V224 Leveling Points

[JohnnyP]

Will soon be taking my '73 V224 off its trailer so that I can repair the latter. I am planning on leaving the boat on blocks and jacks for the bulk of my restoration project and wanted to know a couple of things:

First off, to remove the boat from the trailer, I will be lifting and blocking the stern then building a temporary beam support to lift the bow so that the trailer can be pulled out. Once I have removed the trailer, where are the "safe" blocking points on the hull that will allow me to freely work in and on the boat without causing hull distress, understanding that most Macs have a relatively thin hull? My assumption is to place blocks on either end of the keel trunk, which appears to be the strong point.

Second, I want to make sure that the boat is perfectly level while I conduct my restoration as I will be reinforcing the cockpit deck as well as the foredeck and installing drain boards in the interior. Leveling across the beam should be easy enough but I'm not quite sure which part of the boat can be used as a reference point for bow-to-stern leveling. In other words, where would be the "factory default" level part of the deck?

Thanks!

[topcat0399]

I have not yet had to take dasbOOt off the trailer on land but the thick glass is at the front of the hull where it starts to go V.
It is quite thick there. Build something V shaped perhaps, or just be sure to spread the load widely if supporting on a hull flat area.

There is nothing plumb or square anywhere on these boats. I happily found that the top of my keel trunk is nearly plumb fore and aft when the boat is in the water on her lines. I use that as my reference point for everything now.

YMMV

[JohnnyP]

There is nothing plumb or square anywhere on these boats. I happily found that the top of my keel trunk is nearly plumb fore and aft when the boat is in the water on her lines. I use that as my reference point for everything now.

That one garnered a sensible chuckle from me! I suspected as much so I'll have to eyeball where I think "level" is or otherwise want it to be. I don't suspect it'll throw me much for what I'm fixing to do but it's one of those "nice to know" things about one's boat.