We pulled Take Two out today to do some work below the waterline. It is always a little bit of an ordeal because of her 26' beam. On the Florida West Coast our haulout options are few and far between. The yards here that can handle our width use marine railways instead of lifts. I'd never seen it done and was a little nervous about the process.
They use a large sled sitting on rails and controlled by cables from a large winch.
They lower it down the rails and into the water.
The boat is carefully positioned over blocks on the sled.
Then they pull it back up the rails and Voila! we're out.