Careening a long keeler

[Lee_Shaw]

Hi

I'm hoping to careen my boat, a Halcyon 27 long keeler, this coming weekend to clean off below the water line and antifoul. I've never careened a boat before so I was hoping for some advice.

I've found a nice little spot where I have seen boats similar to mine careened, so I think I'm sorted out for a location.

I would appreciate any tips on making sure she lies right, which I presume is mast pointing up-hill(ish).

I was also wondering (with the up-hill thing) how do I do the other side, do I have to go to the other side of the river or is there a trick?

I've also, to my shame, never antifouled without a jetwash to hand, is it easy to scrape off any barnacles by hand? Any other advice regarding scraping off?

I would also be grateful for any general advice on careening per se.

Thanks for taking the time to read.

Steve

 

[Topcat47]

Nothing on earth would persuade me to carreen Snark, but then she does have an unusually deep keel for a 26 footer. You'll need to do it over two tides. You can move over to the other side of the river or turn her round.

Depending on the nature of the river where you plan to do it, Line the underside to be with fenders before you lay her over.


Shellfish are susceptible to Cillit Bang. If the old antifoul has been any good, the rest ought to slip off easily with a bucket and some scotchbrite. I don't think you'll have the time to do anything other than overcoat. I usually have marine polyps growing around my hull fittings and these can be sucked into the inlets and cause blockages. Cillit Bang works on these too, but make sure the fittings are clear.

I have Skarsen scrapers which will handle any really tough fouling.

Oh yes, and do not do this with full tanks (fuel water and/or holding). /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[bromleybysea]

I've careened my Rustler 31 on a steep sandy beach a couple of times, simply turning her around to do the otherside on the next tide- so you do need some time and settled weather. Helps if the wind, if any, is onshore- you can lay out an anchor at low tide to help you off. Getting her down pointing uphill is just a matter of having some weight on the right side as she touches- I'm a fat bas***d so that's easy. And scraping off the wild life is no problem- have a long-handled scraper and brush . The main difficulty I had was reaching all of the hull as it slopes away from you, a short ladder helps.

 

[Salty John]

I saw this done in the Bahamas:

They grounded the boat at high tide and waited for the tide to go out:

They waited until she floated off on the next high tide, turned her around and re-beached her the other way round, to do the other side.

The most nerve-wrecking part was, I suppose, getting her off at high tide - a small miscalculation of tide or wind conditions and she might have been stuck for a long time! Tidal range in the Bahamas is very small anyway so I thought this was pretty brave, although expertly done.

Excuse pic quality, I captured them off a video.

 

[Twister_Ken]

"Excuse pic quality, I captured them off a video."

Boy, that must have been a boring video!

 

[Salty John]

Your right; particularly the night shots.

 

[Salty John]

Or, to put it correctly, 'You're right'.

 

[Poignard]

'scuse me but I thought 'careening' meant removing a vesels ballast and hauling her down on her side with a powerful tackle. She remains afloat throughout.

This obviously cannot be done with a yacht having attached ballast.

Wouldn't it be easier to lay alongside some piles or a wall? Or, if neither available, buy two lengths of 4" square softwood and make a pair of legs. That way the boat remains upright and you can do everything in one tide. Afterwards you can chop up the legs and have a celebratory barbecue!

 

[dulcibella]

One point worth considering is where on-board liquids (fuel, battery electrolyte etc) may end up at the careening angle that your hull geometry will produce. I've heard of some problems here.

 

[Lee_Shaw]

Many thanks for all the replies, very much appreciated.

Steve

 

[Poignard]

Please let us know how you get on.

 

[Lee_Shaw]

[ QUOTE ]
One point worth considering is where on-board liquids (fuel, battery electrolyte etc) may end up at the careening angle that your hull geometry will produce. I've heard of some problems here.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just noticed this, I have gel batteries, will they help or hinder?

Steve

 

[Lee_Shaw]

[ QUOTE ]
Please let us know how you get on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Will do.

 

[Evadne]

Most of my careening has been involuntary, and even wet batteries survive if the caps are in. Gel batteries will be better, Shouldn't need to worry at all.

Sink (and other) seacocks are another thing to be careful of, when refloating.
That, and the grill pan, plus any associated crockery that can come out of its holder!
The other thing to remember is to boil a kettle before she goes over too far, it's the last time you'll be able to make tea until she comes up again.