Ouch!

Yesterday pulled the boat for annual zinc replacement and hull cleaning.* Here is the result of the rub rail getting tangled up with the lifting strap.* We located the sling on the mark, which we've done half a dozen times before with no problem.* Now how to fix before our 5 day trip over the 4th?* While I'd be able to ignore it for a short while, the admiral won't leave port with the boat looking so disgraceful.

I'm amazed the yard lifted your boat that way. I shows either extreme ignorance or laziness. In all the yards I've visited in this area, and in the two we have used for our own (fiberglass) GB, the lift crew ALWAYS inserts either carpet-covered 4 x 4s between the hull and the lift straps just below and above the rub rail, or in the case of the yard we use now, big burlap bags filled with (I think) sawdust. Both the boards and bags keep the straps from contacting the rub rail at all. The yard we use now (Seaview North) also wraps the Travelift slings in butcher paper before relaunching a boat to keep the rough surface of the slings from contacting the new bottom and/or bootstripe paint.

We just re-launched. Now that the boat is out of the sling and the pressure is off, the damage is not too bad. I may be able remove the stainless, back out the screw hollding the teak in place, inject epoxy into cracks, re-install screws, sand and paint. Possibly wishful thinking, but we'll see.

Yea, what Marin said. They always put blocks under my rub rails so that no pressure is put on them by the straps, and they wrap the straps with some type of plastic or paper each time.

" I shows either extreme ignorance or laziness. In all the yards I've visited in this area, and in the two we have used for our own (fiberglass) GB, the lift crew ALWAYS inserts either carpet-covered 4 x 4s between the hull "

NOPE it is the owners responsibility to instruct the yard as how to hoist the boat.

Wont argue a good crew would have noticed the problem and stopped the lift , but what the heck do you expect from folks that may never have seen your boat before?

LIFT HERE , painted on the deck where the straps go is a help, as are instructions!!!

Best is a PHOTO.

I believe the lift is a 35 ton. We have used the same lift several times, same procedure, same operator and never had a problem. The boat has the factory "sling" markings to locate the straps and we were right on them. After thinking about it some more, I'm willing to bet that the strap got caught up on one or two screw heads that were not flush with the rail. Aftter walking around the boat I noticed others that are poking out a bit from the stainless. 1/2 a turn and they are snug. Over time, expanding and contracting, etc. they will work out a little bit. I will be using carpet or something to protect next time.

Happenned to me too. My rail is teak, so it was pulled up far enough to break. I haven't been back to that lift, but if I ever do, I'll make sure they use blocks above and below the rub, both sides.

FF wrote:NOPE it is the owners responsibility to instruct the yard as how to hoist t

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I don't know where you came up with that one.* In the contract we sign with the yard we use it states that the yard is responsible for any and all damage that might occur when the boat is in their equipment (Travelift).* They are responsible if any damage occurs as a result of improper blocking or support placement and security (chains). They are responsible for any damage that may be done by their employees while working on, lifting, or blocking our boat.* They are responsible for any damage that may occur due to failure of their equipment (building collapses on it, etc.).* They are NOT responsible for any damage we may do while working on our boat nor are they responsible if an owner insists the yard do something they do not recommend doing.* I have been told there have been times they have refused to haul a boat because they felt the owner's demands would damage the boat.

They haul or re-launch boats all the time without the owner present.* I suspect that their stated responsibility in the contract is why they are so careful with all their operations.


-- Edited by Marin on Saturday 6th of June 2009 01:42:05 AM

When a boat has a known requirement for special handling it is not the yards responsibility to obtain a set of plans and review the idosyncracies of each lift.

Sure some are well known like the side decks that are simply screwed on Chris Craft house boats , 2 ft of overhang , either side , requires some fancy blocking or a railway.

I've now had a chance to pull the stainless trim off and check out the damage.* It's obvious that there has already been a repair to the teak rail.* The previous repair was done exactly as I had planned to do it, the problem is now the rail is splintered beyond repair.**It looks like I will have to cut out about a 9' section and replace.* Where is a good source for Teak in Seattle area?

The best teak source I have found is Homebuilder's Center on Nickerson in Seattle, a few blocks east of the south end of the*Ballard Bridge.* 206-283-6060, 1110 West Nickerson St.* They are an Ace Hardware outlet but have a huge supply of all sorts of wood downstairs including teak, mahogany, etc.* If they don't have the cross-section you need in stock they will saw it for you on the spot.* I'm sure there are other suppliers in town, but Homebuilder's was recommended by the crew of a corporate yacht I was associated with a few years ago and I've been using them since.