Hardstand support to repair damaged keel.

[Waterdog247]

We are on a 2005 Leopard 43 sailing in Tonga. Last week we bumped a reef with the port keel. A small amount of damage was done to the aft part of the flat bottom. About 30 cm long and 5 cm high. We are hauling out to repair and I am curious about the hard stands. The manual states it must be supported the full length of the keel. Can we support just the front half of the keel so we have access to the damage? This of course would be in conjunction with the cradles under the hull fore and aft of the keel.
Thank you,
J

[catsketcher]

I don't know Leopards so my advice is generalised.

If you can block up as much of the keel as possible whilst still getting access, this would be better than half. I would leave about 100mm of clearance to the damage.

I would also want the boatyard to block the hulls under bulkheads if they are to take significant load. I have had boatyards miss important bulkheads. You can measure from skin fittings or use the windows to put little marks at the waterline, showing the position of the interior main strength bulkheads. Your boat will have these at the forward end of the main cabin and where the rear beam intersects with the hulls. These spots should be able to take significant load if lots of carpet is used over soft wood blocking. (hardwood blocking is okay but softwood should sit on top of it). I also like to use plywood under the carpet as it has a large surface area and it pivots under the carpet to conform to the boat's hull. Don't allow hardwood to be used under carpet - it may crease the hull, ensure that ply is used and when the load comes on it, you will see it pivot to conform to the keel line.

So for me - block a large amount of the keel. Then have blocking underneath the hull (especially aft where the damage is) absolutely non-negotiable that it is under the bulkheads if it takes significant load. At least two layers of carpet touching the hull, then a 50cm square piece of ply (18mm thick if possible), then softwood and then whatever you like. It is what I do and my boat only has two layers of 600gm double bias on her bottom and she never gets any damage.

Don't get bullied by the yard. Insist on the boat being blocked at bulkheads with appropriate padding. If they try to fob you off, sail away. I have had my boat bent by incompetent boatyards. But the great ones (like Boatworks in QLD) will listen respectfully and then ensure that the boat is treated the way you would like it to be. A good boatyard will be very careful and respectful of your boat and its requirements.

cheers

Phil

[s/v Jedi]

If the area is large, you can do the repair in parts. If you have the extra blocking and a hydraulic bottle jack, it is easy to move it about a bit.

[neilpride]

You should have a full bulkhead in front of the keel, and there is another one behind the keel, it can be done because I have done it before, we placed two wooden supports specially built for these cases, the support is very similar to a fence, on top 3 or 4 sandbags, the hull rests forward on this support and behind the same, it has to be done in the 2 hulls, in this way the 2 keels do not touch the ground.

[Waterdog247]

Thank you everyone. The yard is very accommodating. R&C responded to my email and said blocking the front half of the keel was perfectly fine. Appreciate all the input!

[mark_morwood]

It sounds like you are all sorted, but just a further note, many catamarans have been safely hauled by a trailer under the bridge deck with no support on the keels or hulls at all while being moved. In fact it looks like that is how they do it at the boat yard at Vavau. I'm not suggesting you leave it hanging just by the bridgedeck while you work on it, but it gives you an idea that there are many options as to where to support a catamaran, as long as you make sure to line up with structural elements like bulkheads, not unsupported panels.