Page 1 of 1

Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 3:31 pm
by ddemasie
I am ready to flip the boat back and finish the topsides. I have 2 questions

I'd like to find out what is the best option for how I positionthe boat when i turn it backl over onto the keel. I want to be able to comfortably climb back into the boat for final sanding, painting and hardware installation without far of it toppling over

Should I Simply pad the floow with cardboard so it doesn't sit on raw concrete, flip it back on the keel, and prop the sides with tires

or

Buy and build out the trailer now, then flip pocketship it onto the trailer - finish sanding, painting and hardware installation on the trailer

or

Re-set the building cradle, and flip it back into the cradle for the final steps.

Any thoughts are welcome.

Re: Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 6:03 pm
by John in CC
I rebuilt the cradle with reinforcement (2X4s) and bought some casters for it. It really is nice being able to easily move it around.

Re: Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 7:40 am
by mark48
Hi John,

Would you consider posting more information about your rebuilt cradle with casters? Some other builders have made their PS cradle mobile on casters and I'm considering doing that as well before I start the hull to allow mobility out of the garage on dusty or nice days. I'm interested in how you reinforced the cradle, positioned the wheels, etc.

Thanks very much, and thank you (and all other contributors) for your posts and blog(s).

All the best,
Mark Nunlist

Re: Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 5:02 am
by karlstatt
Have a look at my blog: http://www.konfido.info/cradle-oder-auch-mallen-sind-fertig/.
Note the button on the top for automatic translation.

Re: Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Sun Jan 10, 2016 11:04 am
by mtsailor
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtsailor95/

Scroll down through the building photos to see the cradle under Carlyn J before she was put on the trailer.

Good luck. Jerry mtsailor

Re: Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2016 3:38 pm
by ddemasie
Thanks for all of the responses.

I ended up rebuilding the cradle - cutting the sides of the cradle short, and flipping it back into the cradle - that gives me the stability I want to finish, sand, and paint the topsides. I did not end up putting it on wheels, though that option certainly is innovative, functional, and very attractive. I just didn't want to take the time at this point to do the wheels for what I think will only be a few more weeks before I am ready to put it on the trailer and head out for an early spring launch. I do wish I had done that back when I first built the cradle many months ago. A lesson learned for when I build my second pocketship!

Thanks for the advice.

Re: Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 7:03 pm
by mark48
Hi all,

I'm closing in on flipping my hull to fiberglass the bottom. Before I arrange the post-event party, I need to know how many folks I'll need to safely flip the boat and (probably) lift it onto a mobile cradle.

The manual notes that Geoff K. did it "without much help" beyond sawhorses and tires. Blogs show anywhere from 5 men to almost a dozen. Does anyone know the weight of the hull at this stage of the build or how many fit (but not Herculean) folks I should gather for this event?

Thanks,
Mark

Re: Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Thu Jun 15, 2017 10:41 pm
by Bflat
I think a lot of it has to do with the space you have. From what I can tell Geoff has a pretty big floor space so literally rolling the boat was doable. I, on the other had only a one car garage so rolling was out. I had to spin it within that confined space - spinning vs. rolling. I had a bunch of people, but couldn't tell you how many actually did the work. In retrospect, I'd rather have a small group of 4 or 5 good hands than a bigger group of well meaning, but weak people. Part of the trouble is that it's a unique experience - no one, including me, the builder, had ever flipped a boat before. On the other hand, nervous as I was, it all worked out, didn't take long, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Take your time, have plenty of tires and it will go better than you might think. However, when it came time to flip it back upright I elected to build a gantry crane within my garage and did it with just me and one other guy. But that was mainly because my rickety garage was uninsured at the time so if someone got hurt I'd be ruined. In a big space I could see how one could easily roll it with one other guy, some tires and a saw horse or two.

Re: Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 7:56 am
by craig
I did it with two medium guys, in addition to myself. Definitely doable. One thing that struck me was how stable the boat was upright. We had to tip it WAY past 90 degrees before it wanted to tip over on its top, and conversely, getting it rightside-up was super easy. In fact, we almost lost control at one point because it tipped upright far sooner than we expected.

Re: Final Pocketship Flip Destination

PostPosted: Fri Jun 16, 2017 8:03 am
by mark48
Thanks very much.

I also found detailed weights on a prior PS Forum post at <http://www.pocketship.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=345&p=1052&hilit=rub+rails#p1052>.

All the best,
Mark