Drying Out with Legs - in the day!

[Gludy]

My expereince of drying out with any boat of any type is zero.

I am shortly to have the new boat fitted with legs - the boat weighs 32 tons so she is no lightweight but she does have an extra deep keel. Trader are going to experiment with the boat in a sling before deciding where to fit the legs - these are being fitted after she arrives at Emsworth in a mere 11 days .... 11 long. long days .... anyway back to the subject.

I realise that in a perfect world legs do not carry much load - the keel carries the load, the legs balance the boat. Now that the subject is becoming real I would like to know what experience any of you have had with drying out and legs. Hints, tips or just plain comfort would be appreciated.

 

[LeytonC]

Lets take her to illfracome and experiment! - i am up for it /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Gludy]

Lets experiment then take her to Coombe /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[LeytonC]

Would be more exciting the other way around!

But, i would have thought 90-95% thru keel and 5-10% thru legs to keep them from moving, but then again, i dont tend to dry out!!!

 

[Gludy]

The legs are designed to take the whole weight providing they stay uprightish .... this is one hell of a mistake to make, 32 tons keeling over on her side with all that nice blue hull ..... but I have to take those first steps - probably on a nice sandy sloping beach like Tenby with an insignificant offshore wind blowing.

Also can you use legs to dry out alongside a wall? The outside leg - yes but do you put the inside leg down or just rest on multiple fenders on the wall?

 

[hlb]

No experience. But think it might be fine for old fishermen types, drying out in same old harbour all there lives. Were it might be a problem, is unknown areas, where there may be a big gully to one side, or the sand is not just as hard as thought.

Seems a bit risky to me!!

 

[LeytonC]

i would not want all that weight thru the legs, contact patch on the ground is way to small, i think you would just sink to the sand (then fall over)

Same for a wall, if you come down on the leg - and it starts to sink... with walls you need to lean on them - personaly i would not cos of the messing around with ropes.

I would try for most of the weight thru the keel then only use the legs to stabillise <sp> like the broom in MBM, have the legs set 2 inches before ground so keel settles in then the legs to the remaining weight, but these things need to be tested...

 

[jhr]

Not in the same league as your new boat, but if you can get a copy, it would be worth having a look at Libby Purves' "One Summer's Grace" where she talks about drying out their boat (a 32 ft GRP gaffer) on legs. I think they used both legs, even when alongside, and took advice from harbourmasters about holes in the seabed etc.

 

[andyball]

you can practice at East Head perhaps? since you'll be nearby

 

[Gludy]

I just ordered the book - seems a good read anyway. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Gludy]

Sorry, i do not know it ... where is East Head?

 

[Gludy]

You are meant to building up my confidence HLB!!!

 

[LeytonC]

Local Knowledge is needed me thinks - i'll tackle illfracoombe (Drives in the up position /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif but i would want some local help with say, CI /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif (Might try to get to CI this year... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif)

 

[Gludy]

Well even if the legs sink into the ground - as long as there is no hard ground between the legs no harm will be done. I do not see how it can fall over as long as the legs reamain mainly upright. .... that is my head talking ..... something inside though is what that head is talking to trying to convince itself!!!

 

[Gludy]

I am going to the CI this year in the new boat ..... I promised myself that.

 

[LeytonC]

i was thinking more if you came down uneven on 1 leg, 32 ton is a lot of weight on a foot of 1 leg (ok, should nor *be* that much). but if set so most of the weight sits on the keel (larger contact patch and pressure is reduced) so you should not continue to sink if uneven.

If you see what i mean.

 

[LittleShip]

"probably on a nice sandy sloping beach like Tenby"

I can be there just say when?? I have dried a 40' Worrier on legs without problems but that only weighed 15 ton. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Adrenalin is a funny thing........ it seems to run fastest when its your investment. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Tom.

 

[tazzle]

Only dried on legs once - not my boat - and these were the standard legs from the yacht leg & cradle company, but was surprised that the load was taken by short ~25mm dia pins locating into sockets glassed into hull sides, on a boat of nearly 4 tonnes. Seemed an awful lot of potential stress if they took any real load, so presume that actual loads are pretty minimal and that the leg is designed to fail before the hull on GRP boats?

 

[KevB]

There is an article in last months MB&Y. Drying out using legs on a much smaller boat than yours in the CI. I didn't read it but will tonight.

 

[DAKA]

We were on Shell beach ( CI ) earlier in the year sat having lunch at the beach restaurant overlooking the boats at anchor.
It was the first time we had been into this bay we usually anchor .5 nm South at Belvoir bay.

Wife comments at speed of tide retreat and questioned my fall and rise predictions.

Guilty in this instance of looking at size of boats and making sure I wasn't the biggest or closest in.

Few minutes passed and I noticed that some boats had drying legs attached, it took about 60 seconds to race across the beach, launch the tender navigate through several boats already dry with legs attached and get on board for the fastest 'up anchor' and away ever.

I thoroughly recommend Shell bay as a great place to dry out, perhaps you can anchor at Belvoir bay first to study the bottom at low tide before you dry out over night ?





Sorry if Belvoir bay spelt wrong, I m sure you know where I mean, East of Herm.