haul out

[dzryd]

will I damage my keel if haul it out without slings ? 31' spencer sunstar.

[Lepke]

I assume you're talking about a marine railway...

That's how it's been done for at least a hundred years. And no, it won't hurt your keel.

If you have a nice flat beach and you're fast...

[GordMay]

➥ SPENCER 31-1 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

[zeehag]

the operator of the lift will place your boat so it is not damaged. is what they do. slings crane or rail, the operator knows what he is doing.
supposedly.

[esarratt]

Originally Posted by dzryd

will I damage my keel if haul it out without slings ? 31' spencer sunstar.

Watch the worker do the work and stop them if they are doing it wrong.

A few potential problems to watch out for are:

#1) Be careful of using small lifts. You know the lift is too small when the beam of the boat is around the maximum width of the lift.

I'm actually going to do a "lift survey" at all the different yards in my area to make sure I am using a wide enough lift BEFORE I haul out.

#2) Make sure the straps are located over the bulkheads.

My builder put marks on the outside of the boat noting where to place the straps so they are centered over the bulkheads. See the pic.

If you look you will see that the trailer supports are not directly on the bulkheads. That is on my fix-it list.

Best source of information is these forums and David Pascoe's article on haul outs.

Haul Out Basics - Boats, Yachts Maintenance, Repairs and Troubleshooting

[DaveC]

I'm not sure of your experience with haul outs and hopefully you're considering railway or other type of proper sailboat hauling with your question, but if you're inexperienced and thinking of hauling out your boat with a forklift rather than slings you'll more than likely damage your hull. Sailboats hulls typically are not flat like a powerboat and need different support than just flat beams underneath.