Hi, I need to get at the very bottom of my keel to patch some damage. I am wondering whether I will do damage if I lift Breakaway by 1 inch/2.5 cm by gradually using the pads on my cradle. Someone mentioned that it may put pressure on the wrong place and potentially damage the hull.
My plan would be to raise her very slowly by screwing the pad adjusters, knock out the 5cm thick wooden plank it is resting on and then make the repair using under the waterline epoxy. Any thoughts or experience you can share? Should I borrow one more jack stand and add it behind the keel on the centre line?

Her position is such that I cannot get a crane to her to make the repair using conventional straps and our club does not have haul out facilities, just a big crane which only has time to lift and drop and not hang around for a repair.

I've lifted mine, but...
My boat sits on a trailer with 8 pads
My hull is "newer" 1986 and dry
To lift it I went around the boat turning each pad 1 turn each (got my steps in that day) until the boat was off the trailer high enough to work on
If you decide to do it - take a straight edge or something to lay across the hull right near the pad. As you raise the boat watch for hull compression. If you see compression, STOP

Before you start, one thing you can do is get some 1/2 plywood, cut 2ft x 2ft squares. Lower each pad, one at a time, insert the 1/2 between boat and pad. This will help distribute the load on the hull

Great answer Russ. I hadn’t thought of the straight edge or extending the pad size. I may even put some big scraps of foam insulation on the plywood to allow a bit of give and curvature.