Beaching

[wells01]

Hi
I have a 36" long keeled boat which is complete with beaching legs. I have never beached her but feel I should know how just in case.
What is the preferred technique?
Many thanks
wells01

 

[theoldplucker]

Bolt the legs on and bring her in. Make sure legs are tied tightly fore and aft to keep them upright to avoid 'walking'. Legs should be slightly shorter than keel draft so that weight is on the keel.

 

[Spars]

Don't use a beach, find a drying harbour.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

[ QUOTE ]
Don't use a beach, find a drying harbour.

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed, you can end up getting a right pounding in the surf when the tide floods.
If you do beach on a beach do not do as I did once and dry side on to the tide. For us in a cat it was worse, but you would get it to a similar degree, one hull was hard aground the other bouncing and banging in even little wavelets.

With legs, if it is very muddy you might need to add feet, this can be just nailed on ply to spread the weight. Though is this was the case, you would not want to get out anyhow.

 

[roly_voya]

If possible get a look at the bottom first, either look on the previous low tide or a site with clear water. Sand or fine gravel/shell is ideal. You really dont want to be on soft mud, although leg shoes make it safe getting on and off is a problem. A ladder for boarding is useful but you can achieve this by fitting rungs to one of the legs, simple cross pieces will do. If you have wooden legs the easiest way to get them down is to get the botls in then pull them upright on the lines before tightening the bolts as the legs will float and make it hard to get them straight down without the ropes. One you get the hang of them they ar great especially for drying habours and creaks.

 

[simonfraser]

def check the ground first & i'd practice against piles first. IF the boat falls over you're in big dooo dooo.

 

[oldsaltoz]

Before beaching a cat or monohull it's a good practice to set an anchor on your way in, or when tide has dropped and you can carry one to what you think will be the best spot. This will help you off when ready thus reducing the need to start engines in dirty water, it's also handy to pull a cat closer to the direction of any waves. Some cats set two anchors though we have only ever used one, I can see the advantage or two.

Must have beached the cat hundreds of times and only ever had a problem once due to a squall out of nowhere, managed to get her off after only a few bumps with the anchor. Would have been hell without it.

Hope this helps.

Avagoodweekend......

 

[Athene V30]

As others have said, set the legs first and only in sheltered spot.

<====== See picture!

 

[wells01]

Thanks for your help. My mooring is at Dale in Pembrokeshire and I have often seen boats on the beach being scrubbed but never actually seen the actual beaching. It seems like a good idea to save fair bit of money by beaching rather than have the boat lifted. Obviously that's all cancelled out if she falls over. Practicing against piles is good advice, I'll try that first.
Many thanks

 

[oldsaltoz]

For what it's worth, cleaning, as in removing growth or anti fouling a boat on any beach is banned in Queensland Australia, so get into it while you can.

Andavagoodweekend......

 

[vyv_cox]

The technique may depend upon whether you have legs that are adjustable for length, or not. If not you may need to be a little more careful about the state of the bottom, although not as much as you might think. A foot of clearance between the 'lazy' leg and the bottom is perfectly OK and one owner I know who keeps his boat permanently on a drying mooring always sets his up in this way.

Otherwise, adjust for length as the boat settles and it will stand upright. When drying on beaches the technique is just the same but a sheltered one is always preferred, of course.

Try it in a known place where the bottom is flat and hard. Once you have the knack you will find that it opens up all sorts of new places for overnight stops.

 

[pcatterall]

You must be sure of the ground. Avoid beaching cross tide. consider the effects of scour around your legs.

 

[FrancisRutter]

I second OldSaltOz. Put out an anchoron the way in. My father regularly would beach in the Channel Isles to scrub off. When the tide started to come in and the waves lapped round the boat he would pull on the anchor cable as each wave lifted the boat slightly and very soon he would be off and lying to the anchor having suffered very little of the pounding that otherwise happens.

 

[wells01]

There is one thing I'm still not sure about. At which point on the tide do you get the boat into position? I hour after high water? I would be terrified of getting it wrong, especially if the tides were heading towards neaps.

 

[oldsaltoz]

depends on the range of tide, use the rule of 12ths and find a minumum depth you are happy with then go for another half metre.

Avagoodweekend......

 

[vyv_cox]

Yes, half a metre is plenty. Once you are used to it you'll be far more relaxed. The tide mostly ebbs surprisingly slowly, giving you plenty of time. On quite a few occasions we have driven aground on the beach with the legs ready to use, then put them in place and wound the screws down. That's the beauty of the adjustable ones, they can correct a significant heel.

This is an example. Although the photo doesn't show it very well, the beach has quite a steep slope on it. We drove onto the gravel, dropped a stern anchor on the way in and took a line ashore.

Good advertisement for Micron! I got my money back from International on the basis of that photograph.

 

[narooma]

We leaned our long keel against a wall (inside the harbour) to antifoul last year and while it was ok on the outgoing tide, the waves gave me concern when we refloated. Possibly something to think about.

 

[JerryHawkins]

Hi Vyv,

Out of interest, how much strengthening did you do to the inside of the hull where the leg attachment fittings are fixed? I'm thinking of getting the same legs for our CW. What do the instructions say about location of the leg attachment points? Equi-distant fore and aft or some other rule-of-thumb? Did you fit yourself?

 

[vyv_cox]

Hi Jerry,

I fitted them myself. No strengthening of the hull at all. Sadlers fitted quite a few new boats with Yacht Leg sockets and they didn't strengthen up specially. I though-bolted to a big Tufnol pad, something like 10 x 6 x 1 inch and they have never moved since. I seem to remember that there were some instructions about where to put them but it was a long time ago. Call Yacht Legs to enquire, they were very helpful to me.

Vyv

 

[doug748]

I have the same legs as vyv, excellent engineering but not inexpensive. Yacht Leg Co (I think they may have changed their name) are very helpful. As for position, I think the fore and aft centre of the keel is the starting point; which is then adjusted for sensible weight distribution, practical fitting reasons, and shape of keel. The longer the keel the less critical it is. Mine worked out just aft of the mast in line with the turn of the forward end of the keel.
They are short enough to stow onboard and of course you do not need a cradle for the winter lay up.