FROM THE HELM
THE FINE ART OF HAULING OUT
Even though we are long-time boaters, I'm no expert when it comes to the annual ritual of hauling out. For the first several years of our boating experiences, we trailered, so it was never an issue.Then we bought a 31-footer, and it was a little too big for your average trailer. It was an old woodie and we bought it for a song, so we didn't even bother with a survey. Hence, no need to haul out.
Two years later, when time and budget allowed, we hauled out. I remember a few things about that experience. One, that I didn't want to be around to watch. And two, that our boat looked HUGE out of the water. I did watch, and I did take pictures, and I did have it in my back yard over the winter that year. And I learned a few things.
Adding to my haul-out experience, we hit a deadhead a year later (just before the summer cruising holiday that we were planning to take BEFORE we would haul out!) and had to be unceremoniously and very quickly hauled out at the Cowichan Bay Shipyard. Learned a few more things…
When we bought the Wind Walker, we were smart enough to have a survey done. What's also smart about that is that an out-of-water survey constitutes the first haul-out. Again, I didn't want to watch, and again our new boat looked massive. But I learned a few more things.
When we hauled the Wind Walker, ourselves, a little over a year later, we'd learned a few things — and we still had a bad experience. This time we booked Tony Billy's ways on the Courtenay River — and because we were 'inland' Michael didn't bother wearing rain gear when he started pressure-washing the bottom, in the wind, at 7 a.m. Two hours later, when our friends arrived to help, my husband was in the beginning stages of hypothermia and had to come inside - for the rest of the day, while our friends finished the bottom.
Now, like thousands of other boaters, we will haul out again this spring. It really is an art, and there's so much to know about before-hand, during, and while re-floating. There's decisions to be made, money to be spent (usually lotsa money), and more learning to do.
Our article on hauling out on page 14 might be useful to you.
Wish us well in this year's experience — and good luck in yours. (And of course, remember that we always want to hear your stories).