Making sure that your boat is ready whenever you want to go out means that you need to occasionally get it hauled out of the water so that you can have some basic maintenance done on it. In order to do that, you are going to need to do some things so that your boat can get hauled out safely.
Find Your Haul-Out Points
Each boat has haul-out points built into it. Those points are places where straps can be connected to the boat so that it can be safely lifted without damage to the boat. The points are reinforced so that they are stronger that the surrounding areas. These points should be marked on your hull. If you can't find them, you may want to check your owner's manual. If you still can't find any safe haul-out points, make sure that the service puts the straps under the bulkheads. Those areas are also going to be stronger than surrounding areas on your boat.
Check Your Instruments
Your boat is going to have a few things which stick out on the hulls. Those include depth-finders, speedometers, fish finders, or any of several other things. All those things on the sides of your hull can make it harder for the boat to be hauled out. They are also at increased risk of damage since they stick out. Make sure that the straps aren't going to be placed right on those instruments, and make sure that the haul-out service knows where those instruments are so that they can take care not to scrape them off the hull of your boat. This is especially true if the haul-out service is going to do anything like scrape your hull to get rid of barnacles or paint the bottom of your boat.
Take Things Off the Sides
If you have anything like dinghies or tanks that you have added on the sides of your boat, either take them off or adjust them so that they are out of the way of the straps. If the straps do have to go right where the add-ons are, you are risking all kinds of damage. So, do what you can to minimize that damage. Another thing to watch for is the straps rubbing up against your rails. They shouldn't do that, and if there is rubbing, ask to see if the straps can be realigned.
Getting your boat hauled out on a fairly regular basis can make sure that your boat stays in good shape and you can enjoy boating for years to come. For more information, contact haul-out services near you.
