Beaching in the San Juans

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

The anchor buddy concept seems perfectly suited for these close in parking situations. I've considered getting one a couple times. Has anyone actually used one with a mac? It would seem using it off the bow in reverse would be a great combination.

[Chip Hindes]

Wow, Dimitri. Maybe something to know how to do if there’s absolutely no other way, but I'm serious when I say if I had to go through the drill you describe every time I wanted to beach the boat; I'd instead anchor in deep water 50 or 100 yards off shore and swim in.

It appears difficult enough to do with comptetent help, but I'm just as serious when I say the probability of being able to do all that stuff, correctly, singlehanded, is very close to zero. Maybe if the winds are light and dead onshore, and you could skip the motor part.

Roller or not, I don't think it is feasible to pay out, then cleat and set a bow anchor rode from the cockpit. In stiff winds, it's difficult enough to do from the bow without losing a finger or two.

In light winds, I have set the bow anchor singlehanded by dropping it, paying out "enough" rode as slack, then cleating it before returning to the cockpit. Trying to do this with an offsore wind, there’s a good chance the wind will drive you over your own anchor rode. With an onshore wind, depending on the anchor to set correctly, on the first try, to prevent the boat from being driven stern first into the shore? Not me.

With a crosswind, backing the Mac with no centerboard is an exercise in frustration and pure futility. With a light tailwind, maybe.

Everything I have ever read says that "chucking" the anchor is not recommended. Not only is there a good possibility that the anchor itself will foul, but if the chain or a loop in the rode happens to catch on something not designed to take a load (like a finger) it can cause quite a lot of damage. Likewise, jumping out of the moving boat to hand set the anchor is not a good idea either.

[Doug Faigel]

I almost exclusively single hand and exclusively beach stern to.

When single handed, I have found that setting a bow anchor first and then trying to back onto a beach is very difficult and I don't do this any more.

I beach first (as described above in my previous post) backing in to about 1-2 feet of water, then jump in and pull the boat by hand the last few feet to shore. This is completely safe and easy to do as long as there isn't too much wind, waves or current. If there is too much of any of these, than I've picked the wrong place to beach!

I use a "land anchor" which looks like a big corkscrew that I screw into the ground and attach the stern line to. I keep the stern line slack and then push the boat into deeper water and drop the bow anchor. I then take up slack in both lines (adjusting one and then the other) until I am satisfied with the boat's position. Sometimes, due to the current (we're talking the Columbia river here) I need to move my land anchor to a better spot to keep the boat at a right angle to the beach.

I have successfully done this many times. Mostly for an afternoon but once overnight. My bow hook (7 lb Danforth) held fine without needing a second anchor (bottom is sand and mud). In fact on the overnight trip I wasn't paying enough attention to the tide and ended up aground. I attached the bow line to the winch and was able (with some effort) to winch off the sand bar. The bow anchor held without moving an inch.

Even fully loaded and ballasted the boat is fairly light and easy to move around by hand, provided the wind and water conditions are OK.

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Wow, Dimitri. Maybe something to know how to do if theres absolutely no other way, but I'm serious when I say if I had to go through the drill you describe every time I wanted to beach the boat; I'd instead anchor in deep water 50 or 100 yards off shore and swim in.

Well Chip, to each his own. I'll admit, 95% of the time I'm beaching, its because I'm not alone and so I don't singlehandedly beach which makes it a lot easier if someone is tending the bow anchor. This is something you can teach a passenger fairly quickly. When I'm singlehanding, I don't typically have a need for long walks on the beach as I am out to SAIL!

But really, there is nothing you can't do singlehandedly without the right planning. When I first got the Mac, I had some problem with tracking (used to a keel boat) and so even if I went out alone, I would call my wife on the cell phone and have her meet me at the dock to grab the bow as I was docking. I don't have to do that anymore either now that I've adapted my docking lines for this boat properly and gotten used to how she handles. It also helped alot by putting a wind indicator close to my dock so that I can see exactly what the wind is doing as I'm pulling in. You need to use the wind as your friend, not as your enemy. Boy, going from a heavy keel boat to a Mac, I sure looked like a real amateur the first couple times I tried some docking moves though.

If you read my story again, the first thing I say is that conditions must permit. Frankly, if you have too much wind, too big waves, or too strong of a current, you should not be beaching there in the first place.

I have done that procedure by myself a few times...even with family on board..probably due to the fact that they are so busy trying to deal with bathing suits and sunscreen, they don't even hear me. So, the only rule I make is to clear the pathways so I can run forwards and backwards a couple times if need be. So, even with people on board, I've done it totally by myself before and yes, you can pay out some slack, estimate how long the rode should be, and then cleat it. You can then set the anchor with the engine. If it doesn't set, get out of there before its too late. You can always keep it in reverse and do a backwards turn out of there (downwind) so that you don't run over the rode. As for a crosswind, that is even more reason to have the bow anchor out there and under some tension, it will keep your bow pointed offshore even if you are going super slow. Hence why you should run it through the bow pulpit if you are going to try to do it from the cockpit...otherwise, when you lead the line back, your bow will turn towards the shore. Actually, cross currents are a lot harder to deal with IMO.

As for chucking anchors, I've been doing it for decades and yes, once in a great while it will foul, but then the worst thing that happens is that your stern will start to swing out downwind and you can either abort, or jump in the water and rescue the situation manually. I don't have any hesitation jumping out as long as the bow anchor is set properly. Again, its a very small Danforth that I use for the stern..maybe a 7 pound steel one that has a very fine chain that is probably only 6 feet or so long. Sure, I wouldn't use that as a primary anchor, but it always holds the stern to the beach. I coil up the chain with the anchor and then throw the whole mess together all as one. You have to use a little common sense of course.

BTW, there is another way to do it single handedly, kind of a modification of the Bahamian anchoring technique I think its called. But basically, keep both anchors with you in the cockpit and start a bow-to approach. Drop your bow anchor in (off of the stern), set it, drive up to the beach paying out rode, throw the stern anchor in off the side, then kill the engine, cleat the stern anchor, walk the bow anchor rode up to the bow turning the boat in the process, then cleat the bow anchor at the right distance to the shore. Obviously, something like this is not going to get you too close to the shore in anything but an onshore breeze but it may work for some. I used to do this quite a bit in power boats, but its a lot easier to do when you have an open powerboat. Still, not a bad technique in an onshore breeze when you are nervous about your primary anchor setting.

The key to single-handing is planning planning planning. Before you try anything, you must rehearse the procedure in your mind a few times..including contingencies and escape plans. Its good not to get too used to crew help for these sorts of things.

[Frank C]

SNIP ... helped alot by putting a wind indicator close to my dock . . .

SNIP ... I coil up the chain with the anchor and then throw the whole mess together all as one. . .

Dimitri !!
Wish I could put a wind indicator next to "MY" dock ...
(you lucky dog, you)!

And regarding chuckin' an anchor . . . for normal anchoring, I don't do that anymore. Chance is that the chain will end up draped over the shaft or flukes and spoil the set, so I pay out rode while backing up (admitedly with a helmsman). Sets every time this way. However, since you were speaking of the beach anchor, I'd expect to be setting it by hand anyway, so don't see it makes any difference.

[Don T]

Doug Faigel:
I picked up a tide book so Lynn and I have decided on a July 5th 10:00 AM departure. We'll launch from Washington Park in the afternoon. We are planning a July 15th afternoon recovery. In between will be heaven.
Don T

[Tom Spohn]

Don,
If you haven't launched from Washington Park before, be sure you do not launch at Low Tide! The end of the ramp has some rocks that will catch your rudders and center-board. Also as you move the trailor to the ramp be careful of the trees on either side of the road. I had some catch on the shrouds, but by moving slowly they slid past the shrouds with no damage. I did bump a fender on a post by the side of the road by looking up at the trees and moving to one side and failing to notice the post! This ramp is doable, but needs special caution.
Tom

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

There are two other resonable alternatives to Washington Park.

The ramps under the bridge on the Swinomish channel are good.

Last year for the San Juans rendezvous most everyone launched at Cornet Bay inside Deception Pass. If you haven't been through the pass it's a really cool experience. We took the group of 15 Macs out on a Monday morning at slack tide. From there it's short run north along the shore then a hop across Rosario to Lopez sound via the south entry Lopez Pass. On the way back in at the end of the week we ran the pass at max flood. Quite a trip, the kids loved the huge whirlpools. The X has no problems negotiating the pass even with it's 8+ knot currents. Even the Mac 25 with us did fine. You can also avoid the pass by taking the swinomish channel as one boat with early engine problems did.

[Steve K]

Just a coule beaching tips, I've learned over the years.
If beaching bow to land:
You can drop a stern anchor while still 50 feet or so from shore, then run in to the beach. Now you can use this stern anchor to pull yourself off the beach, when departing. When doing this, be mindful of your anchor rode getting caught in the prop. That ain't a bit of fun.
This would also work if beaching stern to, by dropping anchor off the bow, before you back in. Be sure to have your centerboard and rudders up.

Okay, so you forgot to do that and you beached, bow to, and pretty hard, at that. Or, like one night up at Lake Mead, water level dropped a full foot overnight one time. Now half your hull is sitting on the beach. Your buddies left you there and are already just a spec out on the lake. Or you are out solo this time. You could call them on the VHF to come back and tow you off. What? ME? Admit defeat? NEVER!
So how do you get off the beach?

Here's how.
Start the outboard (only works if you can get the prop in the water), put her in reverse and work the steering wheel back and forth, making the boat wallow down the beach and actually dig into it deeper. It will eventually let go and you'll be afloat again. This also works for some grounding situations.

Remember also that I only beach my boat on sandy or muddy shorelines. I imagine if you do this on a fairly rocky beach, you'll have some gelcoat repair to do later.
'Course, you can read my acticle on that in the featured articles section
SK

[Tom Spohn]

Duane,
Is there multi-day parking for the ramps under the Swinomish Bridge?
Tom

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

There is parking for 75 rigs at the swinomish ramp. It has two lanes. It's a county ramp and I haven't used it in a while so I'm not sure what the current daily charge is. No doubt more than last year.

The Cornet Bay ramp is State Park, 4 lanes 3 docks. They have parking for 120 rigs. If I remember right last summer it was $6 or $7 a night.

By far the absolute best salt water launch in the state is the Everett facility. 13 lanes, 7 docks, paved parking for over 260 rigs and only $5, stay as long as you want. No daily fee. Plenty of room to set up and not a tree or wire in sight to worry about when driving around with the mast up.

With an X this can be a good option for a San Juans trip as well. You cut your drive time and Deception Pass is only 30 NM by water from the Everett launch. We launch often there when we are headed across sound to places such as Port Ludlow, Port Towsend, Fort Flaggler, Mystery Bay, Upper Hood Canal, etc as well as destinations north up the inside of Whidby and Camano. It's even a good spot when heading south into the Blake Island, Bremerton. Poulsbo, Bainbridge area. From Bellevue I can get to Everett as quick as I can get to Shilshoe.

Here is great state web site with info on all the ramps and boating facilities in the state of Washington. Our fuel dollars at work.

[Tom Spohn]

Duane,
Thanks for the ramp info!

Phil (and others)
Will you be going to the BWY Rendezvous in June? If so we could talk about the San Juans there.

Tom

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

I haven't check in with them for a bit, when and where is this years BWY rendezvous?

[Metrognome]

Doug, in response to your "beaching in the San Juans" may I reccomend Cypress Island. Just south of the northern end , on the eastside is Pelican Beach. Its a DNR campsite with 6 mooring bouys and tent sites. The beach is gravel and has the right slope for beaching, I've used this beach a few times for camping .
Last summer my 12year old son and I went there with a couple of his buddies and their Dads, we had a boatload full of gear for camping and entertainment . I motored the toward the beach, had a friend jump off the bow and brought the boat parrallel to the beach and unloaded, a great benefit of a Mac. Then we pushed the stern back out , backed up and I tied off to a mooring and dingied in.
The beach is exposed to north winds so unless its calm sleeping on the boat can be abit much. There is a more seltered anchorage abit south called Eagle Harbor.
Cypress Island is known as the "Jewel of the San Juans" its mostly public land with miles of hiking trails, thick forest, lakes and some great elavated viewpoints.
Enjoy your trip... Paul T.

[Metrognome]

Duanne the BWY Trip is to Port Orchard Wa. 6/17-6/20 2004...