Beaching

[Greatlakesboater]

I'm a recent owner of as CD22 and was perusing this wonderful site for info on beaching techniques. I live on the Great Lakes without being concerned with tides. I came across a string of comments related to the draft and it seems that the 22 can be comfortably run to about 12" with the engines trimmed up. But I would be interested in learning from you guys what techniques you use for beaching. Approach techniques ? Stern in or bow in ? How about swinging in a-beam ? Is it really necessary to run a stern anchor for reverse hauling ?
Thanks.

 

[Robert H. Wilkinson]

Most boats I've watched come in bow first. The stern is the heaviest so it will be hard to push off if it becomes grounded.

Most usually shut engine off and pull boat in by hand the last few yards.

If it becomes wavy, each wave can lift the boat and push it a few inches farther in until it becomes fairly heavily grounded.

It is possible to dig some sand out from under boat to help float it.

Most usually push off before anybody gets back in.

On a long sand beach you can also walk an anchor out and dig it in by hand(or feet) to help you kedge off(if you didn't set one on the way in).

Most larger boats post a lookout on the bow and another on the swim platform to watch the prop wash. If the prop wash starts looking muddy you are starting to stir up sand and should trim up all the way and shut engine off. Water pumps don't like sandy water!

Just a few random thoughts,
Rob

 

[BRAZO]

We have our boat in Petersburg Alaska now, but we live in Wisconsin and cruised the Great Lakes for a number of years. We added a bow guard to our boat when it was new in order to feel more comfortable about beaching.

We always go bow forward onto the beach and either throw the anchor on shore or tie off to a tree. We never have needed a stern anchor. In the North Channel, we would find areas that had very little water and slowly approach (with someone standing on the bow) and the kids would jump out and we'd walk the boat back into our anchorage.

We don't beach the boat in areas that have waves or wakes - in those cases we'd drop anchor and then back to shore and tie the stern to shore.

We loved cruising to Alaska this year but would have been much better if we could have put the bow onshore and spent the night in many of these deep water locations.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

We prefer to drop an anchor, then back into the beach to tie off. It sure makes getting off and on the boat easier. Just be careful of transducers and trim tabs.

If there is any chance of wind, we run anchor lines off each side of the stern to keep from swinging. You can either tie around a rock, or bury an anchor in the sand. We carry a small length of chai to go around rocks and trees.

At Lake Powell, we carry three anchors with lines.

 

[Larry Patrick]

Beached dozen times this season, got anchor set, left out line to get close .Sometimes put stern anchor near shore or on beach. Last trip waves were choppy enough to say hope anchor holds ,it did thought about second anchor from bow just incase,but wife said not needed. Sandy beach on Erie wanted to walk and look for beach glass, several boats also anchored there.Keep snorkel mask and fins .for hull cleaning,or just looking around.Checked on anchor to see how it set a few times.

 

[Sea Wolf]

From the above, it's obvious that no one method can be used all the time.

Indeed, one should pack all of the possible equipment and materials needed and then improvise as necessary.

Moreover, sometimes, and often for me, anchoring out is preferable:

Tidal, current, wind, and storm considerations frequently making anchoring out less complicated, less dangerous, or more appealing.

Flexibility is the key, and it helps to know all the options.

Joe. :teeth :thup



Click on photo for album photos (2) and explanation.

 

[Kushtaka]

sandy bottoms are rare where I live, and if they are there they probably have surf breaks too. I anchor and dinghy in most times. If I don't do that I back anchor. Never had an issue. I wouldn't leave my boat beached for more than a few minutes on a rising tide. The rocks would devour it.

 

[gulfcoast john]

Agree with Joe,
everything depends on your boating area.
For newbies:
In general, all standard outboards are designed to minimize damage when you hit things going forward (the rock or log hits the forward edge of your lower unit, not the prop, and the hydraulic rams allow it to kick up and over the obstruction, possibly without ever hitting the spinning prop).
When backing toward a beach in reverse, the hydraulic rams are not in play, your prop makes first contact with the log/rock, and the entire shock is absorbed up your propshaft and driveshaft/engine (hoping the hub fails first).
In soft sand and very low speeds, usually you just rub paint off the prop. If you're not backing in to soft sand, consider any other alternative as above.

Newbie suggestion #2, with or without a windlass consider tying off Marinco colored cable ties (they go right through a windlass well) so you can tell how much chain or rode is out at a glance.
We added (via paying the pros) a wireless remote (fob) to our pretty much standard Lewmar 700 windlass so Eileen can control the up/down action from the bow while I maneuver. It's really hard for me to do both. On the other hand, I can't boat and chew gum at the same time, so your mileage may differ. At least gas is cheap.
Cheers!
John