Boat Stand Size

[Mike McDonald]

I need to get boat stands for my 1987 C34 with Wing Keel.  Hoping to find some good used ones.  What would be the correct height range for the stands? Also, is it important to have a stand on the bow as well? Thanks.
Mike.....

[chuck53]

I have the same boat and the owner of the yard I winter at, uses 4 on each side, none at the point of the bow.
They are all adjustable, I'm guessing from 3 feet minimum to maybe 4-5'.

[Ron Hill]

Mike : You don't want any stand over 4 ft in height (or it'll be too tall). With about a 10" block under the wing. 
The minimum is 3 stands on a side with practically no pressure on the forward stands .  

The factory told me years ago that you only want 75% on the boat's weight on the keel and 25% of it's weight on the hull. The majority of the weight should be on the nose of the wing keel (to prevent the Catalina Smile).  

A few thoughts  

[Steve Sayian]

Try Brownell SB-2's.  I have 7 of them and they work very well.  Can move them in the spring to paint the 'pad spots'.  Make sure you get the 'vee' for the bow.

[Jim Hardesty]

Mike,
You need to decide on what you (or the boat yard/yacht club) are going to put under the keel.  I set my boat from a yard trailor, on gravel, so I use  8*8s width wise under the keel.  See that the boat sets with the water line level, I've seen too many boats with the bow way up and it feels like you are walking up hill in the boat.
My stands are 4' high and work well because I block up the keel.  I wouldn't go higher. 
I have a bow stand, need it to get the boat on and off the yard trailor.  I then remove it.  My reasoning is partly due to storing on gravel.  Here in Erie we get some snow, some times even more, the snow comes off my covered boat and drifts, piles, at the stands.  But under at the keel the ground is bare and the frost freezes the ground sooner and deeper than at the stands.  It will lift the boat from the stands.  They need to be checked during the winter and when the ground thaws just the opposit happens and the stands get too tight.
Also, don't forget proper chain, that's what makes the stands work.
Try to get the boat set bow or stearn to the prevailing winds.
Jim

[Mike McDonald]

Once again, thanks again for the great input.  This really helps.
Mike....