Hauling out your marine vessel can be an important part of keeping your boat in tip top shape. Regular haul outs are necessary for hull painting and routine maintenance. Keeping the lower half of your boat clean and up to par is equally as important as any other maintenance needs. When you are hauling out your boat, one must consider the method of haul out, timelines of when and how long your boat will be out, and calculate the costs.
Methods of Hauling Out
Each of these methods has pros and cons, and regardless of which method you choose, there is always a risk of damage when you haul out your boat or yacht. Some methods of haul out include the use of forklifts, travel lifts, and airbags. Forklifts are quite useful for many boats, while other times, it could be damaging if the weight of the boat is distributed improperly over the fork lift. Travel lifts are wide lifts that use nylon straps and slings to lift boats straight up. Some of the damages that can occur include hull and rail damages, but most often these are caused by defective or weak hulls and rails. Airbag (also called air dock) boat lifts involve rubber tubes that are inflated beneath a boat to lift it out of the water.
Timelines
Hauling out a boat for maintenance takes some time. It could range from a several days to much longer. Consider all that will be done. The boat will have to be blocked and staged before out of water work can commence. The work list and maintenance list will have to be completed. This could include several things such as repairs, running propellers and gear, cleaning, painting, and finally re-launching the vessel. Visit here for more specific information on Time
Costs
The costs associated with hauling out a boat vary but most are per square foot. All of this will depend on where you go. Consider some of these costs that may be included: repairs, paint, blocking, or a variety of other costs (like any EPA charges). Additionally, there can be costs of not having a haul out, particularly dependent on the insurance company and policy you have.
Hauling out your boat is an important part of boat and yacht maintenance, and sometimes required for insurance purposes. Understanding the different hauling out methods available, what type of timeline you should expect when you haul out for maintenance purposes, and the costs that can be incurred when hauling out.
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