John,
  I've lifted my M17 by the aluminum toe rails.  The newer boats don't have them, of course, but being yours is a '78 I assume it does.  I attached to 4 points along each side to distribute the weight and the boat hung that way for a month while I refinished the hull. I did take all the extra weight out though, and checked all the toe rail bolts. Jerry M. says that's the way he moved them in the shop when he built them. I'll admit it was a little nerve wracking when I first hoisted it, but it works.
Larry Yake
M17, #200
Tullamore
 
On Wed, 08 Jan 2003 03:15:36 +0000 "John Crews" <johncrews@hotmail.com> writes:
> I would like to hoist my 1978 vintage M17 into the ocean using an
> electric
> hoist at the end of a public pier in my area. This hoist has only a
> hook at
> the end of the cable; the boater must provide his own sling and
> rigging. I
> propose to create a 5-point harness that attaches at the forestay,
> shroud,
> and twin backstay brackets, having heard that a well-designed
> sailboat
> should be capable of being lifted by its standing rigging brackets.
> Has any
> other M17 owner had any experience with hoisting their boat?
>
> John Crews
> M17 "Allegretto"
> Port San Luis
> People's Republic of California
>
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