Lifting with bow & stern eyes

[gtinga]

The other day I saw a photo of a 20 ft bay boat suspended for a bottom paint job by the bow and stern eyes.  Is this OK or an accident waiting to happen?  I've only ever used them for securing the boat to the trailer.
Thanks, GT

[gnrphil]

Done that twice now with no problems emthup

[freezerfiller]

I'm sure there should be some sort of stands that can be moved around as a safety measure in case a strap breaks.

[mosquito13]

go to any boat yard and look around. I hauled my 60' every two years in Trinidad. Paint and move stands. at least use a roller and don't get underneath...

[catchersrock]

I asked the exact same question to a dealer when I bought a new Carolina Skiff some years back. The got their boats without trailers and trailered them at the dealership. This is how they unload them from the shipper and how they put them on the trailers. He said that you can pull skiers and tubes from the stern eyes and that's much worse than picking up the boat.

[gnrphil]

I did have a scissor lift underneath with some 4X4's for safety, but she hung out on the straps all night letting the paint dry. I was very relieved to find her still hanging around the next morning 

[gtinga]

Thanks guys, learned something new.

[yolo]

See a lot of boats behind houses on the inter coastal in fla still using winches to the thee eyes instead of lifts.

[gtightline]

Yolo, you are exactly right, I see it all the time. I have always been under the impression that that's the reason they were there for.

[gnrphil]

Feb 26, 2017 23:46:38 GMT -6 yolo said:

See a lot of boats behind houses on the inter coastal in fla still using winches to the thee eyes instead of lifts.

I think they call them Davits or something, don't they lift the boat with those and then sit them on a stand ?

[yolo]

Feb 28, 2017 8:57:11 GMT -6 gnrphil said:

Feb 26, 2017 23:46:38 GMT -6 yolo said:

See a lot of boats behind houses on the inter coastal in fla still using winches to the thee eyes instead of lifts.

I think they call them Davits or something, don't they lift the boat with those and then sit them on a stand ?

I've seen both. Mind you I'm only down there on the IC about two weeks a year.

The guy at the end of my uncles lagoon, year after year after year sitting up in the air on cables.
I wouldn't ever store like that personally. I think too much stress on the boat. But, as long as its not my boat then not my problem lol.

I've definitely noticed that they are pretty much older boats; that was the technology back then I guess. And certainly seeing a less as each year passes.

I'm taking mine off the trailer next week to bottom paint too. Gonna pull it in my Uncles shop two stanchions on the stern and raise it up, enough then use the i beam chain hoist hes got over there to lift the bow and get the trailer out.

[gnrphil]

I used the sizer lift to lift the trailer and boat, then attached the chains and straps and lowered the trailer of the boat. Worked like a charm.

[yolo]

Mar 1, 2017 13:34:15 GMT -6 gnrphil said:

I used the sizer lift to lift the trailer and boat, then attached the chains and straps and lowered the trailer of the boat. Worked like a charm.

Thats a great idea by you buddy. Very smart.

Ran through my head how hard it must have been to crank those straps.

[tigerhead]

Many,many, moons ago I worked at a boat dealership. We lifted new boats by the bow and stern eyes all the time.  I also saw a video of a Ranger boat where they were installing a Hamby Beach Bumper on the keel.  They had the boat suspended by the eyes using some type of fixture on the stern eyes that had a pivot point in the center.  Once they had it up in the air, they flipped it bottom up to install the keel guard. 

Now having said that, keep in mind that these were all new boats.  The Ranger was motor-less.  No rotten or deteriorated hulls, brand new hardware, etc..  So I think it's safe to say the hull and hardware are designed to take the load, but age and mother nature may say different.  So exercise caution.