Landing on a Beach

[bastonjock]

Hi Guys

i want to beach my mac ,is there anything that i should be aware of?

other than making sure i get the tide right

[Frank C]

A sand beach is better than pebbles or rocks.

[bastonjock]

thanks for the quick reply,the beach that is my intended parking lot is all sand,it goes out for about 1/2 a mile at low water

this will be my first time out with the boat ,right now it feels like xmas eve

[MARK PASSMORE]

Merry Christmas Baston Make sure to take a small step stool or a two step ladder along because you will be wanting to board the boat from the beach sometimes. Also if you carry a bucket or pan that you can put water in its nice to dip your feet in so that you are not tracking a lot of sand up on the boat. Good luck.

[bastonjock]

thanks Mark

looks like if got the whole gang coming down to have a "barbie" on the beach

at first it was going to be just me and my son,but it now looks like another 5 will be joining for a munch on the beach

the forecast favours the engine with light winds

[beene]

Did you say the sand goes out 1/2 mile?

Be careful if there are any sand bars. Keep that motor well up. Try not to get any sand in the cooling intakes. I find beaching is fun, but prefer it when the water is deep until close in to shore with a gradual upslope to the beach in the last 30 feet or so. I have beached before in a situation where it was shallow sand for 1/2 mile and it was a disaster getting back out again against waves that showed up out of nowhere on a calm day. Could not put the motor down far enough to get a good bite on the water and move us out to sea.

G

[Sloop John B]

Yeah, sure, nothing to it.

Get your prop up to where it's just pulling in enough water to cool itself. Usually just under the cavitation plate.

Get her all rev'd up and aim for a pre-orientated sandy part. Position yourself facing backwards with your back against the bulkhead just aside the companion way hatch and grint your teeth.

Cyrunch! You've made it. Cut the throttle. Climb down.

Bring your tide table along and check the time. Oops, high tide.

Well, see if there are any people about you might make an acquaintance with. It might be a while.

[Beam's Reach]

We have no tides, so we've never beached it to dry, but we pull up on the beach quite often. If you pull bow in, you're going to get wet climbing down the ladder at the stern if the water's deeper there.

I usually head straight in and then turn sharply at the last minute so we drift in sideways to land with the beach on our beam, then climb out and tie a line from stern to a tree or land anchor and then push the bow out and walk another anchor off the bow. This way everyone can step step from boat to beach and back with gear (barbecue, chairs, drinks) without much trouble or getting wet.

We have no tide to worry about, but if there is wind and waves, I stay off the beach a little to stay off the sand. Nobody likes sand rubbing on their bottom.

[Bill at BOATS 4 SAIL]

The anchor locker is a great place to wash your feet. The plug from the galley sink fits the drain hole.

[eric3a]

..

[Catigale]

I think many a sailor has also learned that the high tides arent equal this way too. Here in the Northeast we have a tide guide, Eldridges Pilot Guide that is worth its weight in gold for cruising Boston and the Cape

[beene]

The anchor locker is a great place to wash your feet. The plug from the galley sink fits the drain hole.

Wash your feet

Mine's always full of ice and beer.



G

[Catigale]

washing your feet in ice and beer?? Is that a Canadian thing??

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

Hmm, I guess if you drink enough beers, then who needs a stinkin anchor anyway.

[Captain Kimo]

Hi Guys

i want to beach my mac ,is there anything that i should be aware of?

other than making sure i get the tide right

Don't have the tide problem here on Lake Mead, however do have 180 degree wind shifts during the night. If expecting same will play out a stern anchor upon approaching the sandy beach. I keep the stern anchor danforth in a anchor hanger on the starboard quarter stanchion made up ready to drop. In forecasted high winds, will put lines out from the quarter cleats port/starboard secured to stakes or rocks on the beach. In the latter situation would have also found a "hiddie hole" cove with as much wind protection as possible.

Drive the boat up on the beach as high as you can. This will keep bow from working and making a channel for itself which will float the bow and give you a bottoming bounce as wave action on the stern, causing the boat to yaw all night long.

Double check to raise CB and rudders if a shallow beach. If going straight in under power, rudders don't help that much and if down in a shallow beach approach will cause one of them to kick up under the prop (been there, done that ).

As the anchor locker hatch is bungied to portside of the pulpit and held open for placing the bow anchor up the beach slope, I use the boarding ladder with the big hooks to set inside the anchor locker well on the starboard bow. Provides a sturdy ladder for disembarking/embarking. Also carry some of those nylon folding seats with cup holders in the arms for the beach party .

Use that tip from this site about powdering feet with baby powder prior to disembarking to keep wet sand from adhering. Also use bucket of water to rinse feet of sand returning to boat.

Much prefer beaching then anchoring. Sleep much better not worrying about anchor pulling out as my spins like a top in the wind. Only had it drag once with a favorable off shore winds, but that enough to always look for a sandy beach for overnighting beaching.