Carpet on Boat Stands?

[D Rush]

My CD25, JAZ'D, is getting hauled this weekend.
She will be placed on Brownell SB-3 boat stands in the driveway of our family's summer house.

This may be a silly question but as a newbie at boat ownership I have to ask: The plates on the adjustable tops are plywood. Should the plates be covered with something non-abrasive?
I have seen some plates around the boat yard covered in carpeting.

[jbenagh]

FWIW, the plywood plates atop my trailer jacks are covered with bunk carpeting.

[hmeyrick]

Ideally, yes they should be carpeted. However I have allowed myself to become somewhat less rigorous about the carpet thing as I should, as the years go on... I was a stickler for carpet the first couple years I had my boat... The thing to keep in mind is that the plywood tops don't (or at any rate shouldn't) come in contact with your nice shiny topsides- they support down below the waterline where you have (or at any rate should have) a small but non-negligible thickness of bottom paint. The plywood might well abrade some of this, but it shouldn't be much, and in my opinion you're unlikely to damage the underlying gelcoat. And you're going to repaint the antifoul next spring anyway, right?

That said, seeing as how you say you're a newbie with your boat, I do think you should go the extra step and carpet those tops. Cape Dory boats are special, and there is nothing at all wrong with getting in the habit of treating them right.

[Oswego John]

Hi Denis,
I think it is wise to fasten some kind of cushion on the suppoting surface of your jack stands. On some of mine, I having been using carpet remnants. Lately, I have been using indoor-outdoor deck carpeting.

Are these Brownell SB-3 poppets new?. If so, maybe it's not a bad idea to treat the plywood tops, bottoms and edges with exterior paint or some other weatherproof protection while they're new.

When the boat is supported by these stands, I suppose that you are already aware that the weight of the boat is supported by the keel resting on a wooden plank. The adjustable supports just maintain the boat's balance to keep it from tipping from wind or any other thing that could cause it to topple.

It is a good idea to place a flat plate, maybe treated plywood, under the three legs of each jack stand to prevent them from settling into mud or soft earth.

Chain each pair of stands together side by side to prevent them from separating sideways and lose firm hull contact.

I have noticed from time to time that the open ends ot the three pipe legs of a stand are rusting out. If there is any rust developing, clean the ends free of rust, inside as well as out and prime and paint the bare surfaces. I use Rustoleum primer and finish paint.

I wrap a rag around a straight stick and tape the ends. I load the rag with paint and swab the inside of the legs as far in as practical. You can purchase plastic caps to place on the open pipe ends. You can get them at Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, etc.

Many times the ajax threads of the stand become rusty. A wire brushing, followed by a coating of grease will work wonders when adjusting the stands as well as preserving them.

It's not necessary, but I use a single stand with a vee head supporting the cutwater. This helps an awful lot when painting the hull and bottom. It allows you to safely back off a side stand one at a time when sanding and painting.

Good luck,
O J

[D Rush]

n/m

[D Rush]

Thanks for the great info. it's just what a newbie like me needs.
My SB-3 stands are used. I got them for a nice price from Brownell Systems in Mattapoisett with chains and keel blocks. The stands are in good shape, a little rust.
I have primed them with rustoleum and hopeful will paint them Saturday. I think I should probably seal or paint the plywood on the tops before adding the carpet.
I have some plywood to go under the stands.

[M. R. Bober]

I don't think the carpet is necessary or even a good thing. With the rounded chine of the Cape Dory only a small portion of the pad contacts the hull. Adding the carpet will not increase the contact area by much, and it really does not provide any significant amount of cushioning.
The carpet will hold moisture against the hull and the plywood. Check the bottom paint when those carpeted pad are removed during spring prep. Depending on paint type and weather, the paint under the carpet can "lift" or soften. Also dry plywood tend to survive longer than wet.
If you feel the need, use squares of vinyl flooring to cover the pads. IMHO



Mitchell Bober
Sunny Lancaster (where Oriental gets shaggy outdoors), VA

[BillNH]

If your stands will see snow, then be careful of the wet carpet freezing to the hull. I once lifted a boat in the spring and the stands went up with it! I needed to thaw the carpets with hot water to remove the stands without damage (Northern New England boating )

I used to use carpet but no longer think it makes a difference, and would rather not put a wet pad against the hull for half a year at a time.

[Tod M]

actually developing hull blisters where a (wet) bunk contacted the hull.

If using carpeting, it is probably a good idea to use an outdoor type that doesn't hold much water.

[Oswego John]

Hi all,

Oops. I woke up in a cold sweat this morning, realizing that I had thrown another bum steer at the board. Earlier on this thread, I mentioned that the jack stand had an Ajax thread when I should have said an Acme thread. Mea Culpa X 12.

But what the hey, they say that it isn't really a mistake if you catch it yourself before anyone else does, especially the boss.

It's almost tarp time up north.
O J

[rtbates]

how about carpet for the cushion effect and then covering it with a plastic garbage bag for keeping it dry??

[mahalocd36]

Hi,
We also have brownell stands and our boat delivered set up by Brownell. The first time, though this was a few years ago so my memory may not be correct, we asked him about the covering and he said not to do it. Might have been the moisture thing. The stands are only against the bottom paint no gel coat....wait - the V-shaped one for the front of the boat has some padding on it but I think it came that way. The others definitely do not. I guess I would ask Brownell, they are the experts on this and are very helpful. The one tip he did give was in the spring, when bottom painting, is cover the stand with waxed paper before you put it back. Then if it's not 100% dry, it doesn't stick to the stand. He said the worst that would happen is it would stick to the boat but then would dissolve in the water. We didn't have it stick to either and worked really well.

Melissa

[D Rush]

I re-examined the top plates on my stands. The plywood on all the plates are in good shape. SO I will not be padding the top plates with carpeting. I will be calling Brownell to confirm my decision. I'll also ask about what to do on the V top on the Bow stand.

I do plan to paint the bottom in the spring. It's a plan anyway.

[Mark Yashinsky]

They can loosen, from things, such as the stand sinking into the ground, working out from the boat, some good samaritan or the yard help touching the stand.
BUT, dont overtighten the stands, or you will put dimples (oilcanning) in the hull.
Dont forget to pitch the boat fore/aft, to allow water to drain (cockpit scuppers), which is deternined by the blocks under the keel, and NOT the stands.

[Carl Thunberg]

It's almost tarp time up north.
O J

Say it isn't so! The leaves are just about perfect for some fall foliage cruises! Not yet. Not yet.