Suspend your Disbelief!

[Paul H (admin)]

I have long thought that hoisting my Heron Elsa off the shed floor would be really useful.

Slightly unsure of electric hoists, actually no experience at all, I bought a 300kg model from Vevor UK for £53. I had some 20mm steel box section spare, so screwed that to a 6x2 roof joist after slipping the hoist brackets over the box section. Four long 6mm screws seemed strong enough.



I used it cautiously to lift one end to place a block underneath, or lift one gunnel to roll her onto her side.  The winch is fast and the controls are simple. Release a button and a mechanical interlock jams the drum, even with no power.



We started to remodel our kitchen planning for wood flooring, so the kitchen flooring was rolled up and whisked out to the shed before anyone could say "no".  The shed floor was once a patio, so its rough with awkward edges. Kitchen flooring would be great protection for the hull and my knees.

But how do your unroll flooring underneath a boat that fills up the available space? Surely its going to be impossible?

My 5 hour mission, was to boldly go where no Heron owner had gone before. With trial and error moving ropes around, I found the C of G was near the jib fairleads which bolt to the gunnels. I knew from cracking old polyester deck joints, removing 28 nails each side and regluing all joints with epoxy that area was strong. This is the first attempt at attaching ropes:



Jib fairleads, the king post (also epoxied) and the mainsheet transom eyes. The eyes are screwed but take a small balancing load. Tentatively I raised her an inch or so up then onto blocks.

Finally I suspended my disbelief and lifted her 2 feet in about 5 seconds. She swung roughly flat and could be moved around with finger pressure. Awesome! Down again to check ropes, then up again. The hoist has an automatic brake, so I carefully unrolled the kitchen flooring and.......drum roll...



Apart from feeling well pleased, I found MilliBee's new anchor that had gone awol. It's a cracking real Bruce, sold to me by a Sheila.

G'day Bruce.