Yacht gets a keel wash

During our recent sailing trip mentioned in my previous blog, we moored at Saldanha Bay Yacht Club on the second evening. The fire was on the blaze and we were having a cold beer and chatting about our sailing adventure so far, when we were treated to the sight of a yacht being taken out of the water on a winch. The fouling on the hull and keel was not too bad, so this meant the sea-life which had attached itself could be taken off with a high pressure water cleaner.

The skipper piloted the yacht under motor onto the underwater carriage using the two visible metal poles for guidance and then attached the yacht to the poles on the far side of the carriage with ropes. The winch then pulled the yacht up the ramp and out of the water. This entire procedure took less than half an hour to accomplish.

Secure to carriage

http://matadornetwork.com/community/espiritulibre/yacht-gets-a-keel-wash/img_0888/

The yacht is motored onto the carriage, which has been winched down the launch ramp into the sea to a depth to accommodate the keel, where the keel will not yet have contact with the bottom of the carriage. The yacht is secured on to 2 poles on the far side of the carriage.

Winch up the ramp

http://matadornetwork.com/community/espiritulibre/yacht-gets-a-keel-wash/img_0893/

The winch pulls the multi-directional cable attached to the carriage up the launch ramp, during which the keel settles on the bottom of the carriage.

Ready for maintenance

http://matadornetwork.com/community/espiritulibre/yacht-gets-a-keel-wash/img_0899/

Once winched up the launch ramp, the boat is ready for keel and hull inspection and a high pressure hose can be used to clean off any fouling which has attached itself to the hull and keel, as long as it is not too bad.

The winch

http://matadornetwork.com/community/espiritulibre/yacht-gets-a-keel-wash/img_0900/

The winch can haul any boat up to 7.5 tonnes up the launch ramp for maintenance in the manner described.