Maintaining
the quality appearance and condition of your boat
Boat
Lifting, Keel Blocking and Hull Support
There are no laws that govern the
haul-out of a boat by a boatyard. When you take your car to a shop or have your
house remodeled, you have some expectations that the mechanic or contractor
knows what to do, and is probably certified by some authority. Not so in the
boatyard business. With the exceptions of OSHA safety requirements and fire
codes, there is little done in a yard that is restricted by mandates of law or
regulation. There are some documented guidelines, but they are just that —
guidelines. They include equipment manufacturer’s manuals and recommendations,
and the controversial TY-28, “Boat Lifting and Storage,” a little known
technical report developed by American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC).
Boat lifting and storage is rooted
in successful and accepted boatyard practices that may vary regionally, and
depend on the types of lifting and blocking equipment. “We’ve always done it
that way” is the standard in many yards. That means that you must determine
whether the yard you want to use is competent to meet your expectations for a
safe haul-out and secure blocking of your boat. Can you trust the yard’s
experience? Does experience always equal expertise? How do you tell the smart
yards from the lesser ones? It is not a nice, neat black hat, white hat thing.
Sometimes it is a “You get what you pay for,” and when the price is “Too
good to be true,” you have to ask why. Being informed will help you rest easy
when your boat is out of its element.
If your boat does not have the sling placements etched on the
hull, the next time you haul-out, visually note the locations. Then, afterwards
paint “sling” under the rail or have vinyl graphics made. To further assist
the yard crew and lift operator, mark the location of knotmeters, transducers,
props, struts, fore and aft ends of keel, rudders, etc. This also reduces
accidental damage to the underwater gear.
Lifting
The width of the lift is every bit
as important as the capacity of the lift. This is especially true for wooden
hulls. If your boat has a 14' beam do not use a lift with less than a 16' width.
It may very well crush your hull inward. The straps should not put undue, inward
pressure on the sides of the boat, regardless of the boat's size. A lift at
least 2' wider than your boat's beam is recommend.
The number of straps to use is
another important fact of lifting your boat. The larger the boat the more
important it becomes. Fiberglass boats have a better tolerance for being pulled
out of the water than do wooden boats. Two 12" wide straps should easily
lift a boat under 30'. Over 30', Insist on using four 12" wide straps with
heavy spreaders. Wooden boats need four 8" wide straps if they are 20' to
30'. If they are over 30', use four 12" or wider straps on heavy spreaders.
The reason for multiple straps is
simple. The more area you place a load upon, the less stress any one area
receives. As an example: If you have a 50 lb. block sitting on one foot, it will
cause severe pain. If you have the same block sitting on both of your feet and
both feet of a friend, the pain is reduced to a more tolerable level.
One special concern with a wooden
boat is the distance it will be carried in the slings. It is better to have my
boat hauled when the yard is nearly empty, considering the temperatures are warm
enough to do the jobs at hand. Normally the yard will block the boat right next
to the lift. The closer you stay to the haul out area the better for a wooden
hull.
Heed these words of caution. Do not
listen to the person at the marina when they make statements such as:
"I never dropped a boat yet;
or,
You only need two straps on that
boat; or,
If it breaks apart while I am
lifting it, that stuff needed to be fixed anyhow; or,
It will not push in that hard on
the rub rails; or,
I've been doing this my whole life,
and you're telling me how to lift your boat."
Use your best judgment when finding
a lift and during the process of hauling your boat. There is no more heart
wrenching sight than watching a boat being crushed inward or crash to the ground
while being hauled.
The lift operator will start the
lift slings rising under your boat until he feels slight pressure on the slings.
At this point check the boat and slings to make certain the slings are in the
right position, the boat is centered in the lift and nothing will bind or catch
on the way up.
This is the best time to place
carpeted 4" x 4" blocks above your splash rails between the hull and
the slings. The slings will now place the pressure on the blocks, not the rail
and the carpet will protect the hull's finish. All too often, the splash rails
on a wooden boat are pulled upward and loosened from the hull if these blocks
are not used. Remember to use these blocks again when the boat is lifted for
launching.
When the yard lifts your boat,
carefully observe the lift points for contact with
through-hull obstructions, such
as knotmeters, transducers, splash rails, etc. Adjust the straps to avoid
putting pressure on these fittings.
Before the lifting equipment is
released and the boat is left to rest on the keel blocks, be sure the boat sits
at a slight up-angle with the stern down so the cockpit and deck can drain.
Keel Blocking
The
weight of the hull must be distributed evenly along the length of the keel, not
just at one or two points. Use 3 -
10 x 10 keel blocks placed in a straight line under the keel every four feet,
two crosswise and one on top lengthwise. Run
a string line from the top of the first block to the top of the last block and
make sure that all the blocks in between are just touch the string.
If the blocks are not at the same height then the boat could develop a
permanent hog
or sag and changes the shape of the boat
Hull Support
Boat Stands are use to stabilize
the boat while the keel blocking supports the boats weight.
Use the jack stands in pairs one
placed to port and the other to starboard every 8' of a boat's length.
Be sure and use plywood under the stands if the ground is in any way
soft. Run a string line along the top
plate of the first boat stand to the top plate of the last stand and make sure
that all the top plates in between are just touch the string.
If the jack stands are not aligned then the boat could develop a twist.
If the keel blocks or boat stand bases settle in the dirt or asphalt
unevenly, the boat could develop a twist or hog. So adjust the stands up or down every couple of weeks.
Supports must be placed under the
transom at the centre line and to the port and starboard sides as well.
Independence has a 125 gal.
fresh water tank that when filled weighs 1,042 lbs.
Each fuel tank contains 200 gal. of diesel fuel for a combined, gross
weight of 2,720 lbs. That means, the total weight of fuel and water in the
lazarette is 3,762 lbs., which is a lot of weight in a small concentrated area
and it is exerting a great deal of pressure on the keel and transom of the boat.
If the transom is not adequately supported then a lasting sag could develop.