Drying posts

[Elemental]

Hi All,

I really don't think I have time to have Seaspray lifted/cradled and then spend a weekend antifouling this year. She was done properly last May with two good coats following a thorough scrub, so I'm hopeful that I can 'stretch' her through this season. However, I think a good hull scrub would be a good idea. Where can I dry her out and scrub?

I'm based at Woolverstone, and Seaspray is a Ben 351 with 1.5m fin keel.

I've never dried a boat out so any tips on how to do so safely would also be appreciated.

Thanks

Mark

 

[sailorman]

woolverstone, SYH. RHYC all have scrubbing posts

 

[eastcoastbernie]

Hi

I tried the scubbing post for the first time at Suffolk Yacht Harbour. It's a bit scary, but it works.

First choose your day carefully. You want a day with high water early in the morning so you can go in at HW, dry out, do your scrubbing and sail off in the evening. Depending on what you draw, you might need a Spring tide or there might not been enough water for you to get in, or worse, get out again.

At SYH you have to book the post, if possible choose the one on the left, the West side, as it's the better of the two. Costs about £18.

Sail in at high water with loads of fenders out and moor alongside pontoon. The boat should be tipped ever so slightly towards the pontoon. You might have to encourage this 'lean' by putting heavy stuff on the deck on the pontoon side - anchor and chain etc. In addition to your normal warps, you'll need to lash the mast to the pontoon. Remember you will have to make adjustments to your warps as the water disappears.

The day we dried out, we realised we wouldn't have a lot of time with 'no water' so we blew up the dinghy and launched it so we could start scrubbing as the water went down. This also gave us time to give the prop a good clean up.

After the scrub up we went through the early part of the season OK, but by the end of the season we had a pretty thick carpet of week and had to come out of the water earlier than usual. So you might have to do another scrub later in the season. Or you could get someone else to do it for you. SYH do deals on summer scrubs. They charge about £60 for my 25 footer. So if you add the £18 for the scrubbing post and £60 for the summer scrub, it's a lot cheaper than having the boat hauled out for the winter.

 

[phatcat1]

Hi Mark, we dry out at Wooly every summer (we are based there) to give Cento a mid-seaon clean.

Although we are a bilge, we have seen plenty of fins doing the same.

There is water and power there.

Most simply take the main halyard over to the samson posts on the far side of the walkway and induce heel till she settles on the concrete, then tighten the warps etc so she is secure.
Some take a warp from the mast base and tie to one of the pier uprights for security while dry.

If you ask at the office when you book the posts, the guys will help you when the time comes.

N

 

[Mandarin331]

Totally agree with Bernie, we've used this method many times, and even antifouled both sides of a 26 footer between tides.

One other tip, fill the inflatable with water before the tide goes to help washing down (unless you've got a hose laid on).

 

[Elemental]

Well, I never knew Woolverstone had drying posts - mind you I don't really spend much time there as I'm always in a hurry to get out sailing whenever I get down there.

I'll ask them about it when I'm next down.

Thanks, Mark

 

[sailorman]

upstream side of the Pr i think

 

[Elemental]

Thanks for the info Bernie. Like I said, I've never done it before ...

Actually, it's the prospect of a fore/aft imbalance that worries me more - will she stand on her keel without the bow or stern on the floor /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I guess 'springs' around the mast will hold her steady...

Mark

 

[Elemental]

Thanks for the info. I'll look you up when I'm next down there.

Mark

 

[sailorman]

if the river bed is sloping go Bows in