Bow Lifting Eye on Advance or Journey 257?

[Mangroveman]

First post here as a potential new Grady owner!!!

I am looking to buy a used (ca.2003-2007) Advance or Journey and may need to add the bow lifting option so that I can hang the boat on davits.

Spoke to the Grady factory experts and was told that boats which had the bow lifting package as a factory option can be safely hung on davits.

Can someone who has the factory-installed bow lifting ring/cleat post a photo of the lifting bracket hardware in the anchor locker? I am curious about its design, and if it has any more fiberglass added to beef it up structurally. It was an option over those years on all of the Grady boats 27' and under from what I can tell.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Andrew93]

I remember my 24' Offshore had one. I believe there is metal rod going from the bottom of the lifting eye to the backside of the front eye. I always thought that was still a lot of weight there, but I would imagine it must be correctly engineered. It would be interesting to see one lifted through.

Andrew

 

[DennisG01]

I have a threaded rod going from the center bow cleat down to the bow eye. I've never looked close enough to see how it actually attaches, though.

Instead of installing something, can you just put a strap through your existing bow eye? It can be used to lift a boat, along with the stern eyes.

 

[Mangroveman]

Thanks for the replies so far - good info.

My question is regarding attachment of the fitting that is bolted to the back of the bow eye inside the anchor locker. I have an idea what it looks like (triangular plate steel fitting with 3 holes) but need to see a photo of how the factory installs it. I believe that they use fiberglass reinforcement over the fitting after it is bolted in and would like to see how they do it.

Again, if anyone can snap a photo of the factory install, that would be awesome.

 

[Andrew93]

Ended up picking up a project boat this past week (not what I was looking for but couldn't pass with the price) with the lifting eye like my old Offshore. I grabbed a few photos for you. Not sure how and if anything changed, this is a 1991 Seafarer with a Bracket. If you need any different angles let me know.

Andrew

 

[Mangroveman]

Awsome, thank you!

From what I can tell the galvanized steel bracket is "embedded" in fiberglass rather than just bolted to the bow eye with 2 bolts. That is what was described to me by the factory customer service rep. Thanks also for the shot under the deck - I see the cleat is through bolted rather than screwed down, with no added reinforcement there. I wonder if that was standard or an option on that boat. I think that some of the older boats used bow chocks and the anchor line was secured to the lifting ring/cleat.

BTW, the bracket looks just like what is used in 2016 models.

Again, many thanks for the photos.

 

[Mangroveman]

Andrew,

Again thanks for the shots. Just got my bracket today (big and heavy!) and wondered if you can grab a shot from the "open - starboard" side of the bracket where the bow eye bolts are.

JD

 

[Andrew93]

Andrew,

Again thanks for the shots. Just got my bracket today (big and heavy!) and wondered if you can grab a shot from the "open - starboard" side of the bracket where the bow eye bolts are.

JD

I am at the fire station for the entire weekend, don't get out until Monday at 6pm. I will take a picture and send it, but it probably won't be until Tuesday.

Andrew

 

[Mangroveman]

Ok, great!

I will try and post what my final hookup looks like to close the loop on this issue.