Why do I haul every year? I think hauling Roxia every year saves money in the long run. It gives me a chance to look for any issues underwater, pressure wash and inspect the hull carefully, touch up the bottom paint, change the anodes and do projects that are easier when the boat is out of the water. By touching up the bottom paint it lasts longer.

This year I was out of the water for four days (back in the water on the 5th day). I raised the waterline by one inch. I have always thought it was a little low. When the fuel and water are full the top of the bottom paint was barely out of the water. In brackish water the boat floats lower. I also wanted to raise the line because I replaced the 400′ of chain with 600′ which added 500 pounds to the bow. I am hoping the bulbous bow will stay underwater in headseas longer. This will probably be the last chain I need to buy. We anchor often and tend to wear the galvanizing from the first 100′ in about 5 years. Since we only need 400′, I figure that is 20 years on chain. (Use 100′ then chop it off, repeat, wear another 100′ and swap ends.) The anchor locker on the N62 is a little small for 600′ so I flaked the chain for the first 400′ using up the bottom of the locker. We needed almost 400′ in one anchorage this summer and had to repeat the flaking so the chain didn’t jam when going through the chain pipe.

Some marinas are considered “hot” and will dissolve anodes (I use aluminum) in as little as four months. We are in a mild marina with brackish water and the anodes and paint last longer. I also coated the wing prop and keel coolers with a barnacle prohibiting paint. By touching the bottom paint up where there is flaking and at the waterline the paint lasts longer. Painting the waterline is commonly referred to as a “broker’s stripe” because this makes the paint look good where you can see it. The waterline does take more of a beating from sun and debris.

The total cost was $1,945 ($1,465 for haul, pressure wash, block and lay days plus $480 for materials). This may cost more than sending a diver down to clean the bottom and change the anodes but I think it is cheap insurance to make sure everything is working well. Here are a few pictures from this year. It has actually been 18 months since my last haul which is why there is some hard growth on the keel cooler, rudder shoe and wing prop.