A Cradle is born.


This is the cradle I built for the PS25. It's made from 2x2 heavy wall (1/4")square tubing. The braces are 1x1 square tubing. Its 6ft wide 12ft long and the uprights are 2ft high and angled in at about 5*. The adjustable parts of the uprights are 1" all thread . Inside the uprights I put sections of grey electrical PVC pipe to protect the threads and make the whole thing less sloppy feeling. The heads are 3/4 ply and 1.5"x 1.5" angle iron 3" long spaced to allow the all thread between. I added a pad of 5/8" foam like you would use for a work out pad to each upright.

I cut all the pieces with my handy dandy portaband, found at the local pawn shop for $40. A real steal concidering they run about $250 new.

I am not much of a welder and it shows in the first few welds but as I worked my way around the job they got better and better.
I used a small 110volt powered Lincoln wire feed welder.
I was never very good with the machine of arcs but the little wire feed welders can make even a hacker like me look good.

Once the frame was finished I filled the open ends with spray in foam to keep the water out. Now if I had just painted the whole damn thing when I had the chance it wouldn't be all brown and rusty looking. I will give it a coat of Rustoleum when I put the boat in the water. The whole thing rides on a 20ft flat bed utility trailer. Not very useful as a launcher but a handy trailer non the less.

Speaking of going in the water.

If I can pull it off I am going to put her in the water this Sunday morning. I've got all the major stuff done and now I think its time for some much deserved SAILING.

I've been getting all the stuff tied down for the trip to the lift all week. I'm pretty excited and more than a bit scared. I hate towing this boat/trailer combo as it is on the edge of being to damn heavy for my truck to pull safely. We will be doing all the highway work(about 40miles) very early on Sunday morning. If everything goes as planned we(Wes in his truck as backup) and me in mine will head out at about 5am, hopefully missing both the early church crowd and the drunks just now getting home.

We will rig her up at the Hillmans shipyard at Dickinson Bayou and lift her off the trailer and set(not DROP) her in the water.

She still has not got a name although there are 3 on the short list. QuaitBayIII, Small Hope, and Short Rib. Short Rib is the name that came to me like a shout in the ear when I was asked her name when I first showed her to Wes. That may be her "pet" name. Her name(Malio) was listed on various bits of paper work but I found no sign of it anywhere on the boat so she will need to have her name painted on her to make it legit. As Malio just didn't resonate with me, something new is in order.
I know all the rules and fears of changing a boats name but as she was so unloved before I think a new name is in order.

Anyway enough for one night.
I'll take lots of pictures of the launch and christening when it finally happens.