Catamaran Haulout Checklist

The annual haul-out of your catamaran is essential to protect your investment and to ensure your enjoyment and confidence in the vessel in the months and years ahead. Whether you do the work yourself or hire a boatyard to do it, if you want to get the best value for your work and service dollar, it pays to be prepared.

It can be a challenge to find a wide enough lift to haulout a catamaran, so plan ahead. Find a boatyard with good references that is conveniently located.

A few weeks before the haulout, we make sure that we have the bottom paint, tape, brushes, replacement zincs, and other equipment and accessories ready for the job. We plan exactly what jobs will be completed and what we need for each job such as servicing the sail drive, or props. Well in advance, we shedule the contractors, if neccessary. Plan your haulout job before arriving at the yard. Indecisiveness can become costly in yard fees and a crew sitting idle. We usually do the work ourselves if time allows.

Catamaran Haul-Out Check List

Pressure wash: Once the boat is hauled out of the water, pressure-wash the hull to remove all barnacles and slime. Wash down the top sides.

Hull inspection: Look the hull over for dings, cracks, and blisters. Check the condition of the underwater lights, swim platform, rudders, centerboard trunks (if applicable) and bow thruster (if applicable).

Update your to-do list: After hull inspection, you will likely discover other repairs, so update the list to repair or replace damaged items and make arrangements to get any parts or contractors you need.

Check engines, props, and shafts: Replace worn cutlass bearings and shaft packing or worn rubber boots on seals. Check shafts and shaft-to-engine connections.Inspect propellers and repair dings or replace. Check propeller balance and re-balance as necessary. Just Catamarans usually services our props every year when in Fort Lauderdale. It’s best to leave ithat job to the experts.

Through-hulls: Check for corroded fittings, and missing or broken bonding cables. Test seacocks and lubricate.

Transducers: Clean and lubricate as necessary to ensure paddlewheel logs rotate freely.

Anodes and Ground Plates: We usually replace all zincs but this year our zincs were in great shape. Replace corroded ground plates; make sure the internal connections are tight.

Anchors and Chain: Take some time to inspect your anchors and chain and put new length markers on if neccesary, i.e., paint, zip ties etc. We have tried it all and it never lasts but we are pretty good at judging our scope now and we don’t absolutely rely on markers, but it’s nice to have. We carry three anchors, a Rocna anchor (primary), a Fortress anchor (backup), a Delta anchor and 200 ft of chain. Read our recommendations on anchors.

Sand: Before re-painting the hull, be sure to have it wet-sanded to remove contaminants. In most cases just a light sanding is adequate.

Paint: Apply at least 2 coats of a good anti-fouling paint paying careful attention on the leading edges, the rudders, the waterline, and the propellers.

Launch: Have some spare paint and brushes ready to paint the patches where the blocks were for the trestles before the boat goes back in the water.

Checks: Before the travel lift releases the boat completely, make sure that the engines start up and check the bilges for leaks.

Mooring: Remember to book a slip or make sure that you have a place to anchor after the launch.

Enjoy a wonderful sailing season!