First time on yacht / beaching legs!!!

[Tim Good]

Feeling good about drying out for the first time on legs! Boat is 17t disp with a 2m draft so was quite nervous!!! Now all settled in it seems solid.

!

However, for this with experience, would you leave the boat like this for a day or two un attended? I want to go cycling around Belle Ilse in Brittany and could just leave the boat as is perhaps? I have my spade off the bow and a big fortress off the stern.

A bit of wind due tonight but mostly settle there after. Am I best refloatimg and moving to a mooring if any sort of wind is due or am I being too nervous about it?

 

[Kelpie]

Nothing inherently wrong with leaving a boat on legs on a fore and aft mooring in a location not exposed to swell. Make sure the boat is leaning to one side or the other, I.e. The legs are shorter than the keel. This ensures that the boat comes upright before she floats, and the legs aren't in danger of dragging on the ground.

 

[TSB240]

Feeling good about drying out for the first time on legs! Boat is 17t disp with a 2m draft so was quite nervous!!! Now all settled in it seems solid.

View attachment 70381!

However, for this with experience, would you leave the boat like this for a day or two un attended? I want to go cycling around Belle Ilse in Brittany and could just leave the boat as is perhaps? I have my spade off the bow and a big fortress off the stern.

A bit of wind due tonight but mostly settle there after. Am I best refloatimg and moving to a mooring if any sort of wind is due or am I being too nervous about it?

Really envious. We love Sauzon..

When were there the majority of visitors were using legs.

I don't think you will have any problems where you are on legs. It is quite hard and sandy bottom in that picture there.

Avoid the muddy patches nearer the harbour entrance. One boat went over to a crazy angle on its legs until the leg found some harder ground under the mud.

I would recommend keeping your bow and stern line moor as tight as possible so that the boat takes the ground in the same place as you left it on the next ebb and keeps its position. We could not do this with our lift keel and minimal draft and had to be on board on the flood as we could drift under a deep draft Bilge or Fin keel on legs! We used the fore and aft moorings but I would think your choice of anchors are as good!

There was minimal wash or wave in the harbour especially the further in you go.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I also have legs for my 24 ton boat.

I rig lines for and aft from the base of the each leg up to a cleat at deck level to ensure the legs are kept vertical.

 

[Tim Good]

I also have legs for my 24 ton boat.

I rig lines for and aft from the base of the each leg up to a cleat at deck level to ensure the legs are kept vertical.

And would you use them confidently in a F6?

 

[rogerthebodger]

And would you use them confidently in a F6?

Never needed to as we only have 2 metre range at springs and 1 metre at neaps my draft is over 2 metres.

I would not even anchor along out coast which is a very rugged with no bolt holes near me.

I tend to use my legs when there is no scrubbing post available to wash or antifoul where I can reach.

 

[vyv_cox]

Since this was posted northcave and I have exchanged PMs. My boat over-wintered on legs at Dinas Boatyard on the Menai Strait, right next to the sea wall where it is very exposed to northerlies. I can be fairly confident that winds over that winter were more than force 6 and that it was far more exposed there than in Sauzon, where I have also spent a couple of nights on legs. I would have no concerns at all.

 

[Tim Good]

Ok thanks guys. I think I'll risk it.

When I refloataboit an hour ago the boat did trip over the starboard leg. I had to wind it up. I think this comes back to allowing the boat to sit on one side slightly and letting the boat right itself before floating.

Seems strange though to let the legs be short and allow it to lean over a little.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Seems strange though to let the legs be short and allow it to lean over a little.

It allows the keel to sink a little and the keel taking most of the weight. The legs should only just keep it unright.

This is my boat on a scrubbing post with out legs.

This is the position adjustable (height) of my legs during design.

 

[LittleSister]

It allows the keel to sink a little and the keel taking most of the weight. The legs should only just keep it unright.

Just in case that is misinterpreted, I'd say the point is to have the keel taking the vast majority of the boat's weight: the legs are only there to keep the boat upright. The legs are a little shorter than the keel to ensure the keel is taking the weight, but but do not want to be so short the boat is leaning heavily on them. So - upright as is possible without letting the boat 'hang' on the legs.

 

[vyv_cox]

Just in case that is misinterpreted, I'd say the point is to have the keel taking the vast majority of the boat's weight: the legs are only there to keep the boat upright. The legs are a little shorter than the keel to ensure the keel is taking the weight, but but do not want to be so short the boat is leaning heavily on them. So - upright as is possible without letting the boat 'hang' on the legs.

My legs are the adjustable version with wheels and lead screws on the top. My normal practice is that as the boat begins to sit on the bottom the legs are wound up somewhat, maybe 3-6 inches higher than I judge they need to be. Once the keel has settled I wind the legs down to keep the boat upright. This method takes care of any variations in the level or softness of the bottom. This normally only needs to be done the first time.

 

[Tim Good]

My legs are the adjustable version with wheels and lead screws on the top. My normal practice is that as the boat begins to sit on the bottom the legs are wound up somewhat, maybe 3-6 inches higher than I judge they need to be. Once the keel has settled I wind the legs down to keep the boat upright. This method takes care of any variations in the level or softness of the bottom. This normally only needs to be done the first time.

Yes that seems to be what worked for us. Although to stop it from tripping up I woke up at 4am last night to wind them back up, just before the keel lifted off. This isn't a great method for leaving the boat for a few days in attended but I've decided against that now anyhow.

Last night in higher winds was absolutely fine as Vyv suggested it would be. Thanks!