Boat Leveling

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

.....
The hose trick is nice if you are trying to locate a "vertical plane" inside the boat. I have located a point outside the boat, passed the water level though the speed log hole and found the same vertical position inside the hull.

Very nice trick - thanks!

Saves drilling a hole through the hull

[Blue Stocking]

Nothing beats having a set of builders drawing for your boat. I have a set of Phil Rhodes drawings from which Bluestocking was built in July '65. shows all the point at which you can check levels as Ex-Calif says.

Interestingly enough, the set contains both wood and glass construction sheets. Because the wood mass in the bow is heavier, and self-trimmed, we carry some internal lead forward of the centre of bouyancy to trim her down to lines.

We are the glass version.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

The issue with the water level is it can tell you that two points are on the same plane but not that those two points "should" be on the same plane. i.e. a point on the transom and a point on the bow can be on the same plane but is the bow nose high?

For the OPs purpose:
Place marks on the waterline before hauling the boat out (assuming that it is not obvious from the growth on the hull ) Then use the "hose level" against those marks when chocking.

[robwilk37]

I used a Ryobi water level in both directions. it think it was about $40 with an extra length of hose. its a one person tool, an audible tone lets you dial-in level. repeatable results within 1/16" over a 35' waterline. this assumes you know where your waterline should be. nice little tool though.

[Roy M]

Once you have established the boat's actual waterline level, you can also use a laser level to place the waterline masking tape. It's easier at night to see the solid red line. You may have to block up the tripod legs to get the height just right, but then it's really easy to singlehandedly perform this trick. The boat has to be perfectly on its lines, though. I use a two-by spanning the cockpit seats port and starboard, to confirm athwartship level, and the seat, itself for fore-and-aft level. In the yard that means playing with hydraulic jack and shims for a couple hours, but once it's done, and the hull scribed, you are set for life.

[Cruiser2B]

Thanks you all for suggestions, I am wanting it level because I plan to redo parts of the interior and would like it level when she sits in the water. She sat on her water line fairly even from what i could tell. I will probably give water level a try and see where flat horizontal interior surfaces fall and adjust from there. I will use deck bridge for side to side leveling.

Thank you