Forums General Discussion Removing a ketch from the water

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    • #221637
      typhoontye
      Participant

      Hello all,

      Blue Moon comes out of the water Oct 3, and I have some concern regarding the process. Mainly, I don’t know if the mizzen mast will need to be removed. Looking at the diagram in the owners manual, the aft strapping point is located just forward of the mizzen mast. I need to look at the travel lift yet, and maybe there is vertical clearance, but I don’t know, but I do know the boat yard has some concern. I will take the diagram from the owners manual down there in the next day or so, but thought I would ask the group if any of you have any advice to offer beforehand. Thanks…

      David
      Blue Moon

    • #221639
      dhjppn
      Participant

      We have been pulled both with a crane and with a travel lift.  We have never needed to pull either mast. On a smaller lift we did need to remove the fore stay once. 

      When we get home tonight I'll send you some links to pictures.
      Attachments:
      1. 6150570461641729224.JPG

    • #221641
      Dennis Home
      Participant
      Ive taken mine down for about twenty seasons but I’m not sure. I think it has to do with the center of gravity in the slings.

      Yours for a better world

    • #221643
      john stevenson
      Participant
      David,
      A lot depends on the size of the Travel Lift.  On large ones I can pull in bow first and there is enough clearance for the head stay.  On normal size lifts I back in and loosen the running backstays and the topping lift on the mizzen.  No problems that way.  
      The big concern is the location of the aft sling such that it does not catch the prop or the shaft.  Usually I make sure the sling is not forward of the mizzen mast.  There is a lifting diagram somewhere on the P424 website you should provide to the yard.

    • #221648
      RichCarter
      Participant

      Normally, my club removes sloops from the aft end, requiring that the backstay be removed.  Ketches however have the mizzen in the way so we remove them bow-first.  The forestay must be removed and pulled back out of the way.  This is a PIA since the roller furling extrusion is inflexible and hard to move around.  That’s why we prefer to do sloops stern first.

       

      Slings on the 424 must clear the prop and strut.  For me, that’s right at the primary winches.  The yard snugs up the straps then I go below and spin the prop shaft to make sure it’s clear of the straps before they lift.  The straps are positioned as far apart as possible with our 50-ton travel lift.

       

      Rich

       

    • #221651
      unabated
      Participant

      make sure you make the prop spin before they lift it out of the water!!

      “”Slings on the 424 must clear the prop and strut. For me, that’s right at the primary winches. The yard snugs up the straps then I go below and spin the prop shaft to make sure it’s clear of the straps before they lift. The straps are positioned as far apart as possible with our 50-ton travel lift.””

      >

    • #221653
      joe shimkonis
      Participant
      I have had my ketch pulled a few times – I always bring a profile showing the strap locations for the yard. The only thing I’ve ever had to do was to loosen up significantly the sheet back stay lines for the mizzon- no mast pulls, not a big deal – usually bow in. 

      Joe Shimkonis

    • #221654
      kalinowski
      Participant
      I’ve never had a problem.  Just make sure the aft strap isn’t on the prop shaft.  The first time my yard did a lift, they had a guy dive under to check placement.  Then they took pix for future reference.
      Dan K
      Jolly Lama #135
      Keehi Lagoon, O’ahu

    • #221655
      typhoontye
      Participant

      Good inputs from everyone.  Thank you!!  I have the ‘docking plan’ from the owners manual, that shows strap positions.  Good idea aligning them with the primary winches for simplicity.  And spinning the prop shaft by hand to ensure it is not snared.  I think I will have my mask and snorkel on hand as well.  They’ve asked me to pull in bow first for whatever that’s worth.  Sure don’t want to pull the forestay and risk dinging up my purty new deck paint!

       

      David

       

    • #221656
      typhoontye
      Participant

      Very interesting photo.  I’ll have it on hand…

       

      David

       

    • #221657
      Tor
      Participant

      David,

       

      Yards sometimes want us to come in bow first – it just happened to me last week – but I won’t do that. Give them a copy of the Pearson 424 lifting strap profile. Then back in and move the mizzen running backstays and topping lift forward to the mizzen mast, out of the way, so they can position the travelift crossbar about 3-inches abaft of the mizzen mast. The straps then go exactly as shown in the lifting strap profile from Pearson, which means the aft strap aligns with the forward edge of the mizzen mast. Spinning the prop shaft before they lift is a wise precaution, but if the strap is aligned with the mizzen mast’s forward edge it’ll be right.

       

      What you should be asking now is how to block up the boat once it has been hauled out.

       

      Have fun,

       

      Tor

      ———————-

      Silverheels, P-424 #17

      http://www.silverheels.us

      ——————

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

    • #221659
      typhoontye
      Participant

      Thanks Tor, good poop.  Should be interesting, a lot of good inputs.  And OK, I’ll bite.  Any suggestions on how to block up?  I already know to drop her hard on a block on the aft end of the keel (not!!  Good discussion on that topic lately).

       

      David

       

    • #221668
      kalinowski
      Participant
      In the 9 years we’ve owned our ketch, we’ve only been going to one yard here on O’ahu for service (only 2 big Travelifts on island).  We’ve always gone in bow first and never had to adjust the rig.  Based on all the more experienced comments posted, I’m wondering if this is uncommon?
      Dan
      Jolly Lama #135
      KeehiLagoon, O’ahu

    • #221669
      john stevenson
      Participant
      I'm wondering if this is uncommon?”

      Dan,
      Most travel lifts are not long enough to raise a sailboat bow first without the head stay hitting the cross bar at the top of the lift.  Yards that service multihulls and large motor yachts may have a travel lift that is long enough for a bow in lift.  The yard I used for years in MD have both types of lifts, but they preferred to lift me with the smaller lift.  So I always went stern in.  They told me the smaller lift balanced my boat better, but I think they just wanted to save wear and tear on the very expensive lift that they used to haul much more profitable boats than mine.


    • #221670
      Mark Oppe
      Participant
      With Pearson 424 ketch Mary Murray, I slacken the mizzen backstays so I can release the roller forestay. Roller forestay is then strapped a beam of main mast on toe rail. She then goes onto the travel lift bow first. My Pearson owner’s manual shows position for the straps and that has been well covered in previous correspondence, I have now marked the position on the toe rail. I like the idea of rotating the prop shaft. I usually put on mask and snorkel and check, OK in Tyrrel Bay but not so pleasant in Rodney Bay !! The bow strap can crush the impeller on the log so I carry a few spares.
      Cheers

      Mark

      Sv Mary Murray #164

      Mark Oppe

    • #221671
      Tor
      Participant

      Mark,

       

      I hauled out in Tyrell Bay 8 days ago – stern first, although they at first wanted me to undo the headstay and go that way. Despite my assurance that the aft strap aligned with the mizzen mast’s leading edge was correct, they sent a diver in anyway to be sure it missed the prop shaft. Excellent yard manager & crew there.

       

      Tor

      ———————-

      Silverheels, P-424 #17

      http://www.silverheels.us

      ——————

       

       

       

    • #221672
      Tor
      Participant

      Hey Dan,

       

      As the saying goes, it’s nice work if you can get it. Really big travelifts can lift a 424 either way without having to slack any rigging. 50- and 25-ton lifts, however, cannot. You have to undo either the head stay or the running backstays (on a ketch). The latter option is just a whole lot easier.

       

      Tor

      ———————-

      Silverheels, P-424 #17

      http://www.silverheels.us

      ——————

       

       

       

       

    • #221673
      Mark Oppe
      Participant
      Good to hear you and Silverheels were well looked after. I’ll pass on your comments to the yard crew.
      Cheers 

      Mark

      Mob: 07870 266897
      House: 01308 867093

      Mark Oppe

    • #221681
      kalinowski
      Participant
      Thanks all for the info on lifts.  
      Never really thought about the variances as we go to the the same local yard all the time.  All our sailing with this boat has been limited to these Sandwich Isles.  
      Dan K
      Jolly Lama #135
      Keehi Lagoon, O’ahu

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