Hoisting points/harness

TedSquilanti

New Member
Hello all,
I would like to be able to hoist my boat in and out of the water using a small hoist.
I need a little advice on where to put the hosting points on the boat and whether the deck is thick enough the sufficiently anchor the points.
Thanks, Ted
 
Depends on the year as yours might have aluminum backing plates for the hardware. I replaced the wood on mine with 1/4" aluminum plates, which I tapped into to mount all my deck hardware. Therefore, the handle (if in good condition) and the eye straps (again if decent) should provide all good lifting points. The weak links I'm thinking would be the #10-24 machine screws or the hardware itself. All should be enough for at least 150 lift, which should be a normal hull, rig and full cooler!
Otherwise consider some straps, but lifting points would be much easier.
 
I'm actually in the process of purchasing two boats. One is a vintage 1968 and the other 1981.
Are you saying that you are using the bow handle and eye straps as the lifting points? That would be great.
Did you have to remove the deck to replace the wood backing plates? Sorry, I haven't been in the sunfish environment for a good 30 years! Thanks!
 
Definitely a no-go as indeed the deck is thin and the wood blocks never designed for lifting. Best
would be to use a couple straps under the hull. Could you pop the front and rear deck and
reinforce? Yes but light weight is everything to a Sunfish. You could put a couple handles
on the transom but the weight of the boat pulling up on the bow seam? You would need to install a
bow-eye on the bow and reinforce. If your Sunfish is over 135 lbs or gets water in the hull
then additional problems emerge. I'd just go with lifting straps under the hull or make a
wood cradle with lifting straps.
 
Are you lifting the boat to place on a ramp, beach, or dock next to the water? (Not storing it in a "lifted" condition).

I think you'd get a warning when the screws get loose, and have time later to spread the load by installing plastic cutting boards as backing plates.

Perhaps a hybrid device, a 13 foot board with strap and cable--fore and aft--respectively?

Look at arthroscopic Sunfish surgery:
"Arthrosopic Surgery" on Sunfish

Space is tight under the bow handle. :(
 
I've got 3"×6" alum plates under each piece of hardware. I cut a holes on the bottom sides and glassed them back up...no deck inspection plates. Epoxied the plates to the underside of the deck. They aren't going anywhere and the load has been distributed. There's a thread awhile back with pics. I have no idea how strong the bow handle is but would suspect I could hang my Sunfish now just with that.
 
The eye straps Id rate at about 250lbs each at least. A little more for some tapped or thru bolted screws. Definitely light duty, but they make beefier ones too, just by increasing thickness.
As a thought, think of the loads they take when a block, etc is attached to them...not to mention the main sheet in some white capping breezes
 
Last edited:
I'd think some U bolts could be put in the hull/deck flange for a tad more strength. Use a long backing plate ...6-10 inches?....to spread out the load.
 
The main problem is the hardware is mounted with wood screws. The would have
worked when the boat was new. You need machine screws with lock-nuts and fender washers.
Easy for the stern as that's where you put a inspection port anyway. You'll need to pop
the deck or put in a inspection port for the bow. Just make sure the boat does not weigh
more than 140 lbs.
 
I tend to disagree. Post #6 is an alternatie to popping the seam or inspection ports if you don't care for them. Post #2 is how to make it a non issue for attaching hardware and having it come loose.

Shoot ...for the sake of this being over thought...just drill some holes one each side thru the flange and seal the hole "walls" with some liquid resin or epoxy.
 

Attachments

  • 20180715_160648.jpg
    20180715_160648.jpg
    2.3 MB · Views: 38
Definitely NOT what they were designed for. If it were me, I'd go with belts under the hull. Could sew together old seat belts making loops with lifting eyes. OR use 12' ratcheting tie down straps.
 
TedSquilanti said:
I'm actually in the process of purchasing two boats. One is a vintage 1968 and the other, 1981. Are you saying that you are using the bow handle and eye straps as the lifting points? That would be great. Did you have to remove the deck to replace the wood backing plates? Sorry, I haven't been in the sunfish environment for a good 30 years! Thanks!
Click to expand...
The '81 may have a solution.

You'd need two six-foot 2x4s. Attach one tip to the bow handle. Run the second 2x4 into the cubby, and bolt the two together where they meet (plus glue). Bend a line (as a lifting point) where the Sunfish weight would normally be centered.
 

Back
Top