Does your boat have "legs"

[over40pirate]

While sailing The St Lucie River to get accross the state, when there was enought water to do it, I met a fellow with a wooden 35' sailboat. We anchored together and I went over to his boat that evening. He had just got back from an around the world sail, that took him 12 years.
When I came alongside with my dink, I noticed a bronze plate, inset in the hull, below the rail, amidships, with a metal plug in the center of it.
I asked him about this, and he said it was for the boats "legs"
In the bilge he carried the legs, which were metal poles, with flat plates on the ends. If in need of a haulout and not in an area with a railway or lift, he would bolt the legs on to each side of the boat, on a dropping tide, tie them off fore and aft, and wait for the tide to go out.
I thought it was a great idea.
He had a big bilge area!

[scallywag]

over40pirate,
What type of boat? Where was he from? I think that would be great for aa tidal area. I hate the idea of paying a yard to clean and paint the bottom. At this time I wait for extreme high to chekc this out.
John

[Starbuck]

James Baldwin, the noted minimalist & fiercely independent cruiser, uses a similar set of legs on his yacht, a twenty-eight foot Pearson Triton bearing the name Atom.

He's completed several very interesting, practical modifications. He may not be everyone's cup of tea, but one has to admire his ingenuity and pragmatism.

[Alan Wheeler]

I have seen this done, but just poles, nothing actually fixed to the hull like you describe. Good idea though.

[sestina]

Yes! My recently bought 37' Oyster Heritage came with a set. Yacht Legs

Looking forward to trying them out soon.

[Joli]

They are fairly common for boats that typically sail in tidal areas where the range is substantial.

[JohnWms]

L.F. Herreshoff describes them as used on the Tranquilo in The Compleat Cruiser.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Joli

They are fairly common for boats that typically sail in tidal areas where the range is substantial.

Yeah, but the bigger the boat the more of a PITA if they are used all the time..........Actually, on a small boat they are a PITA also!

But I would say useful on an occassional basis. Traditionally made of large chunks of wood (heavy and awkward to manhandle on deck and then stow), but aluminium / alloy seems to be the way to go. Even do them collapsible nowadays.

The Yacht Leg & Cradle Company



Internet is a small world .......left hand side of the pic is my Father's (beige!) motor boat

Note the sailing boat is either on a swinging mooring or it's own anchor. It's firm and flat all around where the boat is - but very exposed from an easterly, I would not leave a boat their on legs in bad weather.