...

Jeff

[Sea Hunt]

Ron:

I am not backing out or thinking of backing out of this deal (or any other deal). Indeed, there is no deal. I have not yet even looked at this CD Ty Weekender.

I just do not want to get my hopes up. The owner did not seem at all enthusiastic about selling. He had her listed on a website for a few days and then removed the listing - unclear why. If he is not really interested in selling, there is not much I can do about that. I certainly do not intend to throw money at him (that I do not have) in the hope that he will relent and sell.

I sincerely appreciate your continuing support and encouragement and that of the many other members of this board. When I buy my first CD, my very first act will be to join the CDSOA This is a terrific board with terrific members. I would not have the confidence I have if not for the suggestions, encouragement and prodding from all of you.

Dean, I tried to make arrangements with FEDEX or UPS to deliver your Guinness. When I gave them the address they told me they do not deliver to locations that have more than 12 feet of snow on the ground

[Tod M]

I believe it is one of those. I don't know how to tell the difference. That boat was located in Hatch Cove, behind Castine, Maine.