• Untitled Document

    Join us on March 29rd, 7pm EST

    for the CBEC Virtual Meeting

    All EYO members and followers are welcome to join the fun and get to know the guest speaker!

    See the link below for login credentials and join us!

    March Meeting Info

    (dismiss this notice by hitting 'X', upper right)

Advice for first haul out?

goldenstate

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
Next week I'm scheduled to haul my boat out for the first time during my ownership at KKMI in Richmond, California.

There is another KKMI yard 50 yards from my slip in Sausalito, but it is very small and owners are not permitted to conduct any work on their own boats. Prices for work at KKMI Richmond are basically the same, but it is a much larger yard that and I can do my own work. Berkeley Marina also allows people to do their own work, but many other places in the SF Bay no longer do so, with stringent environmental regulations to which the yards are held (from what I have gathered).

On the list are:

KKMI does:
Bottom Paint Package
Pulling the mast and replacing all standing rigging

I work on:
Mounting a wind vane
Installing Tides Sail Track
Rehabbing masthead (TBD full scope)
Removing old name, repainting transom
Inspect through-hulls.
Replace Zincs


Any other general advice for a first time haul out?
What should I consider?
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Give some thought to where the Travelift slings should go, as they may ask you. Pretty obvious on a 32-200, but good to have an opinion ready.
 

goldenstate

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
Give some thought to where the Travelift slings should go, as they may ask you. Pretty obvious on a 32-200, but good to have an opinion ready.

Good idea.

One between the keel and the rudder and one forward of the keel, no?

I suppose you mean where those straps should be located based on above-waterline hull reference points.
 

Teranodon

Member III
Does your shaft seal need any attention?

You may want to clean and wax any color stripes that you have. Or even the whole hull (which I have contemplated but never done).
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Good idea.

One between the keel and the rudder and one forward of the keel, no?

I suppose you mean where those straps should be located based on above-waterline hull reference points.
The lift operator needs to know, as much as possible, where the shaft emerges from the aft hull so they will NOT put a strap under the shaft or prop.
At the front they need to know how to avoid the knot meter impeller (or you could first remove it and put the plug in, which can be scary the first time.)
Once it's hauled, and as they say, "all is revealed" put some temporary tape marks on the toe rail at each sling point, and after it's afloat again put some inexpensive mylar "Sling" labels on those places at the top of the hull side. No real need to do this, but it's nice the next time around.
It's pretty normal for the front sling to go just in front of the keel and a aft sling to go under the weight of the engine.

The yard guy(s) will tie the slings together on each side, in any case, as they fear having one slip off and allow the boat to fall.
 

ChrisS

Member III
I always acid wash/buff/wax the topsides when hauled. Staves off gelcoat oxidation, and keeps the boat looking sharp.

Good luck with your haulout at KKMI. In the future, you might consider the San Rafael Yacht Harbor, up the San Rafael Canal. It's a strictly DIY yard--the operator just cranes your boat out and you pay him yard time.
 

goldenstate

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
Thanks Loren and Christian. I had forgotten the propeller shaft is a vulnerability for sling straps.

I printed out the boat profile from SailboatData.com to bring with me to mark logical lift points.
 

HerbertFriedman

Member III
you should also consider, Swendsons which is next door to KKMI. I recently had my standing rigging replaced at KKMI because of a probably delay at Swendson's and Barrett did all the work, He is excellent but not cheap. Both yards will let you do your own work with a $2/foot/day (?) charge but since it takes so long to do the standing rigging, you probably can do your own work at the same time. The DIY yard in San Rafael does have lots of independent contractors around but I am not sure they could do standing rigging, worth a drive over to inquire. You could always take your existing wires over to any yard and have them replaced, once the mast is down. But be careful about going to San Rafael, the channel is very shallow. If you do go to KKMI see Bob Hennessey or Jock (forgot is last name), if you do go to Swendson, see Kim Desenberg.
 

wynkoop

Member III
I have never been satisfied with a bottom paint job done by a yard, and with the EPA regs I have not don my own bottom for years. When I did my own bottom I would chip off all lose paint, sand the edges of paint that was staying on to make it smooth and then wash the whole thing down followed by 2 coats of paint. From what I can tell none of the yards here take any special precautions I could not take. They just put drop clothes under the boats when they chip, if they chip, and gather them up for disposal after the fact. Silver Maiden is dragging around lots of bottom paint in some spots and had many irregular areas.

So in addition to the above great suggestions have a serious talk about the hull prep and painting.

I do not know if the back 12 inches of your keel is hollow like on the E-27, but one yard did not listen to me years ago and they cracked the back of the keel by putting a block there and one at the front of the keel. At least an E-27 needs a wood block running all along, or better yet the wood block should stop before the hollow of the keel. I have dried Silver Maiden out using the tide twice with her supported on her full keel with no issues, but no way she can take a block under the back of the keel and one at the front.

If you do not mind doing your own bottom I would try to find a place that would allow that. I think next time I haul I will see if I can find someplace that allows that.
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
While hauled out: Check condition of all your thru-hulls and seacocks/marelon valves. Replace any valves that are stuck and lube the "ball" part of all the ball valve valves. Good time to replace any scupper/head/raw-water hoses that appear old or worn.

On launching again: If you have an old PSS dripless shaft seal without the vent hose attached, be sure to "burp" your shaft seal when you splash the boat again. Air in the seal allows heat to build up on the carbon discs.
 

goldenstate

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
To be honest, I do not know what to call the seal between my propeller and the inside of the boat. I think it is a stuffing box?

The previous owner told me it should drip one drop per minute when operating and none at rest. Does that make sense?

Stuffing Box.png
 

p.gazibara

Member III
We just had Cinderella hauled here in a NZ. Fortunately, I have photos from the last time we hauled to help the guys orient the slings. A good travel-lift operator will know where to put them though.

I agree, service/lubricants all thruhulls, we replaced our PSS baffling, set screws and hose clamps (comes in the kit) as it was well beyond its 6 year service life.

I wouldn’t worry about the transom name painting and windvane mounting. We did that at the dock and it was way easy. I imagine that guessing the right hight for the paddle and such being a challenge while the boat is up in the air. Might save you some $$ too.

Not sure what rigging you will go with, but I’m a fan of our Dyneema Dux so far, it’s probably cheaper than swaging new wire and 2.5x the strength.

Have a look at you cutless bearing, now would be the time to replace it if you needed to.

Don’t forget to ask how much she weighs! If you are lucky they will have a working scale. We have hauled 3 times and have yet to get our actual weight. Most of the time we are too light to register, but would be fun to know.

I bought a 10L can of ablative antifouling and rolled until we ran out. 5 coats on the hull 7 on all leading/trailing edges, we were tired of rolling well before the paint was gone. Our last 3 gallons we put in in MX lasted about 2.5 years I’m hoping to go three this time, we will see.

It’s a good time to replace your zinc anode while you are out of the water too.

I like to pull our rudder when we haul too, it’s comforting to get a good look at the critical systems. We ended up glassing a small crack we found on the top edge to prevent water ingress. It can be a challenge, but it’s best to have the rudder ready to come out while the boat is in the lift, as I’m not sure if you have room to slide it out when she is on the stands.

If you have a folding/feathering prop, it could probably use a service/lubrication.

Seems like a lot, but that way you don’t have to haul often.

-P
 

wynkoop

Member III
Yep it is called a stuffing box and it looks better than mine did. I actually have to replace my stuffing box because there is some wear I do not like, but no replacement is available, so the old one will go back in as soon as the hose arrives and I will get a new one custom turned.

On zincs I like to put two on the shaft, but then I only pull every 5-7 years. Also put the zincs forward of the cutlass bearing strut so the shaft can not drop out.

Before I pulled Silver Maiden for her stuffing box water was running constantly. Pumps were running every 15 min!
 

Geoff W.

Makes Up For It With Enthusiasm
Blogs Author
Here's my similar thread from when my very similar boat got hauled :)


Bruce gave me a good tip here re: slings -

Oh, random thought, before I forget: the Everett yard travel-lift operator will expect *you* to know where the slings should go.

I found it useful to have a printout of this drawing with me:

View attachment 25560

The front sling should basically go right under the dorade vent in front of the mast

The aft sling should be pretty much at the aft end of the cabin-top.

Bruce
 
Top