Haulout 2024: Lions Gate Marina

Hull wax and polish

 

Haulout was required this year primarily for a marine survey (required every 10 years by our boat insurance). Might as well get new bottom paint (last done in 2022) and hull waxed.

In the past, we've hauled out at Thunderbird Marina (past Point Atkinson) and even as far away as Nanaimo. After our bad experience in Nanaimo in 2022, we decided to stay close to home.

(This was all in the midst of our move to Squamish... just to add to the stress....)

Lions Gate Marina is a relatively new "dry" marina (no water berths) which is in North Vancouver, directly across from Stanley Park. A huge plus as it meant no worries about weather or seas and no extra travel and no motel. (Nanaimo usually entailed an extra night each way plus paying for motel while out of the water.)  LGM also used a "Sealift" rather than a "Travel Lift", which means being lifted from underneath by a trailer with hydraulics ... NO dangling from slings.

Driving on to the Sealift trailer

Position on the trailer; still partially afloat

Another difference from travel lift: owner/skipper stays on the boat as it is lifted (an odd experience, at first)

Out of the water, on the Sealift

A wave from the skipper... before he came down

The bottom painting, wax/polish, and marine survey required 2 nights on the hard. One day less than previous haulouts (even more if one considers time to get to/from haulout facility).

Bottom paint finished (1 coat of Micron CSC), new zincs, polished hull and completed marine survey.

Going back in the water was easy peasy, with a nice calm harbour to motor back to the Vancouver Rowing Club, where Michelle was waiting to catch the lines.

All-in-all, Lions Gate Marina was so much easier than our previous haulouts.  We were thankful given our already too-busy schedules with our move to Squamish!)

LGM: Recommended!