Beaching

[misterg]

I would dearly like to indulge in the idyllic pastime illustrated on the cover of this month's (ahem) y*tchting m*nthly - run the boat (22' bilge keel) up a beach & decamp the family for a pleasant afternoon's beach play.

In pre-internet days, I would have just gone for it, and weathered the consequences. However, now there is somewhere to ask....

What are the pitfalls? Obviously, it's a fair weather only thing.

My plan would be to slowly approach the (gently shelving, sandy) beach until I ground. Should I lay a kedge to get off again? Should I anchor before grounding so that the boat points into the surf? Do I need to lay a line ashore to keep the boat straight? Is there a risk of being drivven up the beach by the returning tide?

Specifically, I intend to put this into practice around Traeth Lligwy on the NE coast of Anglesey - any advice?

Thanks in advance,

Andy


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[stretch33]

Andy, Go to your chosen spot about half tide, beach it then walk the anchor out behind you when the tide out and dig it in. Thats what l do and no probs as yet, when tide comes in you float and haul yourself toward anchor. Tried the other method of dropping the hook and waiting for tide to go and dont end up where you want to be, once dried out with one keel in a hole, so have a look beforehand when tide out to pick a spot. We stuck a couple of poles in the ground to give us a line to approach as only a sml patch of sand surrounded by mud!


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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

You illustrate a mistake I made when beaching by Barmouth one sunny afternoon.

I did not keep her straight in the surf, as I have 'canoe' sterns, fore or aft into the surf makes little difference. I ended up beam on to the sea, which was relatively flat but still gave us a good pounding on the seaward hull as the tide came in and lifted and dropped it until the lea hull picked up.

We are talking 4" waves here. It was the sound of scraping and shingle running down the keels that made it seem much worse. So now if beaching I make sure I drop a kedge and anchor fore and aft on my way in. I let the tide ebb around me rather than drive her up the beach.

From that albeit minor experience I would make sure you are 100% certain about the weather forecast or choose a suitably sheltered beach before trying it. If you drop near the high water mark, 8 hours is a long time in weather terms!

Although I did drive her up the beach last year to remove a pot line picked up on the way into Padstow, very satisfying to be able to remove debris or clean without the need of scrubbing posts or cranes!

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>

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[Benbow]

Jools is absolutely right. Dropping a kedge behind you as you go in gives you much more control and the option of running away if you are not happy. You will be surprised how much pounding there is even on the calmest day.

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[[3889]]

Andy
I have beached at benllech, near where you suggest and sustained no damage - despite it being involuntary in a fin keeler - I'll never guess the tide time again!
Good Luck
Andy


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[AndrewB]

I used to do this regularly in places like the Thames Estuary and Goodwin Sands, for a family picnic and seal-spotting. I think you have answered your own questions pretty well. It is strongly advisable to go aground pointing back out to sea in the direction of the returning tide. That may be made easier by dropping an anchor as you arrive, but normally you will pick somewhere with an offshore breeze, so the anchor isn't that helpful. Generally I would power around as the boat started to touch bottom, then back up until held firm. However, you MUST lay one out in the direction of the returning tide to help you get off.

The key thing is not to beach whenever or wherever there is any risk of having even small waves or surf when the tide returns. The pounding and knocking about of the boat as it refloats in waves will scare your family witless, more so the larger the boat. It seems worse than really is.

I don't do it since I stopped owning a bilge keeler, but these days it might be advisable to inform the CG to avoid being the object of an involuntary rescue. I suspect that CG might well try to dissuade you from anywhere exposed.

 

[SteveGorst]

You're right that photo had caught my eye as well. I took the family over to Traeth Bychan last year - next to Lligwy, but we did it by anchoring in the deeper water and using the dinghy to go ashore. I would imagine a more sheltered spot to try beaching may be Traeth Coch (Red Wharf Bay). There is a channel to access the inner portion of the bay so as the tide goes out the waves should be stopped by the bank before the deeper water in the inner bay dries out. A lot of people from our club go over there for the weekend on the beach.

There is also a licensed restaurant and other facilities.

The radio works a treat now by the way. So it was inefficient shielding that was causing the interference on 80.

Cheers
Steve

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://"www.nwcc.info">North Wales Cruising Club</A>

 

[snowleopard]

her\'s a new one...

heard of a boat which ran aground on sand on a falling tide shortly after HW. crew went ashore for a walk while waiting for the tide to return. when they got back they found a man on board who was claiming the boat as it had no anchor out and was therefore 'abandoned'. believe it or not it was a vicar!

i have no idea of the legality or what happened next though i know what i would have done, vicar or not.

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[misterg]

I take it then that most people would end up with the bow up the beach. I can see the sense in trying to get the bow to any waves, but would be concerned about the boat running onto the rudder. Definitely need to make provision for kedging off!

I've been looking at Red Wharf Bay, too, but with access only at HW, it seems to need either a very long day with an early tide, or waiting over for one tide. I've gone as far as "cheating" by walking the channel at low water to orient myself, find out where the holes are, and collect a few waypoints. Current thinking is to arrive on an early evening tide, make full use of pub / restaraunt (sans kids?), and depart following morning (leaving / returning to Conwy river). Neaps make it easier to get into Conwy, but harder to leave RWB. My passage planning is in its early infancy!

Have "sussed out" Traeth Bychan and Benllech, and would be happy to anchor off for a short time. I accept that Traeth Lligwy is v. exposed from NW to SE. Arriving at half tide would allow a day trip that "went somewhere and did something" to hold the children's interest within a sensible day.

Thanks to all for the replies.

Andy

[Steve - glad you got the radio sorted]

(Oh, and look out for vicars - interesting point!)


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[Guest]

a) Make sure you ground at anything EXCEPT full High water ... otherwise you run risk of NOT getting off again. I normally touch and then back off again to make sure.
b) Kedge anchor is good idea to help pull off when finished or stop boat swinging onto beach with tide / weather.
c) IF the beach has a shelf to it .... anchor off before the shelf - do not cross it and risk getting stuck on lesser full tide next.

If its a popular beach - then you'll find most will anchor / stop so far from the beach literally creating a line of boats .... take the cue and do same !!!!

ENJOY IT !

Common-sense is all thats needed.....

<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/

 

[oldharry]

Go for it! If you have kids aboard one of the happiest days mine had was building a sea wall round the boat for the tides return - Brilliant.

BUT and it s big but, ONLY do it when there is more or less guaranteed shelter, or in settled conditions. I remember well an uncomfotable night in Red Wharf Bay when an unexpected N Easterly 6 came in. Fortunately we were behind a bank and lifted safely, but the next few hours on a lee shore with nowhere else to go was definitely not the best part of that holiday!

Once you have touched you are there until the tide returns whatever happens! No need to worry about the kedge astern when you are coming in. There will be plenty of time later to walk it out, unless the beach is very flat, or there is very little rise and fall of tide, in which situation the boat may be slewed round before the tide falls.

Make sure too that there are no steep to banks. Apart from the obvious dangers of getting bradside to and falling over, I once ran my little boat firmly onto the sand, with just a foot of water round the bows. I then aft to switch off the engine, and jumped over the stern - into 8 feet of water! The family are still laughing....

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by oldharry on 26/06/2004 10:51 (server time).</FONT></P>