hull guard or bow guard

[rkappel]

If you're going to be beaching your 26x much during the day and also for the night, would you recommend putting on a bow guard or what??? Also what do you suggest for tying the boat to shore with and how? Are there better sand spikes or stakes that you would recommend. Thanks- just learning.

[Chinook]

I'm not real big on beaching for any length of time. Boat seems happier on the water. I did anchor once near Everglades City at high tide, in 3 feet of water and knowing we'd be sitting on the soft mud bottom at low tide. It was a nice spot and there was a noisy beach party going on in front of the deeper water. Good plan until we got boarded by a pair of racoons in the middle of the night. I had to run them off twice, and found lots of muddy footprints in the cockpit come morning.

If you do choose to beach, I don't think you need a sand spike. A shovel and a danforth will do the job nicely. On Lake Powell the houseboats and others go that route a lot. Dig a nice hole in the sand and drop her in. A tapered trench for the rode near the anchor will keep the pull on a straight line.

When I want to stay close to the beach I like to set a stern anchor with a lot of rode out. I bring her into the beach and loop a long line around a convenient tree, then bring it back to the boat. That way I can pay out and secure the boat, nicely afloat, for the night (I don't like cleaning up racoon footprints) , and then line my way back to the beach. Getting underway is easy; just untie one end of the shore tie and retrieve. Don't have to go back ashore.

[bastonjock]

i had a good look at the hulls of several macgregors that were on drying out moorings,they were sitting on sand at the time,there appeared to be no damage as a result of landing twice a day on the bottom.

I use spikes when im on the river,the problem as i see it with beaching is the surf or any tidal motion,moving back and forward would cause some damage.

On the coast closest to me,the tide can go out for a long way ive seen 1/2 - i mile of sandy beach at LW,if i was to beach the boat close to the shore,id go for anchors at the bow and stern

[rkappel]

I would be beaching usually on large lakes like powell and mead.

[opie]

Why not go all the way?

Picture

[LOUIS B HOLUB]

Why not go all the way?

Picture

Too funny...
I realize we Mac owners are thrifty--but thats some extreme beach squattin'

[Russ]

Nice photo. Reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and the crabs.

We boat on non-tidal lakes and often like to come ashore. I was looking at various keelguard solutions.
One concern is we have a blue hull without bottom paint. So would the keelguard look goofy where it crosses the blue/white line? Also, they seem to be permanent, so why not just wait until the hull looks junky and then install it? I guess it would save gelcoat chips.

[Theo]

Hey there Kappel,

Just a tease. Lake Mead Spring Break 2007.



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I would definitely go with the keelguard. Mead, unlike Powell, is very gravelly and I came back with quite a few nicks and gouges. I used one shore anchor and just buried the danforth for the second anchor. You need two anchors and tie them off at the stern at about 45 degrees.

I have read some of your other posts and we were fine for five + days with just two batteries. I did go the Catigale route and bring my jumper battery. Great peace of mind. We did not use much juice though. Ate by candllight and used a lot of battery operated items. The thing you need to look out for is the potty. My family of four filled it up about every three days. That is with the little six year old boy happily peeing off the side of the boat and "marking" his territory. There are dump stations on the lake but you need to find out where they are. It is either a national secret or they move them due to fluctuating lake levels. PM Captain Kimo.

When exactly do you plan on going. The Las Vegas guys do their "Mead Madness" in mid March and I might be going again in early April for Spring Break 2008.

Theo

[Night Sailor]

I recommend the KeelSheild and have it on my X. On a previous boat, years ago before they had hull protecton products, I beached a V-222 overnight at least twice a month on pure sand in a freshwater cove, but the gentle motion of the wind, passing boat wakes, etc. wore off the gelcoat anyway.

The KeelGuard and KeelShield products are removeable, not permanent. I found the KeelShield to have a better warranty. (If installed correctly and it comes off or loose for ANY reason it will be replaced free of charge).

For my X, I only brought the KeelSheild up to the bootstripe, not above it, so it blends in with the bottom paint. They may have a blue that matches your hull blue.

[rkappel]

Thanks for your replies . We are planning to do the Mead Madness in march 08 this will be our first trip with our 26x .I bought it in sept. and its been sitting in my shop. (Idahofalls, ID) I don't want to pull it 650 miles for a week of fun in the sun and not be ready. Bring on the sun it's 20 now and snowing with 1 1/2 ft of snow we have not reached freezing for about 2 weeks. We will take any help we can get. On the toilet I want to build a platform for the toilet to sit on Im 6'3, less bending over and put a 2nd storage tank under it.

[Moe]

Even on the beautiful sugar-white beaches of NW Florida, beaching can take its toll on fiberglass. They call it SANDpaper for a reason.

I prefer to drop the bow anchor in deeper water while coasting toward the beach, then cleat it off (motor up by then) so the stern will swing around toward the beach. Drop the stern anchor when it does. Hauling in the bow anchor rode will pull you back out to deeper water where you can put the motor down.

[Idle Time]

when you beach....check the area for any plants that could be touching your bow....we had a nice little spot on the Black Warrior River , AL....walked the dogs....had supper and read for a few hours...took the dogs out for their final walk....as I was waiting for the dogs to come back..I looked down at the deck and it was crawling with ants...swarming...thankfully they were just sugar ants and I got them washed overboard with a bucket....there was one little branch leaning against the bow and it had one-way traffic aboard.......now we beach until bedtime...pull ourselves out a few feet so we're off the bottom , with the stern anchor and either have the bow anchor on shore or a line tied to a tree.....