Resting 1981 Classic on seafloor

[C-Val]

Hi Everyone

I have a chance to rent a cabin with a dock. The only thing is apparently when the tide goes out the boat will be sitting on a mixture of sand and small rock

I had the idea to float a 2 by 6 under the transom and let it keep the boat up a bit to protect transducer and bottom from from scratching

Is there already a thread on suggestions to rest a C Dory on the sea bottom or do you have thoughts?

What about the post 1987 hulls? Is it the same?

Thanks

David and Val
(Its winter but I am planning my boating summer!)

[tsturm]

[hardee]

Any chance of positioning something (and getting a look at the sea bed) before you tie up and let the boat go down on the tide. Maybe set a few 4x4's secured to the bottom, or even some old tires might work.

There is a tire in the lower left quadrant here. Been in the same place for years.


Harvey
SleepyC

[thataway]

Should not be a problem. A piece of lumber would be a great idea--a 2 x 4 would be enough. You could tie it between the two stern cleats--harder to get under the boat than you might think. Easier, and equally as cheap, would be a piece of 3" PVC Pipe. (Schedule 80). Light enough to carry along, it will go under the boat a lot better. You could make a "sock" of Ozite carpet or something like that, so it is padding on the boat bottom.

[Hunkydory]

Driftwood, board plank or PVC pipe with carpet cover would all help, but more important is the bottom type & hardness of the sand or other material among the small rocks & just what you consider a small rock. I’ve several times let the boat settle on the bottom with a lowering tide, but very particular on the bottom type it was resting on. Also it’s one thing to do it rarely with a good bottom paint & totally different to do on a daily basis. Before letting the boat settle on the bottom during low tide without already knowing the bottom type, I first do sonar check for level & larger rocks. At the head of bays where there is a large creek or river entrance, making sure you’re not settling onto the edge of a old oxbow river edge or present tidal river bank is a must. Then get a scoop of the bottom in the anchor to check the type. I prefer a semi soft mud & clamshell mix, which to me is the same mix that’s makes for very good anchor holding. I want no rocks bigger than about a inch across & the material around them soft enough they sink into it, instead of pressuring into the hull. If any doubt at all, I make sure to be awake & check when the boat is still floating & can be moved. There have been times, I’ve got out with hip boots & found rocks to big & a bottom to hard under them, so moved the boat out to deeper water & anchored instead of settling onto the bottom. Of course motors & trip tabs up & a transducer that doesn’t protrude below the hull. This is SE Alaska where sandy bottoms are very rare.

[KevinDU]

Welcome Harbour, Porcher Island, BC

[busski]

The c-dory classics often had wood runners on the bottom of the boat that glued and screwed in. These are a definite vulnerability if your boat takes even a minor chop when at a low tide. On my former classic, we ended up removing, epoxying, and refairing the hull bottom at a cost of over $2500 given what was occurring at a dock that would go dry at a minus tide. It wasn’t the period when it was on the hard that was the issue. It was the low tides where any swell or wake would lead to pounding of the hull on a pebbled seafloor.

[C-Val]

Thank you all for your very good suggestions! I love the pics!

I have a fishing trip in that area planned before we rent the cabin so I will time it to go at low tide and get a visual of the sea bottom. Then I will know exactly what I am up against before I go

I like the tires idea but would be harder to carry with me. I am going to seriously consider the pvc pipe as I could strap that to the roof very easily.

Thanks for the reminder of the wood strakes on the bottom! Don't want to damage those!

As always, no-one knows better than ones who have gone before me.
Thank you!



David and Val

[CaptMac]

The C-Dory is reknown as a beachable boat with its flat hull and bottom paint molded into the gel coat.

I've since sold the boat but heres a couple of beached pic of mine when I had it: