In order to make things run smoothly, you will have to prepare your boat before the maneuver. For a simple trip out of the water, these preparations will be succinct, but for a road transport, you will have to take care of the following points:
Liquid hull
- Empty the water tanks, which will lighten the boat and limit the efforts.
- Empty the fuel tank at least partially so that transport movements do not cause oil to back up through the vent.
- Thoroughly dry the bilge and retention pans to avoid any free surface effect during craning.
- Remember to turn off the bilge pump to prevent it from going off when braking. This always has an effect at red lightsâ?¦
- If the weather is cold, protect the circuits from freezing. When dry, the boat is much more vulnerable.
Prepare the interior
- Take a look around for anything that might fall, come loose or wobble.
- Empty the closets and shelves of all fragile objects and place them on the floor, secured in cardboard boxes.
- As a precaution, lay down anything that might spill or move in transit.
- Tape doors and drawers so they don't open unexpectedly.
Insure everything outside
- Take in all the gear, mobile equipment, cushions and anything else that can be taken in.
- Retract or secure any external hatch that is not integral with the boat. Think of the gas locker and cockpit hatches.
- Fold or remove antennas or light poles that would be exposed to passing bridges or low branches.
- Leave only the minimum amount of fenders and mooring lines. You will keep them available for the return to the water.
- Wash the boat. You wouldn't want it to travel with questionable underwear!
Two precautions are better than one
- Once the boat is loaded, take a tour with the driver
- Make sure everything is in place and that the number and arrangement of tie-down straps is appropriate.
- When in doubt, be firm! You are responsible for the proper packaging of the "package". The driver must make sure that this same "package" is well secured.
When releasing the boat, suspend the maneuver for a moment as soon as the boat touches the water but the straps are still under tension. Raise the hatches and listen for any "gurgling" sounds. It is indeed easier to ask the crane operator to raise the boat as long as it is balanced, than to call him back a few hours after he has left...
