Haul Out strap placement?

[chicagocat]

Hi all,

I'm getting my 1996 36' hauled out later this week for the first time (just got it this spring). They're using one of those Travel-lifts with 2 giant straps. Does anyone have a specific recommendation for where the straps should be placed for proper balance and to avoid damaging props, skegs, etc? It's an LRC, so there's more weight in back...

Thanks a million,
Brendan

[Tanah-Keeta]

You should have lift marks that are located on the upper side of the hull just below the toe rail. If not, the travellift straps should go just in front of and behind the keels. They should just about correspond to the major bulkheads in the interior.... one separating the cabins and salon and the other the bulkhead that has the entry door. You may have to move the straps forward a bit to move the boat back in the travellift so the forestay clears the travellift beam. Take a good look at the travellift straps. If there is a bunch of crud on them, have the operator wrap them in plastic or something to protect your hull. My hull is fitted with outboards. I don't know what arrangement you have behind the keels. The advice above is based on outboards.

Once out of the water, knock on the keels. If they sound hollow that is great. If they sound solid, then you have water in the keel cavities. There are a bunch of Forum articles on this but basically you need to drill a hole and drain them. It also helps if you take an air hose and blow into the hole you drilled to show the places where the water came in. You can then fill them.

[chicagocat]

Looking at a couple pictures I took of the boat when it was on the hard before I bought it, that sounds about right. My keels seem to extend a liitle forward of the major bulkhead, probably to about halfway through the length of the master cabin. So just before and after the keel sounds right.

With regard to the water in the keel, I do get some water in my starboard bilge, which may be an indication of water in the keel. I'll definately check it out.

Thanks.

[SecondWind]

We lift in front of the skeg and behind the keel (we have an LRC also). The front strap should be about a foot in front of the keel so that it doesn't damage your transducers. You can locate the tranducers in the starboard locker and mark the point on the toerail where the back of the strap should go with a heavy duty marker. You may want to paint on permanent lift points later.

We also get water in the starboard bilge. It is fresh and comes in through the engine hatch. The keels are sacrificial and should come off without damaging the hulls. If your water is from thru the hulls you have another problem.

[SecondWind]

We lift in front of the skeg and behind the keel (we have an LRC also). The front strap should be about a foot in front of the keel so that it doesn't damage your transducers. You can locate the tranducers in the starboard locker and mark the point on the toerail where the back of the strap should go with a heavy duty marker. You may want to paint on permanent lift points later.

We also get water in the starboard bilge. It is fresh and comes in through the engine hatch. The keels are sacrificial and should come off without damaging the hulls. If your water is from thru the hulls you have another problem.