Drying

Roberto

Roberto

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As I keep on doing silly things, there are increasing chances I will end up like the boat below at some future point /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

My 41ft boat has a 2m fin keel, around 9 tons displ.

Once one is stuck with a lowering tide, say over sand or mud bottoms, what should/can be done (apart from taking pictures)?

I read about putting fenders or old sails on the side of the hull but with that sort of weight I wonder if they would be of any help... sails would come out perfectly ironed though

Re-burp the stuffing box when the boat float again, ok

A kedge ?

What else ?
Any particular precautions for the moment when water comes back (like shutting down deck portholes, or whatever)

thanks

le-treport-bateau-plaisance-echoue-port.jpg
 
Could be worse - he's on a fairly level and soft-ish bottom. Is this at Barfleur? A friend of mine who did this with a long-keeler on a steep bank went over more than 90 degrees before the boat slipped down the bank and righted. He said the only real damage was caused by sulphuric acid leaking from the batteries.
 
Did this once at Ravenglass during a 3 peaks race. What we forgot was to remove the large pot of curry that was sitting on the stove waiting for the return of the runners. The whole lot ended up on the floor, It was quickly scooped up and put back in the pot. The runners were none the wiser. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
Close all seacocks ,at that an gle toilets and sinks may be below waterline before she starts to pick up.If the bottom is rocky I have heard of someone using bunk matteresses to save the hull.
 
We came across one last year and got him to strap his partially inflated dingy to the side. Worked fine..no damage but no doubt an element of luck.
 
I have experienced same problems with my previous boat which had a fin/long keel; but i was lucky. I have known of people who put out two anchors, one at port and one at staboard; this is risky. If I had another fin keel boat i would invest in boat legs, therefore, eliminating the risk of damaging the hull especially with the incoming tide and waves.
 
thanks all for the interesting suggestions (esp curry, though it might probably be spaghetti in my boat, a bit more difficult to put back in the cooker /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

just thinking: would it make any sense for example to empty water tanks (3/400 kg at most so not a lot), take off a few things and put them in the dinghy to reduce weight, or perhaps to move weights inside to change the boat balance ?

It total it would amount at the very maximum to 10% of the boat weight so not a lot /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
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(esp curry, though it might probably be spaghetti in my boat, a bit more difficult to put back in the cooker /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

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It's not /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Other things to take into account (batteries have already been mentioned):

Will your engine oil flood out of the dipstick hole?

Turn off gas if the bottles are going to be on their sides.

Can the contents of tanks spill from filler caps, breathers etc.?

When the water comes back, might you get downflooding before the boat pops off (suction, especially if lying in mud)? In which case think about gaffer taping lockers and hatches.

Make sure the lids are firmly on food containers! (Personal experience /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )
 
I skidded down a bank in my halcyon 23. The way we were lying I would have been better off with a long/fin keeler as I was lying on the rubbing strake and port keel. Have to admit the whole experience was a product if not having a clue what I was doing. had loads of gaffer tape on board. I used a whole 50m roll taping everything up. Also inflated the dinghy and and held it at the top of the mast with a halyard.
Embarrassing really.
Nicki
 
When you first realsie your not going to get off a quick decision as which way to lie is important (i've read) as lying down hill can mean that the water will be over the hatches before the hull has started to lift.

I believe you can use an anchor laid out and then attached to a halyard to pull you over or you can lay chain or other weight down one side to encourage the boat to lean the way you want.
 
The only time I have (inadvertantly) grounded on a falling tide I used my legs but became very concerned about the wisdom of this. I had stuck cross tide in a very fast flowing river situation. The legs began to scour on one side and the boat tillted with a lot of weight on one leg. My concern was that the boat may crash down. In the event the incominging tide bent one of the legs but it all held up.
I would use the legs again but only where the tidal flow was not so strong, where pounding was not an issue and where I knew the bottom was ok.
Regards
 
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