Any sand?

[stu9000]

Hi

I'm doing a bit of passage planning and would love to be able to run my twin keeler up the beach for a few hours.
Does anyone know of anywhere?
The kids would love it and it would be nice to give the hull a bit of a scrub too.
I'm based in the Medway.

What I don't want to do is to run her aground only to find, as the water recedes, that the sand stops and I'm stuck in the mud for hours. Not ideal when one has young kids who want to get off.

I'm not sure i'm brave enough to run up on an Estuary sand bank (ill do it one day).

I read that barges used to unload at Hearne Bay.
Google Maps shows it looking pretty sandy there, but is that just at high tide?
You would have to be fairly sure of your forecast though as it must get pretty exposed out there.

What about Margate? Its a bit far though. I guess I could build it into a wider plan.

There used to be a spit at "The Rocks" on the Deben.
Pretty small target, but if you got it just right, you could ground at half tide and still get ashore.

In my youth i remember visiting a Yacht club that had a pretty good wide hard.
It too was used extensively by the sailing barges in its day.
I cant quite place it. Orwell maybe?

Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Thanks

S

 

[sailorman]

Hi

I'm doing a bit of passage planning and would love to be able to run my twin keeler up the beach for a few hours.
Does anyone know of anywhere?
The kids would love it and it would be nice to give the hull a bit of a scrub too.
I'm based in the Medway.

What I don't want to do is to run her aground only to find, as the water recedes, that the sand stops and I'm stuck in the mud for hours. Not ideal when one has young kids who want to get off.

I'm not sure i'm brave enough to run up on an Estuary sand bank (ill do it one day).

I read that barges used to unload at Hearne Bay.
Google Maps shows it looking pretty sandy there, but is that just at high tide?
You would have to be fairly sure of your forecast though as it must get pretty exposed out there.

What about Margate? Its a bit far though. I guess I could build it into a wider plan.

There used to be a spit at "The Rocks" on the Deben.
Pretty small target, but if you got it just right, you could ground at half tide and still get ashore.

In my youth i remember visiting a Yacht club that had a pretty good wide hard.
It too was used extensively by the sailing barges in its day.
I cant quite place it. Orwell maybe?

Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Thanks

S

The Rocks are an eyesore these days thanks to the locals
there is a nice beach between Clamp House & Pin Mill or Wrabness, Ewerton Ness or how about Harwich near the SC

 

[stu9000]

The Rocks are an eyesore these days thanks to the locals
there is a nice beach between Clamp House & Pin Mill or Wrabness, Ewerton Ness or how about Harwich near the SC

Thanks.
Wrabness beach looks appealing and i have not really explored the Stour.

Shame about The Rocks.
Is it just busy?

 

[sailorman]

Thanks.
Wrabness beach looks appealing and i have not really explored the Stour.

Shame about The Rocks.
Is it just busy?

Local so called "Oyster farmer", Im told most come in via trucks to be sold on as local

 

[stuey_two]

Two options on the Blackwater are the hard in Brightlinsea - a bit muddy underfoot but tap water available if neded - or, in calm conditions, the beach due north of Bradwell power station - gently shelving, clean shingle and shells. Just use the west wall of the power station to give a leading line

 

[Hadenough]

The Beach near Clamp house is not good, you will sink through the sand into mud within the hour. Better bet if you are in the area is Stone Point in the Walton Backwaters. Look at the local chartlets for the best place but it is mostly good hard sand and great for kids and dogs. You do need to get there a tide before to choose your spot though.

 

[sailorman]

The Beach near Clamp house is not good, you will sink through the sand into mud within the hour. Better bet if you are in the area is Stone Point in the Walton Backwaters. Look at the local chartlets for the best place but it is mostly good hard sand and great for kids and dogs. You do need to get there a tide before to choose your spot though.

Quite a few local MoBos dont seem to have a problem there during the summer

 

[Hadenough]

Quite a few local MoBos dont seem to have a problem there during the summer

Emphasis, flat bottomed Mo-Bos, two regulars, why they do it I have no idea! Except that their Labradors like it! Try it with a bilge keeler and you will settle beautifully but the keels will be in mud within an hour. - 69,371?

 

[sailorman]

Emphasis, flat bottomed Mo-Bos, two regulars, why they do it I have no idea! Except that their Labradors like it! Try it with a bilge keeler and you will settle beautifully but the keels will be in mud within an hour. - 69,371?

My first "Yacht" was bk, never again 69372 & not counting

 

[greylag]

Local so called "Oyster farmer", Im told most come in via trucks to be sold on as local

Why not just say The pratt in the hat Simper and be done with it.

 

[Triassic]

My suggestion would be Margate, simply because it's nice and clean for the kids to play on, it's well sheltered, and there's plenty of ice cream nearby..... Adventure would be to pick one of the Estuary banks, or even Foulness sand, but you would have to be pretty sure of your forecast.

 

[Lucky Duck]

Two options on the Blackwater are the hard in Brightlinsea - a bit muddy underfoot but tap water available if neded - or, in calm conditions, the beach due north of Bradwell power station - gently shelving, clean shingle and shells. Just use the west wall of the power station to give a leading line

Or the South shore of Osea Island East of the ruins of the old pier

 

[Hadenough]

My first "Yacht" was bk, never again 69372 & not counting

Did you every dry at the Pin Mill Beach? Trying to qualify your recommendation.

 

[Marmalade]

Weymarks - ie just east of Bradwell Power Station; or Thirslet Spit both in the Blackwater

 

[stu9000]

My first "Yacht" was bk, never again 69372 & not counting

Gotta say im pretty happy with having a bilge keeler.
No need for a cradle when hauled out. Safe as houses, unlike a couple of my neighbouring vessels in recent Storm Katie.

Creek crawling is one of lifes great pleasures but if I was doing it in a fin keeler it would be just too stressful.
If you go aground with a BK its annoying rather than a crisis.
The Jag 27s windward performance is pretty damned good, at least compared to anything Ive sailed before, so if it is a compromise Im happy with it.

Not quite sure what to make of the "69372 & not counting" reference.
Surely not miles sailed!

 

[stu9000]

My suggestion would be Margate, simply because it's nice and clean for the kids to play on, it's well sheltered, and there's plenty of ice cream nearby..... Adventure would be to pick one of the Estuary banks, or even Foulness sand, but you would have to be pretty sure of your forecast.

This is good news. Suprisingly little about Margate on the the web.
The prospect of flat sand is a big draw and I hope to recce it this season.

I've heard a few stories about cricket and such like on the estuary sand banks.
Also read stories of old salts anchoring in their lee to ride out rough weather.
I'm keen, but need to know the area and my boar a bit better I think.

 

[Mandarin331]

What about Southend beach half a mile or so east of the pier, miles of flat hard sand, close to where you're based, just chose the weather, but there's loads of BKs moored there all summer so i assume by the time they're touching they are sheltered by half a mile of sand to windward in a southerly.

 

[Gargleblaster]

What about the eastern entrance to the Swale. I haven't got a chart with me but I htink on the western side of the eastern entrance there is an area known as 'The Sands'.

I have spent a night on my side once on the Horse in the Swale when I ran aground at high water at last light. That was very hard and my keel didn't sink in at all, but in the dark it had the appearance of grey mud and it was soft enough to lay a kedge quite easily. Lots of small marine creatures for your children to collect.

 

[Tomahawk]

Ramsgit hRbour had a drying area.. actually two. one to the west wall next to the commercial port.. the other is next to the maritime museam..

Otherwise there is the actual beach outside the harbour.. only problem there may be grockles and jobsworths..

 

[DavidofMersea]

Two options on the Blackwater are the hard in Brightlinsea - a bit muddy underfoot but tap water available if neded - or, in calm conditions, the beach due north of Bradwell power station - gently shelving, clean shingle and shells. Just use the west wall of the power station to give a leading line

I think you are confused. Brightlingsea is on the Colne and the beach north of Bradwell is called Mersea Island