beaching a c dory 22

T

terraplane

New member
Even with a year of c dory experience under my belt, i am still uneasy when i am bringing my 22 in to the beach...We have sand and mud, almost no rocky shoreline, so it is safe that way...What i'm not sure of is the need to bring the motor up, and when...and then the best way to secure the boat with the bow up on the beach...just some basic advice on this would let me check out what i have done with more experienced boaters.

tom /terraplane
 
Hey Tom - I just nose her in with some headway, then cut the engine and raise it just before she runs up on the beach. On my other boats, I used to pull the anchor ashore and jam it into the beach, but that's no fun with an all chain rode. A line from the front cleat works fine for me if I'm worried about the boat drifting off, either made fast to something on shore or to a smaller mushroom. Am sure there are other ways to skin that cat...
 
Thanks John,

I think my problem once or twice was the combination of headway and getting the motor up. Practice, practice.

Good meeting the other day.

Since you guys are rug nuts, i hope you noticed that Mainstay has one of the great collections of "authentic" Belgian orientals. (We do have one or two real ones, and two nice Hungarian rugs)

Have to get together sometime this summer.

tom
 
Beaching in SW Florida on the Gulf by running the bow on shore would leave you with a beached whale effect. I don't know, but I am assuming you don't have much of a tidal surge where you are boating. If it is like a lake there on the Eastern Shore then doing what the Bluecrab told you is right on, but if you find yourself wanting to beach anywhere in Florida then you need to learn to drop the hook and let out line to back yourself to the beach...or at least within wadding distance. When the wind is over 10 kts. we look for a patch of sand on the inside of a barrier island to access the beach and nose in to the sand in protected waters.
 
Tom, just like Bluecrab said. We do it all the time. Just remember to turn the engine off before you raise the motor! I usually put the bow anchor out, and check the tide tables if we're going to leave the boat for any length of time.
Best regards,
 
Beaching the boat the way I suggested wouldn't be a good idea in any kind of surf! Tidal surge here in the Bay isn't bad, however, and as Otter notes, you only to have to worry if you're going to leave the boat for a while. Amen to remembering to cut the engine before raising!

I did notice the rugs, Tom - if you ever need more, let me know! I'm trying to scale back my schedule this summer so that I'll be able to get out on the water more - we'll definitely plan to get together.
 
We too have beached our boat about everywhere, but surf. In quite a few areas we've been able to come in with both motors down. Just nudged the bow up on the beach avoiding rocks, hopped off and secured. In doubtful areas, one motor all the way up-the other in shallow water drive. In real doubtful areas, put on the waders, over the side, and with a line hooked to the bow, pull it to where ever you want. We also carry an adjustable pole with a frogs foot for exploring extensive shallow areas. The ability to beach or other wise get to varied type shores is just one of the many great features of our boats.

Jay
 
Tom,
Beaching the boat to explore the shore is a favorite activity for us. The easiest way to access the shore from your boat is by exiting over the transom so we put the stern to the beach whenever possible. If the conditions are anything less than flat calm or we are leaving the boat for more than a few minutes in a tidal area we drop the anchor and use a shock cord attached to the rode with a retrival line from a stern cleat to the shore. The shock cord allows the boat to float in an accepable depth and also allows the boat to be pulled to shore for transom boarding. Often something solid protrudes from the shore such as a rock, sustantial log or a sandbar. These protrusions often have a shallow and a deep side. The deep side can be just deep enough to float the boat and allow a place to step ashore. Many Chesapeake beaches require crossing 50 yards or more of shallow water. Once the water level drops below 3.5 feet we turn the engine off, raise it and pole our way in. One must be watchful of the tide or that long shoal just crossed will become a trap until the next rising tide. There is a lenghty explantion of this method with its variations in the anchoring thread.
Mike 'Levity'
 
I've beached my 22' Cruiser several times on the Sacramento River and the Potomac River. You just have to know the water fluctuations. I've run my 22 in 2 foot of water with the motor raised enough to make headway as long as the motor is still peeing. It's no fun getting stuck high and dry so watch your tides. You have about a 2 foot tide so be careful about beaching in shallow areas.
Dick
 
I just brought up the thread entitled "Need Help Anchoring" as we've discussed this in the past and perhaps this has information that might help.

This has info about anchor buddies.
 
Tom - you do it like this! It HAS to be fairly calm - at this very same location, a little bit of surf, boat got sideways, and we nearly destroyed the boat and killed my elderly parents - seriously.

Daydream_on_the_Beach_2_Patos_6_28_03.sized.jpg
 
I beach once in a while and the coast up here is rocky and the tidal ranges extreme so you have to be very careful and plan it out.

One thing that is very important is to be careful about beaching bow on if there is any surf at all or any chance of large wakes hitting you; good way to swamp your boat, wreck your transducer, etc.

Like most have said before, do it on a calm day or find a very protected area, go slow (even sandy beaches have ocassional rock outcrops), or my favorite in large tidal range areas, find a good sheltered spot and let the tide go out and ground you.

Its fun, the boats are durable, and its another unique feature to the C-Dory.
 
TyBoo, I used to see brass plaques which many skippers placed prominently on the bridge of their boats. Perhaps you have seen them?

"WHEN THE DRAFT OF YOUR VESSEL EXCEEDS THE DEPTH OF THE WATER,YOU ARE MOST ASSUREDLY AGROUND!" :lol:
 
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