ANDY’S BOATYARD CHECKLIST

Before Arrival

• Have the yard shift your boat so you can sleep in and have coffee with your wife/husband/dog.
  Yards typically offer intra-harbor delivery at little or no additional expense and it allows them to manage their work flow better.

• Dinghy, kayaks etc removed or cleared away?
  These items can get in the way during haul out and while in the yard plus they will get dirty and fill with rainwater.

• Bilges clean and mucked?
  This will give you a post launch reference. Yard crews will treat a well-cared for boat differently.

• Interior access points and lazarettes decluttered?
  Yards bill time and materials so you can pay them to clear out your stuff or not, its up to you.

• Holding tank pumped?
  Do I really need to explain this?

• Boat washed?
  Set the benchmark for launch day now.

• Ask the yard if they will need to remove your back stay prior to haul.
  Many yards may need to loose or remove a stay to get the entire boat into their lift. YES most cranes are blue but they are all different due to custom fitting to their facility, no kidding, so prep in advance for this.

• Bow in or Bow out at haul out area?
  Good idea to ask the yard office prior to arrival.

• Interior carpet, soles, upholstery protected?
  Yards are conscientious but if major work is to be performed inside your boat, best to lead by example.

• Email a Bottom sketch showing transducers and through hulls or a picture of your boat in the slings to the yard office?
  Lift operators love this.

• Furler Secured?
  There is nothing worse than a loose head sail at 3 a.m. in a blow, on the hard.

• Defrost and clean out freezer/fridge?
  Nothing worse than rotten food and puddles after 5 days in the yard.

Upon Arrival

• Speedo paddle wheel out?
  These things break pretty easy.

• Dropping the rudder(s)?
  Let the yard know BEFORE haul out, as the boat may be blocked down too low to clear the rudder post.

• Swing keel/Center board up?
  Let the yard know the location of the CB and its hardware, as they may want to block boat down higher to enable maintenance of it while partially lowered.

• Sails and ising glass covered?
  Get out of jail free card!

• Got your car keys and wallet?
  It may be awhile before your boat is cleaned and blocked.

Things Your Boatyard Does Well and Economically

• Sand and Paint Bottom
  This is the ham and eggs of all boat yards, let them shine.
• Pull Prop(s)
  Requires special tools and skills.
• Replace Cutlass Bearing(s)
  A good yard can remove a bearing, fit, dimple and install a new one with warranty in about an hour, can you?
• Draw propeller shaft(s)
  Definitely a boatyard strong point.
• Refurbish/Replace Pedro Hose(s)
  Right in a yards backyard.
• Repack rudder packing
  Access is everything and unless you are <4’ tall, triple jointed with radar vision, this can be a brutal project.
• Replace trim tabs
  Yards know what type to acquire and have installed thousands of these.
• Thru hull replacement See rudder packing.
• Striping
  This is an acquired skill best left to the pros.
• Repaint hullsides
  I can write pages of stories about why you DON’T want to attempt this on your own).
• MSD replacement
  Another job for a professional.
• Step/Unstep mast(s)
  Dangerous, challenging, and that’s on a good day.
• Remove/Replace tankage
  It’s all about the prep, yards know how to get this done quick and clean, do you?
• Remove/Replace engine(s)
  How much can you lift?
• Remove and replace batteries
  These things are heavy.
• Refer Professional Help
  Horses for courses.

Things to NEVER do in a Boatyard

• Dump oil, paint or acid on the ground or in drains.
• Move the stands beneath your boat.
• Rearrange yard scaffolding on Sunday or any day for that matter.
• Bring in hired help without prior permission from yard management.
• Wet sand without prior permission from yard management
• Operate a spray gun without prior permission from yard management.
• Use open flames or torches without prior permission from yard management.
• Leave clutter underneath your boat.