Keelboat Lift-Out

We need your help! No experience necessary!

The light and heavy keelboat fleets are coming out of the water and any time you can lend a hand will be greatly appreciated. Volunteer hours will be assessed for all participants.You do not need to be here for any set amount of time - help out as your schedule allows.

Volunteers MUST check in at the sign-in sheet and talk to the coordinator - this will be at parking lot 8 (near the limnology building) if the weather is wet, this station will move to the Mendota Lodge. 

If you have never participated in lift-in or lift-out this is a great opportunity to learn about rigging and maintaining boats. There are tasks for all skill levels throughout the day.

Starting at 6:30 am set-up for the crane and prepare for operations. Bring keelboats to the pier for final derigging. Set anchors for the crane lifting station. Assign crews to direct pedestrian and bike traffic on a safe path around the crane.

7am lift the first boat - For each boat, on-the-water crews will anchor the boat under the crane. If the mast has not been lowered by hand, the crew will use the crane to lift the mast, disconnecting all standing rigging. Once the mast is removed the crew will position the crane straps to correctly lift  the boat. A receiving crew on land will make sure the boat is placed on the trailer correctly and securely and the mast is stored safely. Engines will be winterized and the exterior of the boat will be power-washed along with other preparations for winter storage.

After all the boats have been lifted and taken to winter storage, we need to clean up the lakefront - remove mooring pendants, cleaning out our storage areas, and making sure all equipment gets put away for next season's lift-in.