Find a location with flat solid ground; a concrete pad is ideal because it provides a solid surface for the stands to rest on.
Choose the number of boat stands that your vessel needs -- for a boat that measures less than 30 feet, four stands will work; for a boat that measures between 30 and 40 feet, use six stands; for a boat that measures between 40 and 55 feet, eight stands will do the trick. If your boat is a sail boat, add two more stands.
Place the stands on the ground, at an even distance from one to another. The wider the stands are apart, the more stable the boat will be. If the ground is loose, place a sheet of plywood under each stand.
Adjust the screws on each stand and balance the weight of the boat between them while keeping the hull of the boat off the ground.
Hook one end of the chain to the small groove in the stand, then run the chain across to the other stand, directly beside it. Hook the chain to the groove in the other stand, making it as tight as possible.
