Do-It-Yourself Boatyards

Do-it-yourself Boatyards Galesville Harbor Yacht Yard off Chesapeake Bay is one of the dwindling number of boatyards that allow boat owners to do all or some of their haulout work on their own. Liability issues have prompted many yards to require boat owners to secure their own scaffolding for use. This is something to check for if you plan on power-buffing your hull. DIY yards are critical to affordable boating, but they are a dying breed. he cost of buying, owning, and mooring rather than in a costly marina, their local governments to draft wa- Tmaintaining a sailboat has spi- and find a boatyard that’s user friendly terfront redevelopment plans that are raled to an all-time high. The ranks to the “do-it-yourselfer.” sensitive to boatyards and other “wa- of entry-level sailors, starting out in Across the country, this third step ter dependent” operations like marinas smaller boats, are thinning, and if both is becoming less of an option. Do-it- and sailing clubs. It pays off when boat- the industry and the consumer aren’t yourself boatyards are an endangered ers make themselves heard at planning careful, mid-sized keelboat sailing will species, and those of us who use them and zoning hearings. When a boatyard once again become an activity relegated need to become more proactive about succumbs to real-estate pressure and is to those of means. ensuring their survival. replaced by shops selling plastic oysters, Just stroll through any boat show and As boat owners contend with more T-shirts, and ice cream cones, the local hear how easily six-digit boat prices roll and more boatyard restrictions on what recreational boater is the biggest loser. off the tongues of today’s production- projects an owner can do, yard own- boat dealers. Such pricing was pioneered ers are facing pricing pressures that are THE BUSINESS SIDE by Hinckley, Morris Yachts, Swan, and exacerbated by escalating taxes, labor It’s important to keep in mind that other high-end builders, but now it’s costs, and insurance premiums. These boatyards are a for-profit business and trickled down to more mainstream sail- hardships have caused many a yard a nautical rendition of fair trade should boats at the same time marina slip fees, owner to throw in the towel and sell include good service for a reasonable boatyard labor rates, insurance prices, off to developers who have no intention fee. It’s not unreasonable to expect the Photos by Ralph Naranjo Ralph by Photos and the cost of a quart of varnish have of recapitalizing a boatyard—or even yard’s staff to have a well-maintained gone through the roof. using the property in a “water depen- Travelift, Brownell trailer, railway, or For many sailors, survival at sea has dent” context. crane to haul your boat. The operator become a cash flow issue rather than a This restructure of the waterfront should be skilled and by reflex should be test of seamanship, and through do-it- to non-water-dependent use is a land able to get the slings properly positioned yourself efforts, they have managed to management failure that is happening and your boat safely blocked. keep the dream alive. There’s a three- in most every coastal community across However, if you deliver the boat with fold approach to cost-effective boating: the nation. Boat owners—particularly a genoa rolled up on a headsail furling Buy a sound but older boat, keep it on a those of the DIY variety—should urge system, don’t be surprised if you’re PRACTICAL SAILOR JUNE 2009 7 S P E C I A L R E P OR T we are, and it’s definitely the kind of operation where the staff makes a sailor feel at home. This sense of compatibil- ity between a yard and a boat owner is important, especially if you like to work on your boat. There’s tangible value in having an enjoyable place to add the TLC your boat deserves, particularly when you’re likely to be spending a fair amount of time there. The trend toward establishing boatyards on the least desirable parcels of land has caught on, and many are packed like a sardine and smell worse thanks to adjacent sewage-treatment facilities. Finding a nice place to work, with friendly folks to share a break with, is a luxury indeed. A skilled Travelift operator, like this one at Galesville boatyard (above), will be able WHAT TO LOOK FOR to instinctively arrange rigging and place the slings, no matter the hull shape. Every skipper should go through a “what-if” scenario when considering a charged extra for its removal. In fact, age it—but whatever the case, owners specific place to haul. These “what-ifs” how a boat owner and their boatyard that attempt to fly under the radar with include the potential impact of gale or of choice treat a furled headsail says a owner-hired, incognito subcontractors storm-force winds, a significant tidal lot about all involved. Insurance claims have led many yards to clamp down on rise, and torrential rain. show that a significant amount of ves- the DIY option and mandate that all Low-lying facilities exposed to the sel damage has been caused by partially work is handled through the yard. most volatile wind direction can spell unfurled headsails capsizing blocked- The win-win strategy that will help trouble, as can a yard that’s notorious up sailboats. All it takes is a volatile maintain boat owners’ ability to do their for catching rain water runoff that turns summer thunderstorm to lay waste to own work is developing a good work- a hard pan surface into soupy muck— a vessel hauled with a furling headsail ing relationship with the yard staff. The destabilizing the jack-stands that sup- tied off to an upper shroud. In short, guy who comes into the shop asking port the blocked up boats. competent boat storage is a two-way to use tools and wondering where the Our sample yard, Galesville Harbor street with both the owner and the “scrap” teak and stainless steel are kept Yacht Yard is nestled in an estuary pro- boatyard steering the outcome. does little to evoke a favored customer tected from the Chesapeake Bay as well Before hauling, make sure all the relationship. The DIYer who hires the as the ocean. During Hurricane Isabel cards are on the table. Most yards have yard to handle repairs and installations in 2003, tidal rise presented the biggest an information sheet, perhaps even a beyond his own skill and ability and de- concern there, but it was the vessels in website, that lists the yard’s do’s and velops a friendly relationship with the the marina rather than those blocked up don’ts, and spells out the scope of work crew becomes a goodwill ambassador on land that suffered most. In other parts that an owner can do on his own. Be for all self-reliant sailors. of the bay, more-exposed boatyards suf- sure to learn the rules regarding sub- fered from the extreme tide and the de- contracted work, a gray area that can PICKING THE RIGHT BOATYARD bris that swept through the hauled-out cause serious dissension between yard We looked for a good example of a small fleet, toppling jack-stands and the boats staff and a boat owner. boatyard operation that was representa- on them. Volatile winter storms can pack Boatyards are in the business of sell- tive of yards around the country and the punch of a tropical storm, so whether ing labor, and their profitability revolves set out to field test a simple boatyard afloat or on dry land, a vessel needs to be around keeping craftsmen busy. A yard ranking system, one that you can use to able to endure the onslaught. that’s willing to allow boat owners to do evaluate the facilities in your own back- their own work is in some ways con- yard. (See “Reader Survey,” page 10.) EQUIPMENT & OPERATOR SKILL stricting its profitability, and the owner Galesville Harbor Yacht Yard on Frayed lifting slings, deteriorated pil- who tries to sneak in a subcontractor is Maryland’s western shore of Chesa- ings, and rusty machinery may still “biting the hand that feeds.” Most yards peake Bay is more casual than corpo- work, but more often than not, they are have a service charge that applies to sub- rate. There’s a feeling that the owner and signs of the overall quality of workman- contracted work—some even encour- manager are as caught up in boating as ship that a boatyard has to offer. Those 8 JUNE 2009 WWW.PRACTICAL-SAILOR.COM S P E C I A L R E P OR T seeking lowest-cost options need to be especially aware of how their boat will be hauled and handled. When all is said and done, it’s hard to beat a new or well-maintained Travelift or hydraulic trailer. Equally important is the dock or ramp it operates on. But no matter how good the gear, the skill of the operator is the most important variable of all. With sailboats, sling placement is crucial, and the geometry of the hull shape in conjunction with the cable lead adjustability on the lift will determine how equal the sling loading will be. Also critical is the cable angle, a factor that can lead to sling slippage, and in extreme cases, a vessel being dropped.

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