Using "Come Along" to raise keel

Gail & Tom Hill (tgvhill@jersey.net)
Wed, 26 Aug 1998 07:55:28 -0500


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Friends,

Before I answer your questions, I refer you to a letter I just sent in to the
discussion group regarding upgrades on keel and trailer winchs. This is the
smart way to go since it catch the "failures" before thay happen. It would make
our lives easier and avoid the problems from equipment failure in the first
place. It lets us chose the time and place we will work on the boat.

A "Come Along" is a hand winch which costs in the range of $50. It has a
metal frame 14" long with a lever handle 19" long. There is a reel in the frame
with about 15-20 ft of steel cable and with ratcheting mechanisms. On one end
of the frame and on the end of the cable is mounted a large hook. Mine was
made by Maasdam Power Pull Inc, Burbank, Calif., and listed specs are Model
144SP-6, made 5-92, Cap 2 Ton (which I have lowered to 1 Ton by removing
the traveling pulley). It was purchased at a local good quality hardware store.
As you can imagine, the Come Along can put a lot of pulling power in your
hands.

I performed "trials" on how to use it to lift the keel last winter, so this is from
memory and may have a few "bugs" in it. I assumed that in a problem
situation, the existing stock keel cable blocks, keel winch cable or keel winch
could all be non-functional, so I tried to avoid using them. I tied a line
between the rear docking cleats as tight as I could. Another line was secured to
the keel, then run through a block which was attached to one of the fixed
blocks mounted on the ceiling of the cabin, and secured to the end of the
extended winch cable. Then I used the Come Along in the cockpit to lift the
keel, staying away from the keel and the line of the cable in case anything
should break or let go.

I also experimented with another line attached to the temporary block
extending forward and attaching to the anchoring cleat on the bow. This
would serve to pull it forward to counteract the rearward force from the Come
Along, and therefore pull the keel up in a more straight position.

Hope this gives you a good idea how to do it.

Tom Hill
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TTango59@aol.com wrote:
>
> Tom,
>
> Regarding your discussion about the come along... great idea! Could you
> please try to remember how you did it & pass along details? I can see that if
> you can attach to the blocks on the cabin roof somehow then can raise
> daggerboard... with large grapple hook etc on come along, not sure how this
> could be done! Tnx
>
> Ted
> P-19 #861, still unnamed!
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Rob Mitchell wrote:

tel me about the come along

Rob Mitchell