Annual Haulout - What If the Boat Was Dropped?

[Tsehum Pete]

Last weekend I had my boat (Beneteau 390) hauled for painting etc. The guys at the yard really know their stuff but the actual hauling out and putting back in was very nerve-racking. After taking the boat from the water they loaded her on to a trailer and squeezed her into a corner of the yard. The yard is very full hence the use of the trailer. When ready to be refloated, they removed most of the jackstands to get the the trailer back under her. She seemed to be balanced precariously on her keel. All went well in the end. Has anyone had a boat dropped and if so what was the outcome?

 

[Ed Childres]

Not something you forget

The summer of 1974 I worked at a marina while putting my self through college. I did losts of jobs including launching & retrieving small trailerable fishing boats with a bridge crane. The arrangement had a vehicle driving lane parallel to a rip rap slope and a dock 20' down the slope. The dock had access for boats on both the inside and outside faces. My employer tested the limits of a pair of slings with a large cabin cruser. After one of the slings broke and the boat fell out of the remaining sling the boat & the dock were both a mess. The only things undamaged were the rocks and the water. Lots of broken fiberglass, crushed railings and wood dock. After watching that I was glad to just sell bait, drive the water taxi and service outboards.

 

[Don]

So did they actually drop it?

Unclear from you explanation if they actually did.Most Beneteaus have a liner hiding whatever grid structure there is.A Catalina dropped a few years ago at my marina had some serious grid damage not apparent from the outside requiring extensive rebuilding

 

[ericsmith3d]

It's Spooky

seeing your many ton dream hanging high on a lift. Accidents happen, but not often. You might make sure that the yard has insurance. BTW, I can't tell for sure from the picture, but it looks like the sling is too far forward on your boat. The sling point should line up with the forward bulkhead. My yard makes us put decals just under then toe rail where the sling points are.

 

[JC on Bainbridge]

I think the forward sling is too far forward

When I have our boat hauled, I go around the boat beforehand and tie a color ribbon on the lifeline directly above each sling points. I make sure the yard crew position the slings right at the color ribbons.In case you don't know where the sling points are, they should be just below the toe rail. On Hunters, you will see 2 labels on each side that says "sling".I friend had a yard accident about 10 years ago. The yard was launching the boat after getting the bottom painted. The forward sling was too far forward, and it slid off. Dropping the boat. Luckly it was above water at the time. However, when they checked inside of the boat, they discovered water rushing into the boat. The yard raised the boat again, and found the speedo transducer was damaged and was leaking water. When the forward strap slipped off, it caught on the speedo and pulled it loose. The yard did made everything good again. This happened right before they took off on their 5-year Pacific rim cruise. They were concerned, but the repair was a good one.Always better safe than sorry.

 

[Richard Bryer]

Seen it happen though

The craane dropped a Hunter 280 at haulout at our club this spring. It looked like the aft strap was too far forward and there was too much weight hanging back of that strap. The frame and straps were still set for the bigger boats inthe other side of the yard so that I think contributed. The boat started to rock whenthe operator moved it horizontally toward the cradle and the front strap flipped off. VERY fortnately mo one was hurt. The boat came down bow first and crumpled the bottom of the bow and put some stress cracks in the hull at about the chainplatesI think it is hard on the hull to have the straps too far apart as the whole keel weight hangs on too much length. That must cause the hull and deck to want to "oil-can"

 

[Capn Dave]

I run a travel lift part time

and have never dropped a boat. I have had a few slip a little. The front sling will ride forward on some hulls depending on the boat. If you don't know where the slings go, the rule of thumb is to place one ling at the companion way and the other below the mast step. These are two of the strongest points on a boat. Yes that sling looks a little forward.I allways check sling placement before the lift. My scary part is taking the boat through the yard. You can't see the other side of the lift or pointy parts of boats sticking out.

 

[Capt Ron;-)]

Nightmare lift

Ed, Sounds like a nightmare yard to work at, wouldn't want to be round when the travel-lift operator has a hangover.I had a ketch and had to back her in to haul.The best operators will lift a bit, then set em back, adjust the straps & then haul away. So many different boat shapes, keels, sizes, and weights and no one has thier plans nor the weights.In Australia folks commonly ride the yacht up to the platform where they walk across a plank before the operator drives off with the boat in slings. Sound dangerous? yeah, kinda.

 

[Ross]

The same man in the same

marina has been handling Bietzpadlin in and out for six years. If he retires then I will get nervious and watch every haul out. I am always there for spring launch.

 

[Don12364]

Avoiding Slipping Slings

This is easy. In UK most operators use a rope joining the two slings under the hull. It is just tied round each sling and has to be adjusted if the distance between slings is altered. This way if either sling tries to move the connecting rope stops it.This was learned the hard way when lifting boats covered in slime which were of the old hull forms where the bow sections sloped upwards at a steep angle.Also, by law all slings hoists and cranes have to be proof tested at regular intervals. They still manage to drop boats though!

 

[Peter]

Westport

Peter, I too was concerned the first couple of times, but the guys at Westport (looks like it from the pics) have been there for many years and they know what they're doing. If they're not happy with the way the boat's coming up, they'll put her right back down and go again.Peter

 

[Peter]

Haulout Horrors

Many thanks guys for the sounds comments and advice. I am definitely going to move the sling marks back a bit for next years haulout to better line up with the forward bulkhead. The knotmeter transducer sticks out below the hull about 3/8 of an inch. I will take it out next time too so the sling can sit right over where the transducer would normally protrude. And Peter, yes it was at Westport. They do a good job. Just a nervous owner I guess. Thanks again to all you great sailors.Peter, Skipper of Tula.

 

[Capt Ron;-)]

Greys Harbor - Westport

Greys, Oh yeah, last place for fuel before the cape. Nice tight harbor.I was in there once when Johnny Carson had his 'Westport 125' in there. Scuttle butt was he had taken on a new one.They sure build some pretty P/V there, nice yard too.

 

[Larry]

222 slings

Larry they put the aft sling more forward on my 222. Up near the aft stantions. The first year I had mine hauled the travel lift operator caused such a fuss 'cause I didn't have sling location marks. After we had her out of the water I asked where he wanted them. I now have a small peice of vinyl tape located both sides along the cove stripe where I want the slings located. I have had different operators over the past few years and once I show them where they are they just use them for the location.

 

[RoadTool]

Tying slings

Do none other marinas when the slings are set before lifting tie the slings fore and aft with a 5/8" line to prevent the slings from spreading ? All the marinas here that I have been involved with have and I wouldnt let a marina that doesnt , lift my boat . Yes Im always present for lifting .

 

[Louis Holub]

worrying wont help...

Its this simple...watching her being lifted out with big ole slings with strange noises abound, and wondering whats gonna break first...so naturally a Sailor will worry about his or her boat. But worrying wont help. But, maybe it would be a relief to know if they're insured...But, I havent seen or heard of a boat being dropped ... "YET".

 

[Ross]

I have a friend who handed

the keys to a brand new Pontiac to a parking valet and walked away. I asked if he was concerned, and he said if he wrecks it I'll sue.Same thing with the boat if they drop it I'll sue.

 

[John]

Splat

Well I dident go splattttttt in the parking lot But the guys put my boat on the cradle backwards then when they moved the boat on the trailer the trailer was not hooked on the truck and the tongue of the trailer lifted off on a bump, the truck drove off and the tonge dug into the parking lot, the boat @ cradle kept going and slid off trailer the bow of the boat crushed thru the cradle the popets bent and the boat slid up on the trailer.( very nasty) If i had the mast up or if i had a 5' deep draft the boat would have gone over.The yard fixed the cradle, fixed the bottom where the popets hit. primed the spots and painted them. Replacet two batterys that shorted out when I turned the power on .This is the kind of gift that keeps giveing .I shoud have called for a survay but dident in my case things worked out OK. Now my boat gos in on friday snd week in may and halls out mon Last week in oct at 100 pm and i check the trailer.John